Things Were Heating Up

After a long while, Kushina admitted defeat. She glanced at Yakumaru's impassive face, then complained to Minato:

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

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

"She used to be... She isn't optimistic anymore."

Kushina thought of how the war had changed Minato Team, and felt a little sad.

War always meant loss...

Lately, she had often been having nightmares. She dreamed that her future child was just as gloomy as Kakashi all the time, and the thought made her feel awful.

If she couldn't change Kakashi or the Hyuga boy in front of her, how was she supposed to teach her child to be cheerful in the future?

Obito was so much easier. She hoped her child would be as optimistic as he was.

"..." Minato fell silent.

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

"I want you to use Tailed Beast Chakra to protect them. Space-Time Ninjutsu is just too dangerous."

Minato's Shadow Clone glanced between Yakumaru and Hane, then said seriously:

"If something goes wrong during the transfer, it can easily cause physical damage. But with Tailed Beast Chakra to help, their bodies will be more durable, and their ability to recover will improve too. It'll help a lot."

"I see." Kushina nodded in understanding and patted her chest. "Then leave it to me. Who wants to go first?"

"Lady Kushina, I'll go first!"

Uchiha Yakumaru said gravely from beside them.

His expression was calm, giving no hint of how eager he was.

But in his heart, he was thinking, I have to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique faster than Hyuga Hane!

Kushina's gaze settled on Yakumaru, lingering on his Sharingan before she muttered, "He's from Obito's clan, but he's nothing like him."

Yakumaru frowned, his expression shifting. "Of course I'm not like Obito."

He didn't want to be compared to Obito, the clan's famously hopeless loser, even if the other boy was now a Konoha hero!

"Oh? You're not?"

You dare badmouth Obito in front of Minato and me? Can't this kid read the room?

Well, most Uchiha couldn't read the room. Obito had the same problem.

Kushina's eyes turned cold, and the crimson Chakra around her made everyone feel as though the temperature had dropped.

If there was a problem, it needed fixing!

Just as Minato's Shadow Clone was smiling wryly and preparing to smooth things over, Hyuga Hane stepped forward. As Yakumaru looked at him in confusion, Hane patted his shoulder and said to Kushina:

"Lady Kushina, Yakumaru didn't mean what you think he meant."

"He thinks he failed to uphold the honor of the Uchiha Clan and lost to me, so he isn't worthy of being compared to a hero like Obito."

Yakumaru stared at Hyuga Hane with wide eyes.

What the hell was this bastard talking about?!

In your eyes, I'm even worse than Obito, that hopeless loser?

Minato also looked as if he were seeing Hyuga Hane in a new light. But when he noticed the blood-red Chakra around Kushina, he smiled knowingly.

He's worried he'll get caught in the crossfire during training later...

Hyuga Hane ignored Yakumaru's intensely emotional glare and remained expressionless.

This was a rare chance to get close to Nine-Tails Chakra. Don't ruin it for me.

Besides, whether you're the villain or the hero, you really can't compare to Obito. He's extreme in both roles.

"So that's what you meant."

Kushina withdrew her Chakra and smiled again. The oppressive atmosphere around them vanished at once. "Yakumaru, you and Hane both keep a straight face, so I thought you meant you were too good to be compared to Obito, that hopeless loser."

Yakumaru finally understood. Lord Fourth was Obito's teacher, and the woman before him was Obito's teacher's wife.

Hadn't he just signed his own death warrant by saying that?

Obito had died a hero. Why keep harping on the fact that he used to be a loser?

"Of course not. I just have a habit of keeping a straight face."

Yakumaru forced a smile and swallowed his pride.

"Good."

After giving Hyuga Hane an approving look, Kushina took out a hair tie and gathered her bright red hair into a ponytail.

"Nine-Tails, lend me some of your Chakra."

Hane didn't know what kind of treatment the Nine-Tails was receiving inside the seal, but judging by the steadily growing aura around Kushina, it was definitely being beaten without mercy.

As Kushina seized the Nine-Tails' Chakra, brilliant golden light gradually radiated from her. Gold markings appeared on her skin, and a layer of Chakra Cloak formed around her body.

Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!

This was the densest and most immense Chakra Hyuga Hane had ever seen!

"I've taken a lot of Chakra from the Nine-Tails. You can both come over."

Kushina had the two of them take hold of her hands and transferred Chakra to Hyuga Hane and Uchiha Yakumaru.

In an instant, roiling crimson Chakra Cloaks formed around both of them.

So this is the Nine-Tails' power.

Hyuga Hane flexed his fingers, feeling the surge in his Chakra, and marveled inwardly.

Konoha was truly powerful during this era.

Two of the Sannin were at their peak, and the Third Hokage still had his strength. The Fourth Hokage and his wife were far beyond ordinary Kage Level fighters.

Eight Gates Guy was already on his way.

And among the younger generation, two Uchiha prodigies were still growing.

Their strength and potential were terrifying. If Konoha didn't bring about its own downfall, the other villages would always be beneath it.

"Lady Kushina, there's still plenty of Nine-Tails Chakra. Could you give some to my Shadow Clones too?" Hyuga Hane asked.

"You want to train together with your clones?"

Kushina's golden light dimmed slightly. She glanced at Minato and, seeing that he didn't object, agreed.

"Sure, go ahead."

It was just the Nine-Tails' Chakra. If they ran out, she could take more. She wasn't worried about it.

Watching as four Hyuga Hane clones headed off to train in Chakra Cloaks, Yakumaru hurriedly used the Shadow Clone Technique and summoned five clones.

"Wait, Lady Kushina, could you help my clones too?"

"Of course." Kushina gave him a helpless smile.

Only after the two boys and their clones had gone some distance did Kushina turn to Minato with a smile.

"Is this the real you now?"

"Yeah. I came to keep you company for a while." Minato's real body smiled. He had arrived without anyone noticing.

With the Flying Thunder God Technique, it was easy for him to slip away from the Hokage Office without anyone noticing.

Kushina's smile softened, though she said, "Don't just say nice things. You must've come because the Hokage's work wasn't important."

"The Hokage's work is all important." Minato shook his head. "It's just that something unusual came up this time. I received a report from the front lines: the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have disappeared from the front. I need to make some preparations outside the village."

"Hm? They wouldn't be planning to..."

"Exactly. They probably think that Konoha just went through a change of Hokage, with all the handovers and matters to deal with, and that our defenses have gaps. They want to take advantage of us."

"Maybe they also want to ease the pressure on the front lines. After all, Teacher Jiraiya has already taken the advance force to reinforce the Mist Village Battlefield. Facing two of the Sannin must be putting the Mist Village under a lot of pressure."

Minato confirmed Kushina's guess.

"With the Yamanaka Clan's help, the Mist Village spy Yakumaru caught earlier has already revealed their attack plan. I need to prepare in advance."

"I see... Do you need me to come along?"

"No. If they dare come, not one of them will leave Konoha!"

A cold glint flashed in Minato's eyes.

In the distance, Hyuga Hane, who had activated his Byakugan, was watching the two of them as well. He read their lips, learned what they were discussing, and raised an eyebrow.

Would they be facing Minato instead of Eight Gates Dai? Or maybe they'd get beaten up by the Fourth Hokage and his wife together?

It was hard to say which would be better for them...

Still, this was a chance to gather information about powerful ninja. It could also help Master Dai avoid disaster.

With an idea taking shape, Hyuga Hane continued training.

He threw a marked Kunai at a distant tree and tried to transfer his Shadow Clone there.

Whoosh...

A short, sharp whistle rang out. His Shadow Clone blurred for a moment, but in the end, it stayed where it was. The attempt had failed.

Hyuga Hane watched the process with his Byakugan. A blue glint flashed in his eyes, making him pause just as he was about to try again.

"Hey, you usually train using Shadow Clones, don't you?"

Uchiha Yakumaru's voice interrupted Hyuga Hane's thoughts. He sneered. "I can make one more clone than you to train. Just wait. I'll definitely surpass you!"

Hyuga Hane glanced at him, then said coolly, "Go ahead and try. You might not even be here tomorrow."

"???"

Uchiha Yakumaru was utterly baffled.