Consider?
Consider what exactly?
Minato did not react for a moment, and Mikoto had already turned her head away to focus on peeling peanuts by herself.
His gaze fell on the deep red tips of Mikoto's ears, and Minato suddenly realized the truth.
With her acting in such a manner, what else could she possibly be considering?
Since she did not demand that he make a final choice, she could only be considering the option of accepting his fickle nature!
But was the situation really going this smoothly?
To be honest, he had not planned on winning her over at this particular time at all.
But he did not expect that just by baring his feelings once, there would be such immense progress made.
Could this be the legendary self-conquest?
Little did he know that Mikoto was also panicking deep inside, her hands trembling slightly as she peeled the peanuts.
She was just happy to discover that although Minato and Kushina liked each other, there had not been any substantial progress between them.
In that instant, the thoughts of striking first and the guilt toward Kushina flashed through her mind simultaneously.
This caused her head to heat up, leading her to say something that sounded like giving him a chance, yet also like a firm declaration of possession.
What should she do now?
How should she explain herself at this point?
Was she really going to agree to this greedy guy's desires?
But that would be too ridiculous—
Mikoto felt like her heart was a tangled mess of yarn.
Looking at the rosy tips of Mikoto's ears, a small smile played at the corners of Minato's mouth.
Sister Mikoto.
Hmm?
Thank you for not hating me for being greedy, Minato said in a gentle and sincere tone.
Hearing this, Mikoto's movements paused slightly, and then she gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.
At this moment, the silence between them seemed to be infinitely stretched.
The two did not discuss feelings anymore, nor did they mention the war; they just quietly shared food and occasionally chatted about Ninjutsu or mission topics, the atmosphere remaining harmonious and melting.
And this subtle change in atmosphere was quickly noticed by Tsunade.
At night, just as Minato lay down, Tsunade took his hand from under the covers.
Minato looked at Tsunade beside him, only to see her amber eyes staring at him without blinking.
What is your relationship with Mikoto?
Tsunade's thought came through, her beautiful eyes carrying a sharp, questioning look.
Minato hesitated for a second: $A$ relationship of mutual liking.
You fickle brat!
Tsunade gave a light spit, but unexpectedly she was not angry: $I$ promised Orochimaru I would not interfere in things between you two.
Minato nodded, his guess finally confirmed: $So$ it really was Senior Orochimaru's idea? Why did you agree to it, Teacher?
$For$ you, it should not be hard to guess, right?
Tsunade gave a soft snort: $Do$ I really have to say things that embarrass myself just to satisfy your wicked sense of humor?
$6$————
Minato sighed imperceptibly: $I$ feel like I owe you a lot, Teacher.
Tsunade rolled her eyes: $Give$ me a break! Do you owe me any less than you already do?
Minato thought for a moment and gently scratched Tsunade's palm.
In the next second, his hand was gripped tightly by Tsunade.
Don't mess around, there are others here.
So when others aren't here, I can mess around?
$I$ never said that, but if you insist on thinking so, there is nothing I can do about it.
Tsunade guiltily closed her eyes and played ostrich. Her guilty look made Minato chuckle, and his desire to grow up became increasingly urgent.
Suddenly, a strange surge of information flooded into Minato's mind, causing the smile on his face to freeze.
I'm going to the bathroom—
Muttering softly, Minato let go of Tsunade's hand and, under her dissatisfied gaze, quickly got up and left the room.
Afterward, he left a Shadow Clone in the camp and used the Flying Thunder God to teleport his main body directly back to his home in Konoha.
Hurrying to the bathroom, Minato looked at the pair of Sharingan with a special pattern in the mirror, his eyes full of disbelief.
In the center of those crimson pupils was a small ring, with an eight-pointed star piercing through the ring, making the whole thing look like a small sun.
This Mangekyo Sharingan had awakened on the day his mother passed away.
However, at that time, only the ocular technique of the left eye had awakened. Over the past $3$ years, because there had not been any major emotional fluctuations, the ocular technique of the right eye had been slow to awaken.
However, just now, when he urgently desired to grow up, his right eye's ocular technique awakened!
It was named: Minakanushi!
The ability was—to change the target's physical growth state.
For example, making someone youthful again, or making someone age instantly.
Or localized changes, such as the developmental level of height, appearance, organs, and nerves.
The target of the ocular technique could be himself or others, but it only worked on living things and could not regenerate organs or severed limbs.
What Minato found most regrettable was that this technique would only take permanent effect on himself. For other targets, the duration of the effect would vary depending on the intensity of the eye power and the target's Chakra.
The more eye power consumed and the less Chakra the target had, the longer the change would last.
Conversely, the less eye power consumed and the more Chakra the target had, the shorter the change would last, and it might even fail to affect the target at all.
The specific duration would still need to be determined through experimentation.
In the moment he understood the effect of the right eye's ocular technique, dozens of poses for Tsunade flashed through Minato's mind without repeating.
But it had to be said, although this ocular technique was a bit improper, it was very practical!
Secondly, this technique could be said to be his only technique currently capable of effectively threatening the Otsutsuki level!
Facing an enemy at the Otsutsuki level, even if it could only affect the opponent for a split second, it would be enough to decide the outcome of the battle.
Thinking of this, Minato looked at the left eye in the mirror.
Compared to the right eye's Minakanushi, although the power of the left eye could not directly act on the enemy, it was his greatest trump card to date. The ocular technique of Minato's left eye was named: Amatsukami-Sake.
The ability was to reject something that had already happened.
For example, rejecting injury, or even rejecting death!
There was no need to set activation conditions in advance like Izanagi; it directly rejected facts that had already occurred!
Of course, the consumption of eye power was also extremely terrifying.
Minato could feel that the Power of All Creation in his body had already fused to the final stage, and his eye power was growing extremely slowly, clearly having reached its Peak period.
But even so, he could only use it $3$ times at most currently!
However, Minato was in no hurry. As long as he waited for his Power of All Creation to fully fuse, he would be able to awaken the Rinnegan, and by then, the disadvantage of blindness would no longer exist.
Looking at the pair of crimson eyes in the mirror, Minato was like a child who had just received a new toy, eager to try out the effect of the right eye, but reason still made him suppress this thought.
He did not plan to reveal the Sharingan for the time being, and it would not be good if it accidentally affected the evolution of the Rinnegan.
Once it evolved into the Rinnegan, not only would the Six Paths Power be added, but two more ocular techniques would also be gained. Revealing the Sharingan at this time would bring him no benefit at all.
In the original story, only Uchiha Madara evolved the Rinnegan, and without relevant experience, Minato did not dare to mess around.
Thinking of this, Minato suddenly fell into deep thought.
Speaking of which, has Madara awakened the Rinnegan at this time?
He remembered that Nagato met Yahiko and Konan during the Second Great Ninja War, which meant Nagato basically had the Rinnegan transplanted during this time period.
Looking at it this way, Madara likely has already awakened the Rinnegan.
So, should he take this opportunity to intercept Madara's eyes?
Minato pondered in his heart as he quietly returned to the front-line camp and replaced the Clone.
Returning to the room and sliding into the covers, Tsunade's hand reached out to hold his again.
As the saying goes, when one holds a Sharp Weapon, the desire to kill naturally arises.
If before, influenced by his physical age, Minato could still restrain certain thoughts, now he really wanted to give himself a shot of Minakanushi.
This was destined to be a sleepless night!
Fortunately, with his Physique, not sleeping for a night had no effect at all.
Early the next morning, Minato found Orochimaru.
Senior, can you give me a map of the combat zone?
He remembered that Nagato's home was in the combat zone. He was not sure about Yahiko and Konan, but they should not be too far from the combat zone.
Minato planned to send a Clone to find Nagato and secretly swap Madara's eyeballs into his own hands.
Orochimaru did not ask what Minato wanted it for and directly got him a map.
This map showed the offensive routes for Konoha in case of a simultaneous war with Sunagakure and Amegakure. It also recorded Konoha's logistics supply routes and trap zones. It was a classified document, yet Orochimaru casually gave it to Minato.
To this, Minato could only say that having a friend in a high position is truly important!
To express his gratitude, Minato first built the headquarters.
After building two more barracks, Minato used the excuse of insufficient Chakra and took Mikoto back to their room.
Minato, what do you want the front-line map for?
As soon as the two returned to the room, Mikoto asked curiously.
If it were before yesterday, she would never have asked so abruptly.
However, after they had bared their hearts to each other yesterday, although she was still gentle and proper when facing Minato, she clearly had a bit more of a womanly attitude.
Minato opened the map, took a look, and said casually, You might not believe it if I say it, but I am protecting this world.
Protecting the world?
Mikoto felt it was a bit absurd, but she still nodded: Although it sounds a bit unbelievable, I believe you!
Hearing this, Minato smiled happily: Sister Mikoto really is the gentlest girl I have ever met.
Wait, don't you think something is wrong?
Mikoto was not happy because of Minato's praise; she just put her hands on her hips and looked at Minato with burning eyes: I just called you Minato, not Minato-kun.
Hmm...
Minato was stunned for two seconds: So?
So?!
The smile on Mikoto's face gradually became dangerous, a mark popped up on her forehead, and her slender hand gently pinched Minato's cheek, her tone carrying a hint of threat: So, what should you call me, Minato?
Minato blinked: Darling?
As the word fell, Mikoto's pretty face instantly turned fiery red.
She withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted, her face showing a trace of shame and annoyance as she lightly scolded, You—don't call me that!
Then what should I call you?
Minato leaned in front of Mikoto, tilting his head to look at her, a hint of playfulness in his eyes: Mikoto? Sister?
Mikoto stopped talking; she suddenly felt that Minato was very aggressive today!
Looking at those azure eyes close at hand, Mikoto subconsciously took half a step back, only to see that Minato had already returned to his usual gentle smile.
I'll just call you Mikoto then.
Minato chuckled, turned, and walked over to sit by the hearth: I plan to send a Clone to the combat zone to find something, and collect some intelligence along the way.
As he spoke, Minato formed Hand Seals: Shadow Clone Jutsu!
With a puff of smoke, a Shadow Clone appeared in the room.
The Clone nodded to the main body, and with a flash, it disappeared from the spot.
So Clones can also use the Flying Thunder God—
Mikoto marveled: That's just cheating!
A Clone's sensory range is smaller, and its reaction speed is also far inferior to the main body. It does not have much effect against powerful experts, Minato explained.
He actually wanted to send a Wood Clone, but considering that if a Wood Clone were suddenly destroyed, it might not be able to transmit intelligence in time, Minato still chose to use a Shadow Clone.
This Shadow Clone just now had half of his Chakra, and its strength was no weaker than a Jonin.
In terms of intelligence transmission efficiency, Shadow Clones were indeed stronger.
Soon, in Minato's perception, a brand new Flying Thunder God Mark appeared to the due north.
To the due north of the camp, the Shadow Clone transformed into an adult man wearing a black cloak, speeding along the main road.
As the saying goes, sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutting. The Clone was in no hurry to find Nagato, but instead planned to first spread Flying Thunder God Marks all over the Land of Rain.
Although the Clone did not have the exaggerated sensory range of the main body, it still had sensory abilities.
Since Nagato was from the Uzumaki Clan and could bear the power of the Rinnegan at a young age, his Chakra volume should be far greater than that of ordinary people. When the time came, he would only need to perform a carpet-style search.
In the blink of an eye, a week flew by.
During these few days, Minato did $3$ things every day: slacking off, flirting with Mikoto during the day, and flirting with Tsunade at night.
Meanwhile, the Clone was traveling day and night to find Nagato's whereabouts.
The Flying Thunder God Marks spread across the Land of Rain like a star net, yet he still had not sensed the massive Chakra reaction unique to the Uzumaki Clan.
But just then, the Clone sent back news.
Nagato was not found, but Yahiko was!
In the central region of the Land of Rain, outside a small town.
The Shadow Clone stood at the entrance of a cave, his black cloak flapping in the wind and rain.
Inside the cave, an orange-haired boy held a somewhat broken Kunai, guarding several large boxes, his gaze wary and fixed on the Clone.
Who are you?
The boy's tone sounded very aggressive, seemingly quite hostile.
But that was normal. In the current state of the Land of Rain, an orphan without a bit of aggression would likely not survive at all.
Just a passerby.
The Clone sensed the surrounding environment, confirmed there were no White Zetsu nearby, and only then released the transformation, returning to his original appearance.
My name is Minato Namikaze. What is your name?
Transformation Jutsu? You know Ninjutsu?
Yahiko's face changed instantly, looking at Minato with surprise: My name is Yahiko! You are—
His gaze fell on Minato's forehead protector, and Yahiko's words suddenly stopped, a trace of panic flashing in his eyes.
You're a Konoha Ninja?
Yes.
The Clone nodded politely: Can I take shelter from the rain here for a while?
Uh—
Yahiko hesitated briefly, then nodded: I guess it's okay. I have some food here too, I can give some to you, but can you teach me some Ninjutsu? Please!
Hearing this, a smile appeared at the corners of the Clone's mouth: Sure!
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