"Ah, no, thank you." Kawasaki politely refused. The symbolism of a white paper flower wasn't the best.
"Mr. Kawasaki, what did you want to give me?" Konan asked.
Kawasaki retrieved a small vial from his person and handed it to her. Konan accepted it, seeing it was filled with a clear, green liquid.
"This is a Hashirama cell solution."
Konan's grip on the vial tightened instinctively. Though she didn't know its exact purpose, she knew that anything related to Hashirama cells was bound to be extraordinary.
"This cell solution can greatly enhance one's physical body," Kawasaki explained. "If he can withstand the cellular corrosion, Nagato's legs will fully recover. He might even awaken the Wood Style."
Something so precious! Konan held the vial with extreme care. "This must be very valuable, isn't it?"
Kawasaki shook his head. "This can't be measured in money. And as I just said, he has to survive the cellular corrosion first."
"And if he doesn't?" Konan asked.
Kawasaki patted the large tree beside him. "He'll end up like this."
"Turn into a tree!?" Konan gasped, sucking in a sharp breath.
"Don't be too worried," Kawasaki said with a nod. "The Uchiha's Sharingan can suppress Hashirama cell corrosion. Nagato has the Rinnegan, so he has an eighty percent chance of pulling through. If he succeeds, his body will no longer be a weakness. He's an Uzumaki, and the Uzumaki and Senju are distant relatives. The potential payoff could be far more than just a simple addition of power. The risk is high, but so is the reward. Whether you use it or not is for you and Nagato to decide."
Faced with Kawasaki's sudden candor, Konan felt a sense of unease, but she carefully put the vial away. Sheets of paper fluttered out from around her, converging in a honeycomb pattern to envelop the vial before merging back into her form.
Kawasaki then produced two more scrolls and handed them to Konan.
"This storage scroll contains some money. You can use it as you see fit. This other scroll is a trump card for you. You'll only get one shot at Obito. If you can't kill him, you must at least ensure your own safety."
Konan put away the storage scroll and opened the other one. Her eyes widened in shock. "This... this is...!"
"A trump card for you. The sooner you master it, the more it will help you."
Konan carefully stored the second scroll away. "Thank you, Mr. Kawasaki." Her gratitude was genuine. In truth, she and Nagato didn't trust anyone easily. But from their previous conversations, she had learned of Kawasaki's plans. Compared to Obito, who was responsible for Yahiko's death, Kawasaki was clearly the more trustworthy ally. Now, with these new resources, their odds against Obito had undoubtedly increased.
Seeing Konan's sincere thanks, Kawasaki felt a mix of emotions. He knew Nagato's chances against Obito were slim. Reclaiming Nagato's Rinnegan was a certainty for Obito, but just how many of his trump cards Nagato could force him to reveal was another question entirely. If Obito found himself in a desperate situation, it was even possible that Madara Uchiha would climb out of his coffin ahead of schedule.
Right now, among the Uchiha, besides the blinded Fugaku, there were three pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan. But apart from Kawasaki himself, who possessed the Eternal Mangekyo and various other advantages, Itachi and Shisui could, at best, handle one of Madara's Wood Clones. And that was just against an Edo Tensei Madara. Even if Orochimaru reanimated the First and Second Hokage, it would probably be a tough fight, especially with Obito's Kamui looming nearby.
Black Zetsu had been plotting for years; it was impossible that he didn't know the Edo Tensei. The only question was whether Madara, without Kabuto's enhancements, could still use Wood Style, or if he had already prepared a body for his true revival. Otherwise, why would he be in his prime after Rinne Rebirth instead of old and frail?
"Jiraiya has returned to the village," Kawasaki said, organizing his thoughts and turning to Konan.
Konan froze for a moment. "Sensei..."
Kawasaki nodded. "All these years, Jiraiya thought you were all dead, which is why he never looked for you..."
Konan fell silent. In her heart, she thought, *but we are dead*. Ever since Yahiko passed, their hearts had died with him. What remained now were just empty shells, driven only by the ghost of Yahiko's dream.
"There's a perfect opportunity right now for us to take down Danzo," Kawasaki said, knowing full well the depth of Konan and Nagato's hatred for the man.
"What opportunity?" Konan asked. For years, she and Nagato had considered avenging Yahiko, but Danzo never left the confines of Konoha, leaving them with no way to act.
"The truth is, that wasn't the only evil deed Danzo has committed. He's been stirring up trouble within the village for a long time. But because the Third Hokage has always protected him, or rather, used him as a weapon, he's remained untouched. As long as we can make the Third abandon him, Danzo will be nothing."
Konan nodded. "How do we do it?"
On the Uchiha food street, Naruto, who had been grounded for a long time, was finally free. But trailing behind him was someone he desperately wanted to avoid.
"Naruto, this street has some really great food. Not bad, not bad at all," Jiraiya said, munching on a grilled skewer as he followed Naruto, never leaving his side.
"Pervy Sage, aren't you annoying? I don't like you. Can you please stop following me?" Naruto was in a foul mood. The Third Hokage had told him today that his punishment was over and he could finally go out. But the moment he stepped outside, he ran into Jiraiya, who had been waiting for him. Jiraiya claimed he was there to protect him.
Over the years, Naruto had grown up. At first, he had just disliked Jiraiya's strange behavior without understanding its meaning. As he got older and began to understand things between men and women, he realized Jiraiya's actions were even worse than he'd imagined. A deep-seated aversion to the man had taken root in his heart.
However, Jiraiya was shamelessly thick-skinned, sticking to Naruto like glue. Wherever Naruto went, he followed. Even when Naruto ignored him, Jiraiya would talk to himself, making Naruto miserable. What if Hinata, Sakura, or Ino from school saw him with Jiraiya? How could he ever show his face again?
Jiraiya, being scorned by Naruto, felt rather troubled. Were the aftereffects of what Kawasaki had done back then really this severe? How could Naruto still remember those things after all this time? He had originally hoped to build a good relationship with Naruto to smooth the way for becoming his teacher in the future, and also to monitor the Nine-Tails' seal. But now, Naruto despised him from the bottom of his heart.
Since returning to the village, Jiraiya had been on his best behavior, either going to the red-light district on his own or refraining from any peeping activities. But it seemed Naruto's prejudice was already ingrained, his disgust plain to see. Jiraiya couldn't think of a solution for the time being, so he decided to just let Naruto get used to his presence. After all, he was the most suitable person to guide Naruto.
"Naruto, long time no see."
A familiar voice, one he had just heard yesterday, reached his ears. Uchiha Kawasaki! That guy!
"Senior Kawasaki!" Naruto, who had been sulking, suddenly spotted Kawasaki across the street. He couldn't have been happier. He dashed over, and Kawasaki caught him securely, giving him a big hug.
"You've gotten heavy, kid. You've been training well these past few years."
Because Sasuke Uchiha had been consistently bringing Naruto food and clothes, the Third Hokage had been forced to improve his treatment as well. Naruto's allowance had steadily increased, and his diet was now well-balanced. With his mischief curtailed and a regular training routine, he had shot up in height and was now as tall as Sasuke. His face had thinned out too. If he hadn't cut his hair short, a miniature Minato Namikaze would have been born.
"Senior Kawasaki, why did you only come to see me now? I heard you've been back for a few days." Only then did Naruto notice the beautiful, purple-haired woman in black standing beside Kawasaki. "Senior Kawasaki, who is she?"
Kawasaki pulled Naruto aside just as Jiraiya, who had been following, saw Konan. Jiraiya's chewing stopped mid-bite.
"You've grown up, and you've become quite a beauty, Konan. Where have you all been these years? I thought you were..."
"We did 'die'," Konan replied, her face devoid of any joy at seeing an old acquaintance. Her tone toward Jiraiya was cold.
"It looks like Lord Jiraiya needs a place to catch up, doesn't he?" Kawasaki said with a smile.
Seeing Kawasaki's posture, Jiraiya knew at once that he had brought Konan here. "Why is Konan here?"
Kawasaki chuckled, covering his mouth lightly. "Well, you see, I've become the clan head, and Konan is here as a special envoy from the Hidden Rain Village to congratulate me."
"Kawasaki, what game are you playing!?" Jiraiya hadn't seen Konan in years and was now desperate to know the whereabouts of Yahiko and Nagato. But Konan's attitude toward him was clearly hostile, which baffled him. The Konan he remembered was the gentlest of the children; this woman was like a completely different person.
"Let Konan talk with you. I'll take Naruto."
Jiraiya lowered his gaze. Unlike the Third Hokage, he wasn't overly suspicious of Kawasaki. Since Naruto was right here in the village, it wasn't like Kawasaki could just run off with him. Naruto, standing by, was completely confused. Jiraiya knew this big sister named Konan? Why did they seem so hostile to each other?
"Let's go, Naruto."
"Yeah, okay!" Seeing Kawasaki walk away, Naruto quickly hurried after him.
With Jiraiya accompanying Naruto, the Anbu guards the Third Hokage had previously assigned were temporarily dismissed. Now, with Jiraiya occupied with Konan, Naruto's side was clear. Kawasaki led him further down the street until they saw a small shop selling tofu pudding. He ordered a bowl for Naruto and one for himself.
The soul of this tofu pudding was its chili oil dressing. Kawasaki had searched this world for various types of peppers, having the chef experiment until they replicated the fragrant and spicy chili oil. Without it, the tofu pudding lost most of its charm. In his past life, Kawasaki had been from Sichuan; who ever heard of sweet tofu pudding! Of course, people could add whatever toppings they liked, but Naruto had already been pulled into the savory camp by Kawasaki.
"Naruto, how have you and the Nine-Tails been getting along these years?" Kawasaki asked as he ate.
Naruto scratched his head. "Sometimes the Nine-Tails says a few words to me, but not much."
Kawasaki nodded. Naruto hadn't even graduated from the Academy yet; being able to occasionally communicate with the Nine-Tails was already good progress. But now that Obito had reclaimed his Kamui, Naruto's development could be accelerated.
"Naruto, do you still remember the promise I made when I left?"
Naruto, who was happily devouring the spicy tofu pudding Kawasaki had just bought him, swallowed two large mouthfuls upon hearing the question. "I... I remember..." His cheeks bulged as he struggled to swallow the hot pudding.
Watching Naruto's still-clumsy mannerisms, Kawasaki couldn't help but smile. He must have inherited that trait from Kushina. Kawasaki grabbed a few napkins and wiped Naruto's mouth. "Eat slowly. You can talk when you're done."
Naruto took the napkins, a bit embarrassed, and let out a goofy laugh. "I was just in a hurry to answer you, Senior Kawasaki."
Seeing that there were quite a few people around and that Naruto had cleaned his face, Kawasaki gently placed a hand on his head. Naruto's vision went black, and he found himself back in that familiar place.
Kawasaki looked around. Naruto's inner world was no longer the same. The damp ground and the endless corridor were gone, replaced by a vast, open grassland under a blue sky with white clouds. It was a direct reflection of Naruto's healthy state of mind. The only thing that hadn't changed was the distant, towering cage that still connected the heavens and the earth.
Kawasaki stomped on the grass a couple of times; it felt almost identical to the real thing.
"Naruto, the ninja world might not be so peaceful in the future, so I've decided to fulfill our promise ahead of schedule today."
Naruto was curiously examining the grassland when Kawasaki suddenly announced he was fulfilling their promise early. "Really, Teacher Kawasaki?"
For years, Naruto had eagerly awaited this day, counting down until his graduation from the Ninja Academy. It was then that the mystery of his parents' identities would finally be revealed. Every time he walked Sasuke home, he felt a pang of envy for his friend who had a mother and father. Thankfully, Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto were always very kind to him, which offered some comfort.
Kawasaki led Naruto toward the cage where the Nine-Tails resided. "Really. Just don't get scared in a moment."
"Huh?" Naruto followed Kawasaki in a daze until they stood before the Nine-Tails' cage.
The Nine-Tails' crimson eyes scrutinized Kawasaki. "Kawasaki, you've gotten stronger again." Its voice was a deafening roar, accompanied by scorching breath and a powerful gust of wind.
Kawasaki shook his head. "You and your landlord have been getting along alright these past few years, but you're still too cold." Fugaku had served as Naruto's training supervisor, and though he didn't understand sealing jutsu, he could see that the Nine-Tails' chakra hadn't negatively affected Naruto. While they still weren't communicating frequently, at least the fox was no longer causing trouble.
"Nine-Tails! We meet again!" Naruto wasn't the least bit afraid of the giant fox; they were old acquaintances by now.
"Hmph, brat," the Nine-Tails snorted, not wanting to bother with him.
Kawasaki ignored their interaction and instead shouted at the cage, "Minato Namikaze! Get out here!"
The Nine-Tails shot to its feet, a vicious glint in its eyes. "The Fourth Hokage? Where!?"
Naruto was equally bewildered. Did Senior Kawasaki just call for the Fourth Hokage?
Seeing that the Fourth still hadn't appeared, Kawasaki's lips curled into a smirk. "If you don't come out, I'm going to start tearing down the seal." With that, he leaped into the air, landing on the giant paper seal marked with the character for "Seal," and placed his hand on it.
"That's enough, Kawasaki..." A gentle voice echoed beside them.
At that moment, within Naruto's spiritual space, the Fourth Hokage appeared, clad in his Hokage cloak over a green flak jacket and blue bodysuit. His golden hair shone, and his presence was sunny, handsome, and gentle.
"Finally decided to show yourself, Minato." Kawasaki's expression was slightly teasing. Minato was truly patient, only willing to appear when he was about to physically dismantle the seal.
"I shouldn't be appearing now, Kawasaki," Minato said. "This remnant of my chakra won't last long." In Naruto's early years of suffering, the Fourth Hokage had watched everything from within his son's body. Kawasaki's arrival had been like a ray of light, making Naruto's life progressively better. Although he had only met Kawasaki a few times, Minato felt a strange familiarity and was deeply grateful to him.
Kawasaki's Sharingan spun, confirming that Minato's chakra was indeed weak and wouldn't hold out for long. He waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that. I learned Edo Tensei from Orochimaru, and I've already dug up your grave. I'll reanimate you later. You can see Naruto for as long as you want."
Beside them, the Nine-Tails let out a furious roar. "Fourth Hokage! Rrroooaaar!"
Kawasaki's eyes instantly morphed into his Mangekyo, and a torrent of visual prowess erupted. The Nine-Tails froze, unable to move. "Sorry, Nine-Tails. I'll have to suppress you for a bit to let them have a reunion."
He slapped his hand on the seal gate. A Four Symbols Seal formula, identical to the one on the paper, spun out along the gate. The cage rumbled, and countless more prison gates descended from the sky, layering themselves over the Nine-Tails and pushing it further and further into the distance.
"It's just a seal. I can handle this. This little bit of chakra you left behind isn't much use anyway. Naruto's been an orphan for this long. Hurry up and introduce yourself."
Minato gave a wry smile, not even getting angry at the news of his grave being dug up. Besides, Kawasaki was right. With his sealing jutsu and Sharingan, the Nine-Tails was no problem at all.
Naruto stood by, completely stunned. Did Senior Kawasaki just say... the Fourth Hokage is my dad?
Kawasaki and Minato landed on the ground together.
"Come on, Naruto," Kawasaki said. "This is your late father, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."