"Any other news?"
"…Ugh."
Mikoto hesitated. She wasn't sure whether she should say it, but after a moment of thought, she still spoke.
"In addition… the commander-in-chief of the Iwagakure battlefield has become Lord Shiki. Lord Shiki fought alone and defeated Iwagakure's forces. Although Iwagakure hasn't withdrawn from the Ninja World War, they have officially agreed to a truce."
Even Mikoto herself couldn't help but feel admiration for the Golden Lion known as Shiki.
At first, Kushina didn't think much of it. But the moment Mikoto finished speaking, something seemed to click. Her eyes widened slightly in realization.
"Wait—Lord Shiki is the Golden Lion, right?" Kushina said, her voice rising with hope. "If he's backing this… then Minato will be fine!"
That previous meeting had already left Kushina with the impression that Shiki was a genuinely good person.
"Uh…"
Mikoto froze for a moment.
Unlike Kushina, Mikoto—being the wife of the Uchiha clan head—had far better insight.
Minato being transferred to the Kumogakure battlefield had only one obvious purpose: to take credit that should have gone to Shiki.
In that case, the relationship between Shiki and Minato was almost certainly not a friendly one.
From Mikoto's perspective, the fact that Shiki hadn't already taken advantage of the situation was generous enough. What she didn't say was this—
The better Shiki performed on the battlefield, the worse Minato's reputation would become.
That didn't even need to be spelled out.
But Kushina didn't think that far ahead. The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became.
"Strength!" Kushina said firmly. "Lord Shiki is the Golden Lion! If he gives his word, Minato will definitely be acknowledged again by everyone!"
"…Ugh."
Mikoto didn't respond right away. She was afraid of shattering Kushina's hope.
Looking at Kushina's expectant expression, Mikoto finally sighed and nodded.
"When the war is over… let's go ask Lord Golden Lion together."
With the wife of the Uchiha clan head and the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki standing together, Shiki should at least give them face.
…Probably.
That was the only way Mikoto could persuade herself.
"Really?!" Kushina's face instantly lit up. "Thank you so much, Mikoto!"
Seeing Kushina finally recover her spirits made Mikoto feel relieved as well.
"To thank you, I'll prepare lunch myself!" Kushina added cheerfully.
"…Ah—really?"
Mikoto stared blankly as Kushina happily rushed toward the kitchen.
She had seen Kushina's cooking before.
Was this a thank-you… or an assassination attempt?
"No, no, no! That's not necessary!" Mikoto rushed over in panic, pulling out the lunch she had prepared in advance. "I already brought mine!"
If Kushina cooked, Mikoto genuinely wasn't sure she'd survive the day.
"…."
Kushina glanced at Mikoto, clearly displeased.
Now that she'd calmed down, she wasn't stupid. Of course she understood what Mikoto meant.
"…Fine."
"Great!"
"…."
What's with that relieved expression?!
Do you really think my cooking is that bad?!
Kushina glared at Mikoto, depressed—but didn't say anything.
These past days, it had been Mikoto taking care of her.
That alone made Kushina deeply grateful.
"Don't worry, Mikoto," Kushina said seriously. "If Minato becomes Hokage, we'll definitely change the current situation of the Uchiha clan!"
Kushina knew very well what kind of position the Uchiha were in within the village.
"…."
Why do you still think Minato can become Hokage…
Even if the title of Konoha's sinner were removed, Minato was no longer qualified to compete for the position.
But facing her friend's sincere concern, Mikoto couldn't bring herself to say that.
She could only nod silently.
On the other side—
After several days of forced marching, Jiraiya finally led a thousand shinobi to Konoha's camp near the Kumogakure front.
What greeted them was a battlefield reduced to ruins—and over a hundred lifeless Konoha shinobi.
Even with a thousand reinforcements behind him, the sight only made their brows lift briefly before falling again.
"…Sigh."
Jiraiya understood.
This defeat had struck them far too hard.
He didn't say much, simply waving his hand.
Under his signal, the thousand shinobi behind him began reorganizing the camp in an orderly fashion.
The battle was lost but Konoha was not defeated.
The war would continue.
"Jiraiya-sama."
Nara Shikaku, still recovering from his injuries, stepped forward, accompanied by Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza.
In the past, Shikaku had always shown respect toward Jiraiya.
Now, he merely glanced at him indifferently, offered a brief greeting, and fell silent.
"…Uh."
That cold attitude made Jiraiya scratch his head awkwardly.
This is because of Minato…
"Shikaku, I—"
Jiraiya tried to speak on behalf of his apprentice, but Shikaku interrupted him calmly.
"Jiraiya-sama," Shikaku said. "This time, our clans sent many outstanding shinobi."
He paused.
"Now… only the three of us are left."
Jiraiya fell silent.
Inoichi and Chōza said nothing, but their expressions mirrored Shikaku's bitterness.
The surviving shinobi nearby were the same.
There was no joy at Jiraiya's arrival—only indifference.
And the reason was simple.
Jiraiya was Minato's teacher.
In their eyes, if Minato hadn't taken command…
If they had remained under Shiki…
They would never have suffered such a catastrophic defeat against Kumogakure.
"I…"
Jiraiya wanted to explain—but couldn't.
That overwhelming sense of helplessness made his chest tighten.
In the end, Shikaku said nothing more.
He stepped aside and spoke flatly.
"Minato is still in the camp. His injuries have recovered."
"Thank you."
Jiraiya didn't hesitate.
He immediately headed toward Minato's tent.
The moment he entered, he saw Minato leaning against the wall, his expression empty and lifeless.
"Minato!"
Seeing his proudest pupil like this filled Jiraiya with pain.
"Sensei…"
At the sight of Jiraiya, Minato's composure finally collapsed.
Tears streamed down his face.
"Sensei! I'm a sinner! A sinner of Konoha!"
"It's all my fault—everything is my fault!"
He couldn't hold it back any longer.
For days, Minato hadn't dared step outside the tent.
He didn't know how to face the surviving shinobi.
Those cold, resentful gazes...
For a moment, he had even wished he'd died beneath the Eight-Tails Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Sensei…" Minato laughed bitterly through his tears. "Now I finally understand White Fang-senpai."
Looking at Jiraiya, there was a faint hint of death in his eyes.
Back then, this was the same pressure that drove Sakumo Hatake to suicide.
Sometimes…
Rumors and condemnation were far more lethal than any ninjutsu.
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