Shi Xiu returned to the courtyard with Obito and Haku. Haku's eyes widened as he curiously took in everything around him.
His gaze was first drawn to the two magnificent houses, then shifted to the exquisite pavilion beside them.
Around the pavilion was a flower bed filled with a riot of colors, each bloom vying for attention.
Flowers of every color bloomed in profusion, their delicate petals seeming to sway gently in the breeze as they gave off a captivating fragrance.
Haku was deeply moved by the beautiful, picturesque scene before him. Compared with Kirigakure as he remembered it and the desolate sights he had seen while fleeing along the way, this place seemed like a heavenly paradise.
Just then, Minato and the others, who were sitting in the pavilion, noticed Shi Xiu's return. They all stood and walked over.
Kushina spotted Haku standing beside Shi Xiu at once.
Her eyes lit up, and a bright smile spread across her face as she hurried over.
She paid no attention to Haku's dirty little hands, reaching out without hesitation to take hold of one. "Oh my, what an adorable little girl! Lord Shi Xiu, where did you find such a cute child?"
Haku stared in surprise at Kushina's somewhat unusual yet kind face. Her distinctive red hair and black eyes especially piqued his curiosity.
He looked up and turned a questioning gaze toward Shi Xiu.
Shi Xiu noticed Haku's puzzled look. Smiling gently, he patiently explained.
"This is Kushina, and over there are Minato Namikaze and Rin Nohara. I brought them back to life with the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu!"
When Haku heard that Shi Xiu could bring people back to life, a glimmer of unmistakable hope flashed through his usually calm eyes.
But it vanished in an instant, like a shooting star. Haku quickly composed himself and said nothing more.
His heart was tangled with conflicting emotions.
He wondered whether Shi Xiu really had the power to bring his mother back to life.
If he did, could his mother return to his side?
At the same time, another worry crept into his mind. Surely a forbidden jutsu of such immense power came with strict limitations and hidden risks.
And if Shi Xiu brought someone back to life, could it cause him some kind of unforeseeable harm?
As Haku sank into thought, he slowly turned his head and shyly looked toward Kushina.
After a moment's hesitation, he finally spoke. "Um... actually, I... I'm a boy!"
Kushina froze at his words, staring blankly at the fair-faced child with long, flowing hair, suddenly unsure what to say.
She instinctively turned to Shi Xiu. He gave a slight nod, confirming that Haku was telling the truth.
Only then did Kushina snap out of it. A hint of embarrassment crossed her face, and she hurried to explain.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! It's just... you're so adorable that I mistook you for a girl."
Haku gave a small shake of his head and replied in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
"It's okay. This isn't the first time it's happened. I'm used to it."
Haku's words did nothing to ease Kushina's embarrassment. If anything, they made her feel even more awkward.
After all, she had already been thinking that when Naruto grew up, she could have this sweet, well-behaved "little girl" spend more time with him. Who knew? Maybe the two of them would even develop feelings for each other.
Fortunately, she hadn't said any of that aloud, or things might have become even more awkward.
Just as the mood grew uncomfortable, Minato stepped forward and broke the silence.
With an easy smile, he said, "Lord Shi Xiu, where have you been? Nara Luling came by specially to see you this morning! Unfortunately, she waited for a long time without seeing you, so she's already gone back."
When Shi Xiu heard that Nara Luling had come looking for him, he immediately understood what she had wanted.
However, he still hadn't figured out the best way to handle her.
Fortunately, hearing that she had already left came as a relief.
After a brief pause, Shi Xiu began telling everyone what they had just been through.
"Obito and I went to Kirigakure. Black Zetsu has to gather the Nine Tailed Beasts and summon the Ten-Tails if he wants to revive Kaguya Otsutsuki. So Obito and I went deep into Kirigakure and brought back the Fourth Mizukage, who was the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki."
When Minato and Kushina heard the name Black Zetsu, their expressions immediately grew serious.
Then, when they learned that Black Zetsu was plotting to gather all the Tailed Beasts, they exchanged a worried glance.
If Black Zetsu wanted to collect all nine Tailed Beasts, then the Nine-Tails would inevitably be one of them.
Wouldn't that put their beloved child, Naruto, in grave danger? At the thought, Minato and Kushina's hearts clenched.
Shi Xiu noticed their unease and concern, so he reassured them. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, Naruto won't be in any danger."
Hearing Shi Xiu's words, Minato and Kushina finally felt their worries ease. They both let out a soft breath.
But their relief didn't last long before curiosity got the better of them. They began looking around.
Minato scanned the area with his keen eyes for a while, but couldn't see anyone else.
Kirigakure was renowned for its secrecy, and even Minato knew nothing about the Fourth Mizukage's true appearance.
Thinking of this, Minato turned to Shi Xiu and asked in confusion, "Lord Shi Xiu, where's the Fourth Mizukage?"
Shi Xiu smiled. "I've temporarily placed them in Obito's Kamui Dimension. Before sending them in, I gave them a stern warning, so nothing will go wrong."
Before Minato and the others could ask anything else, Shi Xiu continued, "I'm going to take Haku to bathe now. Afterward, I'll take him to the market to buy a few suitable outfits."
Minato and Kushina looked at Haku's dusty face, nodded, and said, "In that case, go ahead, Lord Shi Xiu."
Smiling, Shi Xiu led Haku toward the street. Haku stared at Konoha's bustling main road, his eyes full of wonder and amazement.
It was completely different from what he had seen in Kirigakure. Tall buildings lined the road, people bustled about, shops displayed all kinds of goods, and vendors called out to passersby—a scene of prosperity and liveliness.
Noticing Haku's thoughtful expression, Shi Xiu chuckled and asked softly, "What is it, Haku? You look so deep in thought. What are you thinking about?"
Haku raised his head and met Shi Xiu's gaze, but seemed hesitant. After a long silence, he finally gathered the courage to speak.
"Sir, do you... do you think I really bring misfortune to the people around me?" Haku's eyes revealed a worry and unease he could barely conceal.