Are You Really Only Three Years Old?

Feeling the warmth and sincerity of Kushina's grip, which reminded him of the spring sun, Hayato took a moment to politely but firmly extract his hand from her warm, powerful palm.

"Actually, I didn't really help that much; it was all thanks to Minato."

"Minato already told me everything," Kushina said, shaking her head with a gentle smile. "If you hadn't pointed me in the right direction, I don't know how long I would have been wandering around. I might have even been dragged off to another country, or worse, met with some misfortune."

As they chatted, Kushina realized she hadn't introduced herself yet and quickly added with a smile, "Oh, right! My name is Kushina Uzumaki. You can just call me Big Sister Kushina!"

With that, she naturally reached out her right hand, intending to gently stroke Hayato's youthful cheek, but he skillfully dodged the gesture with an agile movement.

Seeing this, Kushina couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous yet warm light. "What's wrong, Hayato? Are you shy?"

"Not at all." Hayato quickly denied it. He simply wasn't used to being coddled like a child; while he gladly accepted affection from his elders at home, he always maintained a degree of vigilance and distance when it came to physical contact with others.

"Alright, Kushina, let's head inside. Standing in the doorway isn't exactly how we treat guests," Minato reminded her gently, his tone filled with warmth and care.

Hearing this, Kushina scratched the back of her head and laughed with a hint of embarrassment. "Right, right, I completely forgot! Please, come in." She stepped aside, warmly inviting Hayato into the house.

Stepping inside, a cozy and comfortable atmosphere washed over him. Though the room was slightly cluttered, it exuded a sense of authentic, carefree living, as if one could catch a glimpse of Kushina's usual lively and uninhibited nature.

Noticing the mess, Kushina quickly stepped forward to tidy up a bit, saying apologetically, "I'm so sorry! I didn't expect guests today, so I didn't have time to clean up. Please, don't mind the mess."

Seeing this, Minato joined in the effort, and the two worked with a silent, practiced coordination that soon turned the slightly chaotic room into a neat and orderly space.

Hayato, seeing no room for himself to help, simply found a clean spot on the tatami mat and sat down, watching them quietly.

Once Minato finished tidying up, he turned and walked over to Hayato, smiling as he handed him a steaming cup of tea. "Hayato, have you started at the Ninja Academy yet?"

Hayato shook his head and replied, "I started school this year."

"Oh? You're already in school? But you look so young," Kushina said, leaning in curiously to look him over.

"I'm three years old," Hayato replied with a straight face, as if attending the Ninja Academy at three were the most normal thing in the world.

"Then why aren't you at school? Skipping class is wrong, you know," Kushina said, feigning seriousness while her eyes twinkled with playfulness.

"Well... I have my own reasons." Hayato paused slightly, choosing not to spill his secrets all at once, and simply brushed the topic aside.

"To be honest, if it weren't for your age, I would have thought you were already a ninja capable of handling things on your own," Minato said with a smile, his eyes full of admiration.

Kushina looked at Hayato in confusion; no matter how she looked at him, he still seemed like a child of only two or three.

Seeing her confusion, Minato explained, "When I ran into Hayato nearby earlier, he was in the middle of some rigorous training."

"Eh? Really?" Kushina looked at Hayato in surprise, her eyes shining with respect and curiosity.

She suddenly felt inadequate, realizing she wasn't even as hardworking as a three-year-old.

"If I had been stronger back then, I wouldn't have been taken away. And now, I wouldn't be..." Kushina's voice trailed off, a flicker of loneliness crossing her eyes.

Minato walked over to her, gently patted her shoulder, and comforted her, "It's not your fault, Kushina. It was an accident; no one could have predicted it."

"Did something happen?" Hayato asked curiously.

Seeing that Hayato had brought it up, Minato didn't feel the need to avoid the subject, especially since Hayato had been a key figure in the whole incident.

"It's like this: Kushina was kidnapped by ninjas from another country recently, and the situation was quite serious," Minato said softly, his tone heavy.

He naturally didn't mention which country the ninjas were from, and since the matter hadn't spread widely throughout the village, many people were still unaware of it.

"So, is there a possibility of war breaking out?" Hayato frowned and asked in a low voice. Though his words were quiet, they revealed a maturity and composure far beyond his years.

This question caught both Minato and Kushina off guard.

Looking at Hayato's youthful yet determined face, it was hard for them to imagine he was only a three-year-old child.

"Hayato, are you really only three?" Kushina leaned in close, as if trying to see right through him.

Hayato spread his hands and laughed helplessly. "What else? Do you think I'd lie to you?"

"But your behavior really doesn't seem like a child's; you're very mature," Kushina said with a smile.

"I'll take that as a compliment, then," Hayato replied, not bothering to argue.

"We don't know the aftermath of that incident yet," Minato said quietly, his tone tinged with worry. "But it's said that the Daimyo of the Land of Fire is currently in negotiations with the other side, hoping to resolve the matter peacefully."

The kidnapping incident hasn't been resolved yet, Hayato thought, falling into deep contemplation. If a war were to break out, it might be an opportunity for him.

But in his memory, the Third Shinobi World War was still several years away. Surely it wouldn't be triggered just because he pointed Minato in the right direction, would it?

Seeing Hayato fall silent, Minato assumed he was worried about the war, so he crouched down and looked into Hayato's steady eyes. "And don't worry, even if a war does break out, the adults in the village will do everything in their power to protect you all. You don't need to worry."

"I understand," Hayato nodded, a firm conviction in his eyes. "I will also work hard on my training so I don't hold everyone back."

Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Kushina jumped in to liven things up. "Alright, alright! To thank you for your help last time, I'm going to cook for you myself. Is there anything you'd really like to eat?"

"Udon noodles," Hayato said without a second thought; it was one of his favorite foods.

"You got it, no problem!" Kushina waved her hand, agreeing readily. "I'll make sure you're stuffed!"

With that, she rolled up her sleeves and headed for the kitchen. Minato started to follow to help, but she pushed him back. "It's fine, I can handle it. You go keep Hayato company; I'll be done in no time."

Minato smiled and nodded, then turned to sit down next to Hayato. The two began to chat about the Ninja Academy and their respective training experiences.

Just then, a book accidentally fell out of Minato's backpack. Hayato caught a glimpse of the contents—pages filled with messy circles, lines, and dense, scribbled notes—and a guess began to form in his mind.

Could that be...

"Brother Minato, what is this..." Hayato asked, pointing at the book on the ground.

Hearing this, Minato hurriedly picked up the book and said with a smile, "This? It's an idea for a ninjutsu I've been researching lately. Although there are still many flaws, I've always wanted to perfect it. Do you want to take a look? See if you can help me add anything to it?"

As he spoke, Minato handed the book to Hayato. Although he didn't truly believe Hayato could help him complete the idea for this ninjutsu, out of curiosity and appreciation for Hayato, he decided to let him see it.

Even though he didn't really think Hayato could help him complete it.

Hayato took the book and began to examine it carefully.

As expected, it's the Rasengan, Hayato thought to himself.