The ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village didn't notice the changes happening to Yoruichi.
They simply saw him as a joke.
"Kushina, I suggest you stop dreaming," the Cloud ninja sneered. "No one is coming to save you."
Kushina gritted her teeth. "Aren't you afraid this will cause a war? Kidnapping me is no small thing."
The leading Cloud Jonin laughed. "War? Your Hidden Leaf is more afraid of war than we are!"
He crossed his arms confidently. "Once we bring you to the Hidden Cloud, your village won't dare to retaliate. You'll become the Jinchuriki for one of the tailed beasts, and that's that."
Kushina's eyes widened. "A Jinchuriki? You…!"
The Cloud ninja smirked. "Oh, don't worry, Kushina. You'll be treated like royalty in the Hidden Cloud. You might even become the wife of the next Raikage! How does 'First Lady' sound to you?"
Kushina's face went pale. The thought of being forced into this made her heart race with panic.
"You already have a Jinchuriki for the Eight-Tails," she snapped.
The ninja shrugged. "There's always room for more."
He clapped his hands. "Enough talk. You can resist all you want, but it won't change anything. We're almost at the border, and our reinforcements are waiting."
Kushina's heart sank. Her mind raced with memories of her friends in the Hidden Leaf.
"Stop being so violent! No one will marry you if you act like this!" Yoruichi's teasing voice echoed in her mind.
"You've got fiery red hair. It's kind of nice," Minato had said once, flashing his gentle smile.
"Kushina, help me with the dishes! A proper woman should know how to cook!" Mikoto had teased while wearing her apron.
Even Uzumaki Mito's wise voice surfaced. "We were brought here to be Jinchuriki, but before that, we need love to fill our hearts. Only then can we truly find happiness, no matter what fate throws at us."
Her chest tightened. She thought of Yoruichi, Minato, Mikoto, and all the people she cared about.
I can't just give up…
Suddenly, the ground shook. Tiny saplings burst from the soil, growing rapidly into towering trees that split the group apart.
"What the—?!" one Cloud ninja shouted. "Wood Style?! Who's there?!"
Kushina's eyes darted around, hopeful. Someone came to save me!
"Get her!" the Cloud ninja yelled.
Before they could grab her, five figures appeared out of nowhere and engaged the enemy.
Kushina blinked in disbelief. "Yoruichi?!"
Her heart skipped a beat. All five figures were Yoruichi!
The real Yoruichi stepped out from the shadows, surrounded by thick branches that swept her off her feet.
"Ah!" Kushina yelped as she was gently lifted in the air and brought to him. Her knees felt weak, and she almost collapsed.
"Hey! Pepperhead, are you okay?" Yoruichi asked, steadying her with a smirk.
Kushina looked up, her face red. Yoruichi's confident grin and sharp black eyes made her heart calm down.
"Yoruichi…? Is that really you?" she whispered.
"Surprised?" Yoruichi chuckled. "Didn't think I'd be the one to save you, huh?"
Kushina looked at the shadow clones fighting in the distance. "This… this is the Shadow Clone Jutsu?"
"What else would it be?" Yoruichi smirked. He glanced at the defeated Cloud ninjas. "They're nothing compared to me."
Kushina couldn't believe her eyes. When had Yoruichi learned such techniques? And… Wood Style?
One Cloud Jonin tried to run. Yoruichi's hands formed a quick seal, and roots erupted from the ground, wrapping around the ninja like a snake.
"Where do you think you're going?" Yoruichi said coldly. The roots tightened, pinning the Jonin down.
Kushina stared in awe. "Yoruichi… did you really defeat them all?"
"They're just tied up. Reinforcements will deal with them," Yoruichi replied, brushing dust off his hands.
Kushina's cheeks turned pink. "Can you… untie my hands now?"
[System Prompt]
[Option 1: Wait for Minato to arrive and stick to the original storyline. Reward: C-Rank Summoning Jutsu - Little Toad.]
[Option 2: Deliver Kushina to the Hidden Cloud Village, becoming a villain. Reward: A-Rank Jutsu - Hell Assault Technique.]
[Option 3: Untie Kushina's hands and comfort her. Reward: +10 Kushina Favorability Points and a Supreme Pack.]
Yoruichi frowned. 'Respect the original story? Hah, the original never respected me!'
He smirked as he studied the scrolls spread out before him. Every jutsu recorded by Hashirama Senju himself, including the A-rank summoning jutsu—Demonic Gate: Rashomon.
Compared to that, summoning a small toad with a C-rank jutsu felt like an insult.
And the thought of escorting Kushina Uzumaki to the Hidden Cloud Village? What a joke. A cute red-haired girl like her—why send her away when he could keep her close?
Option three, however, made Yoruichi grin. A Supreme Gift Package. Forget increasing Kushina's favorability—what mattered was the reward. Last time, it gave him an SSS-ranked character card. This time, the possibilities were endless.
Yoruichi reached down to untie Kushina's ropes, but before he could finish, a golden blur streaked toward him.
"Kushina!"
The voice was sharp and filled with panic. Yoruichi turned his head just in time to see Minato Namikaze, his golden hair glowing in the moonlight, charging straight at him.
So, the Yellow Flash finally shows up.
Minato's kunai was already aimed at Yoruichi's neck. "Body Flicker Technique!" His form vanished in an instant.
Yoruichi's smirk deepened. Fast. But not faster than me.
With a simple duck, Yoruichi dodged the kunai aimed at his neck.
"Minato! Stop!" Kushina screamed.
Ignoring her plea, Minato reappeared in front of Yoruichi, kunai ready to strike again.
But then he froze. His sharp eyes locked onto Yoruichi, and recognition struck him like a thunderclap.
"Yoruichi?!"
The realization hit too late. His reflexes betrayed him as the kunai in his hand drove forward, slicing toward Yoruichi's chest.
"This... I didn't mean to—" Minato stammered, guilt flashing across his face.
But the Yoruichi in front of him shattered into wooden splinters.
Substitution Jutsu.
Ten meters away, Yoruichi stood with an unbound Kushina beside him. She blinked, confused. "When did we switch?"
Minato's face flushed with embarrassment. He waved his hands apologetically. "Yoruichi, I'm sorry! I thought you were a Hidden Cloud ninja. I acted without thinking—"
But Yoruichi didn't bother listening. His grin was gone, replaced by a cold, sharp look.
"You attacked first," Yoruichi said flatly. "Now, you'll pay for it."
Before Minato could react, Yoruichi slammed his foot into the ground, cracking it. With a burst of chakra, he appeared in front of Minato in the blink of an eye.
"Too slow!"
Minato barely had time to raise his arms in defense before Yoruichi's foot slammed into him.
"Don't attack without thinking!"
Punch.
"Don't judge people too quickly!"
Kick.
Minato flew through the air like a rag doll, his body crashing through tree after tree.
"And next time, I'll break your head!" Yoruichi shouted.
Minato finally landed, his body slamming into the ground. His clothes were in tatters, and bruises covered his face. He groaned, struggling to move.
Kushina stared, wide-eyed and speechless. She had never seen anyone overwhelm Minato like this.
Meanwhile, a small, pitch-black crow circled above. Its reflective eyes observed the scene below.
Back in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched through the crow's eyes, his pipe forgotten as his brows furrowed.
"That wasn't just a simple Substitution Jutsu," Hiruzen murmured. "The timing... the precision... it's too advanced for a genin. And those punches—each one perfectly calculated. He fought like a seasoned warrior, not a child."
The crow's vision shifted to reveal Yoruichi standing over a defeated Minato, his expression calm but commanding. Hiruzen leaned forward, concern etched on his face.
"There's more to this boy than we thought," the Hokage muttered. "Where is Sakumo Hatake? He should've arrived by now."
---
Moments later, the White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, landed gracefully at the scene. His sharp eyes scanned the area. He saw Minato slumped against a tree and turned to Yoruichi, standing tall with Kushina in his arms.
"What is this? What happened here?" Sakumo's voice was calm, but there was a hint of tension in it.
Yoruichi's eyes narrowed as he looked at Sakumo, sizing him up. He could tell this was no ordinary ninja. The reputation of the White Fang preceded him, and Yoruichi was no stranger to the stories of his strength.
"Nothing that concerns you," Yoruichi replied nonchalantly, though the corner of his lips curled into a faint smirk. He still held Kushina close, a protective arm around her waist. "Just a little friendly sparring with your precious Hokage's pupil."
Sakumo's eyes flickered with curiosity, noting Minato's condition and the calmness with which Yoruichi stood, as if he hadn't just delivered a brutal beating. Sakumo's instincts were sharp; he could feel that there was something unusual about this boy, something that went beyond his apparent age and experience.
"You don't seem like an enemy, but a little... overzealous," Sakumo commented, his tone still measured. He approached cautiously, not wanting to provoke a fight with Yoruichi if he could avoid it.
Yoruichi tilted his head slightly, his smirk turning into a cold smile. "I don't fight for no reason, Hatake. But let me put this simply — I don't like it when people attack me without reason. Minato here was too eager to jump to conclusions."
Kushina, still stunned by what had happened, managed to find her voice. "Yoruichi, why did you—"
"Because I could, Kushina," he interrupted, his voice softening just enough for her to hear. "And because he needed to learn a lesson."
Minato, still dazed, pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he touched his side. "I... I overreacted," he muttered. "But I was just trying to protect Kushina."
Yoruichi's gaze softened slightly at the words, but his posture remained tense. "And I don't need protection," he said firmly, his eyes locking onto Minato's. "Kushina can take care of herself, and so can I. We just don't need you making assumptions and attacking people."
Sakumo observed the exchange silently, then nodded slowly. "I see. It seems this wasn't a mere misunderstanding after all. Yoruichi, was it?"
Yoruichi gave a short nod, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "That's right. You may have heard of me."
Sakumo studied him for a moment longer, before glancing at Minato. "It seems you've made quite an impression on our young Hokage-in-training here."
Minato straightened up, brushing the dirt off his clothes. "I'm sorry, Yoruichi. I let my guard down."
Yoruichi crossed his arms. "You should know better, Namikaze. No one is invincible, no matter how fast they are."
Kushina shifted uncomfortably in Yoruichi's grip. "Yoruichi, can we just go back to the village? I don't want any more trouble."
Yoruichi hesitated for a moment, glancing between Kushina and the group before nodding. "Fine. We'll head back."
As Yoruichi prepared to leave, Sakumo spoke up again. "I don't know who you are or where you're from, Yoruichi, but if you're in Konoha, you'll have to follow the village's rules."
Yoruichi turned to face him fully, his smirk returning. "Rules? Do I look like someone who follows rules?"
Sakumo's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, there was an intense silence between them. Then, Sakumo gave a short chuckle. "You might not, but there are consequences if you don't."
Yoruichi's eyes glinted mischievously. "We'll see about that, Hatake. But for now, I'm done here."
With a flick of his wrist, the shadows around Yoruichi seemed to flicker and sway as he disappeared into the trees, his speed almost impossible to follow. Kushina blinked and looked around, but the ninja was already gone.
"Where did he go?" Minato asked, his voice full of disbelief.
"He's... gone," Kushina said softly, her mind still trying to process everything that had happened.
Sakumo sighed, then turned to Minato. "You need to be more careful, Minato. This world is full of people with abilities that can't be underestimated."
Minato nodded solemnly, rubbing his sore neck. "Yeah... I think I learned that the hard way."
Kushina remained quiet for a moment, still thinking about Yoruichi's strength and the strange sense of familiarity she felt around him. She wasn't sure what kind of person he truly was, but one thing was certain — he was no ordinary ninja.
And now, more than ever, she felt that her life had taken a strange turn.
---
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