Life in the Namikaze household had shifted. With Kushina pregnant, the house seemed brighter somehow, warmer, like a fire that never burned out. But for me, that warmth came with urgency. The clock was ticking.
The storm was coming.
And I refused to be powerless when it arrived.
That morning, I found Minato in the garden, practicing a seal sequence with effortless grace. He moved with that irritating Hokage calm, like he didn't even break a sweat holding the weight of a village.
"Teach me," I said flatly.
He blinked, surprised, then smiled. "You've been training with Kushina already, haven't you?"
"I want more than just sparring," I pressed. "If I'm going to protect this family, I need real strength. You're the Hokage—teach me what you know."
For a moment, he just studied me. I held his gaze, steady, unwilling to back down.
Finally, Minato chuckled softly. "You really are stubborn."
Kushina's voice carried from inside the house. "That's my influence! Don't underestimate us redheads!"
Minato sighed, then gestured to the yard. "Fine. But I'll start with chakra control, not advanced techniques. If you can't master the basics, there's no point in learning anything dangerous."
My lips curved into a small smile. Step one, complete.
Training under Minato was brutal. He had the patience of a saint but the standards of a perfectionist. Hours were spent balancing leaves on fingertips, climbing trees without using hands, walking water until my legs shook.
But every night, when they thought I was asleep, I pushed further—regenerating cuts, channeling chakra in ways no human body was meant to, experimenting with the sliver of Wood Release I had stolen from Zetsu.
Piece by piece, I sharpened myself.
Still, basics weren't enough. Not for what I knew was coming.
Which was why I needed something more. Something hidden. Something powerful.
The Scroll of Seals.
The opportunity came during one of Kushina's more dramatic "I'm bored, entertain me!" moods. She plopped down beside me, munching on dango, and started complaining about being stuck at home more often because of her pregnancy.
"You know," I said casually, "Minato keeps all the good stuff locked away, doesn't he? I bet the Hokage's got scrolls with techniques that could actually keep you busy for a year."
Kushina perked up instantly, her violet eyes gleaming. "You mean the Scroll of Seals? Ohhh, that's full of forbidden jutsu! Minato doesn't even let me peek at it—stingy, right?"
I feigned curiosity, tilting my head. "Forbidden jutsu? Sounds dangerous. But… if anyone could handle it, it'd be you."
Kushina's grin widened, pride swelling exactly as I intended. "Damn right it would! You know, if I bug him enough, he might actually let me show you a peek."
"Really?" I asked, eyes wide, letting just enough awe slip into my voice.
She puffed her chest out. "Leave it to your big sister!"
And just like that, the seeds were planted.
Later that night, lying in bed, I couldn't stop the smile that tugged at my lips. Training under Minato gave me discipline. Kushina's affection gave me cover. And soon… the Scroll of Seals would give me power.
Power enough to defy fate itself.