Inside the Hokage Office, the air seemed to freeze in an instant, then buckle under an invisible pressure until it almost dripped with moisture.
Minato Namikaze's golden eyes, usually shining with warmth and wisdom, stared fixedly at the outrageously brazen words formed from clouds outside the window. Then he whipped his gaze back toward what should have been Kushina Uzumaki, but was now a wooden figure with a wide, unnervingly stiff grin.
"Kushina..."
His voice was dry, carrying a tremor he did not even notice.
One moment, they had been discussing how to handle Shinichi-sensei's elusive "harassment." The next, his most treasured teammate, the brightest flame in his heart, had been "snatched" away right under his nose in an almost humiliating fashion.
The wooden figure still carried the faint fragrance of Kushina's usual shampoo, along with... a barely perceptible trace of Shinichi-sensei's distinctive, languid scent, like bedding freshly warmed in the sun.
"Bastard!"
Senju Nawaki slammed his fist onto the desk. The sturdy solid-wood surface groaned under the blow. His eyes were bloodshot, burning not only with anger at Shinichi-sensei's "unsporting" behavior, but also frustration at his own helplessness and worry for Kushina's safety.
"Minato, what do we do now? Kushina... she'll be all right, won't she?" Nawaki's voice was anxious.
Minato Namikaze drew a deep breath and slowly released it, trying to calm the heart pounding wildly in his chest from shock and anger.
He knew Shinichi-sensei would not actually hurt Kushina.
This was still part of that damned "test."
It was just that this time, his teacher had delivered a crushing blow in a way he could neither predict nor guard against.
"Our opponent... is Shinichi-sensei." Some composure returned to Minato's voice, though its heaviness remained unmistakable. "We don't need to worry about Kushina's safety for now. Sensei's