Cracks

After opening her eyes, aside from the unfamiliar ceiling, all she heard was an endless stream of snoring.

Kushina forced herself upright and pulled back the curtain beside her. Naruto was fast asleep on the small bed next to hers. She did not know what time it was, but for Naruto to be snoring that loudly, he must not have slept well.

The door suddenly opened. Kushina looked toward it and, upon seeing Kimura enter, breathed a sigh of relief.

"I figured you would be waking up soon, so I came to check on you. I did not expect you to actually be awake, Kushina."

After entering, Kimura set the medicine and medical records aside, then used Medical Ninjutsu to examine Kushina’s body.

"You are recovering well. Once you finish the medicine, you can be discharged."

Kushina showed her gratitude. "Thank you, Kimura."

"I did not do anything."

Kimura shook her head, then sighed as she spoke to Kushina. "Your body has nearly recovered to a normal person’s standard of health. The cellular necrosis and aging have stopped as well. The problem that has plagued you is gone, and all of this is thanks to the Curse Mark on your neck."

Kushina froze for a moment. She instinctively touched the sore, numb spot beneath her collar, then recalled what had happened before she lost consciousness.

Kimura asked calmly, "That is the same Curse Mark as Tsunade-sama’s, Kushina. Did you meet him last night?"

"Yes, Hyuga Mirai, he…"

Kushina did not really want to speak about what had happened last night. Deep down, she somewhat agreed with Hyuga Mirai’s suggestion. It could be Naruto’s last way out, so she did not want to reveal the details of their conversation.

She had also realized something: at the very least, Hyuga Mirai and Uzumaki Ayaka truly did not care about the Nine-Tails inside Naruto. Otherwise, they could have taken the entire Nine-Tails away back then.

"It is all right, Kushina. If you do not want to talk about it, forget it. I cannot see through that man either. As long as he does not intend to harm you, that is enough."

Kimura’s mood was somewhat low as well. "He used to be the junior I thought most highly of. If he had not defected from the village, then with his talent in Medical Ninjutsu, he definitely could have succeeded Tsunade-sama’s position in the village…"

Hearing that, Kushina lowered her head with an odd expression. Hyuga Mirai had told her that Tsunade-sama had now joined his organization as well.

"Naruto stayed by your side for an entire day. He only fell asleep because he truly could not hold on any longer. Kushina, Anbu already came by earlier to ask about your condition. Many people treated you yesterday, and someone may come question you later. Prepare yourself."

Kushina frowned at those words, a trace of anger appearing in her eyes.

The Konoha higher-ups, including the Third Hokage, had repeatedly asked her to let them teach Naruto. However, Kushina had never yielded. Before he entered the Ninja Academy, she insisted on teaching Naruto herself. Even after he enrolled, Kushina never allowed Naruto to train outside.

Kushina knew exactly what those higher-ups were thinking. They wanted nothing more than to turn Naruto into a qualified Jinchuriki. Moreover, Danzo had barely concealed his malice toward her. There was an eighty percent chance that Naruto’s identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had been leaked by Danzo.

He was the son of a hero who had protected the village. Even on his deathbed, Minato had still thought of the village. Yet now, her son was suffering immense malice within that very village.

After learning Naruto’s identity, those Villagers only appeared distant on the surface, but their private disgust and insults grew worse by the day. Every day, Kushina saw how depressed Naruto was when he came home. After it happened too many times, she gradually began making time to stay home with him and stopped letting him go out.

She had also once been the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, yet Kushina had never received the kind of treatment Naruto suffered in the village. The people targeting her had been outsiders who knew nothing of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki’s identity.

"I understand, Kimura. Do not worry. I am not the Kushina who was on the verge of death anymore."

Kushina pressed her fists together, her face brimming with vigor. "If they want to cause trouble, I will send every one of those old fools flying with a single punch."

Kushina now felt strength coursing through her body. The faint weakness that had once lingered within her had completely vanished. Furthermore, she could feel that, through the Curse Mark on her neck, she could absorb Natural Energy at any time and enter a special Sage Mode.

"Handle it yourself. I still need to check on the other patients."

After reminding her, Kimura left. Someone else had also remained unconscious since last night. The young Jonin Yuhi Kurenai had not a single wound on her body, yet she still had not awakened. After examining her, several Medical Jonin at the hospital determined that Yuhi Kurenai had likely suffered an Illusion Technique attack, which was why she remained unconscious.

Only Tsunade-sama had the ability to treat injuries caused by Illusion Techniques. Kimura and the others could do nothing about it. She planned to check on Yuhi Kurenai again, and if there were still no signs of her waking, she would request permission from Hokage-sama to seek out Tsunade-sama.

Just as Kimura had expected, not long after she left, the Third Hokage, Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura, the four Konoha higher-ups, arrived together at Kushina’s hospital room.

"Kushina—"

Before Sarutobi Hiruzen could finish, Kushina cut him off.

"Let us talk outside. Do not wake Naruto."

With that, Kushina got out of bed, walked past them, and headed outside.

"How rude." Seeing Kushina act like that, Utatane Koharu frowned and muttered. They were Konoha higher-ups and far older than Kushina, yet she had shown them no respect at all.

"Forget it, Koharu. Let us ask about the matter first."

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head and walked out as well. Even if they had not gone outside, he had intended to have the Anbu take Naruto to another room to rest. They had merely changed locations instead.

After following Kushina to another area, Kushina was the first to question them. "Third Hokage, why did you allow someone to infiltrate Konoha again? Were the Anbu all asleep? Why did they only notice after someone had already attacked me?"

"This…"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned by Kushina’s string of questions. He coughed twice to hide his embarrassment before apologizing to her with an unpleasant expression.

"I am sorry, Kushina. I will reorganize the Anbu afterward and assign another squad to protect you two."

"No need. More people or fewer people, it makes no difference." Kushina said coldly, "Rather than rely on those useless Anbu, I might as well beg the enemy to spare Naruto and me."

Utatane Koharu said angrily, "You are being far too disrespectful, Kushina."

"After what you have done, you still expect me to be polite? Even now, Hokage-sama has not told me how Naruto’s identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was leaked. Yet outsiders can come to our door again and again. Hah."

Kushina gave a cold laugh, her eyes fixed firmly on Danzo beside Sarutobi Hiruzen.

When she had become a Jinchuriki, her identity had been kept under the strictest secrecy. Not even the captain of the Jonin corps knew. Yet when it came to Naruto, it had become common knowledge.

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked somewhat embarrassed, then changed the subject and asked, "Kushina, we can discuss that later. Right now, the most important thing is understanding Hyuga Mirai’s intentions last night. Why did he come? Did he intend to harm Naruto?"

Uzumaki Kushina snorted coldly. "No. They only acted against me. Then I struggled free and broke the Barrier Technique before passing out."

"Was that all?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen pressed further. He did not believe Hyuga Mirai had returned merely to place a Curse Mark on Kushina, especially when that Curse Mark had healed her and restored her body to normal.

"That was all." Kushina replied impatiently.

Sarutobi Hiruzen became puzzled. From what he knew of Hyuga Mirai, everything the man did should have had a strong purpose. To remove the Caged Bird Seal, he had even played the role of an heir to the Will of Fire in Konoha for years without anyone detecting anything abnormal.

Now that he had returned to Konoha, how could he possibly have left after merely healing Kushina? If that were the case, then why had he appeared in the Uchiha clan compound again?

Someone had to be lying—either Kushina or Uchiha Fugaku!

Sarutobi Hiruzen was not the only one to think of this. Danzo had considered it as well. He narrowed his eyes slightly and secretly decided to increase surveillance on the Uchiha in the future.

"Hand Uzumaki Naruto over to Root for training. With what is inside him, there is no need for him to waste time in the Ninja Academy."

Danzo suddenly stepped forward and said, "He can receive Root training during the day and return home at night. That way, Uzumaki Naruto can grow quickly. Root will also strengthen its protection of Naruto so enemies will never be able to approach him again."

"In your dreams!!"

Kushina roared angrily at Danzo. Her red hair rose as though blown upward by a gust of wind, and an expression of extreme fury appeared on her face. Resonating with her emotions, the Curse Mark on Kushina’s neck spread crimson patterns that instantly covered her entire body.

The two Root members behind Danzo immediately assumed fighting stances, warily guarding against Kushina.

As Kushina absorbed Natural Energy, however, her aura grew stronger and stronger. Two horns slowly emerged from her head, while her skin turned deathly pale.

Yet her presence became even more overwhelming. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes showed surprise as he thought, What kind of power is this? How did Kushina’s Chakra become so powerful all at once!?

Just as both sides stood at sword’s point and could clash at any moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally shouted.

"Enough! All of you, stop! Danzo, have your Root withdraw!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s command eased the imminent conflict. Once the Root members had left, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his head and slowly spoke to Kushina. "Kushina, do not get worked up. It was only a suggestion. Danzo is also afraid someone might attack Naruto again. Since you are unwilling, Naruto can continue training with you."

After hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen’s words, Kushina slowly withdrew the Curse Mark patterns from her body. She then gave Danzo a cold look and said, "If you dare lay a hand on Naruto, even if it costs me my life, I will make you pay!"

With that, Kushina left directly.

Only after Kushina had left did Danzo slowly speak. "Hiruzen, you saw it. Kushina’s wariness toward you and me is already obvious. Under her guidance, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki will not listen to you in the future either. And that Curse Mark just now—how could Kushina have mastered it so quickly? Even Tsunade took a long time before she could seal it."

Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent for a moment before slowly replying, "I understand."