Kushina's Confusion

Immediately after the knocking voice fell, the entire space of consciousness fell into a long silence.

Minato down, Kushina also kept her head down; neither of them spoke.

The truths revealed through their knives were too heavy for even them to bear, and they needed time to process them.

"So... that's how it is."

After a long while, Minato slowly raised his head, his eyes reflecting the soft glow flowing through the space, and also the realization and bitterness that finally welled up from within:

"No wonder when you ignored everyone's advice and went to the Obito died to look for his body, you ultimately found nothing."

So it was because Madara had been secretly watching Obito?

He spoke in a solemn tone, and an old incident from many years ago, which he could never understand, involuntarily surfaced in his mind:

"And the cause of Lin's death."

"Even though the B-Rank Mission you were on back then wasn't within the Land of Water, you still encountered the Mist Village missing-nin who had defected with the Three-Tails' sealing artifact in the Land of Rivers."

If this was also part of Madara's plan, then everything makes sense.

"Obito faked his death at the Valley of the End, Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan, a decades-long scheme, his life manipulated, ultimately becoming Madara's Obito..."

Minato murmured softly, feeling a chill creep up from the depths of his heart:

"Uchiha Madara, what a terrifying guy."

Upon hearing Minato mention Rin's death, Koko's body stiffened slightly.

He slowly lowered his head, a few strands of hair falling across his forehead obscuring most of his face, but unable to hide the undisguised pain in his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Back then, regarding Rin's situation, he was confident that he had learned enough lessons from Obito's tragedy and thought he was fully prepared.

But what happened next...

Thinking of this, Kou closed his eyes heavily.

What comes to mind is a battlefield soaked in blood.

Everywhere he looked were the corpses of the Mist Anbu, and Kakashi, who had fallen into a coma amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, was overcome with immense grief.

He couldn't find Rin's body, but Kakashi's blood-stained left hand had ruthlessly shattered the last vestige of unrealistic fantasy in his heart.

They were childhood sweethearts who had known each other for many years; how could he not recognize Lin's blood?

Perhaps it was because, long after the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, he had already vaguely sensed this outcome in his heart.

So that night, he did not awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

But that pain is still firmly etched in the deepest part of his heart, and has never faded in the slightest.

Looking at Minato, whose head was bowed, Minato felt a deep sorrow.

He has always felt deep remorse for what happened to Lin back then.

The place where Minglin was murdered wasn't too far from where he was on a mission.

If I had noticed something was wrong sooner, if I had gotten there faster, everything could have been avoided.

But by the time he arrived, it was already too late...

Thinking of that regret that he still couldn't let go of, Minato sighed heavily in his heart.

Even now that they know it was a carefully orchestrated conspiracy by Madara, their self-blame will not lessen in the slightest.

Back then, I certainly had the chance to stop it all.

If Rin hadn't died back then, or at least hadn't died at Kakashi's hands, Obito might not be the way he is now.

Everything might be different.

"Wait, Madara's... conspiracy?"

Thinking of this, Minato suddenly raised his head and asked Koko urgently:

"Knock, regarding Rin's death, it was all orchestrated by Madara. You probably didn't find out from Obito, did you?"

Seemingly having anticipated Minato's question, Koko raised his head, the pain in his eyes now suppressed deep within his heart.

He met Minato's eager gaze and calmly replied:

"Ah, the truth about Lin's death is the result I deduced myself after reviewing the details of that mission back then."

After all, Obito arrived just in time to see Rin dead at Kakashi's hands? That's too much of a coincidence."

"So that means Obito was actually unaware of the truth about Rin's death?"

Minato pressed on with a serious tone, his words containing something all too familiar to Kō.

That is hope.

It was the sliver of hope that I had once held for that guy!

"That's certainly true, but..."

Kouchi glanced deeply at the Minato and sighed helplessly.

"Hey Minato, you're not still thinking that guy might come back, are you?"

Let me make this clear beforehand: that guy's thought process is completely beyond the comprehension of a normal person.

The reason I haven't told him the truth—that Rin's death was actually related to Madara—is that...

Firstly, I was afraid he would become suspicious of me, a "loyal supporter of Eye of the Moon Plan," and secondly...

Seeing Minato's quiet, expectant expression as he waited for him to continue, he remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice:

"Secondly, whether that guy will abandon the Eye of the Moon Plan after learning the truth is an unknown.

Based on what I've learned from him over the years, there's a high probability he won't give up.

The moment Koko finished speaking, the glimmer of hope that had shone in Minato's eyes silently faded.

Looking at Minato's appearance, while feeling empathy for him, I couldn't help but find it somewhat hard to understand.

Honestly, if I were in Minato's shoes, Obito would be too lenient for him.

Forgive him, and hope he will turn back from the wrong path? That is absolutely, absolutely impossible!

For Obito to go to such lengths for Minato, he truly deserves to be called a saint.

He silently grumbled to himself, then turned his gaze to Kushina, who had been silent beside Minato since earlier.

He looked at Kushina's profile, which was clearly still in a state of confusion and bewilderment, and instantly realized something. He quickly gave Minato a hurried look.

Minato, who was still immersed in regret and sadness, was instantly pulled back to reality by that one look.

He quickly turned around, looked at his wife beside him who was bowing her head and remaining silent, and asked in a concerned tone:

Kushina, are you alright?

Kushina did not answer immediately; she simply lowered her head, her usually bright and resolute face now appearing somewhat unfocused.

She raised her hand, gently pressed it against her forehead, and murmured softly:

"I... I don't know. My mind is a mess right now, I can't think clearly about anything."

Obito, Rin, and Uchiha Madara's plan...

Kushina spoke somewhat helplessly, giving Minato an apologetic, bitter smile:

"I'm sorry, Minato, right now, I feel like I can't think of anything."

"It's okay."

Minato reached out and gently pulled her into his arms.

He patted his wife's back gently, the tenderness and determination in his eyes the warmest light in the room.

"No matter what, Naruto and I will be by your side."

As long as our family is together, there won't be any problems.

Kushina buried her face in her husband's chest, the confusion and turmoil in her eyes gradually subsiding in the familiar and comforting feeling that had never left her.

"Thank you, Minato."

Thank you... for always being by my side.