Shikkotsu Forest

"Kushina, I like you."

Minato shouted so loudly that even the Hatake Clan Samurai hiding in the shadows were drawn out.

After saying that, he closed his eyes like a criminal awaiting judgment, bracing himself for the possible storm to come.

"I like you too."

Kushina's soft voice sounded beside Minato's ear.

By the time he opened his eyes with delight written all over his face, Kushina had already fled, too shy to do anything but run home.

Nawaki had already walked far away with his sword in hand. He could not stomach a single bite of this damned lovey-dovey display.

"Teacher, Kushina said she likes me too!"

Minato eagerly shared his joy with Kawafune.

Kawafune wore an expression that said he had known it all along. I just moved your thread of fate forward by several years.

That "Teacher" was well earned.

"Yes, everyone in the Hatake Clan knows now."

Only after Kawafune's embarrassing remark did Minato rein himself in.

Though the flush on his face had yet to fade.

"Go home and pack up first. I'll have the butler prepare a room for you."

Kawafune called over the butler. From today onward, Minato Namikaze was his first disciple.

As for Nawaki, he was his actual little brother-in-law. That was a different matter.

"Yes, Teacher. I'll be back soon."

After bowing to Kawafune, Minato headed home. Fortunately, he did not have much to pack, so it would not take long.

That evening, to celebrate taking in a disciple, Kawafune invited Tsunade over for dinner, even though she had not eaten at his home in quite some time.

Tsunade did not expose his little scheme. Recently, she had been busy with the construction site, personnel, and medical equipment, leaving her with less time to spend with Kawafune.

So she readily agreed.

Nawaki and Kushina were not spared from the dinner either.

A reunion feast after so long naturally could not go without alcohol.

Poor Minato was also given the important task of pouring drinks that night.

This was not a welcome dinner for him at all. It was just his teacher's personal celebration.

Minato's obedient manner won everyone's affection.

Sakumo warmly told him to call him "Uncle."

Nayuki even pinched his cheek and said the boy was truly adorable.

She wanted to have such a cute little boy herself someday.

A tipsy Kawafune grabbed Minato as he came over to pour another drink.

"Call her Mistress."

Minato followed the direction of Kawafune's finger. There was a ravine there.

No, that was Tsunade-sama.

Just as he hesitated over whether to say it or not,

Tsunade pulled him into her arms.

"If anything happens when you're out, just give them your Mistress's name."

Clearly, Tsunade was already on the verge of becoming unhinged from drink.

"Yes, Mistress."

Minato's face turned crimson. After finally escaping Tsunade's hold,

he hurried over to sit beside Kushina.

Though shaken, he also felt a sense of family. He did not yet realize that, for no clear reason, he had become part of the same generation as Kakashi.

From now on, Kakashi would probably only call him brother rather than teacher.

"When Sister Tsunade drinks too much, she's always like this. Don't mind her."

Kushina even kindly explained on Tsunade's behalf.

But Minato had already given Tsunade the title of "Mistress Not to Be Provoked" in his heart.

When the feast ended, Kushina and Nawaki supported the muddled Tsunade on the way home.

Kawafune had the butler take Minato away, then staggered back to his room to rest.

Two months later, the hospital officially opened.

The people attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony were all important figures.

The Third Hokage, the Two Advisors, and the Uchiha Clan Head had all come.

There were also many Konoha Jonin and clans proficient in secret techniques, such as the Inuzuka Clan.

After the ribbon-cutting, the hospital officially began operating that very day.

Kawafune honored his promise and allowed qualified Uchiha clan members to come study medicine.

They could remain at the hospital to work afterward. The Uchiha were not doing this for a livelihood,

but to improve their relationship with the villagers.

Still, that was only a drop in the bucket. Kawafune had no intention of helping resolve the deeper trouble just yet.

The next day, after instructing Minato and Nawaki to train on their own according to the schedule,

Kawafune bit his finger and summoned the Slug Sage.

Tsunade set aside her work and stayed by his side as well.

Naturally, Sakumo and Nayuki were no exception.

After a puff of smoke,

a half-human-height Slug Sage clone appeared before them.

"Kawafune-kun, have you made your preparations?"

The Slug Sage spoke first. She knew why Kawafune had summoned her.

"Yes, Slug Sage. I'll be in your care."

Kawafune's expression abruptly turned solemn, his face utterly serious.

"I'm going too."

Tsunade had come precisely because she was worried. Now, she spoke up and asked the Slug Sage to take her along.

"Very well. Wait here. I'll return to make preparations."

Though the Slug Sage looked slow-moving, her efficiency was quite good.

With that, she vanished in a cloud of smoke from the Hatake Clan Training Hall.

"Kawafune, remember this. You're my only brother."

Sakumo could not interfere with Kawafune's pursuit, so he could only express his feelings through words.

"Don't worry. I'm fairly confident."

Kawafune smiled easily at Sakumo.

Before he could say another word, he and Tsunade vanished before Sakumo's eyes.

Reverse Summoning Jutsu.

When Kawafune could finally make out his surroundings again, he was already in Shikkotsu Forest.

His eyes were met with sticky, corrosive liquid everywhere, while the stone cave was cold and damp.

Before him was a gigantic slug whose end could not be seen at a glance.

He and Tsunade stood atop a clean boulder. It must have been specially prepared by the Slug Sage.

A strange power filled the space, countless times denser than anything he could normally sense in Konoha.

"What do you feel?"

Kawafune asked Tsunade. This power made him feel incredibly comfortable, as though his body were soaking in a hot spring.

"A little. In a place like this, I actually feel like the air is much fresher."

Tsunade sensed something too, but her reaction seemed mild, nowhere near as obvious as Kawafune's.

"Can you feel the Natural Energy?"

The Slug Sage's voice echoed through the cave.

"So this is Natural Energy? I feel as though I'm immersed in a hot spring."

Kawafune had been somewhat doubtful before, but now he was certain.

"Not much."

Tsunade had never intended to practice Sage Art this time, so there was no need for her to lie.

Besides, this was training that gambled with one's life.

"Just as I thought, you're a talented child."

"Little Tsunade, you are still not suited to practicing Sage Art."

The Slug Sage eliminated Tsunade in the very first stage.

"I only came to keep an eye on him. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to rest easy."

"Slug Sage, just guide him in Sage Art."

Tsunade was quite happy. If the Slug Sage said so, then Kawafune's chances of mastering Sage Art had risen by several degrees.

"Very well."

"Kawafune-kun, Sage Art is the fusion of three kinds of energy."

"They are physical energy, spiritual energy, and this Natural Energy."

"When the three are perfectly fused, they form Sage Power, allowing one to use Sage Art."

The Slug Sage explained the knowledge of Sage Power to the two of them, though Kawafune had known it for a long time.

He simply had never had a place to practice it.

Sage Art had always been the ultimate secret technique of the Three Great Sage Summoning Beasts.

In the entire Shinobi World, there were only a handful of people who knew it. At this time, it seemed that no one had mastered it yet.

Senju Hashirama was dead, and Jiraiya most likely had not learned it yet.