Kushina had lost count of how many times she had woken from nightmares of the Nine-Tails. Every dream was the same, and every time, she jolted awake in terror. She could no longer remember how long she had been under surveillance, either. All she knew now was that she had someone to lean on.
But Minato had become so absorbed in developing the Rasengan that he had neglected Kushina's feelings.
In the end, Kushina made her choice. She knocked out the guards watching her, ran out of the barrier, and set off to find Minato.
What she did not know was that the instant she stepped outside the barrier, the Nine-Tails' seal weakened. Inside the Sealing Space, the Nine-Tails' lips slowly curled upward. He had finally gotten the chance he had been waiting for. He would kill everyone closest to her and leave her to live in agony.
Meanwhile, Minato's work on the Rasengan was not going smoothly. He had failed countless times, leaving the ground riddled with craters blasted open by chakra.
Fortunately, his teacher, Jiraiya, was there with him, offering advice when he needed it.
"Minato, if you can't figure out which way to rotate your chakra, try following the direction of your hair whorl. That should help you mobilize the chakra throughout your body."
"Really, Master Jiraiya? Quick, help me check which way my hair whorl turns!"
"All right, all right. Don't rush." Chuckling, Jiraiya walked over to Minato and took a look. What he saw startled him: Minato had two hair whorls, and they turned in opposite directions.
Both of them were utterly baffled by this discovery. What were they supposed to do now?
"All right, Minato. Have an ice pop and take a break."
Jiraiya smiled as he snapped the ice pop in his hand