Minato let out a quiet sigh.
History had still changed because of his own children.
He was not afraid of the world being destroyed. What truly worried him was the possibility that changing history might affect his sons.
With that thought in mind, Minato looked at the grown Kirito with a complicated expression in his eyes.
Kushina, however, was the complete opposite. She believed her child's words without hesitation.
In her mind, the Nine-Tails was the most terrifying existence in the world, and yet that same Nine-Tails had been reduced to something like a helpless cat in front of Namikaze Kirito, allowed to do whatever he pleased with it.
So if Kirito said history would not be changed, then in Kushina's heart, that meant it would not be changed.
At this moment, Kushina's chest was overflowing with guilt and love for her child.
Jiraiya looked at Kirito and asked seriously, "Kirito... Teacher... no, the Third Hokage is dead. What are you planning to do next? Speed up your plan to unify the ninja world? Build that so-called Gensokyo kingdom ahead of time?"
Kirito glanced at Jiraiya in slight surprise. He had not expected him to accept reality this quickly.
"Now that there is no Hiruzen Sarutobi in this world, I'll move things along faster," Kirito said calmly. "But whether that Gensokyo kingdom is created or not... that won't be decided by me. It'll be decided by all of you."
Jiraiya frowned. "By us? What do you mean?"
"I don't plan on staying in this time and space for long," Kirito replied. "Once I've dealt with Konoha's remaining problems, I'll be leaving."
As he said that, Kirito turned his gaze toward his parents. Jiraiya's eyes also shifted to Minato and Kushina.
He understood what Kirito had always wanted more than anything else.
Family.
And in this world, the only real bonds Kirito had were the two people sitting right in front of him.
After a brief silence, Kirito continued, his voice quieter this time.
"Before I go, I'll leave enough behind for this world. At the very least... I don't want to leave with too many regrets."
"Kirito..." Kushina's eyes turned red with emotion.
She understood exactly what he meant.
Kirito's greatest regret had never simply been losing his parents.
It was the fact that reunion with them had become the longing of an entire lifetime. Even if that wish had finally been fulfilled here, the path that led to it was still soaked in sorrow.
At that moment, Kushina hated her future self even more.
Why had she and Minato chosen the village over their own lives?
If they had survived... would Kirito and Naruto have still ended up carrying such pain?
Of course not.
That tragedy existed because they had failed as parents.
And more than anything, it was because they had not seen through the people in power clearly enough back then. If they had, they never would have made such a choice.
Minato, meanwhile, was already thinking ahead.
History had changed, but only part of it. The future was still uncertain, and until the masked man—Uchiha Obito—showed himself again, nothing could be taken lightly.
This time, he would stop that man no matter what.
And above all else, he would protect his family.
He would never allow that tragedy to happen again.
Seeing the expressions on his parents' faces, relief flickered in Kirito's eyes.
He knew now that even in this parallel world, his parents would never again throw their lives away for someone else.
Parallel world or not, blood was still blood.
That bond would not change.
Then Kirito looked toward the younger Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
"Next, I'm going to create a new "Hiruzen Sarutobi," he said. "You two will cooperate with him and help place my father in the Hokage's seat."
Jiraiya blinked. Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly, but neither interrupted.
"Before I leave, I'll also leave enough power and preparation behind," Kirito continued. "Even if a major crisis appears in the future, you'll still be able to deal with it yourselves."
He paused, then added, "I don't know whether I was ever born in this world or not. So in order to prepare for whatever may come in the future, I'll leave everything necessary within your reach."
That last part was more for Minato and Kushina's peace of mind than anything else.
There was only one true Reincarnator, and Kirito had no way of knowing whether another version of himself existed in this parallel world.
That was also why he could not simply place everything on Naruto's shoulders.
If Minato and Kushina survived, then Naruto's life would naturally be different as well. Kirito had no idea what kind of path his younger brother—the so-called Child of Destiny—would walk under those circumstances.
And if Naruto failed to reach the heights he was supposed to?
What then?
The Akatsuki. Madara Uchiha. Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
Even if Kirito knew the future, that knowledge alone was not enough to control everything. His Observation Haki did not cover the entire world, and unlike Gensokyo, this world was far less convenient when it came to gathering information.
Even if he wanted to eliminate every threat in advance, he could not do it perfectly.
Besides, the people of this world needed to grow as well.
If he solved every disaster himself, then what would happen when the Ōtsutsuki eventually descended upon this parallel world?
Would anyone be left capable of standing against them?
And after leaving this time, there was no guarantee he would ever be able to return.
He had only arrived here by making use of the Dragon Veins. Whether that power would still function the same way after he returned... not even he could say.
From there, the group began discussing Konoha's future in earnest.
The first issue was Root.
Danzo and Root had to be eradicated completely. Leaving that man alive would only invite trouble later.
Since Hiruzen was already dead, Jiraiya had nothing to say in Danzo's defense.
After that came the matter of the Fourth Hokage's succession and Konoha's future defenses.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru would both need to remain in the village. They could no longer keep wandering around as they pleased like before.
And Tsunade had to be found as soon as possible.
If she saw Konoha standing before her in a completely different light, then maybe... just maybe... she would finally come home willingly.
When Tsunade's name came up, however, Kushina gave Kirito a very strange look.
Even Tsunade-sama becomes my daughter-in-law in the future...?
Then there was Naruto, who apparently had a son of his own—Boruto.
And Kirito, her eldest, clearly had several women around him already.
Thinking about it that way, Kushina suddenly felt that the Uzumaki line really was going to flourish in their family.
Just like that, the night passed.
The conversation went on until early morning, but for shinobi, going a full night without sleep was hardly a problem.
Afterward, Kushina made breakfast herself.
Then she sat there and watched Kirito eat with her own eyes, her face full of quiet satisfaction.
In her heart, she swore to herself—
When Kirito was finally born in this world, she would love him properly.
She would never allow him to grow into this cold, distant expressionless boy again.
Not cute at all.
With that thought, Kushina suddenly reached out and pinched Kirito's cheek.
The entire room went silent.
Kirito stopped mid-thought.
Even Orochimaru froze for a second.
In the future, this man would become the ruler of the Kingdom of Gensokyo—someone so powerful and untouchable that others could only look up at him from afar.
And yet in front of his mother...
He was still just her son.
Kirito seemed to notice Orochimaru's gaze.
His eyes shifted ever so slightly.
In the next instant, a crushing pressure fell over Orochimaru's body.
His bones creaked faintly under the weight of it.
But instead of fear, a strange gleam rose in Orochimaru's eyes.
He simply continued watching the scene between mother and child with open fascination.
After all...
A sight like this had never existed in his world.
So how could he possibly get tired of watching it?
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