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As soon as Kushina said that, Minato could only smile bitterly.

Because he had no room to argue.

Having seen Naruto's memories—countless instances of being bullied, countless tears—

Minato had long since seen the Third Hokage for what he truly was.

Whether the Uchiha sought to seize power or had other intentions, anything would still be better than letting Naruto remain an orphan and suffer humiliation.

"Senyo, what are you planning to do with Naruto?"

Minato asked uneasily.

Senyo grinned. "Minato, are you stupid? He still has his mother to look after him. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."

Minato was speechless. "You really have a way to let Kushina stay by Naruto's side?"

Senyo spread his hands. "There's no benefit in me lying to you two."

Kushina directly smacked Minato on the head.

"Hmph, with an opportunity like this, what are you still asking for?" As she spoke, she gave Minato a meaningful look.

Minato rubbed his head and understood Kushina's glance as well.

Kushina was worried about offending Senyo. After all, they did not have much Chakra left.

If Senyo bore them ill will, there was little they could do.

Minato had only asked one extra question out of concern.

"Senyo, Naruto and Kushina are in your care."

Senyo watched as Minato's Bond Value bar filled completely, reaching Level 2.

He knew Minato had come to terms with it.

Unfortunately, judging by the situation, it would probably be impossible to raise Minato's bond to Level 3.

"Dear, don't let Naruto suffer any more grievances. I won't have much time left to see him."

"Stop, stop, stop. What's with this tearful farewell?"

While Senyo was checking his panel, Minato had already begun acting as though he were parting from Kushina forever.

Ding! Namikaze Minato's Level 1 Bond has been unlocked.

Ding! Namikaze Minato's Level 1 and Level 2 Bonds have been unlocked.

Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: Memory Fragment.

As he spoke, Senyo took out the second star and crushed it.

Congratulations, Host! You have obtained: 10% of Namikaze Minato's Chakra.

Under Minato's astonished gaze, Senyo brought out Chakra belonging to Minato once more.

Then he swiftly replenished Minato's body with it.

Ten percent of Minato's original Chakra was enough to let him persist for three days.

If they rationed the time, Minato would not dissipate for a long while.

"That's all there is. Use it sparingly, and you'll still be able to see each other a few more times."

Facing Kushina and Minato's grateful gazes, Senyo merely waved his hand.

"You can decide how to divide it yourselves. My eye power can't sustain this much longer. Once my ocular technique ends, you won't have much time left."

Senyo reminded them.

Minato and Kushina quickly discussed it:

"Dear, Naruto is still young. From what we just saw in his memories, no one was taking care of him at all."

"Sarutobi Hiruzen intends to raise Naruto into a useless man. You know my situation—my Chakra should be saved for crucial moments."

Kushina knew Minato was referring to how his soul had already been devoured by the god of death through the Reaper Death Seal.

She understood Minato's intentions as well.

"I understand, Minato. Leave it to me. I won't let Sarutobi Hiruzen keep deceiving Naruto anymore."

Naruto had a long life ahead of him. Even if Minato's Chakra could last for dozens of hours at most, there would not be much left each time once it was divided up.

Senyo still wanted to become Minato's partner and keep reaping benefits from him.

Although he knew how to undo the Reaper Death Seal, without Orochimaru fooling the god of death, no one had been offered up in exchange for their life.

So he did not mention it for the time being.

"Just make your decision. My ocular technique can't hold on any longer."

This body of Senyo's was merely a clone, and his eye power was limited.

After he finished speaking, the entire Illusionary World shattered.

When they appeared again, Minato nodded to Kushina and Senyo, then turned into specks of light and flew back into the seal.

Outside, the Nine-Tails had no idea what had happened.

Senyo unleashed his ocular technique, and Minato and Kushina vanished directly.

Once the ocular technique ended, Minato and Kushina appeared again. Minato once more turned into Chakra and was stored within the seal.

Kushina's mass of Chakra, however, surged dramatically.

"Roar! What's going on!? Kushina, why has your Chakra increased!?"

When Minato and Kushina had appeared just now, the Nine-Tails had been somewhat surprised.

But after discovering that neither of them had much Chakra left, it stopped worrying so much.

After all, they could not exist for long. There would always be another chance afterward.

Now that they had emerged from Senyo's ocular technique, both of their Chakra had surged.

The Nine-Tails was completely dumbfounded.

Kushina put her hands on her hips. "Nine-Tails, you'd better behave yourself. Otherwise, I don't mind making you suffer a little!"

She had every right to say that as the former Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

The Nine-Tails itself was currently confined within the cage of the Four Symbols Seal. If Kushina unleashed Adamantine Sealing Chains, she could tie the Nine-Tails up like a dumpling.

"Hmph, Kushina, you've shown up rather late."

"Though I don't know why you've gained so much Chakra, how long can you last?"

"That has nothing to do with you."

The Nine-Tails snorted, lay back down, and said nothing more.

Kushina was too carefree to notice that there was something odd about the Nine-Tails' words.

But Senyo noticed. The Nine-Tails had said Kushina appeared too late—it almost sounded as though it was standing up for Naruto?

He remembered that in the original timeline, Mizuki had called Naruto the Demon Fox when he graduated from the Ninja Academy.

Later, during the Land of Waves mission, Naruto borrowed the Nine-Tails' power.

After that, during the Chunin Exam, when he was learning the Summoning Technique from Jiraiya.

Jiraiya had directly knocked Naruto off a cliff. Only when Naruto's life was in danger did he meet the Nine-Tails for the first time.

But now, the Nine-Tails' tone carried a hint of concern for Naruto, which Senyo had not expected.

Perhaps they had lived together for so long that the Nine-Tails had grown angry seeing little Naruto bullied every day.

Senyo considered it briefly, then stopped thinking about it. It was only his guess, after all.

"Kushina, you know what kind of person the Third Hokage has raised Naruto into. But you'll need to think of a way to approach him."

Kushina's expression visibly froze. Clearly, she had not considered that.

Seeing Kushina staring off into space, Senyo said, "You weren't planning to just go tell him, 'I'm your mom,' were you?"

Kushina replied somewhat guiltily, "Ahahaha, I'm not that stupid."

Senyo slapped his forehead. Right. What a living ancestor.

How had he forgotten that Kushina was such a straightforward person?

Naruto's optimism, cheerfulness, drive, and refusal to give up were all inherited from Kushina.

But so was his simple-mindedness.

If Kushina made direct contact with Naruto, wouldn't the Third Hokage notice immediately?

Senyo could only sit down cross-legged. "Forget it. Let's talk this through."

"Otherwise, Naruto will go tell the Third Hokage tomorrow."

Senyo then gave Kushina several suggestions.

They made Kushina feel as though Senyo had raised a child before.

He was so familiar with it.