Minato and Kushina

After parting ways with Shikamaru, Menma followed the route from his memories back home.

To be honest, he felt a kind of homesick timidity.

He could not be sure whether the parents who spent every day with him would notice that their son now had a different soul inside him.

He stood at the door for a long time. Since he could not avoid this forever, he reached out, knocked, and called loudly, "I'm home!"

The sound of slippers pattering came from behind the door. Before long, a gentle voice rang out along with the opening door. "Welcome home!"

Standing before him was a gentle red-haired woman—Menma's mother, Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina Uzumaki (image courtesy of PixelMind, a Bilibili creator)

Wearing a green apron, she smiled at Menma and asked, "Why are you back so late today? Did you go on a date with a girl?"

"No, Mizuki-sensei kept me behind for extra lessons."

Menma skillfully slipped past Kushina, sat down in the entryway, kicked off his shoes, took off the Ninja tool pouch around his thigh and tossed it beside them, then changed into slippers and ran into the living room.

"Honestly, Menma, how many times have I told you? Put your shoes away after taking them off, and put your Ninja tool pouch where it belongs." Kushina's complaining voice came from behind him.

A blond man in a blue shirt sat on the living room sofa reading a newspaper. When he saw Menma return, he asked without even looking up,

"Kept behind for extra lessons? What mistake did you make at school?"

Menma crossed the living room and entered the dining room. He picked up the kettle, did not bother with a cup, and directly gulped down several mouthfuls before answering,

"No. The Graduation Exam is coming soon, and Mizuki-sensei said my Transformation Technique needs more work, so he kept me behind for extra lessons."

Menma himself found it strange. Why was this body so adept at lying? It seemed he did not need to worry about the Minato couple discovering anything suspicious anytime soon.

"Mm. Mizuki may not be much in a fight, but he's pretty good at teaching children." Minato smacked his lips and spoke casually.

"Honestly, Minato, how can you say Mizuki-sensei is weak?

Back when you were at the Ninja Academy, you were both dead last." Kushina put away Menma's shoes, returned to the living room, and jabbed at him.

"I'm nothing like that guy!

Mizuki is still just a Chunin, while I'm a Jonin." Minato sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"A Special Jonin," Kushina could not help reminding him.

"A Special Jonin is still a Jonin. Even Mizuki has to call me Lord Minato when he sees me!" Minato retorted.

"Is that so? Then when are you going to call me Lady Kushina? I'm a proper Jonin!" Kushina said disdainfully.

"Hahaha, I'm a Special Jonin in the combat division. You're only a Jonin in the sealing corps, Kushina. It's different!"

Minato looked smug, completely unaware that danger was quietly approaching.

"Is that so? Are you saying I can't beat you?" Kushina narrowed her eyes and smiled, her red hair flying behind her like octopus tentacles.

"Menma, go back to your room first. What comes next isn't suitable for children to see."

Seeing that a wildly one-sided case of domestic violence was about to occur, Menma hurriedly threw out a topic to interrupt Kushina while her momentum was at its peak.

"Oh, right, I saw the Hokage today too. The Hokage was so gentle, not nearly as imposing as on Hokage Rock."

Minato wore an expression that plainly said he had been saved and quickly picked up the subject.

"The Hokage is naturally gentle toward the village's comrades. But when facing enemies, the Hokage's presence is truly terrifying!"

"But I saw that the Hokage's head and hand were both wrapped in bandages. Was the Hokage seriously injured before?"

Menma asked casually, but his ears had already perked up.

"No, those aren't bandages wrapped around injuries. They're sealing wraps inscribed with special sealing formulas."

Kushina explained from the side.

"Seals? Is the Hokage so powerful that he needs to be sealed?"

Menma asked again.

"Idiot, what are you thinking? Who would seal their own strength?

Lord Danzo lost his arm while covering for the Second Hokage and his teammates during the First Shinobi World War. He stayed behind alone to hold off the enemy, and that was when he lost his right eye too."

Minato explained, "Later, Lord Danzo fought desperately to return to the village.

To commend Lord Danzo's military achievements, the Second Hokage used the Wood Release cells left behind by his elder brother to cultivate an arm for Lord Danzo.

To repay Lord Danzo for saving Lord Uchiha Kagami's life, the Uchiha Clan also helped transplant a Sharingan into him.

However, both Lord Hashirama's Wood Release cells and the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan placed too great a burden on Lord Danzo's body.

So whenever he was not fighting, Lord Danzo had to wear sealing wraps that suppressed the activity of the Wood Release cells and the Sharingan."

By this point, Menma was almost dumbfounded. Danzo, selflessly sacrificing himself for others; the Uchiha Clan, repaying kindness with gratitude—could this world please be normal for once?

Beside him, Minato and Kushina assumed Menma was so immersed in Lord Danzo's story that he could not pull himself out. They exchanged smiles and encouraged him.

"Well, as long as our Menma works hard, he'll become an outstanding Ninja like Lord Danzo someday!"

After bathing, Menma lay in bed with a mind full of thoughts, unable to fall asleep for a long time.

Although the information he had now allowed him to barely glimpse one corner of this world, there were still far more people and pieces of information waiting for him to verify.

Who exactly was Konoha's current Jinchuriki?

Was it Kushina, or was it himself?

What was Hiruzen Sarutobi's current status?

Was he still a kindly old man like in the original story?

And there were the Three Sannin, Kakashi, Might Guy, the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan...

It was not yet time to investigate these questions. He could only wait until later.

Right now, the most important thing was to play the role of Menma Namikaze well and work hard to improve his strength. Only then could he live properly in this seemingly familiar yet completely different world!

Early the next morning, Menma sat at the dining table, eating the breakfast Kushina had prepared as he said to Minato,

"Dad, the Graduation Exam is less than three months away. Hurry up and teach me some powerful Ninjutsu!

Sasuke in my class already knows the Great Fireball Technique, and Sakura knows Genjutsu.

Other than the Three-Body Technique, I don't know any Ninjutsu at all. How am I supposed to get high marks on the Graduation Exam?"

"What? The Uchiha kid already knows the Great Fireball Technique?

That's ridiculous!

But Menma, the Graduation Exam tests one of the Three-Body Technique. It's not time for you to learn other Ninjutsu yet. Focus on building your foundation first," Minato said.

At this point, Kushina also patiently explained to Menma,

"Your father is right, Menma. Your foundation isn't very solid.

Besides, the Ninja Academy focuses on all-around development of a Ninja's talents. You need to master everything taught at school before moving on to the next stage of training!

If you rashly start practicing Ninjutsu, you might develop bad habits when casting it.

Think carefully. Doesn't Sasuke still need hand seals for his Great Fireball Technique?

Isn't it easy to dodge?

And isn't Sakura's Genjutsu hard to cast successfully too?

Menma, you can't aim too high. You have to keep your feet on the ground and take things step by step."

"But Sasuke's Ninjutsu looks so cool.

Even an idiot like Shikamaru has a clan secret technique. I'm the only one who doesn't know anything. It's so unfair!"

Menma began throwing a tantrum.

"How about this? Once you graduate successfully and become a Genin, Dad will teach you a really cool Ninjutsu. What do you think?

Even the Third Hokage uses this Ninjutsu often!" Minato thought for a moment before making Menma a promise.

"Mm, Mom can teach you a very practical sealing technique too!" Kushina agreed.

"Then can you tell me what Ninjutsu it is first?" Menma asked curiously.

"Dad will teach you Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

It's one of the Third Hokage's signature Ninjutsu!

Lord Danzo once used that move, then wiped out five Jonin from Iwagakure!" Minato said proudly.

"Mom will teach you the Object Sealing Method.

Once you learn it, you'll be able to seal your luggage into special scrolls.

When you go on missions in the future, you won't have to carry so much luggage on your back!" Kushina said gently.

"Then it's settled. Once I become a Genin, Dad and Mom have to teach me Ninjutsu!"

Menma thought it over and accepted his parents' reasoning.

However, he had also made up his mind. Before the Graduation Exam, he would train on his own and do his utmost to improve his foundation.

He would start with Chakra control!

After breakfast, Menma picked up his Ninja tool pouch and left home. Once Menma's figure disappeared beyond the door, Minato and Kushina began accusing each other.

"Honestly, Minato, you're such a liar!

When did Lord Danzo ever use Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to take out five Jonin?"

"When did I lie?

I only said Lord Danzo used Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, then took out five Jonin.

I never said those five Jonin died to that move. Couldn't they have been defeated by Lord Danzo's other Ninjutsu?"

Minato curled his lips disdainfully. "But you—Object Sealing Method is so difficult. You need to memorize so much sealing knowledge.

It took me three years just to barely learn it, and I still can't use it proficiently. Is it really okay to teach it to Menma so early?"

"Don't compare your wooden brain to Menma's. Menma is very smart! Besides, it's only a few dozen books of materials. I'll make sure Menma learns it."

Kushina's demon-like smile made Minato shudder. He could not help feeling sympathetic and worried for Menma's days ahead.

Walking along the road to school, Menma suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He looked around, found nothing unusual, and did not pay it much mind as he continued toward the Ninja Academy.

Along the way, he had already made a plan. He still had several months left, so he would work hard to build his foundation: diligently refine Chakra during class, then practice tree climbing and water walking after school.

Naruto could learn tree climbing in one day and water walking in one day in the original story. There was no way Menma could not learn them in three months, right?