Night fell.
Namikaze Minato's home.
The Golden Reaper had finished a busy day and returned home.
"The war isn't going well. After resting for a while longer, I'll have to head to the front lines again. This time, we'll be carrying out an operation targeting Kannabi Bridge. Iwagakure has the advantage in numbers, combat strength, defenses, and resolve. They aren't weak."
"Minato, this operation sounds extremely dangerous. You have to be careful," Kushina Uzumaki said worriedly.
Hearing this, Namikaze Minato gently took her hand. "Don't worry. I'll return safely. I promised I'd always protect you and never leave you alone."
"Mm..."
Kushina's pretty face flushed slightly, her heart filled with happiness.
Unfortunately, Kushina did not yet understand how heavy Namikaze Minato's promise would become.
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Ogawa Gō?" Namikaze Minato opened the door and froze in surprise.
"Good evening, Minato-san, Kushina-san." Ogawa Gō revealed a hearty smile.
"What is it? At this hour..."
"It's like this. I want to ask you to serve as a bridge and let Civilian Ninja join the Hyuga-Uchiha sparring sessions. I'm also planning to bring my apprentices tomorrow."
Namikaze Minato quickly understood.
"I see... This does seem like a good idea. Would you like to come in and eat?"
"Hehe, I was waiting for you to say that."
Ogawa Gō walked inside.
Then he rolled up his sleeves and went to cook.
Kushina, on the other hand, was pushed out, while Ogawa Gō and Namikaze Minato happily worked together, chatting as they cooked.
"The pressure of the war has been mounting lately. If things get any worse, even the youngsters will have to go to the battlefield. I want them to get used to it ahead of time."
"Training them early is a good thing," Namikaze Minato said, his tone tinged with guilt. "Sigh... In the end, it's the incompetence of us adults. I hope the fighting goes smoothly from here on."
"I don't want them to die," Ogawa Gō said. "The road of resistance ahead is very, very long."
The two men finished cooking quickly.
They prepared a lavish dinner, then the three of them sat down to eat.
Kushina was staring blankly. She had wanted to spend some time alone with Namikaze Minato.
"By the way, I have an idea. Minato, could you give me your opinion?"
"Oh? What idea?"
Namikaze Minato asked as he ate, picking up some food with his chopsticks.
Ogawa Gō was an elite Civilian Ninja, and Namikaze Minato had rescued him when he was being used as an experimental subject. Afterward, they had fought together in the war and become comrades. Someone like that was an absolute confidant.
After all, the debt of having one's life saved was right there.
Moreover, Ogawa Gō was a Civilian Ninja. Everyone knew that Namikaze Minato was currently the representative of the Civilian Ninja.
"I plan to reclaim the Senju name and become 'Senju Gō.' After that, I'll question Tsunade, deny First Hokage's ideals to her face, and force her to reclaim the Senju surname as well. Then I'll return and protect all the Senju Clan members, establishing the 'New Senju.'"
Silence—
Only Ogawa Gō's eating could be heard at the table.
Namikaze Minato and Kushina were both stunned, their chopsticks frozen in midair.
He had just said something this significant out loud?
Deny First Hokage's ideals, bring Tsunade back, and establish the New Senju...
"Ogawa Gō..." Namikaze Minato's expression grew complicated.
"I thank you for saving my life, but I hope no more Senju Clan members will ever be captured for research. The facts have proven that integrating the Senju into Konoha won't bring the Senju people safety. First Hokage was worthy of Konoha, but he failed the Senju. I reject some of his ideals... especially the notion that brothers, friends, and clansmen can be sacrificed for the village. I reject that completely."
"I, Ogawa Gō, lack the bigger picture."
"I hope my fellow clansmen, who share the same blood as me, can live without being harmed."
"But I don't reject everything about First Hokage."
"Since I bear the surname of the Senju Clan, I intend to shoulder its responsibilities."
"This is information I tortured out of an Iwagakure Ninja."
As he spoke, Ogawa Gō handed over a document.
Namikaze Minato took it and looked at it, then froze.
"I plan to enter the Land of Grass during the next war and rescue a woman. She is an Uzumaki Orphan."
"She is currently being repeatedly drained of blood to restore Chakra, suffering endless torment. If no one saves her, she will be tortured to death."
"The Senju's broken promise and Konoha's broken promise will be shouldered by me, Senju Gō..."
Nearby, Kushina Uzumaki's pupils contracted as well. She moved closer to Namikaze Minato and looked over the intelligence.
It contained all kinds of details, as well as a map. Its credibility was extremely high.
After a moment, Namikaze Minato nodded.
"Ogawa Gō, let me make this clear: I will support you. When the time comes, I'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to send you there without anyone noticing. I also hope you can successfully rescue the Uzumaki Orphan," Namikaze Minato said very seriously. "But I can't take anyone there. That could be seen as a declaration of war against Kusagakure, and that isn't something I can decide. I can only cooperate with you in concealing this matter."
"If you succeed, I'll thank you too." Kushina Uzumaki clenched her fists.
For that fellow member of the Uzumaki Clan whom she had never met, she felt a deep connection and intense sympathy...
"Haha, don't be so tense!" Ogawa Gō laughed heartily, as if he were talking about nothing important.
"Come on, eat! Eat!"
He cheerfully pointed at the food before them with his chopsticks.
But Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki still couldn't immediately relax.
Night fell.
At home, Namikaze Minato held Kushina around the waist.
The two gradually began discussing Ogawa Gō.
"Ogawa Gō is truly an ambitious man," Kushina said, filled with emotion.
"Mm." Namikaze Minato nodded. "He was a Civilian Ninja like me, a genius among civilians who was entrusted with great hopes, only to be captured by Danzo's Root and used for experiments... Yet now he's willing to fight for the village, risk his life in battle, earn merits, and kill enemies. He even brought along an extraordinary number of apprentices. He hasn't let the village down."
"What he wants is a new village. A village without darkness. He has placed that hope in you as well, because you're the representative of the Civilian Ninja, because you're more outstanding, and because you saved him..." Kushina Uzumaki said.
Namikaze Minato nodded. "Mm, I know."
"I can understand."
"He told us everything he intends to do."
"That is, of course, a kind of 'trust.' I, Namikaze Minato, won't betray this trust or these expectations."
Kushina said, "Minato, so many people's hopes have already gathered on your shoulders... Without you even realizing it."
Namikaze Minato smiled bitterly. "This sense of responsibility weighs heavily on me too."
Kushina said, "Do your best~"
The red-haired beauty held the blond man's face in her hands, her expression endlessly gentle.
"Of course." Namikaze Minato's gaze was firm. "Konoha needs a force for reform now!"
"Now that the New Hyuga has risen and the Uchiha Clan is actively changing, with Uchiha Miya, Hizashi Hyuga, and me, a brand-new Uchiha will probably emerge as well."
"If Ogawa Gō can really accomplish this..."
"Then."
"The 'New Senju' will appear too."
Kushina rarely clenched her fist as well, unable to hold back her excitement. "This is getting me fired up, Minato! New Senju, New Uchiha, New Hyuga! Three great clans united around you—united around you, Namikaze Minato! You'll definitely become Fourth Hokage!"
Namikaze Minato scratched his head awkwardly. "Oh, haha, it isn't that impressive..."
"But."
"I will definitely create a 'New Konoha.'"
"That New Konoha will carry everyone's hopes."
Most importantly, he had to protect Kushina completely...
That was Namikaze Minato's greatest motivation now.
Before you continue