The meal at the Barbecue Restaurant came to an end. Minato stepped out into the cool evening air and parted ways with Orochimaru. He stood still for a moment, watching the pale man walk away into the shadows of the village streets. A strange, fleeting sensation stirred in his heart. It was a mix of amusement and calculated satisfaction. He had not expected his presence to push Orochimaru toward the path of immortality so much earlier than the original timeline.
However, Minato viewed this as a favorable development. By establishing himself as a confidant and a guide, he could keep Orochimaru's dark curiosity within a manageable range. He wanted to ensure the experiments stayed productive rather than descending into the chaotic madness seen in the original history. Orochimaru possessed a scientific mind that was truly a generational talent; it would be a massive waste if that intellect were lost to insanity or exile too soon.
Beyond that, Minato was specifically interested in the concept of life preservation. Orochimaru's mastery over the human soul and body was nearing the ultimate limit. The Living Corpse Reincarnation technique alone was a masterpiece of forbidden research that caught Minato's eye. As a transmigrator blessed with three powerful systems, Minato did not personally require such desperate measures to live forever. He was a god in the making, and time would eventually be his servant.
Still, the people around him were mere mortals. His subordinates and allies would eventually wither and die, and their utility would vanish with them. This technique was a perfect insurance policy. It could bypass the limitations of a failing heart, repair a shattered spine, or erase the effects of an incurable plague. To Minato, Orochimaru was not just a teammate; he was a valuable asset whose research would one day serve the Fourth Hokage.
When Minato finally arrived at his doorstep, he noted that the house looked pristine. The Wood Clone he had sent ahead had already finished the repairs on the damaged walls. Inside, the lights were warm, and the muffled sound of the television drifted from the living room. Tsunade, Kushina, and Nawaki were already there, having finished their dinner.
As Minato walked into the room, Nawaki looked up from the sofa. He glanced back and forth between the Minato by the door and the one sitting near him. He looked completely baffled. He blinked several times and asked, "Eh? Why is there another Minato?"
"I ran into a small delay on the way back, so I sent the Wood Clone home first to make sure everything was okay," Minato replied smoothly. His voice was calm and steady, the perfect image of a responsible householder. He reached out and placed his hand firmly on the Wood Clone's shoulder. With a soft hum of chakra, the wooden figure softened and merged back into his own body.
Nawaki's eyes widened, and his expression suddenly turned from confusion to worry. He jumped up and asked, "It wasn't another assassination attempt, was it? Did those Root guys come back for more?"
"No, nothing like that," Minato said, offering a reassuring smile that didn't reach his cold, calculating eyes. "I just ran into a classmate who needed some help with a personal matter."
"A classmate?" Kushina's voice cut through the air. She was suddenly on high alert. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied Minato's face for any sign of a lie. "Who was it? Was it a boy or a girl?"
Even Tsunade shifted her position on the couch. She turned her head, her sharp gaze landing on Minato. She didn't say anything, but her interest was clearly piqued. The atmosphere in the room grew slightly heavier as they waited for his answer.
"It was Nonou," Minato said. He began to recount the story of their encounter, though he carefully edited out every detail regarding Danzo and the Root organization. He painted a picture of a chance meeting where he noticed a friend in distress. He explained that Nonou seemed deeply troubled, and after he pressed her for the reason, he discovered the Orphanage was struggling to survive. He claimed he had simply offered to help her out of the goodness of his heart.
Minato knew that Nonou had approached him under orders, which was technically a betrayal of their friendship. In the eyes of most, she was a spy. However, he also knew her true character from the original plot. He knew she was a woman caught between her conscience and her duty. If he didn't have that future knowledge, even he might have found it hard to trust her.
"Minato-kun..." Kushina walked toward him, a forced and somewhat shaky smile plastered on her face. Her voice was sweet, but there was an edge to it. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? If classmate Nonou was in trouble, I could have gone along to help her too. We're friends, after all."
Tsunade frowned, her arms crossing over her chest. She gave a slow, serious nod. Her concern wasn't about the charity work itself. She was wondering why Minato was observant enough to notice the subtle mood shifts of a girl like Nonou. Was he watching her closely? Was he paying special attention to her? To Tsunade, this felt like the beginning of a problem she didn't want to deal with.
Minato held up his hands in a polite, defensive gesture. "I was just trying to be sensitive to her situation. I didn't want to hurt her pride. No one likes to broadcast their personal hardships or show their poverty to a large group of people."
"Yeah, that makes total sense!" Nawaki shouted, breaking the tension. He crossed his arms and nodded vigorously, giving Minato a giant thumbs-up and a wide grin. "That's exactly like you, Minato! I totally support you. Helping out your comrades in the village is exactly what the Will of Fire is all about. Grandpa would be so proud of you right now!"
Tsunade and Kushina both made a face, their lips curling in simultaneous annoyance. Nawaki's blunt enthusiasm had effectively killed their momentum. Since they couldn't argue against the Will of Fire without looking like villains, they decided to vent their frustration on the easiest target available: Nawaki himself.
"Brother Nawaki, stop doing that. That gesture looks incredibly silly on you," Kushina grumbled, her eyes rolling toward the ceiling.
Nawaki looked offended. "What? Why? I saw a guy doing this today, and he looked super cool! It was like he had this amazing energy radiating off of him."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a look of realization crossing her face. "Let me guess. Was it a man wearing a bright green spandex suit?"
Nawaki nodded so hard his hair shook. "Yes! That's the one! Sister, you know him? I saw him after school. He was doing some incredibly intense training. People were pointing and laughing because he looked so ridiculous in that outfit, but he didn't care at all."
"I thought he was a total loser at first," Nawaki continued, his voice filled with genuine wonder. "But then he just turned around, gave those people a huge thumbs-up, and said, 'Thanks for the support!' Can you believe that? The guy is amazing. He has to be incredibly strong to have that kind of spirit!"
It's Might Duy. Minato didn't need any more clues. He recognized the description of the Eternal Genin immediately. "Someone who can focus on their goals without being distracted by the opinions of others is certainly worthy of respect," Minato added. He was happy to support the conversation about Duy if it meant moving the spotlight away from his afternoon with Nonou.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over him. Kushina had moved remarkably fast, her face now inches away from his. She was smiling, but her eyes were narrowed into thin slits. Her long red hair began to float and sway behind her like the nine tails of a demon fox, even though there was no breeze in the room. The pressure she was radiating was immense.
"Minato," she said, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous purr. "Let me go with you tomorrow to check on the Orphanage, okay? After all, Nonou is one of my very few friends, and I really want to make sure she's doing okay."
"Well, I thought maybe..." Minato began, trying to find an excuse.
"You're going to agree, right?" Kushina's smile widened, but the aura of menace grew even stronger.
"Yes! Of course! You're absolutely right!" Minato nodded quickly, doing his best to look appropriately intimidated.
In reality, he wasn't afraid at all. Kushina was powerful, but she wasn't a threat to him. He could see through her act perfectly. What he smelled wasn't danger; it was the unmistakable, pungent scent of jealousy. As the "Golden Boy" of the village, he had to play the part of the slightly dense, kind-hearted protagonist. He knew that when a girl was this worked up, the best path forward was to give her a "victory" and let her cool down.
If he didn't, he'd be choosing between a very difficult life and a very short one. He had to pick his battles wisely.
Seeing Minato back down so quickly, Kushina felt a surge of triumph. She snorted, crossed her arms, and began to lecture him. She followed him toward the kitchen, leaning into his ear to tell him that boys needed to be much more careful in the world. She explained that even though she liked Nonou, most girls were actually very devious. She claimed they were realistic, hypocritical, and would act pathetic just to trick a nice guy out of his money or his heart.
"Don't worry, Kushina. I'm sure Nonou isn't lying to me," Minato said, his voice soft and soothing as he tried to calm her down. "I saw the Orphanage today with my own eyes. The conditions there are truly terrible. The kids are suffering."
"That is not the point!" Kushina shouted internally. She huffed, her cheeks puffing out in frustration. She looked at his handsome, calm face and felt her anger melting away. It was impossible to stay mad at him when he looked at her with those clear, blue eyes. He was such a blockhead when it came to feelings.
Tsunade watched the exchange from the sofa, feeling a strange sense of empathy for Kushina. As a woman of the same age as Minato's teachers, she couldn't exactly throw a tantrum herself. She had to maintain her dignity. She had been secretly hoping Kushina would drive a wedge between Minato and this new girl, but she saw that Kushina's approach was all wrong.
She realized that if Kushina failed, it wouldn't help her own hidden interests either. She needed Kushina to be a strong contender to keep Minato occupied. She stood up, walked over, and pulled Kushina into the other room. "You can't act like that, Kushina," she whispered, her voice stern but helpful.
"But, Sister Tsunade! He's being so oblivious!"
"That's exactly the problem. Acting like a jealous brat will only make boys think you're petty and annoying," Tsunade explained.
Kushina immediately went quiet, her shoulders drooping.
Tsunade continued her lesson in romance. "I know the Uzumaki are known for being hot-headed and impulsive, but that isn't how you win a boy's heart. Even if you have feelings for him, those feelings have to be mutual. You can't force someone to like you by being loud."
"I... I don't... Who said I liked..." Kushina tried to retort, her face turning as red as her hair. But when she saw the knowing, smirk-like smile on Tsunade's face, she gave up. She lowered her head and whispered, "Then what am I supposed to do?"
"You're lucky you have me to ask! First, you need to remember a universal truth: most boys are drawn to gentle, kind girls," Tsunade whispered. "They say men often look for a woman who reminds them of their mother. I've checked Minato's records. His mother was a very soft-spoken, gentle woman who spent her life helping others. That's why Minato is the way he is today."
"So, even if other girls are hovering around him, you have to stay calm. If you act impatient or angry, you're just putting yourself at a disadvantage. It makes you look narrow-minded. You have to be the bigger person."
"I understand now!" Kushina said, her eyes lighting up with a new, determined fire.
Minato, meanwhile, stood in the hallway, his sensitive hearing picking up every word of their "secret" conversation. He felt a wave of silent laughter bubbling up inside him. If only they knew that the gentle boy they were discussing was a predator wearing the skin of a lamb.
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