Minato stood in front of the floating window, his brows furrowed as he carefully examined the ominous options displayed. The AI's voice, cold and unfeeling, echoed through the serene mindscape.
"System collapsed. Options: Self-destruct: Nuclear chain reaction. Enough to erase a country. Or System Reboot."
He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, we're definitely not going for the self-destruct option. That's off the table. Reboot it is."
Naruto, still seated on the ground with her knees drawn up, watched with wide, teary sapphire eyes as Minato made the logical choice. She flinched slightly when the AI's voice returned.
"System Reboot initiated."
The seconds ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity. Naruto hugged her knees closer, her wild, snowy hair falling over her face as she muttered, "Please work… Dattebayo…"
Then, the AI spoke again. "Process failed."
Minato groaned, shaking his head. "Of course, it's never that easy." He cracked his knuckles and stepped closer to the floating window. "Looks like I'll have to do this the old-fashioned way."
Naruto blinked, tilting her head as she watched Minato suddenly fly through a flurry of hand signs. The speed of his movements was hypnotic, each seal formed with the precision and grace of a seasoned shinobi. Blue chakra flared around his hands, weaving into intricate patterns that interlocked with the errors displayed on the screen.
"Hold on," Minato muttered, his focus sharp. "Just need to override this and reconfigure the core matrix…"
Naruto's gaze remained fixed on him, her wide eyes shimmering with a mixture of awe and confusion. She shifted slightly, her body still trembling from earlier, and Minato noticed her movements out of the corner of his eye.
He paused for a moment, realising her predicament. "Ah, sorry about this, Naruto. Let's fix that." Without missing a beat, he shrugged off his Hokage cloak and draped it gently over her shoulders.
The oversized cloak nearly swallowed her whole, the fabric pooling around her as she stared down at it. Her sapphire eyes flickered back up to him, wide and almost childlike.
"It's so… big," she muttered softly, clutching the edges of the cloak.
Minato chuckled, crouching down beside her. "Well, it's meant for a full-grown man, not a petite… um, android girl." He hesitated slightly, still processing the whole situation, before giving her a reassuring smile.
Naruto blinked up at him, her cheeks faintly flushed, and for a moment, her usual brash personality faded, replaced by something more vulnerable. "I-it's warm, dattebayo…"
Minato's heart melted at the sight. "You look adorable in it," he said, unable to resist the urge to ruffle her wild, snowy hair.
Her cheeks puffed out slightly, her lips forming a tiny pout. "A-adorable? I'm not adorable! I'm… I'm supposed to be invincible, dattebayo!"
"Sure you are," Minato teased, pinching her cheeks lightly. "But right now, you're also pretty darn cute."
Naruto blinked at him, her expression shifting from indignation to something softer. Slowly, she leaned into his touch, her body relaxing as she let out a small, content sigh.
"There we go," Minato said, patting her head gently. "You've been through a lot. Take a moment to breathe."
Naruto nodded, her sapphire eyes fluttering shut as she practically melted into his embrace like a kitten seeking warmth. Minato chuckled softly, holding her close for a moment longer before pulling back.
"Alright, that's enough distractions," he said, his tone light but resolute. "I've got work to do."
Naruto blinked up at him, tilting her head slightly as he returned to the floating window. The sight of him diving back into his task, his hands moving with practiced precision, brought a sense of calm to her chaotic mind.
She pulled the cloak tighter around herself, her lips curving into a faint smile as she whispered, "Thanks, Dad… Dattebayo."
Minato's ears perked up, and a warm smile spread across his face. He didn't turn around, but his voice carried a hint of pride as he replied, "Anytime, Naruto. That's what dads are for."
With renewed determination, he focused on fixing the errors in the system, his chakra blazing brightly as he worked tirelessly to bring his daughter back from the brink.