Four days later, the small boat navigated past the reefs near the Land of Whirlpools and finally reached the coast.
Old Nawaki did not disembark with Hayashi and Kushina, choosing instead to remain on the boat. For a man of his age, continuous sailing was exhausting, and his duty was simple: bring Hayashi and Kushina safely to shore.
"Don't worry about me," Old Nawaki called to them, waving. "Lord Ninja, focus on your mission. I'll wait here."
Hayashi nodded, letting go of the thought of having him come ashore. He led Kushina onto solid land.
Seasickness was common for those unaccustomed to boats, especially small ones that swayed easily with the waves. Even Hayashi felt the slight nausea, though it was nothing compared to Kushina.
"Do you want to rest?" Hayashi slowed his pace, noticing her pale face.
"No need," Kushina said after a couple of deep breaths. "There are a few places I want to visit. Will you come with me?"
"Of course," Hayashi replied.
Though the mission was officially about retrieving a lost Uzumaki heirloom, its main purpose was to allow Kushina, now the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, a chance to return to her hometown. Though she had been away for ten years, this was her home, and she remembered much of it vividly.
After walking about twenty minutes through fields overgrown with weeds and scattered ruins, Kushina stopped suddenly.
"What is it?" Hayashi asked, looking around. The area seemed deserted, filled only with dense vegetation and tangled grasses.
Kushina let go of his hand and walked purposefully until she stopped beneath a large tree.
"I remember this used to be my backyard," she said softly. "If there hadn't been civil strife, I'd probably still be living here."
She traced several notches on the tree, marks her father had made to track her height. Hayashi watched quietly. Though he couldn't see her eyes clearly, he knew they reflected a calm, bittersweet sadness—the kind reserved for things lost forever. He remained silent, allowing her this private moment.
After a while, Kushina pulled a Kunai from her pouch and began digging in the ground. Hayashi quickly joined her, drawing his own.
Minutes later, they unearthed a tattered iron box.
"A time capsule," Kushina said, lifting it carefully. "Want to see inside?"
"Sure," Hayashi replied.
The box was small. The key was long lost, so they forced it open, revealing its contents.
Inside was a faded photograph, greyed and yellowed with age, showing a family of three. Two pieces of yellowed paper held childish yet endearing crayon drawings, unmistakably drawn by a little girl. Scattered among these were a few headbands, bamboo skewers, colored glass beads, and a tightly sealed letter.
Through the envelope's transparent seal, several crooked characters were visible:
To my fifteen-year-old self.
"I never thought I'd see this again," Kushina said, a lonely smile touching her lips. She picked up three small glass beads and handed one to Hayashi.
Though he didn't know its significance, taking it felt right.
Kushina unfolded the letter, its pink hue still carrying a faintly childlike charm. She waved it gently toward Hayashi.
"…If you don't mind," he said.
She laughed softly through her tears. "It's okay. Many years have passed."
The crooked handwriting had not changed much over the years. She began to read aloud:
"Fifteen-year-old Kushina,
How are you?
I am five years old. It's quiet outside. Father and Mother are probably asleep, and I am lying in bed, secretly writing by moonlight.
Gua, what should I write? Oh, right, first I must thank you. The fifteen-year-old me must have become a great hero, and yet you still take the time to read this letter..."
Kushina shook her head at the memory. "I've failed," she whispered.
She continued:
"Father said we must leave our home. The situation is unstable, and it's no longer safe, with explosions heard nearly every day. I really don't want to leave. I hate strange places. I had just begun to feel settled, yet we must go again. I must be strong. Though I doubt I can fully succeed, I must try...
Has the fifteen-year-old me found someone I like? Have I learned to swim? Am I taking care of Mother properly, even though her legs are weak? Does Father still smoke, and do I clean the ashtray?..."
Tears flowed freely from Kushina's eyes as she read. It was as if the frozen weight of years had melted away.
"I hope the fifteen-year-old me grows into a strong, beautiful young woman, pursues work she loves, and works hard to achieve her dreams. No matter what, please be happy.
Lastly, can I ask one thing of the fifteen-year-old me? Write another letter to the twenty-year-old Kushina, telling her the dreams you have now."
Sighing, Hayashi handed her a pen he had picked up from the port.
"Do you want paper? The kind for wiping your nose," he joked lightly.
Kushina laughed through her tears, then retrieved a sheet of letter paper she had prepared long ago from her Ninja Tool Pouch.
This time, she wrote silently, her hand steady and precise. When finished, she folded the letter and returned it to the iron box alongside the original.
She carefully buried it once more, restoring the Time Capsule to its resting place.
"Hayashi…" she said softly.
"Yeah?"
After a long pause, she added, her voice barely above a whisper, "Four years from now… can you come back here with me?"
Hayashi met her gaze steadily, a quiet smile forming. "Of course. I'll be here."