A few days later, at a training ground in Konoha Village.
Kushina was watching Team Minato train. Minato was training Kakashi and the others. Her eyes were full of envy.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, the village wouldn't let Kushina leave, not even to go outside the Inner Nine-Tails Barrier. Her two teammates had suffered too; they hadn't performed many ninja missions and had entered Konoha Hospital early to learn medical ninjutsu.
Kakashi, Rin Nohara, and Uchiha Yōmomo were cooperatively attacking Minato.
In the original storyline, Kakashi graduated early from the Ninja Academy at age 5 and began missions early, so his foundation wasn't solid. In this life, Kakashi had received meticulous training from the White Fang from a young age, giving him a strong foundation. After the White Fang's sacrifice, Minato took over Kakashi's instruction. The Kakashi of this life was the genius spoken of by the Ninja Academy teachers—first in ninjutsu talent, first in basic skills. His chakra extraction speed and chakra control were monstrous for his age.
At this moment, Kakashi was using Lightning Release chakra to stimulate the muscles in his legs, moving at high speed around Minato, looking for an opening.
As for Minato, after mastering Wind Release Chakra Crystallization, the Vacuum Sword, Body Flicker, and Chakra Sword Techniques, he had steadily stepped into the Kage level.
A thin layer of Wind Release chakra appeared around Minato. Light twisted within the crystallized Wind Release chakra, giving Minato a blurred, indistinct outline. No matter how hard Kakashi tried, he couldn't touch Minato.
Another team member, Uchiha Yōmomo, was anxiously turning in circles at the rear. He hadn't awakened his Sharingan yet, and his eyes couldn't keep up with the speed of his teacher and Kakashi.
Suddenly, Teacher Minato broke away from the skirmish with Kakashi and appeared before Rin Nohara like a ghost, kicking her away.
A voice sounded behind Uchiha Yōmomo.
"Yōmomo! Pay attention to protecting the team's weak flank! Don't space out!"
Uchiha Yōmomo hurriedly swung his arm backward, thrusting a kunai at the suddenly appearing Minato. Minato grabbed Yōmomo's wrist and flung him away.
While in the air, Yōmomo saw Kakashi had already appeared behind Rin. Kakashi caught Rin, preventing her from crashing into a tree trunk.
A sense of frustration welled up in Yōmomo. He felt so weak.
Just then, Yōmomo suddenly sensed a terrifying presence. A figure descended from the sky. Upon landing, the ground for several meters around cracked.
Minato looked at the newcomer in surprise. Why was Lord Fox so flustered that he couldn't even control his Body Flicker properly? What urgent matter had he encountered?
Yōkō waved at Minato, signaling him to come over, then walked toward Kushina.
Lord Fox wore a mask, so Kushina couldn't see him expression, but judging from his body language, something major seemed to have happened.
"Kushina, Minato, come with me. We're going to the Land of Rain."
Minato immediately turned to look in the direction of the Hokage Building. Did the village know Lord Fox was taking Kushina to another country?
Before Minato could ask for details, Lord Fox's hand landed on his shoulder.
In the next instant, Minato found the scene before he had changed. Rain fell on his blond hair, on his shoulders. Were they really in the Land of Rain?
Minato suddenly felt a chill—not the chill of cold rain, but the chill of Nine-Tails chakra!
Kushina had only glanced ahead, and her entire body's chakra surged. Nine-Tails chakra poured out uncontrollably. Kushina's eyes instantly became the vertical pupils of a fox.
Minato followed Kushina's gaze forward and saw several gigantic summoning beasts resisting someone in the rainforest. Hell Split Dog, Fighting Bull, Yatagarasu... Minato hadn't seen these summons before, but he had heard Kushina mention them several times. When Kushina was little and lived in Uzushiogakure, there were many powerful summoning beasts guarding the place.
Now, seeing so many familiar summoning beasts, Kushina's mind was in turmoil. It was as if she was witnessing again the night Uzushiogakure fell, the summoning beasts roaring as they fought the enemy.
Minato urgently asked, "Lord Fox! What's happening?"
Kushina also turned to Lord Fox.
Yōkō said, "There's something that's been kept from Kushina. It's time for her to know now. The Uzumaki Clan was not wiped out. Over forty Uzumaki clan ninja escaped and have been hiding in the remote rainforests of southwestern Land of Rain. The Third Great Shinobi War is about to begin. Other villages, while preparing for war, discovered the hiding place of the Uzumaki remnants. They want to capture Uzumaki clansmen for sealing jutsu experiments. The Uzumaki are the perfect sealing jutsu test subjects in the shinobi world."
"The Uzumaki Clan wasn't wiped out? There are survivors?" Kushina asked urgently, "Why didn't you tell me? Why keep it from me for so long?"
Several tails appeared in succession behind Kushina.
Minato saw Kushina's skin burning a charred red from the Nine-Tails chakra—a sign of the chakra running out of control. He quickly said, "Kushina! Control the Nine-Tails chakra! Don't be consumed by hatred! We can investigate the reasons later! Right now, the most important thing is to help your clansmen fight! A rampaging Nine-Tails doesn't distinguish between friend and foe, Kushina!"
Hearing Minato's plea, the look in Kushina's eyes changed slightly, but didn't worsen.
Yōkō was spared the trouble of suppressing the Nine-Tails and said, "Kushina, we kept the truth from you precisely because we feared that knowing would cause the Nine-Tails to consume you. Go, both of you, go help the Uzumaki Clan. I will hold the rear for you. This is Kushina's first real battle. Cherish this opportunity."
The Nine-Tails chakra soon stabilized. Six semi-transparent chakra tails swayed behind Kushina. She used Body Flicker and vanished first.
Minato hurriedly followed.
Yōkō watched the two leave, especially Minato's retreating figure, thinking: Now, the frail flowers nurtured in Konoha's greenhouse, learn the truth of the shinobi world. You can learn much from the Uzumaki clan's annihilation. Cruelty will help you shed your naivety. After shedding that naivety, perhaps I can persuade Minato to join the Calamity Organization and become my subordinate. What the shinobi world lacks most is talent, is genius. Minato's addition, the spread of the Three Gods Religion's faith would be faster, and Yōkō's soul enhancement would enter a fast track.
In the distance, Uzumaki Yuka bit her finger and slapped it onto the mud again.
"Summoning Technique: Hell Crab!"
A crab over thirty meters long charged out of the white smoke, attacking the allied Iwa-nin and Suna-nin forces.
The last crisis for the Uzumaki Clan was the joint forces of Kumo-nin and Kiri-nin. This time, the Uzumaki Clan's crisis was the joint forces of Iwa-nin and Suna-nin. Was the Uzumaki Clan such an evil clan that all villages wanted to wipe them out?
Just then, an immense chakra presence made Uzumaki Yuka's eyes change. Was it the Fox?
Uzumaki Yuka hurriedly turned her head and saw a figure she had been longing for.
Kushina!
Uzumaki Kushina!
It's been almost ten years...
Had the Fox finally decided it was time for Princess Kushina to know the truth?
***
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(End of Chapter)