"Sorry~ Minato-senpai~"
They had just finished setting up a new tent. Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan all knelt on the ground in unison, sincerely apologizing to Minato.
"Ah~ Since it was just a misunderstanding, it's fine."
Minato, whose clothes were slightly dirtied, sighed inwardly. No wonder that guy Kei had run off to discuss something with Danzō right after summoning the clam.
So, this was all a setup to make him take the fall?
How did he get tricked again?
"If you're going to apologize, showing your stomach is the basic etiquette!" Kei lifted the tent flap with a mischievous smile, teasing the three of them.
"It's him!" Nagato's eyes flickered slightly.
Yahiko and Konan also instantly turned their attention to Kei.
His golden hair was a bit shorter than Minato's, and his facial features were a bit more rugged. He wore the same flak jacket and black combat uniform.
Yeah, there was no mistake!
This was the guy their teacher had just mentioned—Kei. The culprit who had thrown them onto a deserted island!
But they had just flipped over one tent, and flipping another right away would be too much.
Would they have to wait for another opportunity?
"Where did you even hear about such a weird custom?"
Minato looked at him with a resentful gaze, his frustration almost tangible.
"Hahaha~ Just a little joke! Besides, I didn't intentionally mislead them using your identity. They just assumed it themselves!" Kei slung an arm around Minato's shoulder, grinning as he reassured his friend.
He was always careful in his actions. Before summoning Yahiko and the others back, he had already instructed the little clam to secretly observe them for quite a while. Since the three of them kept thinking about their "Minato-senpai," of course, he had to fulfill their little wish.
"Sigh..." Minato waved his hand, feeling exhausted, not wanting to continue the topic.
From his many years of experience being tricked, no matter how he argued, the blame would always fall on his dear friend. And if he wasn't careful, he might even end up being the one at fault.
"Um, Kei-senpai, could you tell us why you disguised yourself as a Kiri ANBU and went to Ame?" Yahiko looked at Kei with a complicated expression, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
Actually, he had already wondered before. Why would Minato disguise himself as an ANBU to go to Ame? But since they were both Jiraiya's disciples, he had always been reluctant to assume the worst. Now that they had returned from the isolated island, and the location was on the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire... With so many Konoha shinobi gathering here and setting up a border camp, had war broken out again?
"Oh, that? Initially, it was because I heard about the Rinnegan." Kei glanced at Jiraiya, whose face turned red with embarrassment, and he awkwardly looked away.
"And then?" Yahiko frowned, pressing further.
"If I really want to explain everything, this is going to be a long story..." Kei waved his hand, signaling Yahiko to be patient.
After sitting down on a nearby bench, he slowly began telling a well-prepared, altered version of the story.
Now that both Madara and Black Zetsu were dead, there was nothing left to worry about. With no loose ends, putting everything on the table would save a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Like how Madara awakened the Rinnegan back then, and why he had transplanted them into Nagato in the first place.
It was not like he was mute. A few words could have cleared everything up. Why act all high and mighty, waiting for others to guess and misunderstand?
After hearing the whole story, Jiraiya and Minato exchanged a heavy glance.
The Ōtsutsuki clan, Kaguya, an extraterrestrial being, and the possibility that Isshiki was still alive… All these buried truths from history—just hearing about them was enough to send chills down their spines!
Nagato covered his eyes with his palm in confusion. Yahiko and Konan's faces were equally grim. Everything Kei had just said hit them like a ton of bricks.
So, their entire lives had been prearranged? All the tragedies, all the joys, all of it…
"Don't be discouraged. Ask yourself honestly—do you regret meeting Yahiko and Konan?" Kei casually flicked a small stone, condensed with earth chakra, at Nagato's forehead as he was spiraling into existential crisis.
"Of course not! If… if I didn't have them… I can't even imagine…" Nagato muttered, then lifted his head again, his gaze gradually firming up.
Others could manipulate their lives. But they couldn't manipulate their feelings. Their bonds were real; they genuinely cared for each other as comrades, as family.
The three of them exchanged looks, and slowly, relieved smiles appeared on their faces.
"They say fate is predetermined, but I don't believe in destiny. The past can't be changed, but the road ahead is under your feet. Whether you walk it, which path you choose, how you walk it—that's up to you." Kei smiled, stood up, and walked toward the tent's exit. As he lifted the flap, he paused and turned back to the trio.
"If you ever want a spar, feel free to find me. But if you lose, you'll have to accept a punishment."
"Gulp… W-what kind of punishment?" Yahiko swallowed hard, feeling that Kei's smile was a little too mischievous.
"A one-month survival trip in Ryūchi Cave."
Kei raised an eyebrow, looking pleased, and walked out.
"Ryūchi Cave… what kind of place is that?"
Yahiko turned to Jiraiya.
"A forest, a cave… and countless snakes. If you're going to survive there for a month… hmm, I'd recommend bringing lots of seasoning and antidotes, hahaha!" Jiraiya laughed heartily, slapping his thigh.
Even though Kei often acted like an absolute lunatic—Well, sorry, but Jiraiya wasn't exactly normal either!
"Ryūchi Cave isn't that bad. But if you had to spend a month at Mount Myōboku or the Shikkotsu Forest…" Minato's face turned slightly green at the thought of Mount Myōboku's cuisine.
Wriggling, marinated bugs… a living nightmare!
As for the Shikkotsu Forest… He had heard from the toads that aside from the Great Slug Sage, there wasn't even tree bark to chew on.
All the little slugs were just extensions of the Great Slug Sage itself.
If you wanted to survive a month there… Your only hope was that the Slug Sage would take pity on you and give you some mucus to fill your stomach.
As for eating slugs all the time…
Nope, can't think about that anymore! If he did, he might lose his appetite for days!
Kei listened to the gagging sounds coming from inside the tent and silently looked down on Minato.
Then, glancing at the unresponsive system interface in his mind, he stroked his chin and made his way toward Danzō's tent.
He had just racked his brain, gave such an emotional speech, and the three of them still hadn't changed their fate?
Why? What was missing?
Had he overlooked something?