Chapter 191
Early the next morning, Guy, Ebisu, and Genma shouldered their packs and arrived at the main gate of the base. Kakashi, Obito, and Rin were already waiting there to see them off, while Minato Namikaze stood slightly to the side with his usual gentle smile.
“They’re here, they’re here!”
Obito was the first to shout. There wasn’t much sadness in his voice despite the impending separation. Instead, there was a faint eagerness, as though he were already looking forward to their next meeting.
“Hey, Guy! Once you get to the Land of Rivers, don’t slack off! The next time we meet, I’ll definitely surpass you!”
“You?”
Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses and habitually began to bicker with him.
“Why don’t you settle that meal you owe us first?”
“Hey! I clearly treated you guys yesterday!”
Obito immediately retorted, his expression becoming indignant.
Rin smiled gently from the side and quickly tried to smooth things over.
“Alright, alright. Guy-kun, Ebisu-kun, Genma-kun, please be careful on the road.”
Kakashi stood a little farther away with his hands in his pockets. He looked at Guy and gave him a simple nod. He didn’t say much, but after everything they had experienced together, there was no need for unnecessary words. They understood each other without saying anything.
Just then, Minato Namikaze stepped forward. He reached into his robe, pulled out a rolled-up document, and handed it to Guy.
“Read this on the way. It contains some basic intelligence about the Land of Rivers base, as well as some precautions regarding the local area. It won’t hurt to familiarize yourselves with the situation beforehand.”
Guy accepted the document with both hands and nodded solemnly.
“Thank you, Captain Minato.”
He immediately unfurled the document in front of everyone. His eyes quickly scanned the first few lines, memorizing the important information.
However, when his gaze landed on a certain name, his movement visibly paused, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
“What is it?”
Ebisu noticed his strange reaction and immediately leaned closer.
Genma also cast an inquisitive glance over.
“The Supreme Commander of the Land of Rivers base…”
Guy turned the document toward them, his finger pointing directly at the name.
Ebisu and Genma looked at it simultaneously.
“Uchiha Fugaku?! The Clan Chief of the Uchiha Clan?!”
Ebisu blurted out in surprise.
The senbon in Genma’s mouth also stopped moving for a moment.
The transfer orders had only been issued yesterday. Their attention had been focused entirely on Chen-sensei and the opportunity to receive Taijutsu guidance from him, so they hadn’t thought to ask about the commander of their new station.
They certainly hadn’t expected the Supreme Commander of the Land of Rivers base to be Uchiha Fugaku himself.
But after their initial surprise faded, the three of them simultaneously turned toward Minato Namikaze.
A clear look of gratitude appeared in their eyes.
The three of them had once spent a considerable amount of time at the Uchiha Clan compound. During that period, they had interacted with many members of the clan and had gradually earned the recognition of the Uchiha. Their relationship with the clan had also become quite harmonious.
This was no secret.
Therefore, the moment Guy saw Uchiha Fugaku’s name on the document, he immediately thought of something else.
Minato Namikaze had transferred them to the Land of Rivers.
It wasn’t merely because Chen-sensei was stationed there.
More importantly, the Uchiha Clan’s current Clan Chief was also overseeing that battlefield.
This meant that after arriving in the Land of Rivers, they wouldn’t only have an opportunity to receive guidance from a Taijutsu master. They would also receive a considerable degree of care and protection within the Konoha base.
If someone told Guy that this wasn’t at least partially arranged by Minato Namikaze…
He wouldn’t believe it for even a second.
“Captain Minato…”
Guy looked up at Minato Namikaze, his eyes filled with genuine gratitude.
“Truly… thank you very much!”
Ebisu and Genma also immediately reacted. They hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
“Thank you, Captain Minato.”
Minato Namikaze smiled and waved his hand, his tone as gentle as ever.
“There’s no need to thank me so formally. Your transfer was already a reasonable rotation within the war zone. I merely made a tiny adjustment within the authority available to me.”
He winked at the three of them.
“After all, I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing how much you three will grow in the future.”
Hearing this, Guy, Ebisu, and Genma couldn’t help but laugh.
The faint melancholy that had been lingering in their hearts because of the impending separation was largely dispelled.
“Alright, it’s getting late.”
Minato Namikaze glanced toward the sky.
“If you leave now and take the safer route through the interior of the Land of Fire, three days should be enough to reach the border of the Land of Rivers. Don’t rush while traveling. Your safety comes first.”
“Yes!”
The three answered in unison.
They naturally understood Minato’s reasoning.
If they wanted to reach the Land of Rivers as quickly as possible, they could take a route through the Land of Rain and potentially arrive in less than two days.
However, the Land of Rain was currently in the middle of severe internal conflict. The situation surrounding the emerging Akatsuki Organization was unstable, and the political struggle involving Hanzō and the major forces within the country made the area extremely unpredictable.
Traveling through it recklessly could expose them to unnecessary danger.
They weren’t carrying out an emergency mission this time, so there was no need to take such a risk.
Taking the relatively safe but slightly longer route through the interior of the Land of Fire was clearly the wisest choice.
Minato Namikaze then looked toward Genma and gave him a more specific instruction.
“Genma, you’ve already mastered the basic principles of the Flying Thunder God Technique. From here onward, most of your progress will depend on your own repeated practice and comprehension.”
“If you have free time during the journey, you can use the Chakra-sensitive paper to practice maintaining the stability and precision of your formula inscriptions.”
“Once you reach the Land of Rivers, you must keep working at it.”
“Yes, Captain Minato! I definitely won’t slack off!”
Genma nodded vigorously, the senbon between his teeth shifting slightly as his expression became unusually determined.
This wasn’t merely a promise to Minato Namikaze.
It was a promise to himself.
A promise that he would become stronger.
A promise that he wouldn’t become a burden to his teammates.
Beside him, Ebisu subconsciously tightened his grip on the backpack over his shoulder.
The bag was filled with various blank sealing scrolls, Fuinjutsu study materials, and the other supplies he had exchanged with his hard-earned war merit.
The determination behind his sunglasses was no weaker than Genma’s.
He had finally found his path.
Now he needed to walk it.
Guy looked toward his two teammates and smiled.
Everything that needed to be said had already been said.
The three of them shouldered their packs and adjusted the positions of their Ninja tool pouches.
“Well then…”
Guy turned around to face everyone who had come to see them off, his familiar bright smile spreading across his face.
“We’re heading out!”
“Kakashi, Obito, Rin, Captain Minato!”
“Until we meet again!”
“Be careful on the way!”
Rin waved vigorously, her eyes filled with reluctance.
“Don’t die out there!”
Obito shouted loudly from behind her, but the concern hidden beneath his rough words was obvious.
Kakashi nodded once more.
“Take care.”
Minato Namikaze simply smiled and watched them quietly.
“Good luck.”
“Let’s go!”
Guy didn’t hesitate any longer.
He took the first step forward.
Ebisu and Genma followed closely behind.
The three figures gradually moved farther away from the camp, their silhouettes becoming smaller as they followed the road leading toward the interior of the Land of Fire.
Obito stood at the gate and watched them disappear into the distance.
Rin remained beside him.
Kakashi’s gaze stayed fixed on the road for a little longer before he finally lowered his eyes.
Minato Namikaze also stood quietly, his blue eyes carrying a faint smile.
A new battlefield awaited Guy, Ebisu, and Genma.
A new teacher.
A new commander.
A new environment.
And three different paths of growth were beginning to take shape.
For Guy, the Land of Rivers represented another step toward mastering the Eight Gates and pushing his Taijutsu beyond its current limits.
For Genma, it was the beginning of his pursuit of the legendary Flying Thunder God Technique.
For Ebisu, it was the beginning of a completely different path, one built around Fuinjutsu, preparation, and the endless possibilities of sealing.
The three of them were leaving the Land of Grass.
But they weren’t leaving as the same people who had arrived.
Their strength had grown.
Their bonds had deepened.
And their ambitions had become clearer.
The road ahead was long.
But the three young shinobi walked forward without hesitation.
Team Minato~
{🥳 Loving the story so far? Craving more chapters? 🥰