Chapter 79
"It looks like Kushina is awake now..."
Haneda naturally understood why Kushina's favorability had increased.
First, he had helped her hold off the Nine-Tails, buying some time.
Second, he had used medical ninjutsu to save Minato.
Haneda quietly guessed that the second reason played a bigger role.
...
Elsewhere, at Konoha Hospital.
Kushina lay in her hospital bed, sweating occasionally as if in a nightmare.
At this moment, in her mental space...
The Nine-Tails was completely bound by countless golden chains, and its head was tightly restricted by a spiral-like sealing jutsu.
Its head was resting on the ground, eyes closed, as if asleep.
Returning to her mental space, Kushina was surprised to see this scene.
The Nine-Tails was usually the most irritable at night, only calming down during the day.
Could it be so suppressed by the seal that it was too frustrated to resist?
Thinking this, Kushina looked up at the Four Symbols Seal Minato had left and smiled sweetly.
"Hey! Nine-Tails! Tell me, how is Minato doing?"
Kushina mustered up her courage and asked the Nine-Tails in front of her.
"You don't know my name?" The Nine-Tails slightly opened its eyes, glancing sideways at Kushina.
"You have a name, Nine-Tails?"
"You humans have names, why wouldn't the Tailed Beasts?"
The Nine-Tails retorted, then, with a mocking tone, said, "Heh... looks like that naturally wicked Uchiha brat made you forget what happened this afternoon."
"You still haven't told me, how is Minato?" Kushina couldn't hold back her frustration and stomped her foot after hearing the Nine-Tails' roundabout talk.
"He was saved by that brat."
"Haneda?"
Kushina was overjoyed upon hearing that Minato was safe.
Her biggest fear was losing the one who praised, acknowledged, and loved her so deeply—Minato.
"So, his name is Uchiha Haneda... Could he possibly have both Senju and Uchiha blood?" the Nine-Tails wondered to itself.
Suddenly, a thought emerged from deep within the Nine-Tails.
After all, it couldn't escape from this girl or the kid behind her, Minato.
Maybe...
The Nine-Tails lifted its head, fully opening its eyes to gaze at Kushina.
"Are you trying to break free of the seal again, Nine-Tails?!"
"I will never allow you to hurt Minato or the others again!!"
Golden chains extended from Kushina's back, and her eyes were filled with warning.
"So fierce, so unreasonable... no wonder they call you the Red-Hot Habanero..." the Nine-Tails grumbled silently.
It looked up at the spiral-shaped Four Symbols Seal, and its expression and tone softened significantly.
"I want to make a deal with you."
"What kind of deal?" Kushina looked suspicious, guessing that the Nine-Tails might be up to no good again.
"You help me gather information on Uchiha Haneda and try to get closer to him. In exchange, I will never interfere with you again."
Even though the Nine-Tails said this, it was already difficult for it to interfere with Kushina.
As long as Kushina stayed in the village or Minato was around, the Nine-Tails couldn't regain its freedom.
Which meant... this was a deal with no downside.
The Nine-Tails even felt like a genius for coming up with such a perfect agreement.
"Really??!"
Kushina held back her excitement and asked.
"Would I lie to a little girl?"
When the Nine-Tails said this, Kushina grew a bit skeptical.
This evil beast had tricked her before.
But the condition it proposed was easy for her, and it wasn't something she couldn't accept.
So, Kushina agreed.
"Alright, I accept your condition. But you must promise not to harm my comrades, Konoha, or Minato!"
Upon hearing the part about not harming Konoha or Minato, the Nine-Tails' expression turned awkward.
It wasn't just Minato; even the deeply hidden Uchiha Haneda was beyond its ability to handle.
A three-tomoe Sharingan plus Wood Release? If it wasn't sealed inside Kushina, maybe it could put up a fight.
But given its current sealed state, it was far from realistic.
...
The next morning, at Konoha Hospital.
Many people began to arrive one after another in Minato's room.
Haneda and Obito walked in carrying a bouquet of narcissus flowers.
Looking around, they saw Jiraiya and Tsunade standing by the bed, with Rin and Kakashi beside them.
As for Kushina, she was sitting at the bedside.
What intrigued Haneda was that Tsunade had actually been called back.
It had been several years since he last saw her.
By the timeline, Tsunade should have been wandering with Shizune by now.
But considering Kushina's relationship with Tsunade's grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, it was understandable.
"Haneda!"
"Haneda, Obito."
"Well, if it isn't the little brat from the Uchiha clan."
The five people in the room formed three small groups, all looking at Haneda and Obito.
"Lady Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya…"
"No need for the formalities, brat. You're here to check on Minato too?" Tsunade interrupted Haneda.
"Of course, Minato-senpai got hurt in my personal training field.
Plus, I need to see how my patient is doing."
Haneda met Tsunade's gaze and spoke.
He was no longer the same person from five years ago.
Now, his strength alone was enough to engage in conversation with Tsunade, not just his background.
"Your patient? So, you were the one who stopped his bleeding…"
Tsunade said with some surprise.
"Seems like a lot happened at the training ground after I left," Jiraiya laughed.
"Pervy Sage, how can you laugh?!"
"If you hadn't left, Minato-sensei and Kushina-neechan wouldn't have been hurt!"
Obito shouted.
"There's that brat again."
"I'm a ninja now! Pervy Sage!!"
Jiraiya glanced at Obito, whose personality reminded him of his younger self, and decided to ignore him.
"Calm down, dead last," Kakashi said.
"Shut up, idiot Kakashi!"
"Obito, Haneda is right. Let's keep our voices down and not disturb Minato-senpai," Haneda said from the side.
"Obito, Haneda is right. We should keep it down," Rin echoed.
Hearing Rin and Haneda speak, Obito nodded immediately, saying, "Rin and Haneda are right. I'll let it go this time, idiot Kakashi."
Sitting at the bedside, Kushina glanced over, her gaze at Haneda holding a trace of curiosity.
Why was the Nine-Tails so intrigued by this boy, even going as far as to strike a peace agreement?
At this moment, Haneda stood with short, messy hair and bright black eyes.
Though his face still appeared youthful, his white shirt and dark blue pants added a touch of maturity.
The dark gray armguards on his hands and the short sword at his waist only increased his air of sharpness.
Kushina silently compared Haneda to Minato.
Although Minato was more handsome, Haneda wasn't far behind.
A bold guess popped into Kushina's mind.
Could it be that the Nine-Tails had a thing for boys who were both handsome and a bit mature?
***
To read an advance 90+ chapters
Support me at p@treon.com/NahinS77
Change @ to a
Or go to that website and search NahinS77