As Uzumaki Masahiko and the others confronted the jōnin in the forest, Gekkō Hoshiyomi had just returned from the Land of Iron. This trip was primarily to escort Asuka back to the Land of Iron and, incidentally, to show Old Man Morishige the long-anticipated complete version of Severing Wind Slash.
After being treated by Tsunade in Konoha for so long, Asuka's illness was completely cured, and even his innate physical weakness had improved significantly. According to Tsunade, as long as Asuka maintained a regular routine in the future, living to sixty or seventy years old wouldn't be an issue.
Immediately upon returning to Konoha, Hoshiyomi received another mission—but this time, it wasn't issued by Hiruzen. It was a personal request from Mito.
Inside the Senju Clan compound, Hoshiyomi asked in surprise:
"You're bringing someone to Konoha? Kushina?"
Mito looked at him a bit strangely and asked, "Is there a problem?"
"No, nothing."
Hoshiyomi said "nothing," but his mind was already flooded with all sorts of strange thoughts. Having been in Konoha for so long, he had actually forgotten about this matter.
Nawaki was already in his second year at the Ninja Academy, so logically, Minato and Kushina should indeed be getting older. He hadn't expected to be the one escorting Kushina to Konoha now.
Thinking of young Kushina's adorable appearance in the original story, Hoshiyomi couldn't help but wonder: What would a real-life Kushina look like?
As he thought about it, Hoshiyomi's expression suddenly changed—because something had just come to mind. If Kushina was about to arrive in the village, didn't that mean the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools couldn't be far off either?
Hoshiyomi quickly tried to recall the plot points he remembered, but whether due to his memories fading over time or because the original series was vague on the matter, he still couldn't remember whether the destruction of the nation happened simultaneously with Kushina's arrival or afterward.
If it happened afterward, that would be fine; he might even be able to warn the people of the Land of Whirlpools and help them avert disaster. But if it happened at the same time, wouldn't his journey be extremely perilous?
If he remembered correctly, Konoha had ultimately remained silent during the war that led to the Land of Whirlpools' destruction, resulting in only three to five members of the Uzumaki Clan surviving. In the original story, only Kushina, Karin, and Nagato were truly named and accounted for—everyone else seemed to have perished.
Whether the Land of Whirlpools would fall or not wasn't Hoshiyomi's primary concern right now. What truly worried him was the possibility of running directly into the invading forces.
A force capable of destroying an entire country—without reinforcements, the mission could become a one-way trip. Hoshiyomi wasn't afraid of the butterfly effect, but he was afraid of dying meaninglessly.
The Sword Heart System was designed to push him into challenging strong opponents—but challenging them didn't mean charging headfirst into an army, knowingly marching to his death.
So what should he do? Go directly to pick up Kushina? Or respectfully decline Mito's request?
While Hoshiyomi's mind was in turmoil, Mito was also watching him, puzzled. She couldn't understand why the usually clever and resourceful Hoshiyomi would suddenly freeze up at the mention of "Land of Whirlpools" and "Kushina."
"Hoshiyomi, what's wrong? Why haven't you said anything for so long?"
She guessed aloud, half-concerned, half-joking:
"You don't know where the Land of Whirlpools is, do you? Should I send someone who knows the route to go with you?"
Upon hearing this, Hoshiyomi instinctively wanted to refuse.
"No, no need..."
Mid-sentence, he suddenly paused, a thought flashing through his mind like lightning.
That's right! If I'm worried about a powerful enemy attacking the Land of Whirlpools right now, then all I need to do is make sure I have reinforcements backing me up—right?
In the original story, there were two reasons why Konoha didn't come to the Uzumaki's aid. One: the delay in information—even if they had responded, it would've been too late. Two: a lack of vested interest. After all, the Senju Clan had already blended into the common populace, and the true upper echelons of power had shifted.
The bond between Konoha and the Uzumaki was really just a bond between the Senju and the Uzumaki. Now that no Senju held real political influence, the Uchiha, Hyūga, and other clans had, for their own interests, jointly vetoed the proposal to send aid.
But now, things were different—with Hoshiyomi involved.
If he brought enough leverage to the Land of Whirlpools, Konoha's leadership would have no choice but to respond.
And that leverage? His friends.
It was well-known throughout Konoha that the six of them were now famous geniuses. When it came to the future of the village, the six of them were seen as its next pillars. That had become a common consensus.
Even the other four great ninja villages had heard of them. On the black market, their bounties were already higher than Asuma's would be in the future.
However, because Konoha had done such a good job protecting them, even the black market intelligence networks didn't have detailed descriptions of them.
If all six of them were to fall into a trap like this, the higher-ups in the village would certainly dispatch forces—for the sake of the village's future.
In that case, the timeline could be changed—and Hoshiyomi's safety would be secured.
Although leading his friends into a potentially dangerous situation felt a bit dishonorable, the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools wasn't 100% guaranteed—it was just a possibility.
If nothing happened, it would just be a fun trip for the six of them. And if something did happen, Hoshiyomi and the others certainly wouldn't charge in recklessly.
He would prioritize his friends' safety—there was no way he'd let his companions die for the sake of strangers.
At most, they'd stir up some trouble on the outskirts, enough to signal Konoha's stance. They wouldn't make any real moves until reinforcements arrived. In terms of safety, it was as secure as it could be.
Having made up his mind, Hoshiyomi no longer hesitated. He looked up at Mito and said:
"Grandma Mito, just leave the matter of bringing Kushina back to the village to me. I was just thinking—it's been a long time since I've gone out with Tsunade and the others. Since the Land of Whirlpools is your homeland, I bet it's a really interesting place. We haven't had the chance to visit yet. I was just wondering if I should invite them to come along and see the sights."
Mito's eyes lit up at the suggestion.
"You're right. Tsunade's grown up so much, and I've never taken her to see Uzushiogakure. It's great that you'll go together this time. It'll be safer, too. Alright, do as you said. Set out today—the sooner, the better—before Hiruzen assigns you another mission."
Plan success!
After leaving the Senju Clan compound, Hoshiyomi called Tsunade, Sakumo, and the others. They packed their bags and prepared to head to Uzushiogakure.
What Hoshiyomi didn't know at that moment was that, because of this cautious—but seemingly minor—decision made by him, the butterfly, the fates of countless people would be truly altered.
Author's Notes:
I thought about it all night and finally compromised on the question of going to the Land of Whirlpools. The Land of Whirlpools as a whole will be destroyed, but the protagonist will save many members of the Uzumaki Clan. Of course, it's not for free—these people will all play important roles in the future.
Also, I was really hesitant while writing this chapter. I felt like I might get criticized for "using his friends" or something—but that's not what I meant. I just can't have the protagonist facing a hundred enemies by himself in the upcoming plot, and I need these characters for the rescue plan. I hope readers can view this rationally.