Kushina panicked at once. "Noka? Didn't she go back to her room ages ago?"
"I just checked her room. She wasn't there! The room was spotless, and even the blanket was folded. It didn't look like she'd gone to sleep..."
Mirai frowned.
There really had been one problem after another tonight. They had barely rescued Kushina when Noka disappeared too.
"Don't panic. I'll go look for her right away." He was about to close his eyes and activate Mind's Eye of the Kagura when footsteps came from the courtyard entrance.
Everyone turned to look—
Minato Namikaze stood at the gate, his golden hair gleaming beneath the moonlight. Several shallow wounds marked his body, and his clothes were somewhat disheveled.
And in his arms, he carried a Kurenai-haired girl.
Noka Uzumaki.
Noka had buried her face in Minato's chest, both hands clutching tightly at his collar as though she wanted to hide herself away.
Hearing so many people in the courtyard, she cautiously peeked out with one eye—then let out a little cry and buried her face again, her ears burning a Kurenai shade.
"...Minato?" Mirai froze for a moment. "What happened here?"
Minato caught his breath and forced a smile. "I chased her down from outside the village."
He said it briefly, but Mirai's gaze fell on the bandages wrapped around Minato's right hand—blood had seeped through them.
There was also a fresh wound on his left arm. It was not deep, but it was clearly from a fight.
"What exactly happened?" Mirai walked over, took Noka from him, and set her down beside them.
Even as Noka was put down, she muttered softly, "Mirai... be gentler..."
"Don't talk for now." Mirai patted her head, then turned to Minato. "Take your time."
Minato took a deep breath and briefly recounted