Yagami, who was still in Kikyo City, had no idea what was happening back in Konoha.
While he was teaching Kushina how to use the Kagura Mind's Eye, the higher-ups in Konoha had already announced news of the front-line victory from the Hokage Tower.
The entire village erupted in excitement.
Whether they knew Yagami personally or had never heard his name before, everyone was stunned by the report of him defeating six hundred enemies.
The war had only just begun, and a tense atmosphere had been hanging over the village. This sudden victory at Kikyo Castle instantly ignited everyone's spirits.
Groups of villagers gathered in the streets, talking animatedly.
For a time, all of Konoha's conversations revolved around a single name—Yagami.
"Hey, did you hear? He took down six hundred enemies by himself!"
"Who exactly is this Yagami?"
"Why have I never heard of him before?"
Listening to the chatter around him, a tall white-haired man wearing a forehead protector muttered to himself.
He was Jiraiya, one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin, alongside Orochimaru.
Originally, he had been outside the village gathering intelligence. The moment he heard that war had broken out, he rushed back without hesitation.
He hadn't expected that shortly after returning, he would hear such shocking news.
One man. One sword. Six hundred Sand shinobi defeated in an encirclement.
A storm surged in Jiraiya's heart.
Even with the help of his toad summons, he doubted he could accomplish something like that alone. How could he not be shocked?
"I've only been away from the village for a short while… and someone this incredible has already appeared," Jiraiya murmured, his voice filled with disbelief and admiration.
He fell silent, listening to the discussions around him as he slowly made his way toward the Hokage Tower.
The purpose of his return was to help the village endure the war. At the same time, he wanted to know whether Tsunade might return now that another great ninja war was unfolding.
In a pavilion west of Kikyo Castle, Kushina finally managed to grasp the basics of the Kagura Mind's Eye after Yagami's patient instruction.
Because she had only just learned the technique, she wasn't very proficient yet. For now, she could perceive an area roughly two to three kilometers in diameter.
Even so, it was already impressive. Unlike Yagami, she didn't have any shortcuts—she had mastered it entirely through her own effort.
"Can you sense how many people are in Kikyo Castle?" Yagami asked softly, holding Kushina steady.
He was supporting her to make sure she didn't lose balance while using the technique for the first time.
"I… I can feel them," Kushina replied shyly, burying her face against his chest. "Three thousand one hundred and twelve people."
Her cheeks were flushed all the way to the tips of her ears.
Yagami was completely focused on teaching, but Kushina's thoughts kept drifting back to the night before.
She remembered the scene from last night, when she had quietly wiped the blood from his body while he slept.
The image of his well-defined abs surfaced in her mind.
Then the memory of his strong, steady thighs followed.
Just thinking about it made the heat rush to Kushina's face, and her embarrassment deepened even more.
"No, try focusing a little more," Yagami teased gently, sensing her distraction.
"Did I get it wrong?"
Still closing her eyes to concentrate, Kushina grew flustered at his words. She strengthened her focus and swept her perception across Kikyo Castle again, searching carefully for any presence she might have missed.
Watching her serious expression, Yagami suddenly leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.
The instant their lips met, Kushina felt as if thunder had exploded in her heart. Her perception, which had spread across the entire castle, snapped back into her body in an instant.
"Well? What do you sense now?" Yagami asked with a playful grin.
"I… I sense… there are only the two of us…" Kushina stammered, her face burning bright red.
Yet she didn't pull away. Instead, her heart pounded wildly in her chest, filled with a sweetness she had never felt before.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing her overwhelmed expression, Yagami burst into hearty laughter.
When he first met Kushina, she had been bold, fiery, and carefree. Now, watching her blush so easily filled him with a quiet sense of satisfaction—like the joy of clearing a difficult stage in a game.
His laughter only made Kushina's face redden further. She lowered her head again and again until she looked like a shy ostrich hiding from the world.
After a while, Yagami's laughter faded. He held her quietly, and a comfortable silence settled between them. Warmth filled the pavilion.
Before long, their eyes met again, and the gentle, intimate atmosphere deepened. Slowly, their faces drifted closer once more.
The sun sank toward the horizon, but the warmth between them didn't fade.
Leaning tightly against each other, Yagami and Kushina sat side by side, watching the afterglow of the setting sun over Kikyo Castle.
For a brief moment, far from the chaos of war, they were immersed in a rare world that belonged only to the two of them.
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