Kushina's Tears and Resolve

"You're more sensible than your master."

Seeing Samehada defect, the last glimmer of light in Suikazan Fuguki's eyes extinguished.

"I... I'll tell you everything about Shimura Danzō! Let me go..."

"No need." Sen crouched down, his voice as cold as ice, devoid of any emotion. "That old dog will die by my hand sooner or later. Right now, I only care about one thing.

Can I get back in time for breakfast?"

"What do you..."

Samehada swung, and heads separated from bodies.

[Killed Suikazan Fuguki. Please choose a term to absorb: Water Style: Mist of Hiding, Chakra +2, Physique +1]

"Eat it, and replenish some chakra for me."

Watching Samehada obediently devour its former master, Sen couldn't help but sigh, "A beast is still a beast. It's always possible for it to betray its master."

Hearing this, Samehada raised its large mouth, feeling the immense electrical current lingering on its tail.

If it could speak, its line right now would be:

This is clearly a naked threat, yet he says it so righteously!

This guy is definitely not a good person!

Seeing that Samehada had eaten enough, Sen absorbed the system term [Mist of Hiding] and opened his status panel to check:

[Name: Uchiha Sen] [Age: 10] [Physique: 231] [Mental Strength: 117] [Chakra: 220] [Kekkei Genkai: Three Tomoe Sharingan, Uzumaki Physique] [Ninjutsu: ...Water Style: Mist of Hiding, Water Style: Raging Waves] [Other: ..., Chakra Affinity: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Water, Earth]

Sen nodded in satisfaction. Although he didn't get any special Kekkei Genkai, he now had all five elemental jutsu and a free chakra-absorbing artifact for sustained combat.

Looking at it this way, these Mist Ninja didn't seem like they came to assassinate him, but rather like "wealth-bringing boys" who traveled a long way to deliver equipment.

He put Samehada away, took out his map, confirmed the direction, and began to hurry.

If he couldn't make it for breakfast, he should at least make it for lunch, right?

Evening, at the Konoha seaside outpost, outside Kushina's room.

"Kushina, eat something. You haven't eaten since you came back this morning." Minato and Jiraiya stood at the door, holding food and trying to persuade her.

Jiraiya sighed, "Build up your strength. In a few days, we'll counterattack Kirigakure. Then, we can avenge Sen!"

There was still no movement from inside the room.

The two exchanged glances and sighed helplessly.

Just as they were sighing in despair, a figure walked past them, casually picked up the food, took a couple of bites, and said indistinctly, "Thanks, I was hungry."

The previous second, Minato was furious. The next second, his eyes burst with ecstatic light.

"Sen?! You're alright?!"

"Sen, you escaped back?" Jiraiya beside him widened his eyes.

Hearing the familiar voices, a series of rapid footsteps came from inside the room, and the door was violently pushed open with a "bang." A red figure, with a tearful voice, crashed into Sen's arms.

"Wuwuwu... I thought... I'd never see you again... Why did you take so long to come back!"

Kushina hugged him tightly, crying profusely, as if wanting to vent all her fear and grievances.

After a long while, under Sen's gentle comfort, she gradually stopped crying, but she still clung to him like a koala, unwilling to let go.

"Alright, alright, so many people are watching." Sen gently patted her back. "Besides, I'm so hungry. Aren't you hungry?"

The Uzumaki Physique couldn't stand hunger the most.

"Hungry..." Kushina finally let go. Although she was still sobbing, her eyes never left Sen, for fear that this was all a dream.

Then, the four of them went to the outpost's food supply area. Because there were many ninja here usually, a cooked food supply point had been specially set up.

Seeing the dishes served, Sen didn't waste a moment and began to devour them.

Having been hungry all day, he felt like he could eat a cow.

Kushina, confirming that she wasn't dreaming and that Sen was truly alright, began to eat with him and the others.

Minato waited until they had eaten most of their food before eagerly asking, "Sen, how exactly did you escape? And how did you snatch Suikazan Fuguki's sword?"

Sen threw Samehada onto the ground and explained, "This isn't just a simple sword; it's called Samehada. I don't know what kind of creature it is, but it has a consciousness of its own and can even devour chakra."

As he was speaking, Samehada on the ground wriggled like a caterpillar, preparing to escape.

"Oh right, I'm not quite full yet. What do you think this sword would taste like grilled?"

Hearing this, Samehada simply lay still and played dead, allowing Minato to toy with it.

Sen casually explained, "I activated my Sharingan. The opponent wasn't paying attention and fell under an Illusion Technique, which is how I managed to kill him."

"You killed a Jonin?" Minato was greatly surprised. He then recalled the situation when they were attacked and continued, "And isn't the Sharingan supposed to evolve slowly? How did you get the highest level, Three Tomoe, directly?"

"Everyone has their secrets," Sen replied, looking at Jiraiya as he changed the subject. "After all, even the village has many secrets. When I returned to the base today, I was confirmed by Anbu members several times. They were very 'certain' that I was dead. When did the village get news so fast?"

Jiraiya, who had been looking gratified, fell silent upon hearing this. He knew Sen was questioning him about Danzo's betrayal.

After a long pause, he sighed, "I will investigate to the best of my ability. Orochimaru said that mission was directly assigned by the higher-ups... In any case, we're all happy you're back. Tell us what happened afterwards."

Sen nodded and began recounting the events while filling his stomach. He knew it was impossible to expect a Jiraiya, who was only in his early twenties, to take down Danzo. Danzo was a tumor that only an external blade like himself could uproot.

Kushina sat obediently beside him, listening quietly. She secretly pinched her arm to confirm she wasn't dreaming. She remembered the last time she cried so hard was when she was brought to Konoha and first met Grandma Mito. Kushina had always known why Konoha sought her out. Even though the Uzumaki Clan had extended lifespans, Grandma Mito's was nearing its limit. She had always known she was the village's future "weapon," a "Jinchuriki" to be scorned. But now, looking at Sen, an unprecedented desire surged within her. He spoke so casually, yet the unhealed scars on his mouth, the rips in his clothes, and the near-death battle... All of it pierced her heart like needles. If she had already been a Jinchuriki when Sen was in danger, would she have been able to protect him?

Kushina looked at Sen and murmured, "Grandma Mito, is this the 'love' you spoke of? If it is, I'm willing to become a Jinchuriki. As long as I can protect Sen, and protect everyone."

Once she had made up her mind, she slammed her hand on the table, her eyes filled with unprecedented fighting spirit. "Teacher Jiraiya! When are we counter-attacking Kirigakure? I want to avenge Sen!"

Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh. "You've finally regained your spirit! Don't worry, Orochimaru has already taken people to get revenge! Wait another two days for the village's reinforcements to arrive, and then we'll all go together to reclaim Lookout Island, and then, we'll march on Kirigakure!"