My Journey as Fourth Kazekage

Before the first light of dawn had even touched the horizon, the well-rested and prepared Sunagakure forces had already gathered in full force.

On the Konoha side, the shinobi on watch duty quickly detected the movement coming from Sunagakure, and the entire camp was instantly thrown into action, with everyone mobilizing at once.

However, compared to the Sunagakure shinobi, who had rested, eaten, and were fully energized, the Konoha forces had only managed a meager two to three hours of sleep before being roused. Despite this, they weren't pulled from the front lines but had been directly recruited from within the village, which helped ensure their condition wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Once both sides were fully assembled, the Sunagakure forces positioned themselves along the vast plains and the edge of the dense forest. They formed three distinct battle phalanxes, ready for combat.

In response, the Konoha shinobi immediately adjusted their formations, preparing to face the incoming threat.

At first glance, it might have seemed like Konoha had the numerical advantage. But as both sides completed their lineups, the Konoha shinobi couldn't help but swallow nervously, their unease growing with each passing second.

This was especially true for the sensory-type ninja.

They could clearly feel the immense and overwhelming chakra emanating from the Sunagakure forces.

"You've got to be kidding me... There are so many jōnin?!"

"Did Sunagakure really send every elite they had?"

Within the Konoha ranks, the expressions of Shibi Aburame, Chōza Akimichi, Tsume Inuzuka, and Dōtō Akimichi grew increasingly grim.

"This is bad. Minato, we're facing Sunagakure's main forces!"

Minato, too, had sensed the potent chakra signatures radiating from Sunagakure's formations. His face grew serious as he understood the gravity of the situation.

"Relay this information back to the village, now!" he commanded.

"Understood!" Tsume responded quickly, summoning his loyal ninja hound to carry the message back to Konoha.

But just as the hound disappeared into the distance, a sudden disturbance from the direction of Sunagakure sent a wave of unease rippling through the Konoha ranks, further unsettling their already tense formation.

Three shadowy figures suddenly descended from the sky, landing with precision at the front of each of Sunagakure's phalanxes.

!!!

Minato's eyes narrowed, his pupils contracting as he registered the sudden shift.

Beside him, Chōza Akimichi spoke with a heavy, concerned tone.

"This is bad, Minato. This situation is much worse than we thought."

"Yeah," Minato replied grimly, "Looks like Dōtō's prediction was spot on. The Fourth Kazekage is here."

"And the other two are no slouches either," Chōza added, his face darkening.

Aburame Shibi squinted as he observed the Sunagakure forces with growing concern.

"Pakura of the Scorch Release... Michikawa of the Magnet Release... Both are legendary figures across the entire ninja world."

While Konoha's forces assessed their opponents, the three leaders of Sunagakure were equally focused on the enemy before them.

"Namikaze Minato..." Rasa muttered softly under his breath, a calculating look in his eyes as he regarded the Konoha leader.

Hearing his name, Pakura immediately straightened, her attention fully captured as she stepped forward, her gaze locking onto the distant figure of Minato, his golden hair unmistakable in the early light.

"So, that's the man who's been making waves as Konoha's next big star?" she mused aloud.

Michikawa, standing nearby, nodded in agreement, his voice tinged with admiration and wariness.

"Yes, indeed. It's said that Namikaze Minato is only twenty years old, yet he's already earned the title of 'Yellow Flash' after his incredible performance in the battle against Kumogakure. I even heard that Kumogakure issued an official order—any shinobi below Kage level who encounters the Yellow Flash is permitted to retreat on sight without it being considered desertion."

Pakura's eyes widened in surprise.

"!!!" she gasped. "This guy is that powerful?"

At nearly twenty-five, Pakura was older than Minato, as was Rasa, who was three years his senior. Michikawa, being in the later stages of middle age, had seen more battles than most.

Rasa spoke up then, his voice measured and serious.

"If you do come face to face with him, you're allowed to abandon the mission immediately."

Pakura turned sharply, her expression one of disbelief and mild irritation.

"!!!" she exclaimed. "Are you saying that I'm no match for this Konoha shinobi?"

After their discussion the night before, Pakura refrained from arguing with Rasa immediately, but her tone was still sharp.

Rasa's answer was blunt.

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying."

Pakura frowned, her pride stung. But Rasa continued without hesitation.

"Neither you nor Michikawa are likely to be his match. The reason Namikaze Minato is called the Yellow Flash is because he has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, developed by the Second Hokage."

"Flying Thunder God Technique?" Pakura and Michikawa both repeated the unfamiliar name.

Rasa nodded gravely.

"Exactly. It's a space-time ninjutsu, much faster than the Body Flicker Technique. Let me explain it this way—there's no one in the entire ninja world faster than him. Your attacks won't even touch him, and he can appear right next to you at any given moment. Even the Third Raikage might not be able to react in time."

Pakura and Michikawa exchanged stunned glances.

The Third Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode was famous throughout the ninja world for its speed and power. If even he couldn't match Minato's pace, then the Yellow Flash's reputation was no exaggeration.

"Then… does that mean if we encounter him, we have no choice but to run?" Michikawa asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"In theory, yes," Rasa confirmed. "But there is one countermeasure."

Since they were allies, and battle was imminent, Rasa felt it was important to share what he knew.

"The Flying Thunder God Technique depends on marked seals for teleportation. So, during combat, you must remain vigilant—don't let kunai marked with his jutsu formula get near you. In addition, the Flying Thunder God seal can be placed directly on a person, and once marked, it never disappears. So—"

Both Pakura and Michikawa froze in horror as the implication sank in.

"Are you saying that Namikaze Minato could teleport to assassinate us at any moment?" Pakura muttered under her breath.

Rasa didn't need to answer verbally. The unspoken truth was evident: Minato's speed and the unpredictability of his teleportation made him a deadly threat.

Now it all made sense. They could understand why Kumogakure had feared him so much—this was a technique that could change the entire course of a battle in the blink of an eye.

Fortunately, Rasa was no stranger to dealing with formidable foes. He wasn't about to let his comrades face Minato without the proper preparation.

"I'll handle Namikaze Minato," Rasa declared, his voice unwavering. "As for the Konoha shinobi near him, they're yours. Michikawa, take the two Akimichi clan members—your Magnet Release will be most effective against their large builds. Pakura, the Aburame clan ninja is yours—your Scorch Release will be highly effective against their insects."

Neither of them objected, though Pakura couldn't help but purse her lips and mutter under her breath, clearly displeased.

"I hate bugs," she grumbled.

Rasa glanced at her, unamused, before he addressed his orders with unwavering authority.

"Yura!"

"Yes, Kazekage-sama!" came the sharp response.

"From now on, in every battle, the Anbu must record all relevant data and gather intelligence on the enemy. Understood?"

"Understood, Kazekage-sama!" Yura responded quickly, ready for the task.

Meanwhile, on the Konoha side, Minato observed the mounting tension between the two forces. Realizing that the situation was escalating rapidly, he stepped forward, his posture determined and unwavering.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, Minato used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing at the center of the battlefield with a flash. His piercing gaze swept across the Sunagakure forces as he called out, his voice cold and commanding.

"Kazekage of Sunagakure! You've led your shinobi to invade the Land of Fire—are you declaring war against Konoha?"

Pakura glanced at Rasa, her expression curious.

"He's calling for you," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Rasa didn't acknowledge her, his attention focused on Minato. He muttered to himself with a quiet smile, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"My turn to step in… Interesting."

Before Pakura and Michikawa could even react, Rasa vanished in the same manner, his presence barely detectable.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, the Kazekage appeared directly in front of Minato.

And then, on the very center of the battlefield, the two most promising and skilled young shinobi of their generation stood face to face—the current Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure and Konoha's future Fourth Hokage, their gazes locked in an unspoken understanding, ready for what was to come.