Naruto - Minato Namikaze SI - Chapter 229 - What does it mean to be a ninja? What does a village represent?

[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]
Third Person POV
Fire Country, Year 42.
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"We will take over the post now."

The other Anbu squad appeared at the eastern coastal border, while Lúmen, who had been leading the Anbu squad responsible for the mission until that moment, nodded.

"Alright, we're heading back to the village then." Lúmen spoke while looking at the squad leader behind a mask as well.

Minato simply raised his hand and pointed forward. Instantly, everyone in his squad, who had been positioned throughout the area, moved ahead, allowing the next squad to take over the position previously held by Minato's group. They would return to the village, passing through the entire Land of Fire.

They advanced in silence, with Lúmen at the front of the group, keeping an eye on the surroundings and prepared to make any decisions if something happened. After all, even in their own country, during a time of peace, they had to remain alert to any potential attacks.

"Is he okay?" Wind asked beside Wind as he approached, observing the leader in the distance as he moved forward.

"Something happened in the village. Obviously, it wasn’t right to just release the ninjas we captured after they entered the Land of Fire’s territory. Even so, I believe there are other things he hasn’t told us..." Valkyria said with concern.

Minato had been in a bad mood for hours, ever since he returned the ninjas to the place where they had been captured, and he hadn’t spoken to anyone.

Obviously, he was deep in thought about many things, beginning to question what the village truly was and what it meant to be a shinobi. Perhaps he was reflecting more profoundly than he ever had in his entire ninja career.

He knew these things would happen, but seeing it all unfold before his eyes made him question whether it was truly worth it for the village and whether everyone should blindly obey the orders of those who governed it.

Was being a ninja about following orders without question?
Dying for the village?
Sacrificing oneself for it?
Betraying allies for the village?
Was that the purpose of their existence?

To maintain the peace and well-being of Konoha? But then, were they really willing to sacrifice the Uzumaki clan, letting them die like cornered rats, all for a fleeting idea of peace?

The scroll he had captured contained information about Sand ninjas gathering data on the Uzumaki clan and their defenses along the northern coast of the Land of Fire. He hadn’t liked it at all, and that’s why he had brought the matter up to the Hokage, who simply ordered him to store all that information away and not question it or share it with anyone.

Obviously, even without knowing all the details, seeing Kiri and Suna exchanging information was a strong indication that they were planning something big.

The allies who had fought alongside Konoha in the war... Would they die like this in the end? Just for the peace of the village and the ninja world... Was that what it meant to be a shinobi of Konoha?

Was this what Hashirama Senju had envisioned when he created the village?
Was this what he had planned when he handed over all the Bijuu, stripping them of their freedom just to seal them into jinchuuriki?

In the end, hadn't he only made wars even worse, escalating the level of destruction to unprecedented heights? Had he not foreseen that something like this would happen when he distributed the Bijuu? Was he really that naïve?

And now the Uzumaki clan... Was it truly worth sacrificing an entire clan just because the world feared their sealing techniques?

Lúmen lamented. All the villages acted out of greed and fear, all because of a handful of old men obsessed with the power of their enemies. But what irritated him the most was that the Leaf Village was sacrificing them to maintain peace in the ninja world, turning its back on its allies when they needed them the most.

From what Minato knew of history, but also what he was seeing today, the very village was now aiding the same groups that would destroy their own allies.

If that wasn’t betrayal, then what was it?!

Was he supposed to simply accept all of this? Allow the Uzumaki clan to disappear in such a way?

Would Minato really agree with this?

And if he didn’t… Was he willing to become a traitor to help the Uzumaki and destroy everything he had built in the village? Even if it was all in vain in the end? Even if, in the end, he wouldn’t even have the power to face four nations at the same time?

He was completely lost.

He remembered the meeting with Lord Uzumaki when he came to the village a year ago. He had told the man that, if necessary, he would stand by his side, even if it meant being branded a traitor. But if the Hokage gave the order not to help the clan, the village would betray them without hesitation.

Perhaps he was already considered a potential traitor or a threat to the Hokage after seeing the scroll. After all, Minato knew too much.

Should he share the information from the scroll with the others on his team? Clearly, there would be those who wouldn’t question the village’s orders and would report this to command…

That would also alert the village and could mark those who thought like Minato as traitors as well. If the village elders even suspected, they could eliminate them one by one. Minato could protect himself, but the others?

Would it be worth trying to gain allies within his own team, within the village?

And the girls? Would they be safe?

What should he do?

Minato was so distracted that he didn’t even notice someone approaching, even though they were still far away.

"Captain! There are ninjas coming at three o’clock!"

The voice of one of his sensory members snapped Minato out of his thoughts.

He quickly analyzed the situation. Indeed, a ninja team was approaching from that direction. They had to be skilled to locate them from such a distance.

Minato raised his hand, signaling for everyone to stop, waiting for the ninjas to approach. It didn’t take long before they finally appeared before him. He recognized the group immediately: it was a tracking team from his generation, composed of two Hyuuga—Hiashi and his brother—Tsume, Kiba’s mother, and the Hyuuga Jōnin responsible for the team.

"It’s good that we found an ANBU team!" The Jōnin said.

"You’re Team 2 from Year 36, right?" Lúmen asked, recognizing them.

"You seem to know us..." The Jōnin murmured, unaware of Minato behind the mask. After all, even though ANBU were the village’s elite, they worked while concealing their identities. Only their superiors had information on them, which was why they wore masks on missions.

"Anyway..." He continued. "We received a mission while returning to the Land of Fire. We encountered a ninja from the village asking for help. He’s gravely injured, as is the rest of his team. They were attacked while on a mission and are being pursued. I know they belong to Sakumo Hatake’s unit," the Jōnin explained.

"They’re from Sakumo’s team...? We were attacked?" Minato asked, furrowing his brow.

"Yes. Only one of them reached us, saying that he had gone to the border to try to warn the village while his team bought time for him to escape and deliver the information. He’s badly injured and was left behind. We were heading to the village to request help, but we found you through the Byakugan. That’s why we decided to approach you," the Jōnin replied.

Minato nodded. "Understood. We’ll investigate this now," he said, interrupting their return to the village.

"Here is the marked location," the Jōnin informed, handing over a scroll with the coordinates.

Minato quickly opened it, analyzed the situation, and nodded before tossing the scroll back. "Alright. We’ll handle this," he said, as his team agreed.

Minato then raised his hand and pointed in another direction. Instantly, everyone advanced quickly.

Twenty minutes later, they found a wounded Jōnin near the border.

"Glad you arrived!"

The injured ninja tried to stand up upon seeing Minato's team.

"Commander Sakumo is in trouble, along with the others from the mission," he said, breathing heavily.

Minato was about to ask for more details when, suddenly, he sensed presences emerging from the forest.

Other ninjas were approaching—it was Sakumo himself, carrying two severely injured comrades.

"Good! They're alive!" The injured ninja said upon seeing them return.

"Quick, we need treatment!" Sakumo exclaimed, requesting help from the ANBU.

Minato signaled to the medics on the team. Four ninjas specialized in medical jutsu, including Hanabi, rushed to the wounded, immediately beginning treatment.

"The mission... Commander Sakumo... it was completed, right?" The injured ninja who had remained behind asked while receiving treatment.

But Sakumo only shook his head. "No… we failed."

There had been two choices—save his comrades or complete the mission.

"No..." The ninja murmured, seeming frustrated.

One of the two injured ninjas receiving treatment looked at Sakumo.

"Thank you, sir... I have children, and now I can go home to see them... thanks to you," he murmured.

"..." Sakumo simply nodded calmly.

"..." Minato silently analyzed the situation from atop a tree as Sakumo looked at him.

He recognized him.

Minato simply greeted him, and Sakumo returned the gesture in the same manner.

Regardless, as soon as the ninjas were ready to leave after being bandaged, they moved forward, returning to the village.

Everything seemed quiet as they walked. Some of the ninjas who had returned from the mission spoke, laughing with each other, appearing happy to have survived. Minato knew nothing about the mission they had undertaken, nor was he supposed to know, but it seemed significant.

The ANBU remained silent, which was common among them. Sakumo also said nothing to Minato as they advanced, while thoughts about the village continued to swirl in Minato's mind.

It didn’t take long for the village to finally come into view as they pressed on. It had been six months since peace had been achieved.

Minato had gained a great deal of experience as an ANBU leader, and many things he had in the village were growing rapidly—his home, businesses—but there were still things missing.

His sensei had not yet returned from the Land of Rain. Tsunade remained an alcoholic and continued gambling in towns outside the village.

But Nawaki had become much stronger over the past few months. Duy had gained significant recognition in the village and was taking on high-level missions. Kakashi had become a Chuunin at such a young age, while the future members of his team were still in the academy.

Among other things, Minato continued toward the gates. They passed through directly, granted quick clearance, and proceeded to the Hokage's office.

In the end, Hiruzen spoke with everyone, requesting the scroll, and Minato handed it over without thinking about the questions he had pondered. The Hokage remained as composed as ever, unaware of the doubts Minato held about the village.

Ultimately, the ANBU team was dismissed, while Sakumo stayed behind with his team to report on their failed mission.

"You are dismissed. You have the day off tomorrow, so get some good rest," Lúmen said, and everyone vanished from the rooftop where they had been.

But not all of them.

Only two remained with Minato—Hanabi and Mikoto.

"Let's go home," he simply said.

Though still somewhat confused by his behavior, they nodded.

They vanished from the spot.