"Then I'll shamelessly accept your thanks, Kushina-san," Uchiha Hayato said with a sly smile, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Just call me Kushina," she replied, grinning. "By the way, where's your summon beast? I want to thank it too!"
Her curious gaze shifted toward the room, and Namikaze Minato felt a pang of curiosity himself.
"Hayato, when did you get a summon beast?" Minato asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"Are you talking about Koyen? It's resting now," Hayato explained with a hint of pride. "Isn't it cute? It'll get even stronger once it evolves."
The word "evolve" caught Minato's attention. To his knowledge, summon beasts didn't have the concept of evolution. Was Hayato referring to something like Jiraiya-sama's toads, which grew from tadpoles to full-sized toads?
Hayato led them into his room, where Monferno was perched on the tea table, clutching a bottle of Moomoo Milk. Its large, round eyes blinked at the three visitors.
"Wow, it's so cute!" Kushina exclaimed as she hurried forward, her enthusiasm startling the little creature.
Startled, Monferno leapt onto Hayato's shoulder, peeking out cautiously from behind him. Kushina sheepishly stuck out her tongue.
The three of them settled on the tatami mats. Hayato, with his newly awakened Sharingan, could now sense things with heightened clarity. He detected a presence in a tree about forty meters from his home—a member of the ANBU watching over them.
It must be for Kushina, he thought. Although she wasn't the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki yet, her immense chakra reserves and Uzumaki clan sealing techniques made her the prime candidate. It was only natural that someone was keeping an eye on her.
Deciding not to hide anything, Hayato made a bold move. He closed his eyes momentarily, and when he reopened them, his Sharingan gleamed with its iconic tomoe pattern.
"Sharingan!" both Kushina and Minato exclaimed in unison. The Uchiha clan's dōjutsu was renowned throughout the ninja world, and its distinctive appearance was unmistakable.
Outside the house, the ANBU operative stiffened in shock. A seven-year-old boy had awakened the Sharingan and already possessed the strength of a genin. This information needed to reach the Third Hokage immediately.
"That's right," Hayato said solemnly. "What I'm about to tell you is something I'll eventually reveal to the world, but for now, I need you both to keep it a secret."
Minato, who usually had a calm demeanor, unconsciously straightened his posture. Hayato's tone was so serious that he wondered if this involved the Uchiha clan or something even more significant.
"I understand," Kushina said with determination, her heart fluttering. They had only just met, yet Hayato was already sharing something so important with her.
"It's about Pokémon," Hayato began earnestly. With his Sharingan, he could clearly see that Monferno's internal energy wasn't chakra. The differences would become apparent to others sooner or later, so it was better to be transparent now.
"Recently, while experimenting with summoning techniques, I discovered an anomaly. My summon jutsu somehow connected to another world, allowing me to summon creatures known as Pokémon."
He continued, "In that world, there's no large-scale war. People live in harmony with Pokémon. Instead of ninja, they have Pokémon Trainers who form bonds with these creatures and battle together."
Hayato's tone softened, and he spoke with reverence. "Legend has it that before the world's creation, a Pokémon named Arceus emerged from an egg and created the entire universe…"
"Wait, wait!" Kushina interrupted, her head spinning. "The god of creation is a summon beast? But what about the Sage of Six Paths? He's supposed to be the ancestor of all ninja and the founder of peace!"
Hayato shook his head. "Kushina, you're being rude. Arceus is omnipresent and beyond mortal understanding. These truths appeared in my mind the moment I summoned Koyen."
Minato's mouth hung slightly open. It wasn't that he didn't believe Hayato, but his friend's words were beyond shocking.
"Here's my proof," Hayato said. He took out a special Poké Ball, pressed its button, and Monferno dissolved into a beam of light, vanishing into the ball.
"Chi (°〆°:)," Monferno's surprised cry was the last thing they heard before it disappeared.
Kushina rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, confirming she wasn't seeing things. Her jaw dropped further.
"Don't be so surprised," Hayato said, chuckling. "Pokémon are humanity's friends. I'm thinking of summoning more to form bonds with them."
Turning to Kushina, he said, "With your beautiful red hair, fire-type Pokémon would suit you perfectly. They'd keep you company and make sure you never feel lonely."
"And you, Minato," Hayato added with a grin. "Electric Pokémon would be a good match for you, with your speed and agility."
Suddenly, there was a loud "thud" outside. Minato turned to the window, but saw only a broken tree branch on the ground.
"Who's there?"
Hayato patted Minato's shoulder. "Probably just a squirrel. There are plenty of trees in Konoha, after all."
"Maybe," Minato muttered, still skeptical. Hayato's words carried weight, given his Sharingan and superior abilities. If he dismissed it, it was probably nothing.
Meanwhile, the "squirrel" was already sprinting toward the Hokage's office, its heart racing. This could change the entire ninja world, the ANBU operative thought, shivering at the implications.
Back inside, Hayato outlined his vision. "In that world, everyone has Pokémon, like how we have summon beasts. If Konoha could adopt this, we wouldn't have to fear future wars."
"Perhaps villages could even build friendships through Pokémon, ending the cycle of conflict."
Minato felt a wave of frustration. How could he ever surpass Hayato and become Hokage if his friend's ideas were this revolutionary?
Sensing Minato's unease, Hayato smirked. "What's wrong, Minato? Are you giving up on becoming Hokage? Do you already think I'll surpass you?"
Minato's eyes blazed with renewed determination. "Not a chance! I'll never give up so easily!"
[Ding! New Mission: The Birth of a Rival]
"As a Pokémon Trainer, you must have a rival to push you to grow. As a ninja, defeat your rival in battle."
Rewards: Your rival gains a Pokémon; you learn a random skill.