No Longer Pursuing the Matter

Tanzaku Street, in southwestern Konoha.

On the second day of treatment, Kushina had already regained consciousness.

The main reason was that preparing the antidote had taken a long time.

Tsunade, meanwhile, left the moment Kushina woke up.

Tsunade: Better to slip away before I get exposed, right?

Not long after Kushina woke up, Minato Namikaze told her everything that had happened after she fell unconscious.

Anju naturally added a few details as well.

For example: Minato had opened her Money Saving Scroll.

Then Kushina dispelled Minato Namikaze's Shadow Clone and sent him into the Sealing Space for a thorough beating.

Although Minato Namikaze was only a Chakra body and Kushina's blows did him no real harm, Kushina still couldn't vent her anger!

There had been at least thirty million ryō in her Money Saving Scroll, and Minato had squandered it all. (Tsunade had actually switched it out.)

Minato had more or less guessed what had happened, but seeing that Kushina had finally awakened, he no longer had any intention of holding Tsunade accountable.

At first, Anju merely sat back and watched Kushina pound on Minato Namikaze, but then his face turned livid.

Because, because they were fucking rubbing their affection in his face again!

Unable to bear it any longer, Anju interrupted them.

"Kushina, let Minato out. He'll be safer outside, and your body hasn't fully recovered yet."

If he didn't separate those two, Anju felt he wouldn't be able to stay there any longer.

Kushina had only held Minato for a short while, yet she was already reluctant to let go.

But Minato was deeply worried and immediately asked Kushina to release him so he could protect her.

After Minato Namikaze returned to Kushina's Shadow Clone, Kushina also spoke to Anju through mental transmission.

"Anju, who was behind this attack?"

Anju suspected that it had been done by the Hokage's faction, with Danzō being the most likely culprit. But Anju had no evidence at the moment. If he said it aloud, it would only amount to suspicion—and Minato would mock him for it.

"Kushina, go back to the village and ask the Third Hokage first. After something like this happened, he should give you an explanation."

Kushina Uzumaki's expression darkened slightly. "I want to hear what you think."

"Shimura Danzō."

"Do you have any evidence, or any basis for that deduction?"

"No. But whenever something shady happens in Konoha and no evidence can be found, there's an eighty or ninety percent chance he did it." After Anju said that, he saw Kushina's expression grow even more despondent.

At that moment, an Anbu ninja arrived outside the inn.

Minato Namikaze received him and did not allow him to see Kushina.

"Lady Kushina, it is truly wonderful that you are all right. This is the scroll Lord Hokage sent you."

After handing over the scroll, the Anbu retreated outside the inn and concealed himself nearby.

Minato Namikaze opened the scroll.

It explained that the village had been at fault for this mission, having failed to investigate thoroughly.

The minor noble who had issued the mission had extensive dealings with Sunagakure, and all of this had only recently been discovered among that noble's belongings.

The village stated that the mission would be recorded as S-Rank and that appropriate compensation would also be provided.

Minato Namikaze was extremely excited after reading the scroll.

Although the village had been at fault, this was not proof that someone within the village had deliberately targeted them.

That was something Minato Namikaze could accept. As for Sunagakure—

he could deal with them later.

Kushina, however, did not care much after receiving the scroll.

She had begun to agree somewhat with Anju's words and had gained some understanding of Konoha's darkness.

As for Minato wanting to believe it, then let him believe it.

There was no need for her to shatter Minato's illusions.

After taking the scroll, Kushina did not rest any longer in Tanzaku Street and immediately set out for Konoha.

However, on the way back to Konoha, Minato Namikaze used Flying Thunder God to scout the road ahead. Kushina's mission had made both Anju and Minato Namikaze realize just how important she was.

Kushina was the core sealing both of them. If Kushina Uzumaki died, Anju was not sure whether he could revive like the other tailed beasts. The most likely outcome would be returning to Kurama—but would Anju still exist then?

Minato Namikaze was even more obvious. He was only a mass of Chakra; without Anju, he would disappear, let alone if Kushina died. Without the Sealing Space, he would dissipate immediately.

Therefore, her safety outside the village had to be strictly protected.

What if there were still ambushes along the way?

The journey back to Konoha was peaceful all the way.

Two days later, after Kushina returned to Konoha.

Anju and Minato finally breathed sighs of relief at the same time.

Kushina did not go looking for the Third Hokage. She merely collected some mission rewards and compensation, totaling Four Million Ryo.

Kushina had not sought out the Third Hokage, and the Ninja World had not found the Masked Man either. This left the Hokage faction somewhat uneasy.

Because Kushina was far too calm.

But the Third Hokage could not possibly ask Kushina about information regarding the Masked Man.

Sarutobi Hiruzen: Nonsense! Wouldn't asking make it seem like those Masked Ninja were connected to me? I'm such a righteous and honorable man—how could I possibly be associated with such shady things!

Shimura Danzō: You're so noble! So impressive!

"Third Hokage, Naruto Namikaze took the early enrollment examination. His results were all passing."

At this moment, Utatane Koharu reported what appeared to be a rather unimportant matter.

"Hm? Naruto isn't even five yet, is he? He already meets the enrollment requirements?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was somewhat puzzled as well.

"Third Hokage, Naruto is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and has an Uzumaki Physique. His body is much stronger than that of ordinary ninja descendants."

After taking a few puffs of his pipe, Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head.

"Reject him. Tell him that this is a time of peace, and the Ninja Academy does not accept early enrollment."

"By the way, why does he want to enroll early?"

Utatane Koharu frowned.

"I'm not sure, but it should be related to the Uchiha Clan."

Mitokado Homura spoke up as well.

"Third Hokage, the Hyuga Clan has invited you to Hiashi's Second Daughter's one-month celebration. They also invited the Uchiha Clan. That signal is not a good one, so you'd better have Danzō come out of seclusion this time."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "You're right. He's an advisor—how can he be nowhere to be found every time there's a meeting?"

"The recent changes in the village have made me very worried. The Uchiha Clan has already won over many declining ninja clans, and quite a few small clans have begun leaning toward supporting them."

"That's understandable. Small ninja clans do not have many members. Once their jonin suffer casualties, it is easy for them to decline. The Uchiha are giving these small ninja clans a way out."

"Third Hokage, perhaps the war compensation we gave the Uchiha Clan last time was too generous. The Uchiha Clan has now bought off quite a few civilian ninja, and that is also a problem."

Sarutobi Hiruzen had a headache as well.

"How could I not want to give them less? But the Uchiha Clan lost too many ninja, and their contributions were great. If I didn't give them more compensation, was I supposed to step down?"

After that, the Hokage Office fell silent once more.