Kurogane Ren continued offering praise. No one disliked hearing compliments, and even Minato's smile seemed to grow a little brighter.
"Alright, that's enough flattery between you two. The old man Third Hokage is already getting on in years—it's only natural for him to step down," Kushina said, unable to stand it any longer as she cut in directly. If they kept going, who knew how long they'd keep praising and deflecting each other.
Minato and Kurogane Ren both laughed. After all, only Kushina would dare speak about the Third Hokage like that.
Kurogane Ren glanced at Minato. Even if the man truly didn't mind being called by name, that was something for private settings at most. In public, he would still have to be addressed as Hokage-sama. Titles mattered in official contexts.
As for the Third Hokage, Kurogane Ren didn't hold any strong opinions about him. There were plenty of conspiracy theories, but whether they were true or false didn't concern him. As long as the man didn't interfere with him, that was enough. So far, at least, the Third Hokage had treated him well—missions paid generously and promptly.
And who wouldn't like a boss who paid you quickly after a mission and even checked in on you?
"Hm? This tea is excellent," Minato remarked after taking a sip, his eyes lighting up.
"If you like it, take some with you when you leave. I brought quite a lot back from outside," Kurogane Ren said casually, as if chatting about everyday matters.
"Enough with the small talk. I brought a whole stack of unfinished sealing formulas!" Kushina said, clearly uninterested in tea as she pulled out a large pile of scrolls and placed them on the table.
For a moment, both Kushina and Minato thought they saw Kurogane Ren's eyes light up.
They exchanged a smile. As expected of someone obsessed with sealing techniques—he had absolutely no resistance to such scrolls.
Kurogane Ren coughed lightly, then picked up the scrolls and began reading.
After quite a while, he forced himself to look away and glanced at the idle Minato and Kushina. It didn't seem right to keep them waiting like that. After a moment's thought, he took out some of his own research results and placed them in front of them.
"This is?" Minato and Kushina both looked surprised.
"These are some sealing techniques I derived from the Fire-Sealing Method. Right now, I'm still missing earth and water. Those two are mostly physical in nature, so sealing them is a bit more difficult," Kurogane Ren explained.
Minato and Kushina exchanged another look, both seeing the same astonishment in each other's eyes. What they had brought were unfinished studies, but what Kurogane Ren handed over were complete sealing techniques.
They weren't the type to take advantage of others. With just a glance, they understood each other's thoughts.
They picked up the scrolls and examined the dense text and detailed annotations, unable to help but sigh in admiration once more.
The man before them was far more obsessed with sealing techniques than either of them.
These scrolls didn't just contain the finished techniques—they documented the entire research process. Not only could one learn to use the techniques, but also understand their underlying principles. That kind of knowledge could allow for flexible application and even enhancement of the techniques in the future.
And so, the three of them became completely immersed in their respective scrolls.
When they finally set them down, they looked at one another and saw the same spark of curiosity in each other's eyes.
At that moment, Kushina finally understood why Minato had come home so late last time, leaving her alone. This kind of thing really was addictive.
Their discussion didn't stop at Kurogane Ren's unfinished techniques. They continued to speculate on possible developments, though many of their ideas ultimately proved impractical and were discarded. That was only natural.
Later, the conversation shifted to the sealing formulas Kurogane Ren had been researching. Minato and Kushina both offered their own insights on how to seal earth- and water-based attacks.
Kurogane Ren listened carefully, rapidly recording and simulating their ideas in his mind.
This clash of knowledge ignited countless inspirations within him. For the first time, he truly felt the urge to go into seclusion and focus entirely on sealing techniques.
Time passed quietly, and by the time the three of them came back to their senses, it was already late at night.
"If you don't mind, how about we just make do with some instant noodles?" Kurogane Ren suggested.
"They're not expired, right?" Kushina teased. After such a long discussion, their relationship had clearly grown much closer.
"No, bought them just last month," Kurogane Ren replied with a yawn.
"Then we'll gladly accept," Minato said. At this hour, neither of them felt like cooking anyway, and after talking for so long without eating, they were indeed hungry.
"Senpai, how's your cooking? If it's not good, let Minato handle it. He's pretty good," Kushina said with a grin.
Minato gave a wry smile. It was true—whenever he was home, he was usually the one cooking.
"Don't worry. I'm not confident in much else, but when it comes to instant noodles, I'm very confident," Kurogane Ren said seriously, raising a brow.
Under their slightly bewildered gazes, he headed into the kitchen.
"Senpai probably… eats instant noodles quite often," Minato said after a moment's thought. Kushina nodded in agreement.
Soon enough, the three of them were sitting together with bowls of instant noodles, eating their fill.
Kurogane Ren couldn't help but sigh inwardly. No matter the world, instant noodles weren't great if eaten too often, but once in a while, they were undeniably satisfying.
"Thanks for the meal. Senpai's instant noodles are truly impressive!" Minato said.
"Of course," Kurogane Ren replied. This was a skill he had honed over two lifetimes—it couldn't possibly taste bad.
They exchanged glances and all smiled.
Minato felt a bit regretful. This kind of discussion atmosphere was truly wonderful, but once he became the Fourth Hokage, he would be burdened with countless responsibilities. Opportunities like this would likely disappear.
That was why he had come today with Kushina.
"It's getting late. We should head back. These are our gifts in return for your hospitality, Senpai," Minato said, taking out several scrolls and handing them to Kurogane Ren.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly…" Kurogane Ren's eyes lit up as he spoke, yet his hands moved without hesitation as he accepted the scrolls.
Seeing this, Minato and Kushina chuckled before taking their leave.
After they left, Kurogane Ren's smile faded. He opened the scrolls and examined their contents. As expected, they contained complete sealing techniques along with detailed insights—mostly barrier-type sealing techniques.
Trading his own research for these was undoubtedly a profit. The Fire-Sealing Method and similar techniques he had developed were meant to serve as his visible accomplishments. After all, one couldn't study for so long without producing any results.
Moreover, those sealing techniques weren't useless. He simply hadn't completed the final steps yet.
As he studied the scrolls, Kurogane Ren fell into thought. As expected, there was no Four Symbols Seal. A technique of that level wouldn't be handed over so easily.
But considering their personalities, if he were to save them in the future and then "accidentally" reveal the Adamantine Sealing Chains…
Not only could he obtain the Nine-Tails' chakra, but he might also gain access to the Four Symbols Seal. More importantly, he would earn their trust, making future actions far more convenient.
Kurogane Ren tapped the table lightly, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.