When the Land of Earth began to make its move, Houka and Obito finally returned to the small island.
By then, the chill in Kushina's body had gradually faded away—and with it, the last trace of life within her!
As for Minato Namikaze, he remained unconscious and had yet to wake up.
"Screech!!"
Super Whirlwind Style Two flapped its wings and slowly glided down onto the small island.
Houka and Obito carried Kushina and Minato Namikaze down from Style Two's back. Then, Style Two gave Minato Namikaze a reluctant glance before turning into smoke and returning to the snowy mountains.
Hearing the commotion, Haku, Shisui, and the others hurried out.
Houka and Obito's hasty departure earlier had left them all worried.
"Big Brother Houka."
"Captain."
Haku and Shisui walked over.
Before long, Deidara, Kaede, Uchiha Sasuke, Karin, Yakushi Kabuto, Hozuki Suigetsu, Natsuhi and her husband, Shizuki, and the others also arrived.
"These two are...?"
Yakushi Kabuto looked at Kushina and Minato Namikaze in confusion. Then he suddenly realized that Minato Namikaze's face seemed familiar. He must have seen it often somewhere before, but he could not recall where for the moment.
As for Natsuhi and her husband, Karin, Deidara, and the rest, they were even less likely to recognize Minato Namikaze and his wife.
Only Shisui wore an expression of utter shock.
"The Fourth..."
Shisui looked at Houka in disbelief, then at Obito, whose right eye was wrapped up like a dumpling while his left eye was visibly red and swollen from crying. Even his voice trembled. "Is this really the Fourth? Wasn't he...?"
Then, scenes from what had happened in the Land of Snow flashed through Shisui's mind. Houka had settled them there; Orochimaru had inexplicably entered the Land of Snow and joined forces with the Snow Ninja Village