Minato Namikaze Leaves Konoha

Konoha

Hokage's Office

Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly, "Have you really decided, Minato?"

Minato Namikaze held Kushina carefully in his arms and said firmly, "I am very sorry, Third Hokage, but I have already made my decision."

"It was only after seeing that kind of future that I realized I am not a qualified father."

"Even less of a qualified husband."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked out the window with a desolate look, then slowly said, "Sorry, Minato. If you want to harbor resentment, then resent old me."

"It is the future old me who broke his promise."

Minato Namikaze looked at Kushina in his arms, shook his head gently, and replied slowly, "No, Third Hokage."

"The person who should say sorry the most is actually me!"

"As the Fourth Hokage."

"I understand better than anyone that the village needs me the most right now."

"Yet I chose to leave at a time like this; the person who should say sorry the most has always been me."

With his back to Minato Namikaze and Kushina, Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed calmly like that at the distant Hokage Rock of Konoha.

Recalling the First Hokage and the Second Hokage, tears welled up at the corners of Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes and slipped down drop by drop inadvertently as he said calmly, as if feeling a sense of relief, "This is not your fault, Minato. I must admit that old me is indeed getting old."

"And I am becoming more and more muddled. Old me hopes that no matter what kind of choices the two of you make in the future."

"You will always be the heroes of Konoha. This point will never change."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly turned around, looked with determination at Kushina and Minato before him, and said earnestly, "You must pay attention to safety once you leave the village, no matter where you are."

"You are forever the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, and also an outstanding ninja of Konoha."

As if thinking of things he had done in his past self, Hiruzen Sarutobi choked up and said, "You are always my pride."

"When the time comes, remember to bring little Naruto back to take a good look at a different Konoha."

"The gates of Konoha will always remain open for your family."

Minato Namikaze looked at the unfamiliar yet familiar Hiruzen Sarutobi before him.

He recalled one scene after another of Hiruzen Sarutobi teaching him in the past.

A line of tears slid down the corner of Minato Namikaze's eye as he choked up and said, "No matter where I am, I will always be the Fourth Hokage of Konoha."

"When the village is in trouble, I will step forward just as unhesitatingly."

"When the child of Kushina and me grows up later, I will definitely bring little Naruto back."

"Please take care, Third Hokage teacher."

Hiruzen Sarutobi burst into hearty laughter.

Haha...

Because Hiruzen Sarutobi had really not heard Minato call him teacher in a very long time.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, not daring to look at the Minato Namikaze before him anymore.

Because Hiruzen Sarutobi was afraid that he truly wouldn't bear to let Minato and Kushina leave.

Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi understood everything—it was Konoha that had failed Minato, and in the end, he could only solemnly exhort, "Take care, Minato, and be sure to protect Kushina and little Naruto well."

"When that time comes, let me, acting as a grandfather, properly make up for my little grandson."

"Remember!"

"Take extra good care of yourself when you go out into the world. If you miss home, just come back."

"This old man will wait for your arrival in Konoha."

Minato Namikaze nodded, carefully picked up Kushina, and used the Flying Thunder God directly.

Whoosh...

Arriving outside Konoha, Minato Namikaze looked with eyes full of tenderness at Kushina in his arms and said gently, "Kushina, from this day forward I am no longer the Fourth Hokage of Konoha."

"From now on, I am your husband and Naruto's father."

"I will accompany you all the way and protect you well."

"Starting today, all the mountains and rivers, I, Minato Namikaze, will view them together with you."

Holding Kushina in his arms, Minato Namikaze walked slowly into the forest.

Arriving outside the borders of the Land of Fire, Minato Namikaze looked with eyes brimming with love at Kushina, who was still unconscious and being held in his arms at that moment.

Minato Namikaze had long since detected that there were many enemy ninja sent by other villages hidden within this quiet forest.

Yet Minato Namikaze didn't take these people to heart nor pay any attention to them, choosing instead to hold Kushina carefully.

As he walked, he warned in a low voice, "Today, I do not want my wife to be splashed with blood."

Minato Namikaze fixed his gaze, filled with murderous intent, toward the distance and said in a low voice, "But!"

"If anyone's footsteps disturb my wife, it will make me feel very uncomfortable."

"Therefore, I, Minato Namikaze, still want to say one thing to all of you: whoever dares to take another step forward—"

"Dies!"

The dozen or so Jonin hiding in the secret locations heard the warning echoing from afar.

When everyone saw clearly that the yellow figure was none other than Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha.

Everyone was frightened to the point of trembling; at that very moment, no one dared to continue taking a single step forward.

Minato Namikaze thus held Kushina calmly and left that place.

Iwagakure

Tsuchikage's Office

Ōnoki hovered in front of his desk and muttered in annoyance, "It seems he still chose to leave after all?"

Ōnoki sighed wearily, "Sigh."

Then Ōnoki gave stern instructions to Akiba the Jonin standing before him, "Akiba, pass down my orders: if you encounter the Minato couple outside, you must not engage them in combat."

"You can only be friendly and must not make an enemy of them. Those who make enemies with them will be expelled from Iwagakure."

The Iwagakure Jonin named Akiba replied respectfully, "Understood, Tsuchikage-sama!"

Whoosh...

Akiba hurriedly leapt out the window to quickly report the matter.

Ōnoki looked at Akiba who had already departed, a look of utter exhaustion surfacing in his eyes as he muttered to himself, "Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, have you arrived at Konoha?"

"The Shinobi World is about to descend into major chaos right away."

"I don't even know if this choice old me made regarding Konoha is right or wrong."

"The future enemies fill me with a deep sense of powerlessness, and now Konoha has lost Minato Namikaze."

"The most important thing of all is that future child called Naruto Uzumaki."

"Oh well, oh well."

Ōnoki shook his head in annoyance and said with self-derision, "The children of the future really are more monstrous than the last."

"Even if I were my younger self, what could I possibly do?"

"Not to mention that the current me is indeed old."

"Kurotsuchi, Kitsuchi, whether Iwagakure survives or not is entirely up to the two of you."

"Although this old man is indeed old."

"This old bag of bones of mine can still put up a fight against that Mystery Masked Man."

Should that Mystery Masked Man dare to come and attack Iwagakure right now.

Ōnoki's gaze gradually turned fierce as he said in a resonant and forceful voice, "Even if we are no match for that Mystery Masked Man."

"This old man will absolutely not let the matter rest, even if it means fighting to the death!"

"Even if I perish right here and now, I will make that Mystery Masked Man understand one thing!"

"There are no cowards in Iwagakure."

"There are only Iwagakure ninja who die in battle."

"There is absolutely no such thing as an Iwagakure ninja who is afraid to die."

Calming down, Ōnoki's thoughts soared, his mind filled entirely with heavy vigilance.

Looking out the window, Ōnoki was overflowing with longing for his granddaughter as he muttered to himself, "Kurotsuchi, ever since Grandpa witnessed those scenes of the future."

"For some reason."

"It always feels as though I can already see the scenes of you and Konoha living together in harmony in the future."

Hahaha...

Ōnoki suddenly chuckled foolishly.

"If you, Kurotsuchi, were by Grandpa's side right now."

"You would definitely think Grandpa is beyond saving, wouldn't you?"

"Kurotsuchi, the future Iwagakure will truly be entrusted to you."

"Grow stronger properly in Konoha; in this Shinobi World that is about to fall into chaos."

"Go and grow stronger properly."

Note: Thanks to Drunken Red Dust Courtyard for sending a bouquet of little flowers.

Note: Little Poison, your kunai was received. I've updated two chapters from past 4 AM until now.

You should be satisfied this time, right?

You mustn't get angry anymore, okay?

Hehe, love you guys~