Sealless Ninjutsu Development Methods (1)

"Don't mention the words 'Sealing Technique' in front of me for the next three days."

There was clearly a key phrase in Hagoromo's words that did not make Kushina very happy.

But since it was not about the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique, what had made Kushina so happy?

"Oh, I get it. It's romance—"

Before he could finish, he was viciously smacked on the head.

"You underage child know far too much, don't you?"

Was this embarrassment turning into anger?

Yes.

Because Hagoromo had guessed correctly: Minato Namikaze would return to Konoha today.

Honestly, although Kushina gave him a knock every now and then, Hagoromo quite liked getting along with her. Kushina was straightforward by nature, and besides, the fact that she did not stand on ceremony with him meant she already considered him one of her own.

"So Senior Minato is coming back?" Hagoromo said, clutching his head and keeping a safe distance from Kushina.

"How do you know Minato?" Kushina was surprised that Hagoromo knew Minato's name. How did he know about her relationship with Minato?

"Minato Namikaze, Konoha's Yellow Flash. Wouldn't it be stranger not to know that name?" Hagoromo played dumb.

As the Third Shinobi World War continued, Minato Namikaze's fame as the Yellow Flash had begun to resound throughout the ninja world. Especially after Konoha unexpectedly lost the White Fang, Minato had become Konoha's strongest mobile combat force, active on every battlefield. He had been shaped into Konoha's sole hero, and his reputation even surpassed that of the Three Ninja, who were still in their prime.

Whenever the Yellow Flash appeared on a battlefield, he greatly raised his allies' morale while striking terror into his enemies. So it was not strange for a ninja Hagoromo's age to know Minato Namikaze's name.

Back when he was still at the Ninja Academy, although most people did not know Minato personally, many of them worshipped him as an idol.

Of course, that was not what Kushina had meant at all. She wanted to ask whether Hagoromo knew about her relationship with Minato, and how he had learned of it.

But Hagoromo's ambiguous answer had muddled the matter, and fortunately, Kushina did not care much about that sort of thing.

"Anyway, we're taking the day off. No ninjutsu training, no C-rank or D-rank missions, and no endless forbidden technique development. Just come with me."

"Understood, Master!"

Naturally, Hagoromo had no objections. He understood the importance of balancing work and rest.

Afterward, Kushina brought Hagoromo to Konoha's entrance, then began staring down the main road facing the gates like a stone statue waiting for her husband.

Before long, four figures—one large and three small—appeared in Hagoromo's sight.

Unfortunately, there was no touching reunion scene here. Minato did not teleport in front of Kushina, nor did Kushina throw herself into his arms...

No, there was still a touching scene, but Hagoromo wished it had never happened.

"Haha, Hagoromo, how did you know I was coming back today? I never expected you to come welcome me personally. You really are my best friend!"

There was no need to ask who had said that. It was, of course, Uchiha Obito.

It had to be said that brains were a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, some people had them, while others were born without them.

The lovers were reuniting, so why was this idiot the first one to rush over?

"I need to make something clear first: I didn't come specifically to welcome you," Hagoromo hurriedly said. He had to explain himself here, or people with dirty minds might get the wrong idea.

"What's there to be embarrassed about? Our friendship is beyond question!"

Embarrassed my ass. Beyond question my ass. I was just here to make up the numbers, okay?

"Hagoromo, I heard you've been staying in Konoha and haven't left even once? Haha, that's so pathetic. You know, as an elite ninja, I've already carried out an A-rank mission. Jealous? You must be jealous." Within three minutes of meeting again after three months apart, Obito had already begun bragging.

Hagoromo merely smiled without speaking. Hmph, idiot. I'm currently helping with an S-rank forbidden technique development mission, okay? Even if I'm only an assistant.

Hagoromo did not refute Obito, but someone else naturally found him irritating. After the prematurely white-haired Kakashi snorted, he said, "Hmph. I don't remember you playing any positive role in that mission. Some dead last spent the entire time dragging everyone down."

"Kakashi, what nonsense are you spouting again?!" Obito could not stand seeing Kakashi act so smugly—completely unaware that he himself was the smug one. Turning around, the two immediately began attacking each other with words.

Hagoromo stopped paying attention to that idiot and greeted Rin behind them.

"You three, stop fooling around. We can talk as we walk." By then, Minato had finished registering his return to the village. He called to his students, then walked over to Kushina's side.

"Kushina, I'm back."

The last time Minato had returned, he had only come to take away the other two members of Minato's Team, Nohara Rin and Uchiha Obito. He had come and gone in a rush, without even having time to meet Kushina. In fact, the two had not seen each other for a year.

Minato and Kushina walked in front, while the others followed behind.

Given Minato's popularity in Konoha, once people noticed he had returned to the village, they naturally greeted him from time to time. Minato responded to each of them with a smile, warm and gentle without the slightest impatience.

Obito was still shouting around Kakashi, while Kakashi maintained his indifferent attitude and occasionally said something to provoke him.

Rin and Hagoromo spoke quietly with each other.

"Is that senior up ahead Hagoromo's teacher? Why does she seem so close to Teacher Minato?"

"What's so strange about that? Don't tell me you don't know? Teacher Kushina is Senior Minato's lover..." Hagoromo revealed this classified-level gossip in an utterly casual tone!

"Kushina... the legendary Red Hot Habanero? She's Teacher Minato's lover?" Nohara Rin was completely stunned.

"What's wrong with that? Red and yellow have always made a good couple... Still, shouldn't you have gathered intelligence at this level?"

Without realizing it, Obito and Kakashi had also stopped arguing. They were both straining their ears to listen to Hagoromo.

This was a ninja world where everyone loved gossip. During wartime, gossip like this was all the more precious, especially when one side was the famous Red Hot Habanero and the other was the even more famous Yellow Flash.

"Tch, what use is this kind of information?" Although he loved gossip, Obito was still stubbornly trying to save face.

"Of course it has a use. The more information of all kinds you have, the more likely you are to catch your teacher's weakness. Then, if there's any ninjutsu you want to learn, you can use that weakness to blackmail him..."