It's Rolling

After a long while, Kushina conceded defeat. Glancing at the indifferent Yakumaru, she complained to Minato:

"Why are all the disciples you find like this? Can't they be a bit more cheerful?"

"Isn't Rin quite optimistic?" Minato's Shadow Clone replied with a helpless smile.

"She used to be... but she isn't anymore."

Kushina felt a pang of sadness as she thought about the changes the war had forced upon the Minato Team.

War always meant loss...

Lately, she had been plagued by nightmares, dreaming that her future child would grow up as gloomy as Kakashi, and the thought left a bitter taste in her heart.

If she couldn't change Kakashi or this Hyuga boy before her, how could she ever teach her own child to be optimistic?

Obito was much less of a headache; she truly hoped her child would be as cheerful as he was.

"..." Minato remained silent.

Kushina quickly pulled herself together and asked excitedly, "Why did you call me here? To help you train the Shadow Guard?"

"I want you to provide them with some protection using Tailed Beast chakra. Space-time ninjutsu is simply too dangerous."

Minato's Shadow Clone shifted his gaze between Yakumaru and Hane, saying earnestly:

"If something goes wrong during the transfer, it can easily cause physical damage. But with the aid of Tailed Beast chakra, their physical defense and recovery rates will be enhanced, which will be a huge help."

"I see." Kushina nodded in realization and patted her chest. "Then leave it to me. Who's going first?"

"Kushina-sama, I'll go first!"

Beside them, Uchiha Yakumaru said in a deep voice.

His expression was calm, giving no hint of his impatience.

But inside, he was determined to master the Flying Thunder God faster than Hyuga Hane!

Kushina's gaze fell on Yakumaru, lingering briefly on his Sharingan as she muttered, "Obito's clansman, but he doesn't look like him at all."

Yakumaru frowned, his expression shifting. "I am certainly not like Obito."

He had no desire to be compared to the clan's famous dead-last, even if that person was now a hero of Konoha!

"Oh? Not like him?"

Does this brat have no sense of the situation, daring to speak ill of Obito in front of me and Minato?

Then again, most Uchiha lack social awareness; Obito had that same flaw.

Kushina's eyes turned cold, and the vibrant red chakra radiating from her body made the temperature in the room seem to drop.

If there's a flaw, it needs to be corrected!

Just as Minato's Shadow Clone gave a bitter smile, intending to smooth things over, Hyuga Hane stepped forward. Under Yakumaru's confused gaze, he patted the Uchiha on the shoulder and said to Kushina:

"Kushina-sama, Yakumaru didn't mean it the way you think."

"He simply feels he hasn't upheld the glory of the Uchiha clan and lost to me, so he feels unworthy of being compared to a hero like Obito."

Yakumaru stared at Hyuga Hane with wide eyes.

What is this bastard saying?!

In your eyes, I'm not even as good as that dead-last Obito?

Minato also looked at Hyuga Hane as if seeing him for the first time, though he smiled in understanding when he saw the blood-red chakra swirling around Kushina.

He's just afraid of being caught in the crossfire during training...

Hyuga Hane ignored Yakumaru's intense glare, his face expressionless.

This is a rare opportunity to come into contact with Nine-Tails chakra; don't you dare ruin it for me.

Besides, whether as a villain or a hero, you really don't compare to Obito—he was an extremist in both.

"So that's how it is."

Kushina retracted her chakra and smiled again, the oppressive atmosphere vanishing instantly. "You and Hane both keep such cold faces, Yakumaru; I thought you meant you were too proud to be compared to a dead-last like Obito."

Yakumaru finally realized the gravity of his mistake. Lord Fourth was Obito's teacher, and the woman before him was Obito's teacher's wife.

Wasn't I just digging my own grave by saying that?

Obito died a hero, so why am I still hung up on him being a dead-last?

"How could that be? I'm just used to keeping a straight face."

Yakumaru forced a smile, swallowing his pride in humiliation.

"Hmm, very good."

Kushina glanced at Hyuga Hane with satisfaction, then pulled out a hair tie to pull her bright red hair into a single ponytail.

"Nine-Tails, lend me some chakra."

Hane didn't know what kind of treatment the Nine-Tails was enduring within the seal, but judging by the increasingly powerful aura radiating from Kushina, it was clearly a brutal, inhumane beating.

As she seized the Nine-Tails' chakra, a brilliant golden glow began to emanate from Kushina. Golden patterns appeared on her skin, and a Chakra Cloak began to swirl around her body.

Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!

Such vast and dense chakra was the greatest Hyuga Hane had ever witnessed!

"I have plundered a great deal of chakra from the Nine-Tails; you two should come together."

Having the two grasp her palms, Kushina channeled her chakra into Hyuga Hane and Uchiha Yakumaru.

In an instant, a scarlet, boiling Chakra Cloak manifested around both of their bodies.

So this is the power of the Nine-Tails.

Clenching his fists and feeling the explosive surge of chakra, Hyuga Hane sighed inwardly.

Konoha in this era was truly formidable.

Two of the Sannin were in their prime, and the Third Hokage still possessed his full strength. The Fourth Hokage and his wife were far above the average Kage-level powerhouse.

Eight Gates Guy was already on his path.

Among the younger generation, two Uchiha geniuses were still developing.

Such strength and potential were truly terrifying; if Konoha did not court its own destruction, the other ninja villages would forever remain beneath it.

"Lady Kushina, there is still plenty of Nine-Tails chakra left. Could you provide some for my Shadow Clones?" Hyuga Hane asked.

"You want to train alongside your clones?"

Kushina, whose golden radiance had dimmed slightly, glanced at Minato. Seeing that he did not object, she agreed.

"Fine, that will work."

It was Nine-Tails chakra anyway; if she ran out, she would just snatch more. She didn't feel the pinch.

Watching as four Hyuga Hane clones donned in Chakra Cloaks went off to train, Yakumaru hurriedly performed the Shadow Clone Technique, summoning five clones of his own.

"Wait, Lady Kushina, please take care of my clones as well!"

"Alright." Kushina smiled helplessly.

Once the two and their clones had moved into the distance, Kushina looked at Minato with a beaming smile.

"Is this the real body now?"

"Yes, I came to spend some time with you." Minato, who had arrived unnoticed, smiled.

With the Flying Thunder God, it was truly easy for him to leave the Hokage Office without anyone knowing.

Kushina's smile softened, though she remarked, "Don't just say sweet things; you must have come because the Hokage's work isn't important."

"The Hokage's work is always important." Minato shook his head. "It's just that this time is a bit special. I received intelligence from the front lines that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have vanished, and I need to set up defenses outside the village."

"Hm? Could they be planning to..."

"Exactly. They likely believe that since Konoha has just undergone a change in Hokage, there are various transitions and administrative matters to handle, leaving gaps in our defenses. They want to come and take advantage of the situation."

"Perhaps they also hope to relieve pressure on the front lines. After all, Master Jiraiya has already led the vanguard to support the Mist Village Battlefield. Facing two of the Sannin, the Mist must be under immense pressure."

Minato confirmed Kushina's speculation.

"The Mist spy that Yakumaru captured earlier has already revealed the details of this attack plan with the help of the Yamanaka Clan. I need to make preparations in advance."

"I see... do you need me to join you?"

"No need. If they dare to come, not a single one of them will leave Konoha alive!"

A cold glint flashed in Minato's eyes.

In the distance, Hyuga Hane, who had activated his Byakugan, was also observing the two. Having learned this information through lip-reading, he raised an eyebrow.

Going from facing Eight Gates Dai to facing Minato? Or perhaps being subjected to a joint beatdown by the Fourth Hokage and his wife?

It was hard to say which situation would be friendlier for them...

However, this was an opportunity to gather intelligence on powerful ninjas, and it might also allow Master Dai to escape a catastrophe.

With a plan forming in his mind, Hyuga Hane continued his training.

Firing a kunai marked with a seal toward a distant tree, Hyuga Hane attempted to teleport his Shadow Clone to that location.

Whoosh...

With a sharp, brief whistle, his Shadow Clone's figure blurred for a moment, but ultimately failed to change position, returning empty-handed.

Hyuga Hane, who was observing the process with his Byakugan, felt a flash of blue light in his eyes, causing him to pause his next move.

"Hey, you've been using Shadow Clones for your training this whole time, haven't you?"

Uchiha Yakumaru's voice interrupted Hyuga Hane's thoughts. He sneered, "I can summon one more clone than you for training. Just wait, I will definitely surpass you!"

Hyuga Hane's real body glanced at him and said indifferently, "You can try, but you might not even see me tomorrow."

"???"

Uchiha Yakumaru was filled with question marks.