An Exchange of Sealing Jutsu

Minamoto Takuya continued praising him.

No one disliked hearing compliments. Even Minato Namikaze seemed to smile more broadly.

"All right, stop praising each other over there. That old Third Hokage has been around for ages—it's only natural that he steps down." Kushina Uzumaki, who had been unable to stand it any longer, spoke up directly.

If they kept this up, who knew how long they would continue flattering and deflecting each other?

Minato Namikaze and Minamoto Takuya both laughed. It seemed only Kushina Uzumaki dared speak of the Third Hokage that way.

Minamoto Takuya looked at Minato Namikaze. Though Minato probably did not truly mind being called by name, that was best kept to private occasions. In public, he would still have to call him Hokage Lord.

At work, one addressed people by their title.

As for the Third Hokage, he did not have many opinions about the man. There were certainly plenty of conspiracy theories, but he had no need to distinguish truth from falsehood. As long as the man did not interfere with him, that was enough.

For now, the Third Hokage had treated him rather well. The mission rewards had been paid generously and without delay.

Who would not like an old leader who paid them promptly and checked in on them after they returned from a mission?

"Hmm? Good tea." Minato Namikaze took a sip, and his eyes lit up.

"If you like it, you can take some home when you leave. I brought back quite a lot from outside," Minamoto Takuya said as casually as if they were chatting about everyday matters.

"Quit talking about such irrelevant things. I brought a whole pile of unfinished Sealing Formulas!" Kushina Uzumaki showed no interest in the tea as she pulled out a large stack of scrolls and placed them on the table.

In that instant, Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze both seemed to see Minamoto Takuya's eyes light up.

The two exchanged a smile. As expected, someone obsessed with Sealing Jutsu had no resistance whatsoever to such scrolls.

Minamoto Takuya coughed twice, then picked up a scroll and began reading.

Only after quite a while did he force himself to look away. Seeing Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki sitting there with nothing to do, he felt it would not be right to keep them waiting like that.

After giving it some thought, he finally took out several of his own research results and placed them before them.

"What are these?" Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki were both somewhat surprised after looking them over.

"Some Sealing Jutsu I derived from the Sealing Fire Seal. Earth Release and Water Release are still missing. Most attacks from those two are physical, so sealing them with Sealing Jutsu is somewhat difficult," Minamoto Takuya said.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki looked at each other, each seeing the surprise in the other's eyes. What they had given Minamoto Takuya were incomplete studies, while what he had given them were complete Sealing Jutsu.

Neither of them liked taking advantage of others. After exchanging looks, they understood each other's thoughts.

Then the two picked up the scrolls and studied the densely packed writing and various notes, unable to help sighing again.

The person before them was far more obsessed with Sealing Jutsu than they could ever be.

These two scrolls were not completed formulas. Instead, they recorded the entire research process, allowing one not only to use the techniques, but also to understand the principles behind how the Sealing Jutsu worked.

That meant that when they used these Sealing Jutsu in the future, they could adapt them flexibly and perhaps even increase their power.

Thus, all three immersed themselves in the scrolls in their hands.

When the three finally put down their scrolls, they looked at one another and saw the same desire to explore in each other's eyes.

Then Kushina Uzumaki understood why Minato Namikaze had returned so late last time, leaving her alone at home.

This sort of thing really was addicting.

They discussed not only the unfinished formula scrolls in Minamoto Takuya's possession, pushing their theories forward and exploring possibilities. Yet most of their conclusions proved impractical in the end, resulting in discarded Sealing Jutsu.

That was perfectly normal.

Later, the topic shifted to several seals Minamoto Takuya had been researching. Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki each offered their own suggestions for sealing Earth Release and Water Release attacks.

As Minamoto Takuya listened to their ideas, his mind rapidly recorded and simulated them.

This collision of Sealing Jutsu knowledge had sparked far too many inspirations in him. This time, he truly wanted to shut himself away and research Sealing Jutsu.

Time passed second by second. By the time the three realized it, it was already late at night.

"If you do not mind, how about we make do with some instant noodles?" Minamoto Takuya said.

"They are not expired, are they?" Kushina Uzumaki teased. Their long discussion had brought them much closer.

"No, I only bought them last month." Minamoto Takuya yawned.

"Then we will gladly accept." Minato Namikaze agreed. Even if they went home now, neither of them wanted to cook at this hour. After discussing things for so long without eating, they were indeed hungry.

"Senior Takuya, how are your cooking skills? If they are not up to par, let Minato do it. He is a good cook," Kushina Uzumaki said with a smile.

Minato Namikaze immediately gave a wry smile. Whenever he was home, he usually handled such things.

"Do not worry. I am not confident about anything else, but when it comes to instant noodles, I am quite confident," Minamoto Takuya said with a raised brow and a very serious expression.

Then, under the two's bewildered gazes, Minamoto Takuya walked into the kitchen.

"Senior probably... eats instant noodles often," Minato Namikaze said after thinking for a moment. Kushina Uzumaki nodded in agreement.

Soon, the three were each holding bowls of instant noodles, full and satisfied.

Minamoto Takuya sighed. No matter what world one was in, instant noodles stopped tasting good if eaten too often, but having them once in a while was truly satisfying.

"Thank you for the meal. Senior's instant noodles really are incredible!" Minato Namikaze said.

"Of course they are." Minamoto Takuya replied. This was his specialty from two lifetimes—there was no way it would taste bad.

After saying that, the three looked at one another and smiled.

Minato Namikaze felt somewhat regretful. This atmosphere of discussion had truly been wonderful, but there would probably be no opportunity for it again.

Once he became the Fourth Hokage, he would have to take on an enormous amount of work and would basically have no time for discussions like this.

That was why he had come here with Kushina today.

"It is getting late. We should head back. These are gifts in return for Senior's hospitality." As Minato Namikaze spoke, he took out several scrolls and handed them to Minamoto Takuya.

"How could I possibly accept these~" Minamoto Takuya's eyes lit up as he said so, while unceremoniously taking the scrolls.

Seeing this, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki laughed again before taking their leave.

After the two left, Minamoto Takuya's smile faded. Looking through the contents of the scrolls, he found, as expected, complete Sealing Jutsu and study notes. These were mostly barrier-type Sealing Jutsu.

Trading his research for these was naturally profitable. Research like the Sealing Fire Seal was, after all, meant to provide an explanation for others to see.

After researching for so long, he could not possibly have nothing to show for it, could he?

Besides, those Sealing Jutsu were not useless. Minamoto Takuya simply had not completed the final steps of his research yet.

Minamoto Takuya examined these Sealing Jutsu and pondered. As expected, there was no Four Symbols Seal. They truly could not hand over that kind of Sealing Jutsu so easily.

But judging by the personalities of those two, if he saved them and then happened to reveal his Adamantine Sealing Chains...

Not only could he obtain the Nine-Tails' chakra from them, he might also be able to obtain the Four Symbols Seal. It would also earn their trust, making future matters much more convenient.

Minamoto Takuya tapped the table as he weighed the gains and losses.