"Mi-Minato!?"
Kushina, who had exited her half-Tailed Beast transformation, had regained her senses. She looked at her blood-soaked right hand, then nervously turned to Minato, who was supporting her.
Her voice trembled with anxiety and guilt as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Are you... are you alright? It's all... all my fault..."
Minato had taken the blow for her.
"Cough, cough..."
Minato coughed up a large mouthful of blood. Seeing that Kushina had returned to normal, he simply gave a gentle smile. "I'm fine. It's good that you're alright..."
He had felt that final attack coming.
With his speed, he could have dodged it easily using Flying Thunder God.
But if he had evaded, he wouldn't have been able to reinforce the seal. For Kushina's sake, he chose to endure it.
Fortunately, he had sensed it ahead of time and avoided the vital points. He shouldn't die from it...
[Ding, mission complete. Rewards being issued...]
At that moment, the system prompt rang in Seiryū's mind. The mission was actually complete?
But Seiryū didn't pay much attention to it.
He appeared beside the two with a few Shunpo steps.
"…"
Seiryū looked at Minato's dreadful condition—his abdomen pierced and bleeding profusely, the location dangerously close to... something important. He glanced at Kushina and quickly urged, "Kushina-nee, now's not the time to talk. Get Senpai to the Ninja Hospital immediately!"
In the original Minato's Biography, Minato had also been stabbed like this, so he shouldn't die.
But Seiryū remembered that Tsunade had been in Konoha in that version. Now, Tsunade wasn't in Konoha. He wasn't sure if the other Medical Ninja were skilled enough to treat something this serious.
Hearing Seiryū's words, Kushina quickly wiped her tears and nodded. "I understand!"
She was a Jonin, after all. She had experienced many battles and knew what needed to be done.
She had only panicked for a moment. After all, it was she who had caused it...
First, she gave Minato basic treatment and bandaged the wound. This was something even upper-grade students at the Ninja Academy were required to learn.
Then, Kushina carried Minato on her back and rushed toward the Ninja Hospital.
Seiryū followed closely behind...
At the hospital.
Minato was being treated in the emergency room.
Outside the ward.
Seiryū looked at the nervous Kushina, lowered his head, and apologized sincerely. "I'm sorry, Kushina-nee. If I hadn't interfered, the Nine-Tails inside you wouldn't have gone berserk, and Senpai wouldn't have been injured..."
If he hadn't used Shitotsu Sansen, there wouldn't have been a flaw in the seal, and the Nine-Tails wouldn't have gone wild. Minato wouldn't have gotten hurt.
Even if it was an accident, Seiryū still felt deeply responsible.
A mistake was a mistake. He wouldn't deny it or pretend nothing happened just because he was a kid.
This was a matter of principle!
Kushina reached out and ruffled Seiryū's hair with a smile. "It's alright. This was just an accident. I won't blame you, and neither will your Senpai. Ninja get injured, it's inevitable. You don't need to feel guilty."
She didn't blame Seiryū.
It was just an accident.
Besides, she had been careless and hadn't noticed the weakening in the seal, which allowed the Nine-Tails to find a gap...
Kushina smiled. "Actually, I'm really proud. You're so talented. You're truly one of us Uzumaki. Maybe one day, you'll even be able to help me seal the Nine-Tails!"
Seiryū opened his mouth to speak. "But—"
Kushina immediately interrupted, waving her hand. "No 'buts.' What's with that adult-like expression? You're a kid. Don't act so serious! It doesn't suit you. Come on, back to your usual self!"
Seiryū's mouth twitched. "..."
What do you mean it doesn't suit me?
He was just seriously apologizing and admitting his mistake!
How was that acting like an adult?
He was like Shinichi Kudo, only small on the outside. His mental age was way above average...
In the end, he could only shake his head helplessly and shrug. "Well... alright. I forgive you all... no wait, I mean I won't hold it against you... ah, forget it. You get what I mean. Do whatever you want with me!"
Kushina laughed. "Who said anything about doing whatever we want with you?"
She reached out to rub Seiryū's head again, but he dodged this time. She didn't mind and said cheerfully, "But you bounced back fast. That's definitely like you Seiryū!"
Seiryū responded sincerely, "I'm just doing what you said. If you're not satisfied, should I kneel and kowtow right now?"
Kushina: "..."
Creak—
At that moment, the ward door opened and a Medical Ninja stepped out.
"Jonin Minato's injuries aren't life-threatening. He just needs some rest..."
Upon hearing that, Kushina finally relaxed and quickly thanked the Medical Ninja.
Seiryū also let out a breath of relief.
After the Medical Ninja left, Kushina turned to Seiryū and raised an eyebrow. "See how tough your Senpai is? Even after I stabbed him in the gut, he only needs a bit of rest!"
"…"
Seiryū was at a loss for words.
As expected of the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. She was seriously something else.
But the injury was near the kidney. Was just resting really enough?
What if there were complications?
Don't let the future Hokage be permanently damaged...
Seiryū expressed his concern and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Um, Kushina-nee, I think we should be cautious... really cautious. We don't want any long-term issues. After all, Senpai was hurt by the Nine-Tails."
"Hmm..." Kushina thought about it and agreed that Seiryū had a point.
Being injured by her in a berserk state might have contaminated him with the Nine-Tails' malicious chakra.
As a Jinchuriki, she was well aware of how terrifying that chakra could be.
"It's a shame I haven't learned Medical Ninjutsu. Otherwise, I'd check him myself."
Kushina sighed, then added, "Konoha's best Medical Ninja is Tsunade, but she's not in the village right now. If she were here, it would be much safer."
The best choice would be to have Tsunade, one of the Sannin, treat him.
But Tsunade wasn't in Konoha...
Seiryū thought for a moment. "Sensei and Tsunade are both Sannin. Maybe he knows where she is?"
"Would it be too much trouble for him?"
"Probably not. Sensei's pretty idle these days."
"Ah, that's true..."
"Right? Disappears for months at a time. Totally unreliable!"
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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