Kushina's lips were soft, warm, and held the unique innocence of a young girl, gently pressing against Hayato's.
In that instant, it was as if time itself had stopped, leaving only the sound of Hayato's heartbeat in his ears and the surging warmth in his chest.
Hayato froze, but only for a moment. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, and that tiny bit of hesitation in his heart vanished without a trace. To reject her feelings? That wouldn't be like him at all.
He carefully embraced Kushina, his movements as gentle as if he were touching the most precious treasure, afraid that a little too much force would startle her away. However, on the other other side, he no longer held back, responding even more actively.
At that moment, the destinies of the Uchiha and Uzumaki intertwined, like two blazing red snakes, coiling, colliding, and finally merging into one.
It wasn't until Kushina's breathing quickened and her cheeks flushed crimson that she frantically broke free from Hayato's embrace.
"Hayato, you… why are you so skilled?!" she panted, covering her face, her ears and neck all tinged with a shy blush, looking at him with suspicion.
"Really, Kushina, I swear on the name of the Uchiha Clan, this is my first kiss," Hayato said with a smile, "at least, in this world."
"Besides… didn't you enjoy it too?" He narrowed his eyes, pointing to the glistening trace left on the corner of her mouth.
Kushina paused, her gaze unconsciously sweeping over the faint smile on his lips, only then realizing something, her mind a blank.
"Idiot!"
She stomped her foot, the blush on her cheeks almost dripping blood, glaring at him with embarrassment before turning to run.
"Wait, Kushina." Hayato grabbed Kushina's hand, pulling her back to his side. "Don't you have anything else to tell me?"
"I like you too."
Hearing Hayato's words, Kushina's heart was filled with sweetness; she had finally done it.
She patted her head, sitting down beside Hayato: "Honestly, seeing how dejected you looked just now, I forgot why I came here. It's all your fault."
Kushina pouted, but her heart was incredibly joyful. If she hadn't acted on impulse just now, she didn't know when she would have been able to clarify their relationship with Hayato.
"Yes, yes, so, Kushina, what exactly did you want to tell me?"
Hayato looked at the girl's profile seriously.
"Hmm…" Kushina said softly. "It's actually about the Family and the Jinchuriki."
"Whirlpool Village no longer exists, and rebuilding it will take time, while the enemy's attacks are still a hidden danger."
Kushina's voice was calm, yet it carried a hint of heaviness.
"As for the Jinchuriki, the Village decided to make me the Nine-Tailed's vessel." She paused slightly, her gaze unconsciously glancing at Uchiha Hayato, as if worried about inadvertently hurting his confidence.
"Lady Mito said that the Nine-Tailed's power far surpasses other Tailed Beasts. Even if you defeated the Eight-Tails, the Nine-Tailed's power is not something you can contend with."
Hayato was slightly taken aback, a question rising in his heart: He had clearly dealt with the Eight-Tails, yet the mission was still not completed. Why was that? Did he still need to find a place for these people to live?
He was silent for a moment, deep in thought. Since the matter of Whirlpool Village was over, simply letting these Ninja remain on the island might cause disaster again.
Thinking of the Nine-Tailed, Hayato suddenly had an idea.
"What are Sakumo and the others doing now?"
Kushina shook her head, a hint of helplessness in her tone: "I'm not sure either. Although you, Hayato, led the way out of the Village first, I also left the Village without permission. I can't get close to the outside of the camp or the meeting area at all."
In another large tent at this moment, Jiraiya looked at the blunt ninja sword on the table with a joyful expression.
"I didn't expect Hayato to actually kill the Hidden Mist Village's ninja sword owner. That's truly surprising. But how should we deal with this thing?" He muttered to himself, seemingly pondering how to use the sword.
Tsunade stood by, her voice filled with emotion: "They're saved. Kushina and the people of Whirlpool Village are all fine. I really didn't expect that kid to do something like this."
"The most important thing now is how to bring Uchiha Hayato and Uzumaki Kushina back to Konoha, and at the same time, deal with the Ninja of Whirlpool Village." Sakumo Hatake's expression was serious, clearly feeling a bit of a headache over the current situation.
He turned to look at Orochimaru, who was sitting next to him, "Orochimaru, what are your thoughts?"
Orochimaru chuckled softly, and slowly said: "Hayato-kun and Kushina will definitely come back with us. As for the Uzushiogakure Ninja, isn't there still that device?"
Sakumo Hatake was confused: "What device?"
"The instant communicator," Umino Ikkaku reminded him from the side.
Sakumo Hatake suddenly understood. He was an old-fashioned person, completely ignorant of these newfangled things. While others were training various Ninjutsu, he was still diligently practicing his swordsmanship, firmly believing that the White Fang would cut through all obstacles.
He looked at the device in his hand: "How do you use this thing again?"
Before, his teammates always called him; he had no idea how to use it.
"Sakumo…" Even the others couldn't bear to watch, covering their faces with their hands.
"Let me do it," Jiraiya said with a grin. "I love these strange new things the most."
He skillfully opened the instant communicator's screen, and the image instantly magnified, appearing in the center of the meeting room.
After Konoha's modifications, the instant communicator's functions had become even more advanced, capable of projecting images into the air for everyone to see.
About thirty seconds later, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face finally appeared on the screen.
"Oh, it's Jiraiya. Is there something you need?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly, clearly a bit puzzled. According to their schedule, they should still be on their mission, so why were they contacting him so soon?
"Old man, I have two pieces of good news. Which one do you want to hear first?" Jiraiya's voice carried a hint of triumph.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression immediately turned grim: "Speak quickly, or all bathhouses will be off-limits to you from now on."
Jiraiya's face instantly deflated: "Alright, alright, I'll talk."
"The first good news is that Hayato and Kushina have been successfully brought back, without much harm."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mood immediately relaxed; the basic mission was completed, which he could accept.
"The second good news is that Hayato has activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan, killed the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of Hidden Cloud Village, captured a ninja sword, and saved Whirlpool Village in passing."
"What?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened in shock, but even more shocked was another figure—a man in a dark gray kimono, Danzo Shimura.
"This is impossible!"
Danzo's face instantly darkened. If Uchiha Hayato had already activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan, then controlling him would be even more difficult.
He had already killed the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Was the power of the Sharingan truly that strong?
Recalling the deceased Uchiha Kagami, his covetousness and obsession were reignited.
"Since the mission is completed, what are we waiting for? Bring Uchiha Hayato and Uzumaki Kushina back immediately!"