Yes, the Hokage

Further away, Minato's Ino-Shika-Cho trio, as well as the daimyo and his guards who had retreated there, all witnessed everything.

"This is serious." Shikaku's expression turned even somewhat terrified. Only he could understand that Fenglan's disappearance was even more devastating to the village than the death of the third generation. It wasn't just the loss of one person; the core anchor of an entire operating system had vanished.

Take the Uchiha clan for example. Without Feng Lan, who can guarantee that these unruly guys would be completely obedient?

"What should we do?" Akimichi Choza asked. He hadn't thought too much about it. Since Fenglan wasn't around, he would just continue to listen to Shikaku.

“There must be an anchor point to ensure the operation of Konoha’s system.” Shikaku sighed. “Just like Danzo to Root, without this anchor point, many things simply cannot proceed normally because too many things are involved. I may be able to preside over it for a short period of time, but it is absolutely not possible in the long run.”

"Unfortunately, there isn't another person like Feng Lan in the entire Hidden Leaf Village."

"Wow!"

Hearing this, Inuzuka Tetsu felt he could finally show up. After all, Lord Furan had subtly paved the way for him before. He stepped forward and unleashed a set of flashy moves that mixed Gentle Fist and Beast Mimicry Ninjutsu: "It's obvious, I'm that kind of person..."

"Boom!"

Before he could finish speaking, Ding Zuo knocked him over with a single punch. Hai Yi, standing next to him, glanced at him with the look one would give a clown: "Looks like he's not."

"In short, ensuring the safety of the village is the top priority." Lu Jiu sighed again. "The rest can wait."

"Lord Daimyo." He bowed slightly to the Daimyo. "The situation is rather delicate right now, so you should return to your residence as soon as possible."

The daimyo covered most of his face with his fan, appearing somewhat inscrutable: "No rush, no rush. I must at least attend the Third Hokage's funeral. Besides... Asuma will be staying too, won't he?"

Shikamaru's pupils constricted instantly. If Feng Lan were still alive, let alone one Asuma, even a hundred Asumas wouldn't be able to cause much trouble for Feng Lan. But now that he has suddenly disappeared, if the Sarutobi clan were to bring back their leader in this mess and join forces with the Mitomon and Utatane clans to cause trouble...

“You need not worry, Advisor Shikaku.” At this moment, it was Asuma who took the initiative to speak. “I still have an older brother who will not take the position of head of the Sarutobi clan on his own initiative. I… am simply returning as a Konoha ninja.”

……

Konoha quickly got to work. Thanks to Feng Lan's previous job assignments, even though he had temporarily disappeared, the entire system was still running smoothly. However, it was clear to everyone that everyone operating on this system was on tenterhooks.

When Feng Lan was around, they were fearless. Even if something unexpected happened, they only needed to report it. But now that Feng Lan is gone, this seemingly smooth system can't withstand the slightest accident. Otherwise, it's very likely that small things will accumulate and eventually lead to the collapse of a thousand-mile dike due to an ant hole.

"Ugh!"

After working through the night, Minato finally resolved everything and sat down in a chair, rubbing his temples. "If that guy hadn't disappeared, the aftereffects of the Otsutsuki attack should have been soothed within two hours."

Recalling that ordinary yet irritating face, a wave of sorrow washed over him inexplicably. The office was empty, and his voice choked with emotion: "Feng Lan..."

"Boom boom boom!"

A series of urgent knocks suddenly sounded at the door, and Minato hurriedly wiped his eyes: "Come in!"

"The Fourth Hokage!" The visitor was someone Minato had never expected; it was actually Momo Uchiha.

"Momo, is something the matter?" Minato tried to make his tone gentle and soothing. "You must be very tired after a long day. Get some rest."

He didn't mention Feng Lan's name, afraid of further provoking this landmine girl.

However, Uchiha Momo quickly stepped forward, holding up a letter with both hands: "This is what Lord Fenglan asked me to give you!"

"Feng Lan?!" Minato's expression suddenly froze. He almost snatched the letter away, and his eyes immediately showed some doubt as he glanced at it. The letter and the seal were very old, probably from several years ago.

Did Feng Lan meet this little girl a few years ago? Could it be...?

Minato seemed to understand something, and hurriedly tore open the letter. The first sentence made his nose tingle: "Hey, you silly blonde, don't worry, I'm fine. I'm currently looking for a way back. Although I can't be sure when I'll be back, I'll definitely be back."

The situation seemed somewhat urgent, so Feng Lan didn't elaborate on his own affairs, but it was undoubtedly his handwriting: "Next, I will describe in detail the development path of Konoha in various aspects, as well as the ways to deal with possible unexpected situations. You just need to follow along. This is not a prank on you, but a real brilliant plan."

The following was indeed a lengthy discourse covering policies in various directions, such as fully investing in Hiruko's scientific ninja tool research, deepening cooperation with Kirigakure while Sunagakure should be on guard, Pakura's emotions being too unstable and not being sent on missions, appeasing Ryuchi Cave, how to deal with possible attacks from Kumogakure and Iwagakure, and even the response to a sudden attack from Black Zetsu or even Madara Uchiha.

Finally, he left only one sentence to conclude: "This letter is only for you and Shikaku to read. It will be useless for anyone else to read it, and it may even trigger a bad chain reaction. Remember that!"

"Fenglan..."

After quickly skimming through all the content, Minato let out a long sigh and slumped into his chair. This time, the tears in his eyes were not of sadness, but of joy: "You bastard, you better come back soon!"

Chapter 212 Did I kill myself?

"Pfft—!"

Yet another unpleasant sound rang out, and Feng Lan collapsed to the ground. Although something seemed to cushion her fall, she still felt pain all over her body.

"Damn it, I acted impulsively."

After confirming that there was no danger at the Water Gate before the teleportation, Feng Lan's intelligence regained its advantage. Only then did he belatedly realize how reckless his actions had been. He had acted without calculation, consideration, or backup plans. The fact that he hadn't died can only be attributed to his good fortune.

The surrounding scenery was neither Konoha nor late at night. Based on Feng Lan's understanding of Li, she naturally knew that she must have traveled through time and space, but she didn't know where she was now.

"Speaking of which, who is this person beneath me... Holy crap!"

He looked down and initially thought that the dying Urashiki had used him as a cushion, but it turned out that it wasn't. The guy lying on the ground in a deep coma was actually... me?

[Hey, isn't this a bit too outrageous?]

Feng Lan looked at himself lying on the ground with a pained expression. He wanted to say that he must have opened it wrong, but there was a bloody body right there, so he couldn't change the subject.

"Hmm, judging from my clothes, this should be from the time of the Fourth Shinobi World War, which means it was about three years ago?"

Feng Lan recalled for a moment and realized that it should be the time when she joined the labor team of Konoha Village to deliver supplies to the front line, and then took the opportunity to try to run away to join Minato's team. Based on what Urashiki said when he broke through the defense, she could roughly guess what the situation was.

Clearly, at the point in time when the Otsutsuki arrive, Momoshiki and Kinji are defeated by Minato and himself. Urashiki, who is alone, naturally does not dare to confront Konoha head-on, so he finds Li and travels to the past, to his own point in time, in an attempt to directly seize the Nine-Tails. This explains why he knows the characteristics of the Flying Thunder God mark, because Minato will definitely use the Flying Thunder God whenever he is fighting.

So why didn't he dare to directly oppose Konoha in his own timeline, but dared to act arrogantly in the timeline of Fuu-Ran? There's only one answer: scientific ninja tools. Obviously, Fuu-Ran and Minato in the future defeated Momoshiki with scientific ninja tools. Urashiki thought that scientific ninja tools hadn't been invented at that time, and that he, a dignified Otsutsuki, could easily crush a few inferior creatures... In the end, he was still crushed by the Fuu-Ran duo.

Urashiki then continued his escape to an even earlier point in time, attempting to nip Minato and Fuuka in the bud before they could form a partnership. This is why Fuuka arrived at this location three years ago, during the Fourth Shinobi World War.

"That's right!" Having figured everything out, Feng Lantian shamelessly slapped her thigh. "It was definitely that guy Urashiki who ambushed me when I was still an ordinary person at this time!"

He immediately unleashed his full sensory abilities, searching his surroundings. Otsutsuki wasn't Orochimaru; injuries of Urashiki's level couldn't heal quickly, otherwise he wouldn't have been half-dead from the poison.

"You dare to plot against me from three years ago? You better not let me catch you, or you'll be in for a world of hurt!"

Feng Lan pursued relentlessly, showing no concern for himself as he lay on the verge of collapse. According to his memory, after losing consciousness here, he was rescued by Minato the moment he opened his eyes. If he was still alive when Minato from this era arrived to rescue him, it would be difficult to explain if he saw two Feng Lans.

However, after wandering around for more than half an hour, he found nothing.

"No, no way." Feng Lan's expression became even more subtle. "Who killed me, and whom did I kill?"

He scraped off several inches of the surrounding ground but still couldn't find any other enemies. Finally, he had to painfully conclude, "It was me. Kill me."

Three years ago, I was in this sorry state because I fell from the sky and hit him. At that time, I was just an ordinary person in every way. It was a wonder that I didn't die on the spot after being hit like that.

"Seriously... isn't this guy about to die already?!"

Feng Lan examined her situation from three years ago and her expression changed slightly. No one had approached within her perception range, yet she was already on the verge of death. What was going on?

[So, before Minato came to save me, was there someone else who appeared to save me? Who was that person...?]

His thoughts raced. After so long, his mind, which had been somewhat unwell due to the time travel, finally began to recover. He thought of the White Snake Immortal's profound question: "Are you sure your perception ability is innate?"

Could it be that...?

Feng Lan took out the crystal bottle from her ninja tool bag. Inside was the White Snake Sage's bodily fluid. After being injected, it could quickly restore injuries and repair damage, automatically awaken sensory abilities, and with further training, one could gradually develop Sage Mode.

"I killed myself, and I saved myself." He now understood everything. The White Snake Sage's meaningful words clearly indicated that he had sensed the natural chakra of Ryuchi Cave within him.

As a transmigrator, he actually doesn't possess any sensory abilities, and theoretically shouldn't even be able to use ninjutsu. After all, the physical constitution of people in the Naruto world is completely different from that of Earthlings. The reason he can use ninjutsu is that the White Snake Sage's bodily fluids helped him develop his physical potential.

"So in the end, I just didn't have any talent at all. No wonder the White Snake Sage said I was a mortal with ridiculously poor ninja aptitude." Feng Lan sighed, feeling frustrated and annoyed, as she injected the precious bodily fluid from the crystal bottle into her three-year-younger self.

In other words, it's a cycle. Because of Urashiki's time travel, I was able to acquire the qualifications to become a ninja. And because I became a ninja, I was able to work with Minato to defeat the Otsutsuki clan, forcing Urashiki to travel back in time to get back at me. These two are like an infinitely looping Möbius strip, almost becoming a kind of destiny.

Feng Lan shrugged. Just as people don't dwell on whether the chicken or the egg came first, it's pointless to worry about whether he had the ninja talent first or Urashiki transmigrated first. Both are inevitable facts.

"The key question now is, what exactly do I need to do to return to my own time?"

Feng Lan continued to brainstorm. In the world of Naruto, apart from the Otsutsuki's plowshare, only the Loulan Dragon Vein in the movie "The Lost Tower" has the same effect, but both of them are currently quite far from her.

Pu Shi's whereabouts are uncertain, but the dragon vein is located in the ancient city of Loulan within the territory of the Land of Wind. However, according to the current timeline, the ancient city of Loulan is not a ruin, but a bustling town, and there is an ambitious minister named An Lushan researching some kind of destructive weapon.

Although the name was very unsettling, Feng Lan felt that the difficulty in approaching the ancient city of Loulan was not because of this guy, but because the Third Shinobi World War was still ongoing. For a ninja of unknown origin with a Konoha headband, entering the Land of Wind's territory rashly would be tantamount to suicide.

"Ok?"

Suddenly, Feng Lan sensed a familiar chakra. His expression changed slightly, and he immediately used his sensory power to isolate himself and quickly retreated.

The person who came was none other than Minato Namikaze from three years ago. Although Feng Lan came here to save him, in the current timeline, Minato doesn't even know him, so it's unrealistic to rely on him for help.

Feng Lan pondered for a moment. Although he didn't stay in the same place, he didn't create a large gap either. He followed Minato's group at a leisurely pace. His current situation was very delicate. Not only could he not find a way back, but he also had nowhere to stay. Konoha was no longer his territory. The Third Hokage and even Danzo were still alive. Minato hadn't even taken office as the Fourth Hokage yet.

After weighing the pros and cons, Fenglan realized that the best approach was to follow Minato and himself from a distance during this period. The reason was simple: if Urashiki tried to change history, then assassinating him, who was still an ordinary person at this time, would be the safest option.

Then he can wait for the rabbit to run into the tree stump, then turn around and attack Urashiki, using his plow to return to his own timeline.

Logically speaking, for a ninja like Minato, following him from behind would be suicidal. However, Fenglan first used his sensory abilities to hide himself from being discovered, and then relied on his memories of the past period to follow the team from a great distance. Most importantly, he knew Minato too well, knowing the range of the other's sensory abilities and his usual tricks during patrols. It wouldn't be a big problem for him to avoid being detected.

"No, this is a pretty big problem!"

Three days later, Feng Lan broke down. According to the normal timeline, this was the first time she mustered up the courage to propose a plan to Minato to lure the enemy deep into her territory. Minato thought it made sense and after discussing it, decided to implement her plan, which resulted in a great victory. This established the trust that the golden retriever had in her, which led to all the subsequent events.

But now, from God's perspective, Feng Lan keenly observed the layout of both Iwagakure and Konoha through his perception. According to his strategy of luring the enemy deep into his territory, he was clearly going to be surrounded by the enemy!

[What's with this extra team? I didn't encounter these people back then. Is it the butterfly effect... or did some unknown expert help Konoha deal with these guys?]

Fenglan observed the battlefield from his vantage point, waiting and waiting, until Shuimen began to act according to his plan, but no mysterious expert jumped out to help deal with the extra team.

"Alright alright."

Feng Lan sighed. Wasn't it obvious? The so-called mysterious expert was none other than himself. Now he had no choice but to deal with this extra team to ensure that he could regain Minato's trust from three years ago. This was a mess he had to clean up after himself.

"So, I didn't have any talent for leading troops in battle?" Feng Lan looked pained. There was no such thing as unparalleled wisdom; it was just that the current version of himself was carrying the burden for the version of himself from three years ago.

However, after thinking it over, and combining it with his memories from back then, he realized that the situation wasn't so pessimistic. The main reason his previous plans had failed was that he didn't understand the specific combat situation and operational range of the ninjas. As long as he learned the specific information after a while, he would naturally be able to make the right choice.

After all, ninja battles are essentially intelligence battles, and even the smartest person cannot make accurate judgments without sufficient information.

"So..." he sighed, "From now on, I will have to follow the team from a distance, ensuring the success of every brilliant plan, without Minato or even myself being aware of it, three years ago?"

Chapter 213 A Fateful Encounter (Supplement 3)

"Oh, what a tragedy!"

Feng Lan's suppressed voice echoed through the dense forest as he banged his head against a tree, his face filled with utter despair.

For the past month, he had been following Minato's team, setting traps and ambushes. With the help of favorable timing, location, Orochimaru's forbidden scrolls, and scientific ninja tools, he managed to help the team eliminate most of the enemies without any major incidents, thus preserving his reputation from three years ago when his words became law.

But the past month has been incredibly torturous for Feng Lan. Not only is she physically and mentally exhausted from the battles, but more importantly... it's so embarrassing!

Whenever he recalls how he used to play the role of Zhuge Liang with such confidence and brilliance, and then compares it with his current flawed strategies, he feels so ashamed that he wants to bang his head against a tree. Damn it, he was just like Jiahao back then!

Fortunately, a month of hard work did not go to waste. The person she was three years ago is growing at an astonishing pace, leaving fewer and fewer loopholes when making suggestions, which makes Fenglan very gratified now.

I truly never imagined that one day I would show myself a look of fatherly pride.

At this moment, Feng Lan was still hiding at a high point, using his perception to overlook the whole situation. After a month of hard work, he finally made a completely correct prediction, leading the Water Gate Squad to defeat the enemy.

[Is my nanny career finally over...?] Feng Lan stretched out a big yawn, revealing a relieved expression. When he first transmigrated, he was still thinking about whether Pu Shi or Lou Lan was easier to handle. But after that, he didn't have time to think about anything else. All he could think about was how to help his three-year-old self fill in the gaps in his knowledge.

Hmm, let's go pick some wild vegetables and mushrooms and cook them up.

Not only did they have to fight intensely and not be able to rest properly, but their food was also a disaster. As a clerical worker, Feng Lan certainly didn't have the rations and cooking utensils that the ninjas on field missions had in his ninja tool bag. He could only fill his stomach with wild fruits and spring water. Later, he managed to get some dry rations and cooking utensils from a logistics team from Iwagakure that he had intercepted. At least now he can have some hot soup to drink.

Poor Feng, ever since becoming the Hokage's advisor, he has lived a life of luxury and has never suffered such humiliation. He has long been cursing Urashiki to death in his heart.

Even picking mushrooms has to be done in places far from Konoha's camp, to avoid being caught by patrolling ninjas. My current mood can only be described by a line from a song.

"Holding a cornbread bun in my hand, not a drop of oil in the dish~~"

As Feng Lan distinguished between edible mushrooms and poisonous ones, he hummed sadly. Right now, what he missed most was not his fiancée Mei Terumi, not his loyal subordinate Shisui, and not even his best buddy Minato, but the damn hand-beating uncle and Ichiraku Ramen!

"When I get back to my own time period, the first thing I'll do is research self-heating hot pot to improve the ninjas' meals... Damn it... Even Kushina's scrambled eggs taste exceptionally delicious at times like this!"

"Forehead?"

As soon as I reached down, I felt something cold and delicate.

"Another snake?" Feng Lan's lips twitched, and he hurriedly pinched his hand. He hadn't forgotten the tragic scene of being bitten by a snake when he was picking mushrooms last time.

The pinch only elicited a cry of pain: "Ugh..."

"A living person?" Feng Lan raised an eyebrow. He had indeed been a bit careless. He hadn't even activated his senses while cooking. He parted the bushes and saw a thinly dressed, pale-faced girl lying there.

"No way." Feng Lan looked surprised, feeling that everything had come full circle. "Uchiha Momo?"

The girl in front of him was wearing the same laborer's clothes as he had three years ago, her face covered in dust and her hair disheveled. It looked as if she was using this method to conceal her gender in order to blend into the transport team and achieve the effect of "not knowing that Mulan is a woman".

Feng Lan frowned. After being forced to go on a blind date with Momo, he used his authority to investigate her past and learned that Momo's parents were two ordinary Uchiha Chunin who had not even awakened their Sharingan, and... they died in the Third Shinobi World War.

Is this child here secretly looking for his parents?

……