Because they spent some time at the hospital, by the time Zhang Miao arrived at his doorstep with Sasuke, it was already noon.
Upon entering the house, Zhang Miao immediately heard the sound of sizzling coming from the kitchen.
Upon hearing this sound, a smile appeared on Zhang Miao's face. He promptly called out towards the kitchen, "Big Sis Kushina, I'm back. Is the meal ready?"
Zhang Miao thought that it was Kushina cooking in the kitchen. However, to his surprise, as soon as he spoke, the Fourth Hokage, Minato, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, walked out of the kitchen.
"Is Ryuunosuke back? Your mother went to the school to deliver a bento to Naruto!"
At that moment, Minato noticed Sasuke standing beside Zhang Miao, and he immediately wore a puzzled expression.
"Oh, who's this child...?"
Without waiting for Zhang Miao to speak, Sasuke immediately stood straight, then respectfully bowed towards Minato.
"Excuse me, Fourth Hokage, I am Uzumaki Sasuke!"
"Ahem..."
As soon as Sasuke said this, Zhang Miao couldn't help bursting into laughter. However, he quickly suppressed the urge to laugh and instead patted Sasuke's shoulder meaningfully.
"That's right! Just like that. As long as you maintain this momentum, you'll definitely grow stronger, Uzumaki Sasuke!"
Minato: "..."
"This kid is playing around again!"
Minato understood Zhang Miao's personality very well. So, after witnessing this scene, he could only shake his head inwardly.
At the same time, Minato carefully observed Sasuke and soon noticed the fan emblem on Sasuke's back.
Upon seeing this emblem, Minato immediately understood.
"It seems this child is the only survivor from that night, Uchiha Fugaku's second son—Uchiha Sasuke!"
After recognizing Sasuke, Minato felt even more helpless.
"I hope this child, when he grows up, won't be too concerned about this strange name he got today!"
Thinking this, Minato sighed inwardly and then forced a smile as he turned towards Sasuke.
"So, it's Uzu... Uzumaki Sasuke, welcome here. Let me fetch you some snacks. Please wait a moment!"
After saying this, Minato turned and went back into the kitchen. Seeing this, Sasuke looked somewhat uneasy as he glanced at Zhang Miao.
"Um... Doesn't the Fourth Hokage dislike me? His expression seemed a bit strange."
Zhang Miao hadn't expected Sasuke's perception to be so keen. However, Zhang Miao couldn't tell him that Minato's strange expression was because of the name "Uzumaki Sasuke." So, Zhang Miao, once again, with a serious expression, patted Sasuke's shoulder.
"Sasuke, remember, you're here to train. Your goal is to defeat Itachi. So, don't worry about what others think, even if that person is the former Fourth Hokage, understand?"
Upon hearing Zhang Miao's words, Sasuke's expression became determined once again. He immediately nodded vigorously.
"Yes, I understand! As long as I can kill that man, even if I face great difficulties, I will never give up!"
Seeing his resolute expression, Zhang Miao finally showed a satisfied smile.
"That's the spirit! To affirm your determination, after we eat, I'll teach you my special skill. Once you've mastered this move, even Itachi will have to kneel and howl in pain!"
"Really?" As soon as Zhang Miao finished speaking, Sasuke's face lit up with surprise. He stood straight and respectfully bowed towards Zhang Miao. "Please, Master, teach me a lot!"
"Master?"
Upon hearing Sasuke's address, Zhang Miao raised an eyebrow, then smiled and nodded, "That title sounds good, but more importantly, it's your determination and perseverance. Don't disappoint me, Sasuke!"
"Yes, Master, I will absolutely not let you down!" As Sasuke spoke these words, his young voice carried an unwavering determination.
Upon hearing him, Minato, who had just come out of the kitchen, couldn't help but be impressed.
"This kid is good. As long as he's nurtured properly, his future achievements will surely be limitless!"
Just as Minato was thinking this, Zhang Miao's voice echoed once again.
"Alright, later I'll teach you my supreme skill, the 'Konoha's Secret Technique: Thousand Years of Death,' which has defeated countless Kirigakure ninjas and made the entire Valley of Clouds and Lightning tremble. You must study it seriously, understood?"
"I understand, Master!"
Upon hearing Zhang Miao's words, Sasuke became even more excited. He seemed to visualize Itachi collapsing at his feet, which further fueled his excitement.
Unlike Sasuke, upon hearing Zhang Miao's words, Minato, who stood at the kitchen door, became dumbfounded.
"Thousand…. Thousand Years of Death?"
Sasuke didn't know this move, but Minato did.
Before his death, Minato and Kushina had sealed a portion of their chakra into Zhang Miao and Naruto, respectively. So, after their resurrection, they were aware of what Zhang Miao and Naruto had done, including Zhang Miao's signature move - the Thousand Years of Death.
Minato didn't know how to evaluate this technique that punish people in the "back".
Firstly, in terms of speed.
In Minato's eyes, Zhang Miao's Thousand Years of Death was not inferior to his Hiraishin no Jutsu. Basically, once it was unleashed, the opponent would be caught off guard before they could react.
Secondly, in terms of power.
The Hiraishin itself didn't hold much power, mainly seizing the advantage through speed. However, Zhang Miao's Thousand Years of Death attacked the opponent's backside, instantly rendering them helpless. In terms of one-hit control over an opponent, it seemed to be even more superior than the Hiraishin.
The only drawback was the bad reputation of poking someone in the "back".
You see, while Minato had likely killed many people with the Hiraishin, he earned the nickname "Yellow Flash." Meanwhile, Zhang Miao had never killed anyone with the Thousand Years of Death, yet received the notorious title of "Backdoor Reaper."
Thinking about this, as Minato looked at Sasuke, apart from feeling strange, he also felt pity. "If this kid really learns this move, then in the future..."
Just as Minato was worried about Sasuke's future, Kushina's voice suddenly echoed from the doorway.
"Minato, I'm back!"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Minato quickly dismissed his thoughts, greeted Kushina with a smile, who had just entered.
"Welcome back, Kushina. The meal is ready. Today, Ryunosuke brought a little guest. Now that you're back, let's start eating!"