Mental Trauma, Funeral

"The status of the jinchuriki is to be classified as an S-rank secret of the village. Anyone who leaks this information will be treated as a traitor," the Third Hokage said in a deep voice after Jiraiya had departed.

As he spoke, he radiated the overwhelming aura of a Kage.

"Understood."

Kakashi, Guy, and the two Anbu operatives all bowed their heads in respectful acknowledgment.

"Good."

Seeing this, the Third Hokage nodded faintly before turning to the Anbu behind him. "Pass down the order: the Fourth Hokage perished alongside the enemy to protect the village. He is to be remembered as a hero of Konoha."

"Understood," the Anbu replied, then turned and left the area.

Thud!

Kakashi sealed Minato's body into a scroll and secured it on his person.

The Third Hokage watched this without a word.

He then bent down and lifted Naruto from the ground.

With his azure eyes and dazzling golden hair, the Third whispered, "Minato, this child looks just like you."

The group then set off to return to the village.

On the way, he handed Naruto over to Kakashi, instructing him to take the boy to Tsunade for a thorough medical examination.

When it came to the jinchuriki, the Third Hokage dared not be careless.

As for the unconscious Naraku, he had Guy take him along as well, while the Third Hokage returned to the Hokage's office.

Despite his exhaustion, he still had to handle the aftermath and work to soothe the public's anxiety.

Just as in the original timeline, following Minato's death, the Third Hokage resumed his position as Hokage.

The next day.

"Ugh..."

Lying in a hospital bed, Naraku let out a pained groan before slowly opening his eyes.

"You're awake," a young girl with delicate features, dressed in a nurse's uniform, said to him.

"Who are you?" Naraku stood up from the bed. After a night of recovery, he only felt a slight headache and some physical weakness.

Suddenly, he remembered something and hurriedly lifted his shirt to check his stomach. Seeing his smooth, unblemished skin, he let out a sigh of relief.

Creak!

The door to the room opened. A figure with silver hair, a black mask, and a forehead protector covering his left eye entered—it was Kakashi.

"Naraku, you're awake." A flicker of joy crossed Kakashi's weary eyes, though it quickly faded back into sorrow.

"How are my sister and the others?" Naraku couldn't help but ask.

As he spoke, he walked out of the room. Upon waking, he had realized he was in the hospital; the girl nearby must have been a young Shizune.

Kakashi did not stop Naraku and walked out of the room with him.

Watching the small figure pass by, a look of pity crossed Shizune's eyes. Because of Tsunade, she had learned some of the details.

"Your sister suffered from extreme exhaustion and fell into a coma. Lady Tsunade is currently treating her," Kakashi said in a low voice.

"And the Fourth... he was killed in action."

Naraku's body trembled upon hearing this, and Kakashi reached out to steady him.

So, we still failed, Naraku thought to himself.

But for you, brother Minato, you succeeded. Controlling his emotions, Naraku accompanied Kakashi to Kushina's ward.

Naraku felt just as heartbroken over Minato's death, but a thought began to form in his mind.

In this world, the dead can be brought back, right?

In front of Kushina's ward, Naraku saw a familiar figure.

It was Jiraiya.

He looked lonely, his expression filled with grief.

Thud!

Just then, the door to the ward opened. It was Tsunade, her brow furrowed.

"How is Kushina?" Jiraiya asked.

Jiraiya cared deeply for Kushina, not to mention the final instructions Minato had given him.

Although Minato hadn't spoken those final words aloud, as one of the Sannin, Jiraiya understood basic lip-reading.

Naraku and Kakashi, standing nearby, looked at Tsunade with equal urgency.

However, Tsunade's demeanor disappointed them. She shook her head slightly. "My medical ninjutsu cannot help her."

"What do you mean?" Naraku's face changed. Tsunade's medical skills were the best in the ninja world; if even she was helpless...

Could it be that my sister...

Jiraiya reached out and patted him on the shoulder, signaling for him to calm down.

Tsunade glanced at Naraku before continuing, "The reason my medical ninjutsu had no effect is primarily because all the wounds on Kushina's body have already healed on their own."

Hearing this, Naraku finally realized the situation. The fact that Kushina was not yet dead meant that the Tailed Beast had already been resealed within her; otherwise, she would have perished long ago and could not have held on until now.

Since the Tailed Beast had been resealed, healing her wounds was no difficult task, given the Nine-Tails' regenerative abilities combined with the Uzumaki Clan's unique constitution.

"Then why is she still in a coma?" Jiraiya asked in a deep voice.

"Mental trauma."

"Childbirth followed by the extraction of the Tailed Beast, even though it has now been resealed..." Tsunade paused here before continuing.

"The successive agony has caused severe trauma to her spirit. Even though her body has recovered, she will be unable to wake up for some time."

"However, there is no need to worry too much. Based on the examination just now, her spirit is already slowly recovering, though it may take a little longer."

Hearing this, Naraku breathed a sigh of relief. Although she could not wake up for the moment, it was far better than death.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," Naraku said, bowing slightly toward her.

"You brat, do you really need to be so polite with me?" Tsunade said, sounding annoyed.

"Kushina is, after all, like a younger sister to me."

Kushina had come to Konoha at a very young age, and back then, she had always been by the side of Mito Uzumaki—Tsunade's grandmother—so the two of them were quite close.

"Shizune, you stay here for the time being to look after Kushina," Tsunade said to Shizune, who had just arrived.

"Understood, Lady Tsunade."

Afterward, Tsunade left the hospital. Having originally planned to leave the village, she stayed behind for the time being because of Kushina.

Jiraiya also remained in the village for the time being.

Three days later.

The morning sun shone through the window onto Naraku's face, and he opened his bleary eyes.

He then rose, dressed in a black outfit.

He first went to the room next door to check on Kushina, and a flash of disappointment crossed his face when he found she still hadn't woken up.

To make visiting Kushina more convenient, Naraku had moved directly into the hospital. The facilities here were fully equipped, and life was not inconvenient at all. Given his status as the younger brother of the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, having a private room in the hospital was a trivial matter.

Once Shizune finished checking on Kushina, he turned and left the hospital.

On the streets, people walked in groups, everyone dressed in black and holding white flowers for the memorial.

"Naraku," just as he stepped out of the hospital, Kakashi, also dressed in black, stood before him.

The two then walked together toward the funeral site. Today was the funeral of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.