Chapter 15 — A Windfall
"Lord Hokage, you summoned me?"
Minato Namikaze stepped into the office, his tone calm, though his posture was attentive.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood by the window, overlooking the village below. Smoke curled lazily from the pipe in his hand as he gave a small nod.
"We've just received updated intelligence. The information regarding the rogue ninja from the Land of Earth who infiltrated the Forest of Death… was incorrect."
Minato's expression shifted instantly.
"That intel came from Iwagakure, didn't it? How could it be wrong—"
He cut himself off mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing.
If the information had come from Iwa, then it wasn't a mistake.
It was deliberate.
A calculated misdirection.
Hiruzen continued in a steady tone, "Gekkō Hayate reported something similar yesterday, but at the time, it couldn't be verified. However, we've now received a second report—far more detailed."
He turned slightly, his gaze sharpening.
"According to the Chūnin who delivered it… your student, Nohara Rin, is currently in danger."
Minato's face darkened instantly.
"I understand."
Without another word, he turned to leave, his movements swift and decisive.
But before he could reach the door—
Bang!
Another ninja rushed in.
"Lord Hokage! Nohara Rin and Obuya have returned from the Forest of Death!"
"What?!"
The exclamation came from both Hiruzen and Minato at the same time.
Minato stopped mid-step, his body going rigid.
Hiruzen turned sharply, his previously composed demeanor breaking for the first time.
"They've… returned?"
There was clear disbelief in his voice.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," the ninja replied quickly. "Not only that—they've captured the rogue ninja, Tōki, alive. They suspect he may be involved in a larger conspiracy and wish to personally hand him over to you."
"Captured… alive?"
Hiruzen and Minato exchanged a glance.
"Tōki… based on the latest intelligence, his strength is comparable to a jōnin," Hiruzen murmured. "And yet those two children managed to capture him? Could it be that this second report is also inaccurate?"
Even as he spoke, doubt lingered in his eyes.
"Bring them in."
Moments later, the guards led Obuya and Rin into the office.
Behind them, Obuya carried what appeared to be a body—its head cleanly separated.
Just as the two were about to bow, Hiruzen raised a hand, stopping them.
"No need. Let me see first… is this the Tōki you captured?"
Rin, visibly excited, stepped forward and began explaining everything. She described how she had intercepted Tōki's messenger bird and discovered that he had been secretly transmitting information back to Iwagakure.
As she spoke, Hiruzen's brows gradually furrowed.
There was something off about all of this.
Obuya, meanwhile, crouched slightly and removed the stone that had been stuffed into Tōki's mouth.
The moment it was gone, Tōki spoke hoarsely.
"If you think you'll get anything from me, you're wasting your time. I won't talk… I don't know anything."
Hiruzen let out a soft chuckle.
"Every prisoner says the same thing."
He waved his hand lightly.
"Take him to the interrogation division. They'll handle the rest."
"Wait."
Obuya suddenly spoke up, his tone calm but firm.
"Before you take him away… I need to reattach his head. He's only alive because he's inside my barrier. Once he leaves it, he'll die."
Hiruzen nodded in understanding and stepped forward.
Forming a quick sequence of hand seals, he pressed his palm lightly against Tōki's body, placing a sealing technique.
With that seal in place, even if the head was restored, Tōki would no longer be able to access his chakra.
Only then did Obuya step forward and reattach the severed head seamlessly, as though fitting two pieces of a puzzle back together.
The guards moved in and escorted Tōki away.
He showed no resistance.
Whether out of resignation or because he simply lacked the means, even suicide was no longer an option for him.
After watching him leave, Hiruzen turned his attention back to Obuya.
"So this is the rogue ninja who, according to our earlier intelligence, was only of average strength… yet now is said to rival a jōnin?"
His gaze lingered on Obuya, sharp and probing.
Obuya answered honestly, "Whether he truly qualifies as a jōnin, we can't be certain. But his strength was real. If we had fought him head-on, neither of us would have stood a chance."
Minato's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Then it sounds like your victory must have involved quite a bit of ingenuity."
Rin immediately brightened.
Unable to contain herself, she began recounting the entire battle in vivid detail—the ambush, the risks, the desperate exchanges. Her storytelling was animated and precise, painting Obuya as both courageous and quick-thinking, someone who balanced boldness with careful strategy.
Obuya stood to the side, slightly embarrassed.
Still, he didn't interrupt.
"Good. Very good!"
Hiruzen let out a hearty laugh.
"There are many powerful shinobi in this world… but far fewer who understand how to win using their minds instead of brute strength alone."
He looked directly at Obuya.
"You've already grasped one of the most important qualities of a ninja."
Obuya scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Hokage-sama, you give me too much credit. Without Rin's support, we wouldn't have succeeded."
Hiruzen nodded approvingly.
"And that is the second essential quality—teamwork. A shinobi who cannot cooperate with others can never become truly competent."
Obuya hesitated, as if weighing something in his mind.
Hiruzen noticed immediately.
"Speak freely, child."
Obuya coughed lightly.
"Lord Hokage… this mission… does it count as completed? And the reward—the one thousand ryō…"
For a brief moment, silence hung in the air.
Then—
Hiruzen burst into laughter.
Obuya let out a quiet breath, looking slightly resigned.
He had risked his life—of course he was going to ask.
Hiruzen's smile softened.
"Due to the error in intelligence, this mission will be reclassified as an A-rank mission."
He paused deliberately.
"The minimum reward for such a mission is sixty thousand ryō. I'll have the guards process it immediately. You may collect it shortly."
Obuya and Rin both froze.
Then slowly turned to look at each other.
Sixty thousand ryō.
Not one thousand.
Sixty times more.
The sheer difference left them momentarily stunned, as if their minds couldn't quite catch up.
A windfall.
A true windfall.
…
After the two left, Hiruzen remained by the window, his gaze thoughtful.
"Minato," he said slowly, "this Obuya… setting aside his Kekkei Genkai, even his temperament is worth cultivating. Adding him to your team shouldn't be a problem, correct?"
Minato paused slightly.
"Do you mean… taking him as a direct disciple, Hokage-sama?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"Not necessarily. But while you're teaching the others, you can include him. I'm curious to see just how far he'll go."
Minato nodded.
"I understand."
…
Meanwhile, Obuya and Rin headed straight to the administrative office.
After explaining their situation, the process went smoothly, and the reward was handed over without delay.
Stacks of crisp banknotes.
Sixty thousand ryō.
In this world, one ryō held considerable value. The amount before them was enough to support an ordinary ninja for quite some time.
Without hesitation, Obuya separated the money and handed roughly ninety percent of it to Rin.
Rin's eyes widened.
"W-Why are you giving me so much?!"
She instinctively tried to push it back.
Obuya raised a hand, stopping her, a faint smile on his face.
"This isn't a gift."
Rin blinked.
"Then what is it?"
"A mission."
"A… mission?"
Obuya nodded seriously.
"Your task is to treat me to a meal."
He paused, his tone shifting slightly, a hint of anticipation creeping in.
"But not just any meal this time."
"A seafood feast."
…
The restaurant they chose was one of Konoha's more refined establishments.
The interior was elegant, the atmosphere calm and inviting. The scent of fresh ingredients lingered in the air, and the dishes were prepared with a level of care far beyond ordinary meals.
For most shinobi, places like this were reserved for rare occasions—celebrations, milestones… or something as special as a first date.