["Am I late?"]
[Everyone looked toward the source of the voice.]
["Hmm?!"]
[the rookie 9 were all stunned.]
[Kurenai Yuhi and the other two women were also taken aback.]
[It's true... it's actually true!]
[He really came back to life!]
[It's simply unbelievable.]
[This... should be Naruto's father... the Fourth Hokage, right?]
["Naruto, do you have an older brother?" Inuzuka Kiba blinked.]
[The air went silent instantly.]
[Soon, Inuzuka Kiba also realized what he had said.]
[His face turned bright red from embarrassment.]
["Everyone is here."]
["Cough, sorry I'm late."]
[At this moment, a voice broke the awkward atmosphere.]
[Soon, a slightly unfamiliar figure walked in.]
[Looking at that familiar mask.]
[Sakura's brows furrowed slightly.]
["Kakashi-sensei?"]
["Mm-hmm~!"] Kakashi nodded.
[Then he went to get his own bowl and chopsticks, not explaining why his face was black and blue.]
[He sat down and started eating.]
[That speed could give Choji a run for his money.]
[Sasuke's eye twitched; this unreliable Jonin...]
[Then his gaze shifted back to the figure at the door.]
[The Fourth Hokage... indeed, he looks like a larger version of Naruto.]
["Minato-sensei... did you really come back to life?" Kurenai Yuhi asked with some uncertainty.]
["Yes."]
[Minato gave a warm smile.]
[This familiar smile immediately awakened past memories.]
["Minato-sensei is back to life... then..."]
[Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao were stunned.]
[Oh no!]
[They came back too suddenly!]
[Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao exchanged a look, then tacitly put down their chopsticks.]
[Just as they were about to stand up.]
[Suddenly, another figure popped up behind Minato Namikaze.]
[That head of blood-red long hair immediately caught everyone's attention.]
["Hello~"]
["Hello everyone~"]
[Kushina and Minato Namikaze's smiles were different.]
[Kushina's smile seemed infectious.]
["Feeling shy?"]
["Why are you standing at the door?"]
[Kushina glanced at Minato Namikaze, then pulled him into the house.]
[Is this Naruto's mother?]
[The girls suddenly became nervous.]
[Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao sat up straight, afraid she might notice something.]
[On the other hand, Anko was completely unaffected and even waved for Kushina to sit next to her.]
[Yūgao, Kurenai Yuhi: "..."]
[The girls quickly gathered around.]
[The boys gathered around Minato Namikaze.]
[Looking at this harmonious scene.]
[Naruto's lips curled up slightly.]
[It was a slight pity that Wife Izumi didn't come back with them.]
[No matter, there's plenty of time ahead.]
This heartwarming scene also made everyone subconsciously curl their lips into smiles.
Especially Kushina's infectious laughter.
["Are you... Sasu-ge?"]
[Kushina blinked and looked at Sasuke, unable to help but exclaim: "You look so much like her!"]
["Minato, look at Sasuke, he's a total carbon copy of Mikoto!"]
[Hearing this, Minato Namikaze chuckled and nodded, "He really does look like her."]
["You... know me?" Sasuke was somewhat taken aback.]
["Of course, your mother and I were best friends. I even held you when you were a baby!"]
["Naruto was about to be born then too."]
["The two of you aren't far apart in age... I even joked with Mikoto back then that if it were a boy and a girl, you might become a couple in the future~!"]
[Kushina said with a laugh.]
[Sasuke's mouth twitched, not knowing how to respond.]
["If you ask me, it would have been better if Sasuke were a girl; he looks more like a girl than Qin... cough, than Naruto."]
[Kushina was startled and quickly looked toward the voice.]
["Ino~!"]
["Eh? Aunt Kushina... do you know me too?"]
["Of course, and Sakura, Tenten, and Hinata!"]
[As she spoke, Kushina pulled Hinata to her side.]
[Looking at the shy girl who was exactly like the one in the Genjutsu World, Kushina couldn't help but lean down.]
[Mwah—]
[She planted a kiss on Hinata's cute cheek.]
["Hinata is so cute~"]
[Then, she looked at the other three girls.]
[Mwah— x3]
[Spreading the love evenly.]
[These girls were the main force for the future revival of the Uzumaki.]
[The more Kushina looked, the more she liked them.]
[Having experienced the Genjutsu World, she also had a certain understanding of the girls.]
[Every single one of them satisfied her greatly.]
[Suddenly, Kushina noticed something.]
[She looked sideways.]
[Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao seemed a bit off; why were they so nervous?]
[Kushina had seen them in the Genjutsu she experienced... but not in many scenes.]
["Kurenai?"]
["Yes! Sister Kushina, I'm here!" Kurenai Yuhi was startled.]
["Hmm~"]
["Hmm?"]
[This 'protesting too much' behavior immediately aroused Kushina's suspicion.]
[Especially, upon closer look.]
[Both Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao had a layer of fine cold sweat on their fair, smooth foreheads.]
[Something's wrong... very wrong.]
[Why would they be so nervous?]
[Could they have done something they feel guilty about?]
[Kushina's brow furrowed.]
[Seeing her like this, Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao became even more nervous, feeling like they were sitting on pins and needles.]
Along with that.
Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao Uzuki both became tense.
"What are you guys nervous about?" Anko was a bit puzzled.
The two women naturally wouldn't explain it to her.
['What should we do?']
['I don't know... anyway, don't say a word even if it kills us... let's be honest tonight and let Anko draw the fire.']
[The two women exchanged a flurry of looks.]
["Mom, try some of these dishes."]
[Uh—]
[Kushina's pretty face stiffened.]
[During those few days at the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools, Izumi had made bento boxes for them.]
[At first, Kushina was incredibly happy.]
[However, with the first bite... a very large bite at that.]
[Her smile stiffened.]
[A scene she saw in the Genjutsu World immediately flashed through her mind.]
[At that time, Naruto was smiling very happily. Now... Kushina was also smiling very happily.]
[Only Minato Namikaze's expression remained unchanged.]
[He even began to savor it carefully.]
[...]
["Kushina, it really is quite good. Naruto's cooking skills are great~"]
[Minato Namikaze said with a light smile.]
[He had long noticed that something was wrong. To prevent Kurenai Yuhi and Yūgao Uzuki from being too embarrassed, he went along with what Naruto said.]
[Sure enough, Kushina's attention was diverted.]
["Really?"]
[Kushina raised an eyebrow.]
[She looked at her dear son, then glanced at Minato Namikaze, whose smile didn't seem fake.]
[She took a tentative bite.]
[Instantly!]
[Her taste buds exploded!]
[Kushina almost cried.]
[This is what food for humans should taste like!]
Pure Land World.
Uchiha Izumi: "..."
Kushina bit her lower lip, struggling to suppress a smile.
Beside her, Uchiha Mikoto was also holding back her laughter.
She hurriedly comforted Uchiha Izumi.
"It's okay, you can learn~"
"Besides, Naruto loves eating it~"
"Really?"
"Really! Why would I lie to you?"
"Naruto eats every bit of it every time!"
[Meanwhile.]
[Within the borders of the Land of Fire.]
[Bang—]
[After a loud explosion, a large tree fell.]
["Annoying flies, get lost!"]
[A long green robe fluttered in the wind.]
[On the back was printed a large character for 'Gamble'.]
["Lady Tsunade... wait for me!"]
[Shizune, holding Tonton, confirmed that the Anbu Ninja was only unconscious before quickly catching up.]
[A moment later, the master and disciple walked side by side.]
["Has Lady Kushina... really come back to life?"]
["I don't know... we'll know once we go back and see."]
["They said there's a surprise waiting for me."]