Kushina nodded lightly in agreement. Just as the three seemed about to continue talking, Shi Xiu stepped forward and interrupted them. "Let's not say any more for now. If there's something we need to discuss, we can talk it over after we get back to Konoha. Come over here, all of you! I'm going to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to take everyone back to my house."
Hearing this, Minato walked over to Shi Xiu without hesitation and nodded to show he understood.
Once Minato was beside Shi Xiu, he reached out and rested his right hand lightly on Shi Xiu's left shoulder. At the same time, Kushina walked briskly over and placed her left hand firmly on Shi Xiu's right shoulder.
In stark contrast to Minato and his wife's decisive actions, Rin stood frozen off to the side, her eyes betraying a hint of confusion and uncertainty.
Rin stared blankly at Shi Xiu, as if she had no idea what to do next.
Seeing her reaction, Minato couldn't help feeling puzzled. "Rin, what's wrong? Why aren't you coming over?"
Minato's question made Rin look a little flustered. She quickly shook her head, then, as if she had made up her mind, walked toward Shi Xiu with hesitant steps.
To everyone's surprise, she finally opened her arms and wrapped them tightly around Shi Xiu's waist.
After making such a bold move, Rin squeezed her eyes shut, her cheeks as red as the evening sky. She asked softly, with a hint of shyness, "This... should be all right, shouldn't it?" Her body trembled slightly with nervousness as she spoke.
Minato was completely stunned by Rin's sudden action. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open, his face full of disbelief.
He was just about to say something when Kushina shot him a fierce glare. The warning in her eyes made him swallow his words.
Shi Xiu felt distinctly uncomfortable with Rin holding him around the waist.
He gave a slight cough, wondering whether he should tell Rin that using the Flying Thunder God Technique to transport people didn't necessarily require direct contact like this. Indirect contact would work too—for example, she could simply hold Kushina's hand.
But seeing how bashful Rin looked, Shi Xiu hesitated. In the end, he decided to keep quiet for the time being.
Still, looking at Rin's shy expression, he worried that explaining it now would only make things more awkward. So Shi Xiu said nothing. After all, Rin's body was the result of Impure World Reincarnation. It shouldn't be a big deal, right?
Shi Xiu gave a low shout. "Flying Thunder God!" In an instant, four figures flashed away like lightning.
In the blink of an eye, Shi Xiu, Minato, Kushina, and Rin had all returned to Shi Xiu's room.
Rin slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the completely unfamiliar surroundings, she couldn't help being startled.
She instinctively let go of Shi Xiu's waist and stumbled backward in a panic. Her steps faltered from the sudden fright, and she was about to fall awkwardly to the floor.
Just then, Kushina stepped forward and caught Rin by the arm.
"Rin, are you all right?" Kushina asked with concern.
Rin looked up at the sound of her voice and stole a glance at Shi Xiu, who stood nearby. Then, like a startled rabbit, she quickly lowered her head and shook it gently to show she was fine.
Meanwhile, Minato's gaze passed over the others and settled on the small figure lying on the bed. It was their child, Naruto Uzumaki.
The sight of Naruto sleeping peacefully brought an exceptionally tender smile to Minato's face. He walked slowly toward the bed, his eyes never leaving Naruto, as if afraid he might miss a single moment.
Kushina soon noticed Naruto too, and tears instantly welled in her eyes.
Kushina hurried toward the bed, each step filled with impatience.
(As for whether a body brought back with Impure World Reincarnation can shed tears, Hongchen based this on the fight between Fourth Kazekage Rasa and Gaara. Rasa shed tears when Gaara sealed him. So Hongchen decided that even though the body is made of dust, it still has human physical responses.)
Minato and Kushina stood by the bed, gazing lovingly at Naruto as he slept.
Kushina gently reached out and stroked Naruto's soft cheek, as carefully as if she were touching a priceless treasure.
"I was worried we'd sadly miss out on watching Naruto grow up." Kushina turned to Minato and spoke softly, lowering her voice. But its slight tremble couldn't hide her excitement.
Minato gently put an arm around Kushina's shoulders. He reached out and touched his own face, then smiled at Naruto, who was sleeping on the bed. "I wonder if Naruto will think it's strange when he grows up and sees these two faces."
At that, Kushina gave Minato an affectionate glare. Minato smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.
Nearby, Rin quietly watched little Naruto on the bed, astonishment rising in her heart.
Clearly, a great deal had happened in Konoha since she died.
Just then, Rin seemed to remember someone important. Her expression turned anxious, and she quickly asked Minato, "Minato-sensei, how is Kakashi?"
"Don't worry, Rin. Kakashi's fine. He's joined the Anbu now. It's just... his personality these days..."
Minato paused, worry showing on his face, then let out a long sigh.
Rin felt a surge of anxiety at his words, but forced herself to remain calm. She cautiously lifted her head and looked toward Shi Xiu.
At the same time, Minato and Kushina also turned to look at Shi Xiu.
To their surprise, Shi Xiu shook his head, his expression cold. He spoke slowly in a completely emotionless voice.
"There's no need to worry about Kakashi. Besides, even if you went to him now, you probably couldn't change what's already happened. We have more urgent and important matters to deal with."
Minato's face immediately stiffened, a subtle change that didn't escape Kushina's sharp eyes.
Kushina furrowed her brow, her gentle tone suddenly turning stern. "Minato, what's going on? Are you hiding something from me?"
At that moment, Rin's gaze also fell on her teacher.
On the surface, Rin still looked as calm as ever, but a faint glimmer of curiosity flickered deep in her eyes.
Faced with Kushina's pressing questions and Rin's curious gaze, Minato looked at a loss.
Minato quickly waved his hands and stammered, "No, of course I'm not hiding anything from you!"
But Kushina clearly didn't believe him. She gave a cold snort and said nothing more.
All Minato could do was smile awkwardly. A bead of cold sweat slid uncontrollably down his forehead.
Shi Xiu stood to the side, wearing an intrigued expression as he watched Minato and Kushina, waiting for the show to begin.
Kushina didn't press him any further, though. She privately guessed that it might be because Rin was there too.
Shi Xiu coughed lightly twice, drawing everyone's attention.
Then he cleared his throat and spoke slowly. "Next, I'm going to tell you about the mysterious person behind the Nine-Tails Incident."
Hearing this, Minato wore an expression that said he had expected as much.
Kushina immediately turned grave, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Seeing her teacher's wife look so serious, Rin had no idea what had happened, but the mood affected her, and she too put on a solemn expression.
Shi Xiu took a deep breath and enunciated every word. "The mysterious person who indirectly caused Minato and Kushina's deaths and controlled the Nine-Tails to bring about the terrible Nine-Tails Incident was... Obito!"
At those words, Minato let out a long sigh, as if burdened by endless emotion and helplessness.
Kushina and Rin both widened their eyes, staring at Shi Xiu in disbelief.
Rin, in particular, had already considered the mysterious person her sworn enemy when she first learned that he had killed her beloved Minato-sensei and her kind teacher's wife, Kushina.
But she had never imagined that her enemy would be someone she had once known so well—Obito!
Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief, but having weathered many storms, she quickly regained her composure.
Her eyes, filled with complicated emotions, fixed on Minato. Her lips trembled slightly as she asked in a lowered voice, "Why don't you look surprised at all?"
Minato knitted his brows slightly and let out a deep sigh, as though it held endless sorrow and helplessness.
He spoke slowly, his voice tinged with melancholy. "Actually, when I sealed the Nine-Tails, I left some of my chakra there, along with a sliver of my consciousness. So I already knew about this before Lord Shi Xiu brought us back with Impure World Reincarnation."
Kushina finally understood. Now she knew why Minato had looked so uneasy earlier.
But just then, Rin, who had been silent until now, suddenly roared like a lioness whose fury had been roused.
Her face flushed red, her eyes blazing with anger. "That's absolutely impossible! How can you slander Obito like that? Back then, he chose without hesitation to sacrifice himself to save me and Kakashi. He died a heroic death! How could he possibly be the one who killed Minato-sensei?"
When she finished, Rin quickly turned to Minato and Kushina, looking at them with hope in her eyes. She desperately wanted Minato-sensei to step forward and refute that man's words.
But Minato looked troubled, caught between two sides.
Just then, kindhearted Kushina hurried over and gently rested a hand on Rin's shoulder, trying to soothe her agitation.
Minato and Kushina knew very well that Shi Xiu was a mysterious man who had lived for a hundred years without ever aging.
From any angle, someone with his status and experience was unlikely to deliberately frame a young man.
But the hope in Rin's eyes gradually faded, replaced by uncontrollable fury.
Rin abruptly broke free of Kushina's warm embrace, clenched her fist, and charged straight at Shi Xiu without hesitation.
"You have no right to slander Obito!" Rin shouted furiously, her voice full of fierce loyalty to her friend.
Kushina hurriedly reached out to stop Rin, but everything had happened too suddenly, and Rin was as fast as lightning. With a dull thud, Rin's fist landed squarely on Shi Xiu's face.