Kushina Breaks Down, Eternal Sister's Silence Is Deafening!

"Kushina."

Eternal Sister remained silent for a long while before forcing out a gentle smile and stopping the rampaging Kushina.

Eternal Sister pulled Kushina into his arms.

Once the furious Kushina calmed down, tears began streaming uncontrollably down her face.

She kept pounding Eternal Sister.

"I told you so long ago!!"

"I told you so long ago..."

Kurama, whose face had gone slightly pale, let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing how distressed Kushina was, he could not bear it.

He could feel the emotions of the previous Jinchuriki.

"Let's follow him."

Holding Kushina, Eternal Sister slowly followed little Naruto's footsteps.

"From today onward, this is your home."

A Sarutobi Clan ninja cast little Naruto a disgusted glance.

"This is your living allowance for the month. You're not allowed to go back anymore."

"One Thousand Ryo?"

Kushina's face went bloodless.

She looked at Eternal Sister.

Eternal Sister lowered his head, not daring to look at her.

"Wonderful~"

"How wonderful~"

Kushina neither cried nor made a fuss anymore.

She merely stood beside Naruto in the Tsukuyomi World.

Little Naruto in the Tsukuyomi World counted the money on his fingers as though doing arithmetic.

Before long, he opened the door and went outside.

"Look! Isn't that Brat?"

"Those whiskers on his face are so obvious. It has to be him!"

"Fox Demon?!"

"It's definitely him! Be careful, stay away from him! He's too dangerous!"

"Damn it! Give me back my Dad's life!"

"Onii-chan, today, I'll avenge you!"

"..."

After several Villagers in the crowd spoke up and drew everyone's attention,

they quickly stepped back and assumed another demeanor.

"Beat him to death!"

Kushina watched as the frail Naruto curled up on the ground without even letting out a scream.

Rotten Eggs and blood were mixed all over his body.

All three of them saw the Anbu Ninja in the distance watching coldly.

Kushina merely crouched down, wanting to hold little Naruto in her arms.

Unfortunately, her body still passed through little Naruto's trembling form.

"This ends here!"

At last, when Naruto was about to collapse, the Anbu Ninja appeared.

Kushina expressionlessly raised her head and glanced at the Anbu Ninja's back.

"They're all Konoha heroes who protected the village."

"The Will of Fire is filled with such great love that it can even accept the existence of a Fox Demon."

"Right, Minato?"

Eternal Sister lowered his head and did not answer.

Kushina followed Naruto as he limped his way to Konoha Hospital.

She watched with her own eyes as the Medical Ninja violently treated him.

"Thrown out of the Sarutobi Clan at three, with only One Thousand Ryo in living expenses each month."

"He's merely a Fox Demon hated by everyone. His frail body can't fight back against the heroes."

"One Thousand Ryo is far too much. I imagine Naruto had plenty left over every month, didn't he?"

Following Naruto back home,

Kushina looked at the dilapidated house.

It was worlds apart from the home she had seen before entering.

"A Fox Demon isn't worthy of living in a hero's house."

"Having a place to shelter from the wind and rain is already quite good, isn't it?"

"A hero's house should be lived in by a hero's children and grandchildren."

"Hero, look, you left behind so many toys~"

"Huh? Hero, you're too kind. You donated so many mission rewards and Ninjutsu Scrolls to the village."

"Wonderful. Then that great Lord Hokage should accept the existence of the Fox Demon, right?"

"Fox Demon, stop! That mask isn't something you can touch!"

"Hero who protected the village, hurry and stop the Fox Demon! Look, the Fox Demon is angry and is going to hurt the village you love~!"

"Kushina..."

Minato Namikaze slowly stepped forward, wanting to embrace Kushina, who seemed to have lost her mind.

He had thought Kushina would resist or push him away.

Yet Kushina obediently lay in his arms.

She even revealed a sweet smile.

"Hero, thank you for protecting Konoha~"

Kurama's face turned deathly pale as his body uncontrollably retreated.

He had never seen Kushina in this state before.

The sweet smile on Kushina's face made Kurama shake like a leaf.

Minato Namikaze painfully closed his eyes. Two clear tears ran down his handsome face as he clenched his fists and trembled.

Looking at Minato's twisted expression, Kushina asked in confusion,

"Hero, what's wrong?"

"Is that Fox Demon too much of an eyesore?"

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have felt sympathy for the Fox Demon."

"Kushina!"

Minato placed both hands on Kushina's trembling shoulders.

"I understand now~!"

Kushina's eyes suddenly lit up. "Lord Hokage must have his own reasons."

"Letting the Fox Demon atone for his sins means the Villagers can accept him in the future!"

"Look, the Fox Demon even has a group of Anbu Ninja guarding him. He definitely won't lose control."

"Lord Hokage is truly wise and just."

"By the way, Hero, where are your guards?"

"Hero, you seem to be a Hokage too?"

"Why do these Anbu Ninja seem not to know you at all?"

"Hehe."

Kushina was about to continue when she heard a childish voice.

"My family's shop only sells ninja tools. We don't have fishhooks."

"But~"

"I have my own fishing gear."

"Not for sale."

"You can't afford it either. It's very expensive~"

"Mm... I can lend it to you."

"But if you catch anything, I get one-third!"

"..."

Kushina's tears broke loose all at once.

Through tear-blurred eyes, she reached out, wanting to pat little Naruto's head just as Tenten had.

But her hand passed right through him.

Her tears stopped instantly.

Eternal Sister did not dare approach. He merely kept following behind Kushina.

Kurama did not dare say a single word, making his presence as faint as possible.

"I'm just an old man passing by."

"Wow~ Look, Lord Hokage has appeared!"

"Damn Fox Demon, why aren't you kneeling when you see Lord Hokage?!"

I was the greatest of all the Hokage!

"That's right. Without the great Lord Hokage, everyone would have died on the night of the Nine-Tails' Rampage."

"Where Konoha's leaves dance, fire burns on without end..."

"It's the Will of Fire! Fox Demon, you need to remember it well!"

Eternal Sister painfully held Kushina in his arms, repeatedly saying he was sorry.

Kushina, in turn, apologized to him.

"Hiruzen, the Jinchuriki should be handed over to my Root Organization for training!"

"He could lose control. Give him to Root, and I guarantee I'll train him into a Jinchuriki who deeply loves Konoha!"

"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"

Kushina pressed herself against Eternal Sister's chest. "Hero, Lord Hokage is so kind. He won't even let the Jinchuriki go to the Root Organization."

"What an adorable child. She can actually accept the Fox Demon."

"She's a child of the Hyūga Clan, right? So adorable."

"Ino-Shika-Cho?"

"That's Senior Inoichi's daughter, isn't it?"

Time flowed faster in the Tsukuyomi World.

Yet the three people within that flow of time could not feel it.

Kurama secretly shook his head. There were still many things, many secrets Naruto had not manifested.

"You were very happy at the Ninja Academy."

"Did you graduate?"

"I'm sorry... Mom couldn't personally congratulate you."

"Tenten's parents are so kind. They could accept the Fox Demon, and they even celebrated your graduation from the Ninja Academy."

"This is... Kakashi?"

"You've changed so much. So you were helping the great Lord Hokage watch over the Fox Demon, preventing him from losing control."

"That's Mikoto's child, right?"

"He looks so much like her."

"That's wonderful, Hero. Your teacher never came back even once. He must have been out doing good deeds. It's better that he didn't return; after all, he's one of the legendary Sannin. He even gave Naruto his name. If people found out, it would be too damaging to his reputation."

The mission to the Land of Waves.

At that point, the Tsukuyomi World collapsed.

Kushina broke down as well.

Her consciousness returned to reality.

After Kurama slowly opened his eyes, he looked at Kushina, who was unwilling to wake up, and let out a helpless sigh.

Once Eternal Sister regained consciousness, he pulled Kushina, who lay beside him, into his arms.

He said nothing, lowering his head so that no one could see his expression.

"I'm sorry, Naruto."

Eternal Sister's voice was very soft, as though all life had drained from him. It was utterly lifeless.

Naruto could more or less predict this outcome.

He had cut out many scenes inside, so it was not a complete reconstruction.

But those were merely fragments.

Just fragments. Other than Kurama, no one knew how Naruto had endured before he had the strength to protect himself.

"It's okay. It's all in the past."

Naruto offered a word of comfort.

"Naruto, do whatever you want. Don't worry. Even if you become a rogue ninja, we'll support you."

"If there's anything you need us to do, just say the word."

Eternal Sister raised his head, his handsome face utterly haggard.

He tightened his arms around Kushina, gently pressing his forehead against hers.

"Even if you want to destroy Konoha, Kushina and I will help you."

"Eternal Sister, don't worry. I remember everyone who wronged Naruto. You'll find out soon enough. Destroy Konoha?"

"That would be letting them off too easily. We have a better way!"

Kurama couldn't help but cut in.

Eternal Sister turned his head stiffly and looked at Kurama.

Gradually, a trace of life returned to his face.

"What way?"

There were many things Minato knew and could guess.

But the moment he truly saw them with his own eyes, he realized he had overestimated himself.

Kushina's reaction, in particular, had kept him on the verge of collapse.

The only reason he had held on was because he knew he had no right to collapse.

Perhaps their family of three should have died together back then.

Or perhaps he should have remained behind as an empty shell and watched over Naruto as he grew up healthy.

But wouldn't Kushina be lonely alone in the Pure Land?

Kurama sneered. "A way?"

"You'll understand the moment you see the Ninja Sect."

"Doesn't he love being Hokage?"

"Then let him remain Hokage forever—a Hokage stripped of all power, a Hokage despised by everyone, a Hokage whose every lie is exposed..."

Light gradually returned to Eternal Sister's eyes.

Kurama said nothing more. After exchanging a look with Naruto, he silently left the room.

Leaving behind Eternal Sister, who kept speaking softly to Kushina, unwilling to wake up.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Hmm... it's too late. How about lamb hotpot?"

Boiling Earth: Eat Xixi! Don't eat Meilin!

Who knew how long passed before Kushina finally woke up under Eternal Sister's relentless efforts.

"Kushina, you're finally awake..."

"You're so long-winded."

Kushina pouted, then pushed Eternal Sister away and walked out of the room.

She sniffed lightly. "Smells amazing~"

"My son's cooking is way better than mine, and I'm his mother."

As though nothing had happened, Kushina sat down beside Naruto.

Was she really all right?

Eternal Sister stepped out of the room and looked at the happily gathered family. Just as he sat down—

Kushina smiled and set out a bowl and chopsticks for him.

"Hurry up and try our son's cooking. This soup base... forget eating it, I've never even heard of it before. And this braised pork..."

Was she really fine?

How could she be?

She had merely suppressed it. The slightest spark would be enough to set Kushina off.

Kurama spent the entire meal on edge.

Kushina's red hair kept rising from time to time, looking just like his nine tails.

Only after dinner did Kurama extend his fist.

"Eternal Sister, fist-bump me, and you'll understand what I meant earlier."

Ninja Sect.

A moment later, Eternal Sister's eyes widened as he stared at Kurama and Naruto in utter disbelief.

A Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak appeared around him.

But it quickly withdrew back into his body.

Kushina tried it as well, with the same result.

But she was not as sharp-minded as Eternal Sister, so she naturally did not immediately understand Kurama's plan.

"So that's it, so that's it!"

"What is it?"

Eternal Sister did not explain. Instead, he ran into the storeroom and took out several kunai.

He carved Flying Thunder God Seals into them.

"Naruto, Kurama, take these."

"Also, Naruto, I'll write the Flying Thunder God formula and training methods onto scrolls while we travel."

"No... no, that's not necessary. There's no need to make it so troublesome."

Eternal Sister closed his eyes and sensed for a while before vanishing from the spot with a whoosh.

When he reappeared, several Three-Pronged Kunai specially made before his death and several scrolls had appeared in his hands.

After setting the items down, Eternal Sister smiled gently.

"Then, Naruto, your mom and I will go find the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools first."

"Once Dad and Mom's souls truly return to their rightful places and we are truly resurrected, our family can properly reunite."

"Before that, Kurama, please take Kushina and me to see how the plan is progressing."

Eternal Sister had become Little Sun again.

Yet there seemed to be a hint of chilling coldness in Little Sun's gentle smile.

Kushina was still as sweet and naive as ever.

Smack—

"Be good, Naruto. When Mom comes back, Mom will be amazing too. I'll definitely be able to help you then."

After that, Kurama took the two of them away.

Naruto watched their departing backs, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Was the shock too much?"

"Probably. Otherwise, they wouldn't be acting so impatiently. Does he want to make it up to me?"

He shook his head. "With my bargain-bin dad around, Konoha's blood-replacement plan will move even faster."

"Dad can worry about Mom's state. It's pretty scary."

After thinking it over, Naruto decided not to sleep here tonight.

Kushina had been resurrected. As her good best friend, Sakura needed to know the news.

Elsewhere.

After finishing a day of special training, Sakura had been planning to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, she would get to see Naruto nice and early again.

But unexpectedly, her mother called her into the kitchen.

Half an hour later.

"Add a little oil, and the sugar color will come out!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. Her mom had noticed that Sakura had been paying close attention to her appearance lately and dressed herself up every day before leaving the house.

So, in the middle of the night, she suddenly decided to teach Sakura how to cook. After all, she was not getting any younger.

Yet she had not expected Sakura to show off the cooking skills she had learned from Naruto, only for her mom to turn around and ask Sakura to teach her instead.

With her beauty sleep gone, Sakura naturally had no patience at all.

"Can't you be a little more patient when you're teaching me?"

"When you were little and didn't understand anything, I taught you with all my heart whenever you asked."

Hearing that, Sakura curled her lips. "It's different. When I couldn't learn it as a child, you'd hit me."

"It's the same now. If you can't teach me, I'll still hit you."

Thirty years east of the river, and thirty years later, still east of the river...