158-Unintentionally Brilliant

"We decided to make our move from the Earth Capital and bet on the chaos that would ensue to attack all other locations around the country because we feared that if we did the opposite, we might lower our chances of success as Iwa and the country at large would be more alert and increase security in important areas," Yano began, explaining their strategy to Minato.

Minato listened intently to his colleague who continued, "After agreeing on that, Renjiro and I snuck into a caravan which helped us get into the Earth Capital. Once in the Capital, we killed some nobles with Renjiro using his clones to frame the Iwa shinobi who were with Asa to confuse the enemies while also framing Suna shinobi."

"How did he do that?" Minato asked.

Yano turned to Renjiro, who was standing there absentmindedly. Only after a nudge from Hiro did Renjiro come back to his senses and answer,

"Originally, I had planned to use clones, who, using the transformation jutsu, would turn into the Iwa shinobi accompanying Asa. Afterwards, I intentionally let them be discovered. They then engaged the guards in an exchange of attacks and faked their injuries, turning into Suna shinobi, to make it seem like it was their true form before they dispelled themselves."

'That was a clever idea,' Minato thought before asking, "But why did you say that it was what you originally planned? Did something change?"

Renjiro hesitated before saying, "I somehow made a mistake and used the shadow clone's jutsu."

Minato's eyes widened slightly. "Which could be traced back to Konoha."

Minato considered this for a moment. "Do you think that's how Asa discovered you?"

Before Renjiro could answer, Sama, who had been listening intently, interjected, "Are we talking about Asa, the elite Jounin from Iwa?"

"Yes, he is now an S-rank shinobi," Minato confirmed.

While Sama was surprised at this fact, Yano shook his head and said "No, after he discovered us in the market, he kept on asking who we were and how many people we were working with. So it's entirely possible that me using the shadow clones created more doubt in their minds as to who was truly behind the attacks."

'It did?' Renjiro wondered, hearing Yano's analysis.

"You may be right," Minato began, nodding his head.

"With the shadow clones turning into Suna shinobi, they wouldn't be sure if it was Konoha impersonating Suna or the other way around. Either way, that was unintentionally brilliant. Good work, Renjiro." Minato's smile reassured Renjiro.

'I don't know why or how it happened, but I'll take it,' Renjiro thought, a bit relieved since his mistake did not have a devastating effect on the mission.

"And that led to the confrontation you witnessed when you arrived," Yano began again. "But I would like to know how the Kazekage found you guys."

Minato went ahead to explain how their part of the mission unfolded. He detailed their strategies, which involved attacking various towns on their way to the Wind Capital.

The goal was to create a cascade of chaos, ensuring that Suna would undoubtedly retaliate, setting off a domino effect of attacks between the two countries.

'That would have been more work, but it ensured more damage. This means that Suna will undoubtedly retaliate, setting off a domino-chain effect of attacks between the two countries. We would have done that, but the Land of Earth is more connected in regard to communication as compared to the Land of Wind.' Yano thought when he heard Mianto's approach.

After Minato finished his explanation, Hiro took over, detailing how the Kazekage stumbled upon them immediately after Minato left.

"I guess we were just unlucky," Hiro said with a sigh.

"It seems so," Minato agreed, "But I am glad that throughout the mission, our true identities were never revealed. We will rest for a day as we monitor the situation and prepare for our next A-rank mission."

"I did not know that A-rank missions were this tiresome," Renjiro muttered as he found a place to sit.

Although his time in the Earth Capital had been cut short, he had been running on adrenaline for almost a day continuously, and he was really tired. He felt the weight of exhaustion settle in as he finally allowed himself to relax.

Hiro and Sama joined him in resting, both sitting on either side of him. The three of them formed a small, exhausted trio in the serene environment of Mount Myoboku.

"Having a summon can be useful sometimes," Hiro remarked, enjoying the scenery and the brief respite from their mission.

"Have you thought of getting a summon, Renjiro?" Sama asked, turning to face Renjiro.

Renjiro hesitated for a moment before answering, "No, I haven't given it much thought. With my work in the force, I don't have much time to focus on my training.."

Sama's question had caught Renjiro off guard, and he hesitated before lying.

'I don't need to tell the truth. If I ever reveal Uno or any of her kind to them in the future, I'll just say seeing Minato's Toad inspired me,' Renjiro thought to himself.

"What about you?" Renjiro asked, redirecting the conversation.

"I have," Sama admitted, "But I have heard that it is quite dangerous using summoning seals. So I am waiting on my luck to come across a powerful beast I could enter into a summoning contract with."

"What about you, Hiro?" Renjiro asked.

Hiro shrugged. "I've also considered it, but I'm waiting until my chakra reserves grow since I have a lot of chakra-intensive jutsus. Having a summon would be detrimental. Besides, in my clan, we don't enter into a summoning contract with one beast but with a group of them, so the chakra needed is more than average."

'That makes sense.' Renjiro thought as he was aware of the kind of summons the Hatake clan had.

The three of them sat in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts. The peaceful environment of Mount Myoboku was a stark contrast to the intensity of their mission.

As Renjiro closed his eyes and leaned back against a tree, he allowed himself to drift into a light sleep, knowing that his comrades were doing the same.

While Minato and his squad were resting in Mount Myoboku, in the town of Nagoya, which was close to the borders of the Land of Wind an old man with a straw hat made his way into the town. His grey hair peeked out from under his hat, and he walked barefoot, relying on an old cane for support.

The old man, moved through the town with a careful eye, taking note of the current security measures and the number of shinobi guarding the area.

His presence was inconspicuous, and he blended in with the ordinary citizens going about their day. He observed the patrol routes of the shinobi and the layout of the town, committing the details to memory.

As he wandered through the streets, Osaka made his way to the town centre. He paused, taking in the scene around him. The town was lively, with merchants selling their goods, children playing, and villagers going about their daily routines. It was a stark contrast to the other towns he had encountered, which had suffered destruction and chaos.

'Finally, a town that was not destroyed,' Osaka thought to himself. He stood there for a moment, contemplating his next move.

'I wonder if Lord Onoki sent other people besides me to cause some destruction here.'

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