"Uh… this is…"
Namikaze Minato looked at Uzumaki Mito with a helpless expression.
She had stepped out simply because she wanted to meet him—burning through what little chakra she had left in the process. For a moment, Minato genuinely didn't know how he was supposed to react.
As if sensing his thoughts, a trace of melancholy appeared on Mito's face.
"When I transferred the Nine-Tails back then, I was already very old," she said softly.
"I was standing on the edge of death."
"I used the last of my strength to move the Nine-Tails into Kyusei's body."
"This remaining chakra of mine… even if I did nothing at all and simply stayed within him, it would completely dissipate within ten years."
"Rather than vanish quietly like that, I wanted to explore the deeper mysteries of sealing techniques."
"So… please forgive my selfish willfulness."
As she spoke, Mito's gaze drifted toward Kyusei.
This child had been chosen as the jinchūriki because of her personal bias.
Yes—bias.
Back then, there had actually been a better candidate within the clan.
A child born with overwhelmingly powerful life-force chakra, who awakened one of the Uzumaki clan's finest bloodline traits at birth—
Vitality Healing.
As long as someone bit into that child's flesh, any injury short of fatal would heal in an instant.
Choosing Kyusei had been her selfish decision.
And later… it became a choice she was grateful for.
There was one truth no one in Konoha knew—not even Tsunade.
Kyusei was her younger brother's grandson.
That alone was her reason.
Nothing more.
Later, she became even more thankful for that choice. Because of her selfishness, Kyusei avoided the Uzumaki clan's annihilation.
By sheer accident, she had protected the last blood relative of her younger brother.
It was just a pity about that child named Uzumaki Mika…
"Kyusei… don't resent me…"
Kyusei looked at the suddenly apologetic Uzumaki Mito, utterly confused.
"It's okay!" he said quickly.
"If it weren't for Grandma Mito, I probably would've died a long time ago, right?"
He gave her a big, bright smile.
Looking at the bratty troublemaker from back then—now grown considerate, surrounded by people who cared for him—Mito's lingering guilt slowly hardened into resolve.
As long as Kyusei was safe, then everything had been worth it.
I'm sorry, Mika…
I'll bear this sin alone.
"Good child…"
"Live well from now on."
"I don't have much chakra left anymore. I need to conserve it."
"So… goodbye, for now…"
"Kana~"
As her words faded, Uzumaki Mito's body broke apart into countless shimmering white particles, dispersing completely throughout the sealing space.
The Nine-Tails stared deeply at Kyusei from not far away.
He had always known of Uzumaki Mito's existence.
So what?
She was just a dead human.
Yet compared to her, this was the first time the Nine-Tails had truly looked at Kyusei.
Because he knew we'd be together for a long time…
Because I wouldn't tell him my name…
So he went ahead and named me himself…
Tch.
What an annoying little brat…
—
When Kyusei woke up, the first thing he saw was Tsunade's worried face looming right in front of him.
No matter how many times Kushina had reassured her, Tsunade simply couldn't stop herself from worrying.
After all, this involved the Nine-Tails' seal—and this little bastard was also wearing the First Hokage's heirloom.
"Tsunade… sis?"
Kyusei blinked, staring at her face practically pressed against his.
"How's the seal?" Tsunade asked bluntly.
"It was a complete success," Minato replied as he opened his eyes as well.
"And we even encountered something unexpected."
Meeting Uzumaki Mito had left Minato strangely contemplative.
He hadn't known that leaving chakra behind in a seal could preserve one's consciousness—allowing future generations to meet them.
Chakra was the fusion of spiritual and physical energy.
If Mito's chakra could retain her awareness…
Minato glanced at the green-crystal-like necklace hanging on Kyusei's chest—the First Hokage's necklace.
That necklace contained Senju Hashirama's chakra.
Then… does that chakra also contain Hashirama's consciousness?
The thought made Minato itch with curiosity—but he suppressed it immediately.
No matter how curious he was, this was Kyusei's lifeline.
He couldn't act on impulse.
As both Minato and Kyusei regained consciousness, Kushina released the Adamantine Barrier.
Dozens of golden chains retracted back into her body, and Sarutobi Hiruzen—who had been observing from the perimeter—finally stepped forward.
He carefully examined the seal on Kyusei's abdomen, sensing it thoroughly. Only after confirming that it was far sturdier than before did he relax.
"Thanks to you two, Kyusei can finally move freely now," Hiruzen said with a sigh of relief.
There was a hint of reluctance in his eyes.
These two were simply too strong—strong enough that he couldn't help wanting them to stay in this Konoha.
Even knowing they were the future versions of Kyusei and Kaoru, power that had already matured was still power.
Kyusei and Kaoru only possessed the potential to reach that level.
They hadn't yet turned that potential into real strength.
"This is what we should've done, Third Hokage-sama," Minato replied gently.
"And you could say this is us making amends."
Hinata had been found.
The Nine-Tails' seal had been reinforced.
Now, all that remained was to teach Kyusei and Kaoru everything they could in the shortest time possible—then this journey across time would come to a perfect end.
Minato still remembered.
The Third Shinobi World War would come.
He would rise to fame because of it—but that glory would be built atop countless corpses.
He couldn't stop that war.
And he couldn't change it either.
I'm sorry…
Rin. Obito…
—
The sun dipped toward the horizon.
After school, Kaoru walked alone along the riverbank, kicking small stones as she headed home.
I wonder how Kyusei is doing…
Her blue eyes glanced at the river, reflecting the golden sunset.
The warm light, the small forest on the opposite bank, the flowing water—
all of it blended into a breathtaking scene.
Beautiful.
Kyusei had never been here.
So he had never seen this view.
She had only learned in the past few days that Kyusei couldn't leave that area because of certain reasons…
"Yo!"
"Kaoru!"
A familiar voice rang out from afar.
Kaoru's eyes widened.
That voice—
It can't be…
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