Kushina didn't tell them immediately.
That was the first mistake.
Or maybe it wasn't.
She wasn't sure anymore.
The next morning arrived cold and gray.
Clouds covered most of the sky.
The forest felt restless.
Like it knew something was coming.
Kushina sat on the edge of the cliff overlooking the trees below.
A small stone rolled from beneath her foot and disappeared into the darkness.
She never heard it hit the bottom.
"…still thinking about it…"
"…yes…"
"…you're going…"
Kushina didn't answer.
Because the worst part was—
Kurama was right.
She was thinking about it.
Constantly.
The meeting.
The trap.
The answers.
Akane.
Ren.
The organization.
Every question she had been asking for months.
All sitting in one place.
Waiting.
"You've been awake for hours."
Kushina didn't need to turn around.
Daichi.
Of course.
She sighed.
"…you ever get tired of appearing behind people?"
"No."
"…creepy."
He ignored that.
Also normal.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The wind moved quietly through the trees below.
Then—
"You want to go."
Straight to the point.
Kushina closed her eyes briefly.
"…yes."
Silence.
Heavy.
Daichi didn't even hesitate.
"No."
That immediate answer irritated her instantly.
"…you didn't even think about it."
"I did."
"A whole two seconds?"
"Less."
Kushina groaned.
"…unbelievable."
Daichi crossed his arms.
"It's a trap."
"I know."
"They want you isolated."
"I know."
"They'll prepare for you."
"I KNOW."
The last words came out louder than intended.
The pressure inside her stirred immediately.
Interested.
Listening.
Daichi's expression hardened slightly.
"Then why are we still having this conversation?"
Kushina stood up immediately.
"Because I need answers."
"You need patience."
"No."
Her voice sharpened.
"I'm tired of patience."
A pause.
"I'm tired of running."
Another.
"I'm tired of watching people suffer while we sit around making plans."
Silence.
Daichi didn't back down.
Not even slightly.
"And I'm tired of burying people."
The words hit harder than anything else he'd said.
Kushina froze.
Because for a moment—
just a moment—
she saw it.
The exhaustion.
The guilt.
The weight he carried.
Then it vanished again.
Hidden.
Locked away.
But she'd seen it.
"…Akane."
The name came quietly.
Daichi's jaw tightened immediately.
Silence.
Confirmation.
Before either of them could continue—
another voice interrupted.
"You two are loud."
Kushina turned.
Minato approached from the treeline.
Holding two canteens.
Looking annoyingly calm.
As usual.
"…perfect timing."
"…that's rarely true."
He handed one canteen to Kushina.
One to Daichi.
Neither accepted immediately.
Minato sighed softly.
"…this is why I don't enjoy mediating."
Kushina blinked.
"…you're mediating?"
"…apparently."
That almost made her laugh.
Almost.
The moment didn't last.
Because the problem was still there.
Waiting.
Kushina looked back toward Daichi.
"I'm going."
Silence.
Daichi's expression didn't change.
"No."
"There it is again."
"What?"
"The disappointment."
"…focus."
"No."
She stepped closer.
"Stop treating me like I'm twelve."
"Then stop making decisions like you are."
The words hit like a slap.
Silence exploded between them.
Kushina stared at him.
Furious.
Hurt.
For a second—
she couldn't even find words.
"…that was unnecessary."
Minato sounded annoyed for the first time in weeks.
Daichi didn't react.
Kushina did.
"You know what?"
Her voice shook slightly.
Not from fear.
Emotion.
Raw and sharp.
"You don't trust me."
"I don't trust them."
"No."
She pointed directly at him.
"You don't trust me."
Silence.
That landed.
Because it was true.
At least partly.
And everyone knew it.
Daichi looked away first.
Only briefly.
But enough.
Kushina laughed.
Short.
Bitter.
"There it is."
A pause.
"You think I'm going to become Akane."
Silence.
The worst kind.
Because nobody denied it.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"…Kushina…"
Minato started.
Too late.
The hurt was already there.
"I get it."
She stepped backward.
Away from them.
Away from the conversation.
Away from the disappointment she suddenly felt.
"I really get it now."
A pause.
"You don't see me."
Silence.
Daichi finally spoke.
His voice quieter now.
"That's not true."
"Then what is?"
No answer.
Not fast enough.
Kushina looked away.
Toward the endless forest stretching beyond the cliff.
Toward the unknown.
Toward the trap waiting for her.
And for the first time since this journey started—
she felt completely alone.
Even standing beside them.
Far away—
hidden beyond sight—
a masked figure lowered a hand from a communication seal.
"The fracture has begun."
Silence.
Then another voice answered:
"Excellent."
A pause.
"Proceed."
And deep inside the darkness—
Ren opened his eyes again.
This time—
he wasn't alone.