The weight of the stolen ryo rested heavily in their hands, but neither Minato nor Fugaku had any complaints. Instead, their faces lit up with childlike excitement as they sifted through their newfound wealth.
"Good guy! Fugaku, do you realize that we now have 1.4 billion ryo?" Minato couldn't hide his excitement as he flipped through the stacks of cash. "We practically made a fortune overnight!"
Fugaku chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I was already satisfied with what we had before, but this extra hundred million ryo? Kakuzu was practically begging to donate to our noble cause."
Minato let out a long sigh, a dreamy expression settling on his face. "If only Kushina looked at me the way I'm looking at this money right now..."
Fugaku rolled his eyes. "You're hopeless."
As they prepared to head back, Fugaku suddenly hesitated. "Hey... Minato. We're almost back in Konoha now. Can you not call me 'Xiao Hei' anymore? It feels weird."
Minato smirked. "Oh? You mean you don't like the name Xiao Hei?"
Fugaku frowned. "I mean... don't you think it sounds kinda off? Like a dog's name?"
Minato crossed his arms. "And Dahuang doesn't?"
Fugaku cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well... at least mine suits you. Your hair is literally yellow."
Minato burst out laughing. "Hahahahahaha! And yours is black! What's the problem? It fits!"
Fugaku groaned. "Damn it, Minato, you—"
"Namikaze Dahuang!!!"
"Uchiha-chan!!!"
"Namikaze Dahuang!!!"
"Uchiha-chan!!!"
Thus, another strange legend was born in Konoha—a pair of infamously loud thieves who couldn't go a single night without bickering like an old married couple.
After a few minutes of shouting back and forth, Minato suddenly grinned mischievously, and Fugaku felt a familiar sense of dread creeping up his spine.
Whenever Minato made that face, trouble always followed.
"Fugaku…" Minato began slowly. "Did you forget about the barrier around Konoha?"
Fugaku's eyes widened.
Minato smirked. "I can teleport back easily. But you? Not so much."
Fugaku's heart sank. "Wait. Minato. Don't tell me—"
Minato waved mockingly. "It's late. I need to go check on my son. So… goodbye, dear Xiao Hei!"
And in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
Fugaku stood frozen for a second before rage took over.
"DAMN YOU, MINATO!!!"
The forest echoed with his screams of betrayal.
---
It took nearly ten minutes of shouting before Minato finally returned, his mischievous grin still plastered across his face.
"Jeez, Fugaku, keep it down! You're going to wake up half of Konoha."
Fugaku grabbed Minato's collar. "Minato, I swear on my ancestors, if you don't take me back right now—"
Minato's smile widened. "Oh? Is that how you ask for a favor? That's not how I remember it working."
Fugaku clenched his jaw. His pride was screaming at him to punch Minato, but if he wanted to get back into the village without setting off every alarm, he had no choice.
With great difficulty, he forced a smile.
"Hahahaha… Minato! You are my dearest friend, my closest brother, my most trusted ally! Would you please be kind enough to take me back?"
Minato burst into laughter. "Hahahahahaha! Now that's more like it!"
With that, Minato grabbed Fugaku's shoulder, and in an instant, they vanished from the forest.
---
By the time they returned to Konoha, the village was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the moon. The day had been long, but the night had been profitable.
Meanwhile, in the spiritual realm, the legendary Hokage of the past—Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and Senju Tobirama—watched over Konoha's younger generation. Their teachings had left a lasting impact, and tonight, the village's future warriors had gained valuable insights.
Among them, a certain young boy named Souta Kazuki had returned home, deep in thought. The words of Tobirama still echoed in his mind.
"To become Hokage is not just to be strong. It is to understand the weight of your people, to guide them, and to protect them at all costs."
Souta clenched his fists. He still had a long way to go, but with each passing day, he was getting stronger. He would carry on the legacy of his family—his father, Haruto, and his grandfather, Raiga.
One day, he would stand at the top of Konoha.
And when that day came, he would change everything.