"Right here," Shimizu gestured for Kushina to lie down.
Once Kushina sat down, Shimizu extended his fingers, black flames flickering at the tips of all five.
Dark Medical Ninjutsu—with his continuous use, Shimizu's understanding of it grew day by day.
"Relax."
"Okay."
Kushina nodded, preparing herself for Shimizu's massage with practiced familiarity. Massages were deeply relaxing; people would go out of their way to pay for them. With someone like Shimizu, who didn't charge anything and possessed such masterful skill, Kushina couldn't think of a single reason to refuse.
Shimizu placed his hand on Kushina's back, slowly funneling the chakra from his fingertips into her body.
Every gift from the heavens already carries a hidden price tag in the shadows. If the backdoor he left behind was considered a toxin, then each time Kushina received a massage, the toxin inside her deepened a bit more. After prolonged accumulation, it had formed a potent toxicity that could no longer be underestimated.
"This time, your body might have some strange reactions," Shimizu warned Kushina in advance.
Kushina let out a soft groan. The pressure of the massage was just right. Under the soothing warmth of that chakra, drowsiness gradually washed over her.
At that moment, Shimizu freely let his gaze wander over Kushina. Her forehead protector had already been removed and set aside. Her crimson hair cascaded down to her waist, accentuating her graceful curves.
To be honest, Kushina's assets weren't small. They weren't as bountiful as Tsunade's or Nono's, but the curvature was excellent. Now, having shed her shinobi flak jacket and wearing only her mesh armor, her allure was even more pronounced.
Shimizu slowly withdrew one hand and formed a one-handed seal, summoning a one-horned behemoth. Gazing at those full, vibrant lips, Shimizu let out a smile.
Illuminated by the setting sun, their shadows intertwined. One shadow remained perfectly still, positioned near the midsection of the other. The moving shadow resembled a massive python in the dark, roaring and twisting its serpentine body.
Inside the Mental Space
The sleeping Nine-Tails suddenly snapped his eyes open. He looked questioningly at the cage imprisoning him. The red bars before him were gently swaying.
The Nine-Tails fixed his crimson eyes on the water covering the floor. Ripples continuously radiated outward, overlapping with one another and generating even larger waves. The frequency of those ripples perfectly matched the shaking of the red bars.
"What... what is this commotion?"
The Nine-Tails suddenly stood up. This felt oddly familiar. When had he experienced this sensation before? Was it back when he was still sealed inside Mito Uzumaki?
As the Nine-Tails attempted to push through the restriction Kushina had placed on him, he finally caught a fleeting glimpse of the outside world. It was a blurry silhouette. It seemed to be doing something untoward to Kushina.
"Outrageous!"
Monstrous rage flared within the Nine-Tails. If anything happened to Kushina, he would die along with her; the life of a Jinchuriki was intrinsically linked to their Tailed Beast. Even if he could reincarnate later, that process was fraught with too many unknowns. Who knew if someone would take advantage of his weakened state upon revival to slap another collar and seal on him?
"Stay quiet!" a cold voice rang out.
The Nine-Tails froze. Wasn't that the voice of that Uchiha brat? Was he launching a surprise attack on Kushina? Weren't they comrades?!
The Nine-Tails felt as though he was on the verge of grasping something, yet also felt like he had forgotten something completely mundane yet incredibly vital. Just as he was about to figure it out, several sealing formulas completely blocked his vision. He could only endure the earthquake-like tremors inside the gloomy mental space.
"Hmph, humans truly are a bunch of cunning brats."
The Nine-Tails hadn't been able to clearly see what was happening outside; he had only caught a blurry image. However, his instincts told him that this matter was far from simple.
Kushina felt as if she had returned to her childhood. In her dream, she felt a soft breeze gently brushing against her cheeks, carrying a faint floral scent. Her body seemed to grow weightless, as if lifted by the gentle breeze, slowly drifting into midair.
Opening her eyes, she found herself in the midst of an endless sea of vibrant, swaying flowers. The sky was a pure, pristine blue, and sunlight danced upon the petals, casting glints of golden light. The blossoms beneath her feet tenderly enveloped her soles. She walked forward step by step, each stride feeling as though she were treading softly and silently upon plush clouds.
A crystal-clear lake appeared before her, its mirror-like surface reflecting the sky and white clouds. Gradually, she reached the edge of the sea of flowers. Approaching the lakeside, she squatted down and gently touched the water.
The water temperature was just right—warm and soothing, like a pair of gentle hands comforting her soul. She couldn't help but step into the lake, the surface rippling out to encircle her body. The lake water was warm and soft. Lying within it, she felt completely enveloped, as though held in a mother's warm embrace.
Vaguely, she seemed to hear Shimizu whispering. But the sound was far too faint, and she couldn't make out a single word. Ultimately, Kushina gave up trying to listen. She dissolved into the serenity of the lake, losing all concept of time. The water rocked her gently, like a cradle.
Kushina felt a stream of hot water continuously flowing over her. It grew warmer and warmer until she felt herself reaching an absolute peak of temperature.
Boom!
The lakebed erupted like a volcano, sending an endless torrent of boiling water surging upward. Kushina's face wore an expression of sheer bliss, feeling nothing but a profound sense of peace and satisfaction.
"Kushina... Kushina..."
Through her haze, Kushina heard someone calling her name. When she opened her eyes, the warm, enveloping lake had vanished. She noticed that a blanket had been pulled over her at some point. It was quite thick.
Strangely, Kushina could still feel a distinct chill. It was cold—a freezing sensation, as if her clothes had been thoroughly soaked and were clinging directly to her skin.
"Kushina." The voice called out again. It was Minato Namikaze.
Kushina's eyes focused as she spoke, "I think I accidentally fell asleep. I don't even know how long I've been out."
Her tone was raspy. Even Kushina herself was startled. Had her voice sounded like this before? The back of her throat felt raw and burning. Was some part of her mouth inflamed? Doubts cropped up in Kushina's mind.
"I see," Minato Namikaze nodded. He had also slept for a bit to recover his mental energy. He no longer felt as exhausted as he had when he first returned. He was only slightly curious as to why Kushina was sleeping under a blanket the moment he walked in.
"It's good that you're awake. It's best not to sleep here; you'll catch a cold at night. Even with a blanket, there's a constant draft blowing through," Minato warned Kushina.
Hearing this, Kushina muttered to herself, Did I sleep for a really long time?
"I grilled some food. Come have a bite." Seeing that Kushina was completely awake, Minato turned, lifted the tent flap, and walked out.
In the brief moment the flap was lifted, Kushina caught a glimpse of the pitch-black sky outside.
"It shouldn't have been that long, right?" Kushina murmured uncertainly. It had been close to dusk when she arrived. Now that total darkness had fallen, it was impossible to gauge the exact time.
Kushina pulled back the blanket. She wasn't sure if Minato had covered her with it, or if Shimizu had.
"It's a bit cold." Kushina realized that the sweat on her body hadn't dried completely, making her feel quite chilled under the draft.
So, she found a stray branch within the camp.
Whoosh!
A small flame erupted from Kushina's mouth, igniting the stick. Aside from Sealing Jutsu, she also knew some basic Nature Transformation techniques. Using the flame from the burning stick, Kushina spent some time drying her clothes. Only after confirming they were mostly dry did she venture outside. Otherwise, smelling of sweat, she worried Minato might find her unpleasant. If the current outpost weren't so poorly equipped for bathing, Kushina would have truly loved to take a bath before heading out to find Minato.
By the time she finished everything and located Minato, he had already prepared the grilled meat for her. Since they were on a mountain, a shinobi could easily use a simple jutsu to hunt plenty of wild game.
Kushina took a bite. She felt a sharp sting in her mouth. Bearing in mind that Minato had grilled this himself, she could only force it down bite by bite.
I should go see Shimizu later to get this checked out, Kushina thought to herself. At the same time, she wondered if she had eaten something unclean to cause this reaction.
The Land of Fire Border
A squad of Konohagakure shinobi currently on guard duty gasped in shock at the sudden appearance of six figures before them. All six figures wore black cloaks embroidered with red clouds, exuding an ominous aura.
"Who goes there?!" the captain in charge barked.
The Six Paths of Pain remained expressionless; none of the six offered an answer.
The Deva Path stepped forward first, spreading his arms wide. "Now, let the world feel pain. We shall start with the great nations... Shinra Tensei!"
A terrifying repulsive force erupted, engulfing an area of several dozen meters. Soil overturned and trees upended. Every Konohagakure shinobi caught in its wake was sent flying. In an instant, more than half were dead or severely injured.
The few remaining shinobi stared in horror at the six black-cloaked figures. The jutsu they used was completely unheard of—blasting an entire crowd away through thin air using nothing but a pair of hands. Could a technique like this even be categorized as ninjutsu anymore?!
"Leave no survivors," the Deva Path commanded.
The Asura Path pulled back his left hand with his right. His wrist detached from his forearm, revealing a mechanical cluster of metallic missiles. The silvery-white missiles launched simultaneously, silencing the remaining survivors completely.
"So those are the legendary Rinnegan... the ultimate dōjutsu once held only by the Sage of Six Paths." Yugito Nii watched the Six Paths of Pain slaughter the Konohagakure shinobi.
It was an absolute slaughter. Kumogakure was one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, boasting an immense variety of jutsu. Yet the two who fought displayed an array of bizarre techniques, none of which she had ever seen before. Not to mention, there were still four others who hadn't even lifted a finger. It was profoundly eerie.
"Don't be nervous. You paid the price; we will not betray you mid-battle."
"Hmph, it better be."
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