Chapter 37: Love
Konoha Village.
It was a rare day off for Minato Namikaze, and of course, he planned to spend it with Kushina.
After dropping off Kagami and Kakashi, he left with a quick, "Let's meet at the BBQ place tonight," and disappeared without a trace.
"Such a traitor, ditching his juniors for love," Kakashi muttered under his breath.
"What about you?" Kagami asked with a smirk. "Aren't you going to find that little girlfriend of yours from the Academy?"
Kakashi kicked a pebble down the road, his tone indifferent. "I'm not interested in little girls."
Kagami chuckled. "Oh really? Says the guy who reads Icha Icha Paradise during training breaks."
"That's research!" Kakashi protested, his voice rising. "It's a deep appreciation of Jiraiya-sensei's literary genius! Also... it's all about the older women in there." His voice trailed off into a mumble.
"Sure, whatever you say." Kagami shrugged. "But if I catch you and that perverted old man peeping at the women's bathhouse, I'll make sure the Uchiha police deal with you personally."
As he turned towards the Uchiha compound, Kagami added, "By the way, let Minato know I'm not joining for dinner. I'll eat at home."
The sound of footsteps followed him.
"Then I'll eat at your place!" Kakashi said shamelessly.
Kagami sighed, realizing it was more effort to get rid of Kakashi than to simply let him tag along.
"Fine," he relented. "But you're buying the groceries, and you're cooking."
"What? I'm the guest here! Shouldn't you at least handle the shopping?"
"Take it or leave it."
For the first time, Kakashi understood the frustration Obito and Guy must have felt dealing with him.
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Groceries in hand, the two entered the Uchiha household. The first thing Kakashi noticed was a boy standing on the edge of a small pond, concentrating hard.
"Shisui, practicing water-walking, huh?" Kakashi called out.
Splash!
The boy's focus broke, and half of his body plunged into the water. Shisui's cheeks flushed red as he glared at Kakashi.
"White-haired dead-fish eyes! Don't interrupt me!"
"Ah! Big brother, you're back!"
Ignoring the wet clothes clinging to him, Shisui leapt toward Kagami like a fish returning to water.
Smack.
Kagami pressed a hand to Shisui's face, keeping him at arm's length.
"Go rinse off and change into dry clothes first."
"Okay!"
As Shisui bounced away, Kakashi leaned closer to Kagami and muttered, "Aren't you a bit too harsh on him? I didn't even start water-walking until I was four. He's only three, right?"
"Three and a half," Kagami corrected with a shake of his head. "And if he can't manage water-walking at this age, he's just as useless as you."
Kakashi wanted to retort that he'd been called a genius all his life, but when standing next to Kagami, those words felt hollow.
In the sitting room, Kagami's grandmother smiled warmly at their return but made no move to rise.
Kagami knelt by her side, gently placing a hand on her ankle. He frowned as his fingers brushed against frail, withered skin stretched taut over bone.
"Why didn't you tell me it's gotten this bad?" he murmured.
She reached out to stroke his hair, her smile soft and tender. "It's fine. Shisui's learning to take care of me."
Kagami bowed his head, silent.
There were ways to heal her—he could even seek out Tsunade or Orochimaru if needed.
But physical wounds weren't the problem here.
The scars left by loss, by years of suffering, couldn't be healed with medicine or chakra.
Could he use a genjutsu to erase her memories of the loved ones she'd lost?
No. Kagami couldn't bring himself to do something so cruel.
He could feel it—the older he grew, the more her desire to continue living faded.
"Grandma," he said quietly. "I'll take care of myself. And I'll take care of Shisui, too."
If there came a day when she wanted to follow her loved ones to the other side, he wouldn't hold her back.
"I believe in you," she whispered.
---
Kushina!
Minato stood outside Kushina's house, holding a bouquet of vibrant red flowers that matched her hair.
With a loud crash, the window on the second floor burst open.
Kushina leapt out, ignoring the ten-meter drop.
"Catch me, Minato!"
---
Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, taking a long drag from his pipe as he reviewed the latest reports from Orochimaru and Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
Defeating the Four-Tails.
Forcing Ōnoki into a ceasefire.
The Uchiha Nine-Tails Jinchūriki…
Of course, Hiruzen didn't believe the rumors spread by Iwagakure.
The Nine-Tails was still safely sealed within Kushina.
Based on reports from Shinnosuke and Minato's own account, Kagami had developed a secret technique akin to a more advanced Spirit Transformation Technique.
Using it, he managed to extract some of the Four-Tails' chakra, forcing Ōnoki to retreat.
Yet what unsettled Hiruzen wasn't Kagami's victory—it was the implications of his ability.
If Kagami could take chakra from the Four-Tails, could he do the same with the Nine-Tails?
An Uchiha with control over the Nine-Tails…
Hiruzen couldn't help but think of one name: Madara Uchiha.
He had seen firsthand the devastation wrought during that legendary battle.
Could Konoha withstand another Madara?
The thought of eliminating Kagami flickered through his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.
If Kagami were to die now, the Uchiha clan would undoubtedly revolt.
Even those loyal to the village would never forgive such a move.
Hiruzen sighed, his gaze falling on the letter Minato had sent.
The closing line read:
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*"Kagami possesses the true Will of Fire and may bring lasting peace to the ninja world.
I am beginning to believe he might be the Child of Prophecy Jiraiya-sensei has been searching for—one who will lead the world to change."*
---
For years, Jiraiya had roamed the lands, searching for the prophesied savior spoken of by the Great Toad Sage.
Hiruzen had once believed Minato might be that savior.
But now Minato placed that hope in Kagami.
"What should I do, sensei?"
Hiruzen muttered, looking up at the portraits of his predecessors hanging in the office.
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