Naruto Card King

"Lord Black Warrior, I must remind you once again!" Mifune couldn't help but speak. "If your condition is not treated in time, it will only get worse. Don't refuse treatment..."

Haruto Saito tilted his head and looked at Mifune. Damn, why did that sound like an insult?

"Haruto, don't gamble with your life!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said very seriously. "Don't worry. Even if you can't afford the cost, Konoha will pay for your treatment, and you won't have to repay anything!"

"Lord Hokage, the fact that you're willing to spend money to treat me... Honestly, I am a little touched. But I must insist!" Haruto was equally serious. "I refuse any treatment! Otherwise, this hundred million ryo will be completely wasted. It's better to wait a little longer. After all, everything Mifune said is based on the secret records of his family, not firsthand experience. It may not be completely accurate!"

Haruto was firm. He knew he could heal himself easily—he just had to take off the armor and use a basic healing card. But he couldn't reveal the existence of the healing card, so he could only question Mifune's claims.

Either way, there was no way he was paying that hundred million ryo!

After some back and forth, Hiruzen Sarutobi was eventually convinced. It was reasonable to wait a bit longer. Haruto's personality was already… far from normal. But it wasn't as if he had only become strange after obtaining the Black Armor—he had always been this way. His mind just worked differently from others. To put it bluntly, he had always been a bit mentally unstable.

So, for now, it was too early to determine whether Haruto had truly developed bloodlust because of the armor.

Mifune, however, was getting anxious. The hundred-million-ryo difference was a huge deal for the Land of Iron. If they had to hand over two hundred million ryo, their national treasury could cover it. But three hundred million ryo would require pulling funds from various regions.

"Lord Black Warrior, please reconsider. I, Mifune, swear on my honor as a samurai—I am not lying!" Mifune made a solemn vow.

"I refuse any treatment!" Haruto's voice turned cold, showing that his decision was final. "Lord Mifune, you may leave now! As for our previous agreement, three hundred million ryo— not a single ryo less. Please ensure the full amount is delivered to Konoha!"

Mifune was silent for a moment, then his gaze toward Haruto turned unfriendly. "In that case, Lord Black Warrior, take care of yourself. You only have one life—cherish it."

With that, he didn't wait for Haruto's response. He turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi and respectfully said, "Lord Hokage, I take my leave."

"Mm." Hiruzen Sarutobi responded indifferently.

Mifune and his men departed, followed closely by the Konoha Anbu escorting them.

Now, only Haruto and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the hall.

Haruto felt unlucky—he had the distinct feeling that Mifune had just cursed him.

"Haruto, regarding the disciple ceremony... it will take place after the transaction with the Land of Iron is complete." Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Haruto a glance and sighed. "As for your condition, if you feel it's worsening, let me know immediately..."

"I don't... have... a disease..." Before Haruto could finish speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already vanished from the room.

Damn it!

Haruto's mouth twitched. He suddenly realized that, from today onward, Hiruzen Sarutobi might genuinely believe he was mentally ill. He'd probably be treated as a mildly insane person. Worse, if he ever did anything unusual, people would assume his "illness" was getting worse.

"You're the one who's sick! Your whole family is sick!" Haruto couldn't help but shout toward the door.

Whoosh!

A shadow suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It was Hiruzen Sarutobi, who hadn't gone far at all. He ghosted into the room like a phantom, staring at Haruto with a blank expression. "What did you just say?"

"Uh… I was saying… that Mifune… he's sick." Haruto's expression stiffened.

"Hmph!" Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted and vanished again.

Haruto stood there, his face full of frustration. He really, really wanted to kill someone!

The Next Morning

At dawn, a troubled Minato Namikaze walked through the school gates, beginning another day at the academy.

Although his meeting with Haruto Saito yesterday had been strange, Haruto's words had indeed affected him. He had started considering early graduation. However, he no longer cared about Haruto's warning of a "bloody disaster." Haruto had only been right last time because he had been stubbornly persistent. As long as Haruto didn't pull the same trick again, nothing would happen.

The morning passed.

At lunchtime, Minato sat on a bench near the small grove on the north side of the school, lost in thought. Suddenly, he sensed something and looked up toward the western pathway.

There, Uzumaki Kushina was storming toward him with a whole group of students, looking furious. Who had pissed her off this time?

Minato glanced at her briefly, then looked away, returning to his own thoughts.

"Hey! What's your relationship with that bastard?" Kushina planted herself in front of Minato, hands on her hips.

"Huh?" Minato looked up, confused. "What bastard?"

"That perverted lunatic!"

"Oh, you mean Lord Haruto Saito?"

"'Lord' Haruto Saito?! You call him 'Lord'? You—you—you! What exactly is your relationship with him?!"

"We only met yesterday. We have no real relationship."

Kushina was fierce as always, while Minato remained calm as he spoke.

"Then what did you two do yesterday? What did you talk about?" Kushina pressed.

"We..." Minato hesitated for a moment before saying, "Not much."

Then, he stood up and started walking away. He really didn't want to deal with Kushina right now. Or anyone, for that matter. He just wanted to be alone and think.

"Stop right there!" Kushina raised her voice. "You coward! Tell me the truth! I heard you killed someone yesterday! Is that true? Why did you kill someone? Answer me!"

Minato acted as if he hadn't heard her and continued walking forward.

Furious, Kushina lunged at him, reaching for his shoulder. Minato, as if sensing her movement, instinctively sidestepped, avoiding her hand. "If you keep this up, I'll call a teacher."

"I'm asking you a question! Answer me properly!" Kushina's face turned red—not clear if it was from frustration or embarrassment from missing her grab.

"This is pointless." Minato turned and walked away.

"Get him!!" Kushina shouted.

A mob of eager ninja academy students—who had been waiting for this moment—rushed at Minato.

As fists rained down, a thought flashed through Minato's mind:

"Wait… could this be… the bloody disaster he was talking about?"

Dusk, Outside the School Gates

It was the end of the school day.

Haruto Saito stood near a small grove, scanning the students leaving the academy. He was here to find Minato Namikaze. Before long, he spotted a boy walking out of the school gates—his clothes were filthy and torn, his face bruised and swollen, and he looked utterly miserable.

Blonde hair. Blue eyes.

It was Minato.

Haruto pushed up his sunglasses, looking surprised.

Who the hell had beaten him up?!

Minato spotted Haruto almost instantly, and his eyes lit up.