Dusk gradually fell over Konoha Hospital.
Namikaze Minato had been severely poisoned and was already on the brink of death. Fortunately, Tsunade was in the village and could pull him back from death's door.
Kushina waited uneasily outside the operating room.
Hashirama had come as well. He sat quietly on a nearby bench, watching Kushina pace back and forth.
"Are you the village's second Jinchuriki?"
"...Yes."
"Then you've met Mito?"
"Mito... Lady Mito?" Kushina froze for a moment before suddenly recalling the connection between the man before her and Uzumaki Mito.
"Yes. Lady Mito was the one who brought me to Konoha... and she was also the one who decided that I would become the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki."
Hashirama nodded at that. The Uzumaki Clan's unique constitution indeed made them ideal candidates for Jinchuriki.
He said, "Becoming a Jinchuriki is a difficult thing, especially for a woman. You've had it hard all these years."
"...No, Lady Mito taught me so much. I'm also grateful that she brought me to Konoha." As Kushina spoke, she looked toward the operating room again.
After a brief pause, Hashirama asked, "Can you tell me about Minato?"
Kushina fell silent for a moment before saying, "Minato and I are close. Aren't you afraid that everything I say will be false?"
Hashirama smiled. "It's fine. I'll simply take it as the Minato you see."
Kushina walked over and sat on the bench opposite him. After thinking for a long while, she finally spoke. "Minato... ever since he was young, he dreamed of becoming Naruto..."
At the same time.
Tobirama went alone to Hiruzen Sarutobi's home.
Biwako answered the door. When she saw Tobirama, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.
Yet after hearing the news of Sarutobi's death, Biwako did not seem overly grief-stricken.
"For