After staying in Liangju Town for half a month, Minato's group left and returned to Kyoto.
In a guest room of the Advisory Building, Minato wrote a letter by candlelight at the table:
"Kushina, little brother Shinmen suffered too much torture in the Cloud Hidden Village and was left with some psychological trauma. It's a minor issue, so don't worry.
Whenever something happens, he tends to think in extremes. I'm trying to influence him and adjust his thinking, and I've already seen some initial results.
However, he refuses to go to Konoha Village, much less become a Konoha ninja. He is extremely stubborn about this.
Write to him and persuade him too. Becoming a Konoha ninja is still safer.
If he truly refuses to become a Konoha ninja, then we should come up with another solution."
After finishing the letter, Minato saw Uzumaki Shinmen studying Sealing Techniques.
Although Uzumaki Shinmen was only a little over five and would soon turn six, he was already very strong as a ninja and exceptionally talented. Because he had endured torture in the Cloud Hidden Village, he was more focused on ninjutsu and study than Kushina was.
Genius children in the Ninja World matured early. Kakashi graduated from the Ninja Academy at five and became a chunin at six. Uchiha Itachi graduated from the Ninja Academy at seven. During the Warring States era, ninjas went onto the battlefield before they were even ten.
Uzumaki Shinmen's body had not fully recovered, but his perception and understanding of chakra were already not far behind those historical prodigies.
Minato had asked Shinmen why he resisted becoming a Konoha ninja so strongly, and Shinmen's answer left Minato unable to argue.
Shinmen said that more than a dozen Uzumaki Clan children had died in the Cloud Hidden Village's prison.