Plans for Team Minato

With Kakashi's situation settled, Minato slowly turned his attention to Rin Nohara and Kushina, who sat nearby.

"Next, we need to talk about Rin."

Minato looked into Rin Nohara's eyes. "The Three-Tails has now been sealed inside you. I used the Eight Trigrams Sealing to suppress him. That means... Rin, you are now the Three-Tails' jinchūriki."

"The term 'jinchūriki,'" Minato explained, not just to Rin but to everyone present, "literally means 'sacrifice.'

"It refers to sealing a Tailed Beast—a monster with natural-disaster levels of chakra—inside a ninja for a strategic purpose."

"In exchange, the jinchūriki can draw on the Tailed Beast's nearly limitless power in battle."

All this time, Konoha, the foremost ninja village, had possessed only one Tailed Beast.

Information about jinchūriki had always been classified at the highest level within the village. Even a Jonin might not know the full picture.

"And here in Konoha... the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki is..."

Minato looked at the red-haired woman with her arm around Rin Nohara's shoulders, his eyes filled with affection.

"...Kushina."

The moment the secret was revealed, astonishment crossed Kakashi's face. Asami Ri feigned surprise as well.

Looking at the red-haired woman whose hearty laughter he knew so well, Kakashi found it hard to imagine that the strongest Tailed Beast was sealed inside her.

Kushina sensed the heaviness spreading through the room, especially when she noticed the aching tenderness in Minato's gaze, but she showed no vulnerability.

Instead, she playfully lifted her chin, stuck her tongue out at Minato, and chuckled, "Hehe," deliberately pulling an exaggerated face.

"I've already submitted a formal recommendation to the village regarding Rin's arrangements."

Minato's expression returned to its usual gentleness. "Rin, under the current circumstances, you are Konoha's new jinchūriki. So, for the time being, you'll stay with Kushina. You'll learn how to coexist with a Tailed Beast, so you can use its power when it matters most."

He paused, then walked over to Rin and looked into the girl's slightly anxious eyes.

"Kushina inherited the Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan from the Land of Whirlpools. I hope you'll study Sealing Jutsu diligently under her. For a jinchūriki, Sealing Jutsu is more than a cage for a Tailed Beast. It can protect your own will from being eroded. Only by becoming strong enough can you truly suppress the Three-Tails inside you."

Minato paused here, then smiled encouragingly.

"But, Rin, don't let carrying a Tailed Beast erase who you are. Never forget your dream of becoming a first-rate Medical Ninja. Keep following that path, and combine tailed beast chakra with Medical Ninjutsu. I believe you can become a ninja like Lady Tsunade."

Kushina nodded emphatically beside him. She pulled Rin close by the shoulders and gave her own chest a confident pat. "Don't worry, Minato! Rin's so smart, and with me around, we'll have that big turtle behaving himself in no time! Right, Rin?"

Listening to Minato's advice and feeling the warmth of Kushina's hand, Rin Nohara finally felt her anxious heart settle.

Her eyes grew warm, but she nodded firmly, her expression regaining its familiar resolve.

Finally, Minato's gaze fell on Asami Ri.

"Ri, as for you, the village leadership wants you to keep exploring Storm Release."

Minato stepped forward and gave Asami Ri's shoulder a firm pat, his tone solemn. "Combining lightning's destructive power with water's fluidity, this kekkei genkai is exceptionally rare even across the entire history of the Shinobi World. Your talent is astonishing, but this is nowhere near the end. Train hard, and make this power a true pillar capable of supporting the village's future."

At that point, Minato's expression stiffened.

As a Jonin, he had to consider not only military strategy but also the village's long-term development, including the continuation of clans with kekkei genkai.

His lips moved as he tried to bring up "continuing the bloodline" and "establishing a clan." But looking at the boy before him, only twelve years old and still a little childish, the words "carry on the Storm Release bloodline" stuck in his throat. He simply could not say them.

He gave a slightly awkward cough, then turned to the bookshelf to cover his embarrassment. Taking down an old-looking dark red Scroll, he solemnly placed it in Asami Ri's hands.

"And this, Ri. It contains the Uzumaki Clan's system of Sealing Jutsu, personally compiled by Kushina."

Minato looked into Asami Ri's calm eyes. "You have an incredible gift for Sealing Jutsu. It would be a real shame not to pursue it further. I hope you'll put this Scroll to good use."

As he spoke, Minato felt a pang of regret.

"The village's affairs are growing more complicated by the day, and my responsibilities are getting heavier. As your teacher, I'm sorry... I'm afraid I'll have less and less time to stay by your side and guide your training the way I used to."

He gently patted Asami Ri's shoulder, then glanced at Kakashi and Rin.

"From here on, you'll more often have to explore and find your own understanding along the path of training. Our days as Team Minato may be coming to a close."

He paused for a moment, then gave them a smile as bright as sunshine.

"But please remember, whatever position I hold, however my role changes, I will always be your teacher. If you encounter an obstacle in your training that you cannot overcome, or if you ever feel lost and confused in life, come to me anytime. My door will always be open to you."

Then Minato took out two identification cards and handed them to Asami Ri and Rin Nohara.

"Starting today, both of you are officially promoted to Special Jōnin. Congratulations, Rin, Ri. You are now Special Jōnin of Konoha."

Beside their photographs on the gold-stamped ninja identification cards, the words "Special Jōnin" gleamed beneath the light, declaring that at only twelve years old, they had officially entered Konoha's upper ranks.

"Finally, there's one more thing."

He slowly walked over to Kushina and gently took her hand as everyone watched.

He drew a deep breath, and a smile purer than any he had ever shown before blossomed across his face.

"Kushina and I are getting married."

As he said those words, Minato's eyes met Kushina's, just as they had when he first saw her.

His love could no longer be concealed, and the intensity of his feelings melted the chill in the air.

Kushina, known as the Red-Hot Habanero, now wore a rare look of girlish shyness.

She lowered her head, letting her cascading red hair hide her faintly flushed cheeks, but the irrepressible curve of her lips had already betrayed the sweetness in her heart.

"Huh?!! Really?!"

Rin Nohara was the first to cry out. She instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling.

Laughter echoed through the small room, dispelling the shadow of death.