Alright then.
Although Ren had already guessed that the visitor was most likely Kushina Uzumaki, he hadn't expected her to be this… bold.
Not only did she act completely familiar with them, but she even pinched people's cheeks like a mischievous child playing around.
It left him feeling both helpless and slightly stunned.
At that moment—
From the kitchen doorway, Minato Namikaze leaned out halfway, wearing a faintly embarrassed smile.
"Kushina, don't scare my students," he said gently. "These are the children I told you about—Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, Ren, and Kakashi Hatake—you've met Kakashi before."
"Kushina?"
Obito, who had already retreated a safe distance away, froze for a moment.
Then his eyes widened in realization.
"Eh?! So you're Minato-sensei's girlfriend?!"
"G-Girlfriend?!"
Kushina's face instantly turned bright red—so vivid it almost rivaled her hair.
"You idiot! What nonsense are you talking about?!" she shouted, flailing her arms in a panic. "Who said I'm his girlfriend?! Minato and I are just… just good friends!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but sneak a glance toward the kitchen.
The embarrassment in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Rin covered her mouth, barely suppressing her laughter.
Even Ren caught the subtle exchange, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.
To cover her flustered state, Kushina quickly cleared her throat and straightened her posture.
"Ahem!"
Her gaze swept across the group before landing squarely on Ren.
"You're Ren, right? Minato told me about you—the 'Fire Release genius.'"
She crossed her arms, nodding approvingly.
"To master the Great Fireball Technique to that level… that's impressive."
"Eh?!"
Obito's jaw dropped.
"Shouldn't I be the Fire Release genius?! I'm from the Uchiha Clan!"
He pointed at himself, indignant.
"What does Minato-sensei usually say about me?!"
Kushina tilted her head slightly, then gave him a playful wink.
"You?"
She paused for dramatic effect.
"Never heard of it."
"AHHH?!"
Obito collapsed in exaggerated despair.
Kushina burst out laughing.
"Relax, I'm joking," she said cheerfully. "Minato says you're 'Number One for Surprises.' You always do unexpected things… but you're cheerful, and when it matters, you're reliable."
Obito froze for a moment—
Then his entire demeanor flipped.
"Hah! As expected of Minato-sensei! He really knows how to judge people!"
He puffed out his chest proudly.
"Just wait! Once I awaken my Sharingan, I'll definitely surpass Kakashi and Ren! And one day—"
He pointed dramatically toward the sky.
"I'll become the Hokage of Konoha!"
"Hmph."
Kakashi snorted, unimpressed.
And just like that, the two of them started bickering again.
Meanwhile, Kushina casually sat down beside Ren and Rin, chatting with them about their team.
Her personality was like fire—warm, lively, impossible to ignore.
Time passed quickly.
Until—
"Dinner's ready~"
Minato walked out of the kitchen, now wearing an apron, holding a steaming pot of soup.
"Two people, come help bring the dishes."
"I'll do it! I'll do it!"
Obito shot up instantly.
Ren followed behind him without hesitation.
Soon, dish after dish was placed onto the low table.
The aroma filled the entire room.
Teriyaki chicken glazed to perfection.
Fresh stir-fried vegetables, crisp and vibrant.
Soft, golden tamagoyaki.
Rich, fragrant miso soup.
And a large pot of steaming white rice.
The table was completely filled.
"Wow… it smells amazing!"
"It looks so good!"
Ren and the others instinctively took their seats on either side of the table, leaving the center spots for Minato and Kushina.
Kushina untied her apron and sat down, smiling warmly.
"Don't be shy. Go ahead and eat."
With her permission—
Everyone dug in.
Ren and Kakashi ate in a composed manner.
Obito, however, devoured his food like a whirlwind, praising it nonstop between mouthfuls.
"Too good! This is amazing! Sensei, you should open a restaurant!"
Kushina occasionally picked food for Rin, teasing Obito at the same time, making him shout in protest.
The atmosphere was lively.
Warm.
Filled with a sense of home.
It wasn't until the meal was nearly finished that Minato lightly cleared his throat.
"By the way… Kakashi, Ren, Obito, Rin."
His tone grew slightly more serious.
"There's something I need to tell you."
The room quieted.
"Recently, the war between Konoha and Sunagakure has intensified," he said. "And Kumogakure is also making moves."
Ren's eyes sharpened slightly.
"I may be assigned to frequent external missions," Minato continued. "During that time, Kakashi will take over your special training and some regular missions."
He smiled gently.
"Of course, if I have time, I'll still join you."
"I see…"
Ren and the others exchanged glances.
They weren't surprised.
After all, this was wartime.
After dinner—
Minato began clearing the dishes.
Ren and Rin immediately stood up to help, but Kushina stopped them, grabbing one of each by the wrist.
"Hey, hey. Guests don't wash dishes."
She clapped her hands once, standing up with renewed energy.
"Now then! Minato told me you've been interested in sealing techniques lately."
Her eyes sparkled.
"Perfect timing! I happen to be a master of sealing techniques."
She gestured toward the living room.
"Come on, let's have a little lesson while we digest."
The four gathered around as Kushina picked up a piece of chalk and tapped it lightly against a small blackboard.
"Sealing techniques may sound mysterious," she began, "but at their core, they revolve around two things—restraint and control."
She began drawing simple rune patterns.
"The principle is to seal energy or matter according to specific rules… or to give them defined functions using runes and chakra flow."
She pointed to a diagram.
"Sealing scrolls are the most basic example."
Her explanation was clear, lively, and far more engaging than any textbook.
She covered rune structures.
Chakra injection methods.
Different types of seals.
Even Obito—who usually struggled to focus—was listening intently.
Ren, meanwhile, absorbed everything like a sponge.
Unfortunately—
Since this was only foundational knowledge, no new "target" was triggered.
"…In short," Kushina concluded, placing the chalk down, "sealing techniques are a deep field. You need a solid foundation."
Her gaze shifted to Ren.
"Let me see your sword."
"Oh, sure."
Ren unstrapped his blade and handed it over.
Kushina ran her fingers along the edge, carefully feeling its balance and material.
Then she examined the hilt connection.
"…Not bad."
She nodded.
"The material is good. It has the potential to support sealing formulas."
She looked back at Ren.
"I'll take it and study it for a bit. But you need to hurry and grasp the basics."
Ren nodded sincerely.
"I will. Thank you, Kushina-senpai."
Kakashi spoke up after a brief pause.
"I'll lend you another sword tomorrow. Return it when she's done."
---
At the same time—
Deep underground, on the western side of Konoha—
Within the shadowy base of Root.
A masked ninja knelt on one knee.
Before him stood an old man wrapped in bandages—
Danzo Shimura.
"Lord Danzo," the ninja reported. "The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Kushina Uzumaki, entered Minato Namikaze's residence this evening."
"They have remained inside for over two hours."
"Additionally, Minato's genin squad—Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and two others—are present for dinner."
Silence.
Then—
"What?!"
Danzo's voice cut through the darkness, sharp and cold.
His single visible eye narrowed.
A dangerous glint flickered within it.
Something—
Was moving beneath the surface of Konoha.
And he had no intention of letting it go unnoticed.
---------------------------------------------------
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