Tsunade finally left the village.
It happened shortly after lunch.
Like a defeated fugitive, the aura of her Clone Seed vanished from Konoha at breakneck speed.
Danzo received word of Tsunade's departure immediately.
"She's finally... gone!"
Even with the patience honed by years of being suppressed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief the moment he heard the news.
Worried that delay could lead to complications, he summoned his subordinates without a moment's hesitation.
"Your mission is simple: infiltrate as Kumogakure ninja and kill Uzumaki Kushina."
Looking down at the four silent figures kneeling before him, Danzo's voice turned icy.
"Remember, your original objective was to abduct the Wood Release genius and the Uzumaki bloodline. It was only after Namikaze Minato discovered your plan that you were forced to kill Uzumaki Kushina."
"Moreover, Namikaze Minato is exceptionally strong and possesses long-range attack capabilities. If he manages to hold them off and reinforcements arrive, you know what the outcome will be."
"Understood!" Yamagui's voice remained utterly emotionless.
"Hmm..." Danzo nodded slightly.
The four before him were all orphans, exceptionally talented, and had been brainwashed since childhood to erase their individuality—perfect ninja and his greatest trump cards.
The only real issue was that their conditioning was so thorough that these "tools" lacked flexibility in executing missions. He often needed to provide on-the-spot guidance for specific details.
Though troublesome, they were reliable. If cornered, these four would self-destruct without hesitation, leaving no trace behind. There was no risk of them implicating him.
"Go..."
As Danzo's voice faded, the four vanished instantly, as if they had never been there at all.
Meanwhile, back at home...
Once Tsunade left, Nawaki immediately assumed the demeanor of the eldest brother, enthusiastically taking on all the household chores. But Minato couldn't really leave everything to him alone, so he took charge of washing the dishes.
Having been kicked out of the kitchen by Minato, Nawaki retreated to the courtyard to continue practicing the Rasengan he had been taught.
Thanks to Minato's guidance, he had completed the first stage of training half a month earlier, even mastering it with one hand.
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, Nawaki threw himself even more fervently into his training. Whenever he had a moment to himself, he would sneak off to secluded spots to practice in secret.
Now that Tsunade was away, he no longer needed to hide and could devote himself fully to his training.
"Sister Tsunade isn't home... I feel so lonely..." Minato heard Kushina say as he finished washing the dishes. He found her curled up on the porch, hugging her knees, looking utterly dejected.
Whenever they had free time before, Tsunade would always take them out to play. Now that she was gone, Kushina didn't know what to do with herself.
"Don't sit out here in the winter. You'll catch a cold." Minato grabbed Kushina by the collar and hauled her into the living room with one arm. "Don't worry. Teacher won't be gone for long."
"How do you know?"
"Hmm... Just a hunch?"
Minato chuckled softly. He couldn't exactly say that he'd installed a tracking device on Tsunade, and that she was currently at a hot spring village just 20 kilometers outside Konoha.
Moreover, over the past few days, he'd occasionally sensed a faint, lingering presence, as if someone were watching. This observer might be the Third Hokage, or it might be Danzo.
However...
Wood Release + Light Release + Potential Nine-Tailed Jinchūriki + Grandson of the First Hokage.
Given his understanding of the original characters, while the Third Hokage might not act, if Danzo didn't seize this opportunity to make his move, he wouldn't be Danzo.
So, from the moment Tsunade left, Minato had been on high alert.
Now, the entire mansion was filled with hidden traps he'd set.
Unless Hashirama himself returned from the dead, or Uchiha Madara personally arrived, anyone who dared to enter would die!
In the blink of an eye, evening had fallen.
The winter sun had already clocked out, leaving the sky pitch black.
Several figures, taking advantage of the darkness, silently infiltrated the mansion.
Minato's movements in the kitchen paused imperceptibly, a flicker of disbelief crossing his mind.
How could they move so quickly?
Tsunade had only been gone for an afternoon!
Could this really be Danzo's doing?
Wasn't this too reckless?
But then Minato calmed down.
At this time, Danzo still hadn't lost his hand, so his understanding of Wood Release should be limited.
Moreover, since Minato had long been on guard against Danzo, he was able to easily detect the enemy's infiltration with his prepared mind.
Still, he needed to confirm who the enemy's target was and whether they were truly sent by Danzo.
"Ah—training's done! I'm starving~!"
Nawaki, clutching his ball, burst into the room. "Minato, is dinner ready yet?"
"Just a moment! Nawaki, come help me taste the seasoning."
Minato made a discreet hand signal toward the two. "Kushina, you taste it too. It might be a little spicy."
Enemy attack, four people, assemble...
Both students had good theoretical grades from the Ninja Academy and instantly understood Minato's hand signal.
"I'll taste it! I'll taste it!"
Kushina eagerly rushed into the kitchen, with Nawaki subtly following behind her.
As the three converged, Minato immediately created two Wood Clones.
The skin of the Wood Clone shifted and transformed, ultimately taking on the appearance of Nawaki and Kushina.
Wood Transformation Technique!
This type of transformation utilized the growth of trees to alter its external form. Since it possessed a fixed shape, it wouldn't immediately dissipate even if injured.
The two clones appeared and, just like the real pair, began mindlessly praising Minato's cooking.
Minato then bit his finger, summoning a slug as tall as an adult. He whispered urgently:
"Lord Slug, please remain silent. Intruders have infiltrated the house. Protect these two and contact our Teacher immediately."
The slug nodded silently and quietly enveloped Kushina and Nawaki within its body.
Though their faces showed reluctance, neither resisted.
They both knew the gap between their strength and Minato's was too vast. Staying here wouldn't just be useless; it would only make them a burden to him.
The moment they were engulfed by the slug, Nawaki clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.
He glared at the Wood Clone pretending to be him, which was obliviously praising Minato's cooking with the same foolish grin he always wore.
Damn it! I've been pushing myself relentlessly in training, yet when danger strikes, I'm still the one being protected...
I didn't even know who the enemy was before being stuffed into this 'safehouse'!
The warm slug mucus blocked out the outside noise, but it made Nawaki's heart's defiant rhythm ring even clearer in his ears.
Kushina felt the same way, her resentment burning even hotter than Nawaki's.
At least Nawaki was striving to train. She, on the other hand, had spent all her time indulging in food, drink, and leisure, and now she was nothing but deadweight when danger struck...
As the slug completely enveloped the two of them, Minato and his two Wood Clones began performing their own solo act, simultaneously pinpointing the intruders' locations.
One person in the corridor, positioned between his and Kushina's bedrooms.
One person outside the window of Kushina's room—the only target he couldn't instantly control.
Two people in his bedroom...
Were they targeting him, or was this actually an attack on Kushina?
Was he being ignored?
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 10+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon