Konoha Hospital.
The afternoon sun filtered through the frosted glass window, turning into a soft, creamy white.
This time, Kakashi didn't fall; instead, Minato did.
Kushina was carefully feeding Minato the meal she had meticulously prepared.
Minato's face was full of happiness, which only made Kushina a little annoyed. She pinched his cheek: "Minato, do you know you almost didn't come back?"
Minato rubbed his head and said to Kushina, embarrassed: "I'm sorry, Kushina."
Kushina put the dish aside, then buried her head in his embrace, crying softly: "Don't do that again."
"You know... you're going to be a father!"
Minato was immediately overjoyed, almost jumping up: "Kushina, you're pregnant?"
Kushina hugged Minato's back and nodded: "Yakushi Nonō detected it a few days ago."
Minato got up from the hospital bed, happily picked up Kushina, and spun her around several times.
But a shadow soon crossed Minato's face, as this was not the best time for Kushina to be pregnant.
Madara had been revived and had regained his Rinnegan. The Ninja World would erupt in a war even more intense than the previous three Ninja World Wars.
Could they win?
Minato didn't have much confidence in his heart. First of all, the Susanoo summoned by Madara was not something ordinary Ninja could deal with.
Furthermore, Madara also possessed the Sage of Six Paths's Rinnegan; his strength had far surpassed the First Hokage.
Could such a person truly be defeated by gathering all the forces of the Ninja World?
Minato then recalled the divine punishment that descended that day, wondering if Madara was dead.
Now, he could only wait for intelligence from the reconnaissance team.
Seeing Minato's troubled expression, Kushina pinched his nose: "Minato, you're thinking about Uchiha Madara again, aren't you?"
Minato nodded, then hugged Kushina and sat on the hospital bed.
He gently stroked Kushina's abdomen: "Don't worry, even if Uchiha Madara is the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths, I will never let him harm you and our child."
Speaking of harming Kushina and the child, the person who came to Minato's mind was not Madara, but Uchiha Ryou.
He was a bit speechless: "Kushina, Ryou has set his sights on you, saying he'll take you away from me."
Kushina immediately stood up indignantly: "What?! That little Uchiha Ryou dares to speak such arrogant words?"
"Minato, next time I'll also go on a mission. I'll definitely let that evil bastard Uchiha see the Sealing Jutsu of my Uzumaki Clan."
Minato quickly appeased Kushina: "Alright, alright, when Kushina makes a move, she'll definitely beat Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Ryou to a pulp."
Kushina smiled, making a fierce declaration: "These evil Uchiha still need a peerless genius from my Uzumaki Clan to seal them!"
"…"
Minato suddenly froze, looking at the door of the hospital room. Kushina turned around and saw Mikoto and Itachi, who were carrying a fruit basket.
Kushina had just mentioned the evil Uchiha, and Mikoto and Itachi were from the Uchiha Clan.
They were a bit awkward, unsure whether to enter.
Kushina quickly rushed to Mikoto to apologize: "Sorry, Mikoto, I wasn't talking about you, I... I, I was talking about that evil grandfather and grandson, Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Ryou."
Mikoto placed the fruit basket on the nearby table and bowed to Minato, who nodded.
Mikoto looked at the somewhat lively Kushina and shook her head: "Kushina, you're pregnant, don't be so impetuous."
Kushina breathed a sigh of relief; Mikoto hadn't taken it to heart.
Currently, the relationship between the two families had a hint of political rivalry. Minato was a Hokage candidate, and Fugaku had also become a Hokage candidate.
Kushina feared that her relationship with Mikoto would develop cracks due to the competition between Minato and Fugaku.
But for now, Mikoto hadn't put on a political rival's facade, which made Kushina cherish their friendship very much.
Kushina pulled Mikoto to sit on the nearby sofa and asked for advice: "Mikoto, you got pregnant two months before me. Have you thought of a name for the child?"
Mikoto found it a bit amusing: "It hasn't been that long; it's still early until the baby is born! But as for the name, I do have some ideas."
"After my brother died, I planned to name him Liao, to commemorate him, but Fugaku disagreed. He has a better name—Sasuke!"
Kushina was stunned: "Isn't that the name of the Third Hokage's father?"
Mikoto nodded: "The Third Hokage's father was a great Ninja. Fugaku wants Sasuke to become a great Ninja like Lord Sarutobi Sasuke."
On the other side, Itachi walked to Minato's hospital bed and saluted him: "I apologize, Lord Minato. It's our Uchiha Clan's troubles that have implicated Lord Minato."
Minato looked at Itachi, who seemed like a little adult, displaying Ninja demeanor at such a young age, rational and well-spoken, much easier to get along with than the arrogant Uchiha.
He patted Itachi's head: "This isn't a misfortune of the Uchiha Clan. After Uchiha Madara's revival, it's already excellent that the Uchiha Clan can still stand firm in Konoha."
Itachi then asked: "Lord Minato, were your injuries caused by Uchiha Madara?"
Mikoto and Itachi came to visit Minato. On one hand, the two families had a good relationship in the past. In the original work, Kushina even told Mikoto about her pregnancy.
It's important to remember that she was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and during childbirth, the Tailed Beast could break through the seal at any time.
Even if Mikoto's family didn't know Kushina was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the fact that such important news could be shared with Mikoto shows how good their relationship was.
Minato was injured, and since it was an ancestor of the Uchiha Clan who inflicted the injury, Mikoto would naturally come to visit.
On the other hand, they also came to inquire about information. Most of the Ninja Cats in Sora-ku had pledged allegiance to Madara, and the Uchiha had lost their source of external news.
They could only inquire from the Senju faction, and the only connection between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju faction was Minato's family.
Minato was not an ordinary Jonin; Kushina was from the Uzumaki Clan, which could essentially be considered part of the Senju faction.
If Tsunade didn't become Hokage, the Senju Clan would strongly support Minato.
To some extent, even if the higher-ups gave the Uchiha a chance, they still couldn't become Hokage.
The Uchiha... were too isolated!
Minato was silent for a moment before telling Itachi: "Yes, Uchiha Madara is too strong. With just one encounter, he gravely wounded me."
"If it weren't for the Flying Thunder God Technique, Kakashi and I would have been annihilated."
Kushina walked over and tapped Minato's head: "Minato, don't say such disheartening things."
Minato gave an awkward laugh, then said: "Itachi, your uncle is also not bad; he learned Tsunade-senpai's monstrous strength."
"He has Fire Release Forbidden Jutsu, Lightning Release Forbidden Jutsu, Earth Release Secret Jutsu, and he's also a Medical Ninja with astonishing recovery... his Chakra is even more astonishing than Kushina's."
The more Minato recalled Ryou, the more surprised he became. Without realizing it, Ryou had already become an opponent he wasn't confident in defeating.
This was too fast, wasn't it?
How long had it been since Ryou defected? Only a few months, and he already had the level of a Sannin.
If he were given a few more years, wouldn't he become another Madara?
Mikoto and Itachi grew more and more surprised as they listened. A hint of pride rose in Mikoto's heart; her brother's Ninja talent was never inferior to Tsunade's or Jiraiya's.
It was all due to the hereditary disease that held him back!