Kushina and Minato

A week after the attack.

Danzo had made no further moves, and the Orochimaru who came to watch over Yan had been replaced by a Shadow Clone. His real body was probably still holed up in his Laboratory.

After a week of intensive training, the members of the Night Organization had improved by leaps and bounds.

And Yan wasn't forcing their growth. They had to establish a solid foundation before moving on to the next stage of training.

This string of results pleased the Third Hokage greatly. Every time he saw Yan, he was all smiles.

The Third Hokage even considered having Ninja Academy students start learning Chakra control early to improve their chances of surviving the war.

Today was a day off, and Yan chose to stay home. After finishing his daily training in the yard,

Yan checked how many Gold Coins he currently had.

[Gold Coins: 1210]

Yan didn't spend them right away. He planned to save up for a ten-pull.

Since he'd officially become able to train at five years old, this was the first time Yan had experienced earning Gold Coins so quickly.

During the intensive training, Yan often found opportunities to spar with others. He estimated that the limit on Gold Coins earned through fighting was 600 per person.

He'd already milked Kakashi dry. He wondered whether a change in a character's name suffix would let him earn another round of Gold Coins from them.

"Yan, come out with me to buy a few things. You can't stay cooped up at home all the time."

Just as staying home during a holiday on Blue Star would trigger a parents' version of a rules-based horror story, Yan was forcibly dragged out by Mikoto.

Of course, Mikoto was also worried that Yan would get up to something again if left alone.

"Oh, Mikoto!"

As they walked down the street, the two ran into a redhead and a blond.

Kushina looked at Yan beside Mikoto. "Is this that little brat Yan? I heard you burned down Konoha Back Mountain. Is that true?"

"That's right. Back then, I..."

Mikoto tapped Yan on the head, cutting him off, then nodded to Minato beside Kushina.

"Kushina, Minato, it's been a while."

The four entered a dessert shop, ordered a few skewers of Dango, and chatted as they ate.

"What a coincidence. Minato and I were just about to go to the Uchiha Clan Compound to find you, and here we ran into you instead."

"Find me? Did you need something?"

"Actually, to be precise, we were going to find Yan."

Minato picked up the conversation and turned toward Yan.

With his mouth stuffed full of Dango, Yan looked at Minato in confusion.

Minato grew serious. "I've been researching a Ninjutsu modeled after the Tailed Beast Bomb, but I haven't been able to figure it out."

"A few days ago, I learned that Yan had developed a new Ninjutsu called the Rasengan and submitted it to the village. After studying it, I discovered it was exactly the technique I'd always wanted to develop."

"Although it's a little frustrating to have someone so effortlessly surpass what I've been working toward, I still want to thank you, Yan."

"By submitting this Ninjutsu to the village, you allowed me to learn it through the Secret Transmission. It's made my fighting style more complete."

Submitting the Rasengan to the village and making it part of the Secret Transmission essentially made the Ninjutsu available to everyone in Konoha.

Those who learned it had no obligation to thank him.

But Minato had come anyway. Looking at his smile, Yan inwardly marveled:

He really was a little ray of sunshine.

"Yes, yes, thank you from me, too. You let Minato... um, uh..."

Kushina suddenly blushed as she spoke. Apparently, something had happened between them before they came.

To hide her embarrassment, Kushina thumped her chest and declared:

"If you ever need anything, come ask me, the future female Hokage, for help!"

Yan actually did have something he wanted the couple's help with.

"Oi, brat, there's something dangerous about that look in your eyes. It's exactly the same look you had when Fugaku was courting Mikoto and you said he'd burned your butt with a cigarette."

Kushina interrupted Yan's thoughts. He gave an awkward laugh and said:

"Kushina, Minato, I'd like you to introduce me to Lord Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya?" "My teacher?"

The two exchanged a glance, curious about why Yan wanted to find Jiraiya.

"Well, um, it's..."

Yan couldn't exactly say that he wanted to invite Jiraiya to become a guest writer for the "Playboy Ninja" publication he was about to launch.

Mikoto would beat him to death if he said that!

After five years of observation, Yan had discovered that, because of the existence of ninja, intelligence in this world was treated as confidential. Most information circulated only among ninja, through scrolls and similar means.

Civilians could only get their news through word of mouth.

Thus, Yan had come up with the idea of starting a newspaper and developing the entertainment industry on the side to earn some money.

"Is it because you can't find Lord Orochimaru to guide you in Ninjutsu, so you want to ask my teacher Jiraiya where he is?"

Seeing Yan's discomfort, Minato offered him a way out, and Yan quickly nodded.

"My teacher Jiraiya seems to have gone on a mission recently. Since it's an S-rank mission, I don't know whether he's returned yet. You could check the street where the Hot Spring Shop is. He might, uh, go there to gather material."

Minato handed Yan a specially made Trident Kunai. "If you see my teacher Jiraiya, you can show him this kunai. He'll understand."

"Hmph."

Minato glanced awkwardly at Kushina, who had just snorted, hoping she would help preserve Jiraiya's image.

Little did he know that Yan already knew exactly what Jiraiya was like.

Yan was already planning when to stake the place out.

The shop curtain lifted, and a familiar female voice reached Yan's ears.

"Shopkeeper, one Glutinous Rice Dango!"

Yan turned and saw purple hair tied in a high ponytail, along with Anko's sweat-dampened cheeks.

His gaze traveled down her long, straight legs to the fair, jade-like toes exposed by her ninja sandals.

"Huh! Yan, what are you doing here?"

Having just finished some extra training, Anko had wanted to reward herself with a glutinous rice dango. She hadn't expected to run into Yan here.

"Anko, if you eat too many sweets, you'll get so fat that people will think you're Akido Anko."

"Mind your own business! I'm only eating a little. How could I get fat?"

Anko instinctively bickered with Yan. Only after speaking did she notice Mikoto sitting beside him, along with two people she didn't know.

Looking at the girl who had frequently come to ask about Yan while he was grounded last time, Mikoto introduced them with a doting smile:

"Anko, this is Minato, a jonin, and this is Kushina."

Anko greeted the three of them and couldn't help blushing. She'd just finished training and hadn't had time to bathe or change. Why did Yan's older sister have to see her like this?

Mikoto and Kushina exchanged a knowing glance.

"Kushina, I remember that outfit you couldn't buy last time. I think they've got new stock."

"Oh, right, right! Let's go take a look. Minato, you're coming, too."

"Yan, stay here and keep your classmate company."

The three left the shop in perfect accord. Yan looked helplessly at the empty seats beside him and beckoned Anko over to sit.

Anko sat beside Yan, swinging her little feet above the floor.

With the adults gone, the color in Anko's face gradually returned to normal.

"Thank you."

Yan looked at her in confusion, and Anko continued:

"I haven't thanked you for what happened on the back mountain last time. And for the intensive training, too..."

Yan waved a hand. "No need to thank me. Just cover for me when I skip class from now on."

"Don't worry. Just remember to take me with you."

Anko patted her chest. She'd already fallen in love with skipping class. School was just too boring.

Once the awkward atmosphere dissipated, Anko's gaze inevitably drifted toward the untouched three-color dango on Yan's plate.

Why hasn't my Dango arrived yet? I'm so hungry.

Noticing Kurenai's gaze, Yan offered her the Three-Color Dango from his plate.

"I'm saving room for lunch. Do you want this?"

"Then don't mind if I do."

Anko snatched it up and began eating with a blissful expression. The thought of another skewer of glutinous rice dango waiting for her made her smile even more brightly.

Then Yan suddenly remembered that Mikoto had dragged Kushina off shopping. There was nobody home to cook!

As for Yan's and Fugaku's cooking skills... suffice it to say, eating Soldier Pills would be better.

"What's wrong?"

Anko looked at Yan, who had suddenly frozen, and asked in confusion.

"I'm wondering whether to have Tonkotsu Ramen or Char Siu Ramen for lunch."

Chewing her dango, Anko let her gaze wander.

"Is there nobody home to cook?"

"Then, um, how about coming to my house?"

Mitarashi Masamune opened the front door with a broad smile, ready to welcome his daughter home.

When he saw Yan behind his daughter, his face darkened.

"Uh, hello, sir."

Fugaku's face likewise darkened when he returned home and found the house empty.