How Everyone Changed

A female medical ninja finished examining Kushina and reported with a trembling voice, "F-Fourth Hokage."

"Lady Kushina is all right for now."

"The examination showed that she fainted because her grief caused a blockage in her blood vessels."

"A-and with Lady Kushina eight months pregnant, she's especially weak right now."

"She just needs plenty of rest and nutritious food."

When Minato Namikaze heard that Kushina had only fainted and her life was not in danger,

he finally calmed down and returned to his usual self.

Minato Namikaze went to Kushina's side and gently took her hand.

"I understand. Sorry for the trouble."

Minato Namikaze's calm voice came slowly.

"And I'm sorry about earlier."

The female medical ninja hurried to reply, "I-it's all right, Lord Fourth Hokage."

Seeing Minato Namikaze's tone return to normal, the female medical ninja finally felt the weight lift from their hearts.

Patting their chests, they said, "We'll leave you alone now, Lord Hokage."

Minato Namikaze gazed calmly at Kushina, who lay on the infirmary bed.

He nodded without a word.

The others filed out.

Minato Namikaze looked at the unconscious Kushina and murmured, "Kushina, I never imagined we'd go through something like that in a month."

"I regret the decision my future self made!"

Minato Namikaze looked at Kushina and said firmly, "Once you wake up, I'll live only for you and Naruto this time!"

"What happens to Konoha has nothing to do with me.

"What happens to the Shinobi World has nothing to do with me either."

Minato Namikaze looked at Kushina on the bed and said firmly, "I'll step down as Hokage and protect you both every moment of every day."

"If you wake up and don't want to stay in Konoha, where you've suffered so much,"

"then as your husband, I'll take you both away."

"This time,"

"I'll protect you and Naruto. I'll make sure our son grows up strong."

As if remembering something, Minato Namikaze swore silently, The man in the tiger-striped mask! He's the man in the black mask we saw in that glimpse of the future.

He killed my wife! He killed my son!

Minato Namikaze's face filled with murderous intent. "Good. One day, I'll make you suffer so badly you'll beg for death and be denied it."

Minato Namikaze himself had not noticed it yet.

He had changed completely. All he could think about now was how to grow stronger

and kill the masked man with his own hands.

Hokage's Office

Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have aged years in an instant. "That masked Uchiha from the future has his sights on us."

Fugaku Uchiha, standing nearby, interrupted him. "Third Hokage, leave that mysterious masked man to us Uchiha."

"This time, I won't let him interfere with the Fourth Hokage or his wife."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Fugaku Uchiha, then lowered his head in shame. "Sorry for the trouble, Fugaku," he replied wearily.

Shikaku, who stood nearby, hesitated before speaking. "Third Hokage, what about the Fourth Hokage?"

At the mention of Minato and his wife, no one in the Hokage's Office dared answer.

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied calmly, "I owe them. Whatever Minato chooses to do from here on, I'll let him."

"But!"

"Minato Namikaze and Kushina will always be heroes of Konoha."

"No matter what they choose next, one thing will never change."

"Their family will always be ninja of Konoha."

For a moment, Utatane Koharu thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.

But when she looked closely at Hiruzen Sarutobi, she realized her old friend seemed different.

The Ninja Hero of old had returned.

Remembering the foolish things she had done, Utatane Koharu lowered her head in shame. Teacher, is it too late for me?

Mitokado Homura also began to regret how, since their teacher's death,

he had somehow lost sight of the ideals he once held.

Mitokado Homura lowered his head in shame as well. Teacher, if I devote myself to supporting Hiruzen now, can I ease this burden of guilt?

Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer bear to face Minato Namikaze.

His future self had promised to look after Minato's son.

Yet no one could have imagined what that future would hold...

Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his fists and asked himself in anguish, Did my future self truly become so foolish?

He closed his eyes in grief.

What Hiruzen Sarutobi did not know was that his heart had not changed.

Danzo was behind everything that happened in the future. Of course, some people might find that hard to believe.

Many might even think Hiruzen Sarutobi was a bad man.

But he truly was not. He had treated young Naruto better than his own grandson.

Just think how old Hiruzen Sarutobi had been by then.

And in Boruto, Naruto Uzumaki barely had time to go home and see his children.

Mountains' Graveyard

A pitch-dark basement

Obito Uchiha had watched the tragic future that awaited Kushina.

Obito Uchiha had also recognized that the man in that future was himself.

The thought pained him, but he quickly recovered.

This world is incomplete, Obito Uchiha told himself firmly. I will not fail. I cannot fail.

When the time comes, you can all be reunited, Kushina. This world must be destroyed.

Minato Namikaze, Kushina, Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi—every one of you in this world is a fake.

I'll kill you all and set you free. Then you can be together in that other world.

Rin!

Obito Uchiha had seen his future self

kill his own teacher and his teacher's wife with his own hands.

From that moment, Obito Uchiha knew there was no turning back.

Whatever the cost, he had to succeed. Failure was not an option.

Obito Uchiha sank deeper into darkness.

When that day came, what if he discovered that everything he had held on to was a lie?

How devastating would that be for Obito Uchiha?

Would it mean the destruction of the Shinobi World, an age of hatred, or one person's path of revenge?

Kirigakure

Mizukage Karatachi Yagura gave a self-mocking laugh. "The Shinobi World really is impossible to make sense of these days."

Karatachi Yagura said to the ninja behind him, "It seems we've gotten word about the village ahead of time."

Zabuza replied evenly, "Yes!"

There was no joy on Karatachi Yagura's face, only troubled resignation.

"I want to see this Mei Terumi within a day!"

Karatachi Yagura's voice turned cold. "If you fail to bring her here by then..."

"You understand the consequences?"

Zabuza dropped heavily to one knee, his face cold and grim. "I understand!" he answered firmly.

Note: The contract may be signed tonight. If this story doesn't reach thirty thousand readers in the next few days,

I might not want to keep going. The money is far too little.

I don't want to dwell on it. I'll leave it to fate.

If you can, please leave a rating. Thank you very much.