Kushina's lips were soft, warm, and carried the innocence of youth as they gently pressed against Hayato's.
At that moment, time seemed to stop, leaving only the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears and the heat surging in his chest.
Hayato froze—but only for a second. The corners of his lips curled into a faint smile, and whatever hesitation had been lingering in his heart vanished like a wisp of smoke.
Reject her feelings? That would be utterly unlike him.
Carefully, he wrapped his arms around Kushina, his touch so gentle as if he were holding the most precious treasure, afraid that the slightest pressure might scare her away. Yet, as the moment deepened, his response grew bolder, more assertive.
At that instant, the fates of the Uchiha and Uzumaki entwined, like two blazing crimson serpents—twisting, colliding, and finally merging into one.
But soon, Kushina's breath grew hurried, her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. In a fluster, she broke away from his embrace.
"H-Hayato, why… why are you so good at this?!" She gasped, hands covering her burning face, her ears and neck dyed scarlet with embarrassment.
"I swear on the name of the Uchiha Clan—this was my first kiss." Hayato chuckled, his tone sincere.
Well, at least… in this world.
He smirked and pointed at her lips. "Besides… you seemed to enjoy it, too."
Kushina blinked in confusion, then followed his gaze to the glistening trace of moisture left at the corner of his mouth.
Her mind went blank.
"Idiot!"
With an angry stomp, she turned on her heel, her flustered face practically glowing.
But before she could escape, Hayato grabbed her hand, pulling her back into his orbit.
"Hold on, Kushina." His grip was firm, yet his tone was soft. "Don't you have something else to say to me?"
She bit her lip, her heartbeat unsteady.
And then, she took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye.
"I like you too."
Hearing those words, a sweet warmth bloomed in Kushina's heart. She had finally done it.
With a playful pout, she knocked herself on the head and plopped down beside him.
"Ugh, seeing you so down earlier, I almost forgot why I came here in the first place. This is all your fault!"
She puffed out her cheeks in frustration, but deep inside, she was overflowing with joy. If she hadn't acted on impulse just now, who knew when she would have gathered the courage to confess?
Hayato grinned. "Alright, alright. So, what did you want to tell me?"
His gaze was steady, focused on her delicate profile.
Kushina hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice.
"It's about the clan… and the Jinchūriki matter."
The playful air faded, replaced by a quiet seriousness.
"Uzushio is gone. Rebuilding it will take time, and our enemies are still a threat."
Her voice was steady, but a weight lingered in her tone.
She paused, stealing a glance at Hayato, as if unsure of how he would react.
"The village has decided… that I will be the next Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
Hayato's expression didn't change, but his mind sharpened.
So, this was their solution.
Mito Uzumaki must have been the one to make this decision. The Nine-Tails was far stronger than the Eight-Tails—even though Hayato had just defeated a tailed beast, the power of the Kyuubi was in a league of its own.
But was that really the end of his mission?
The thought gnawed at him. He had taken down the Eight-Tails, yet his task was still unfinished.
Maybe… it wasn't just about defeating the enemy.
Maybe he needed to find a home for those who had lost theirs.
"What about White Fang? What are the Konoha forces doing now?"
Kushina sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. You were the first one to leave the village, but I also left without permission. I can't get close to the camp or the meeting area."
Meanwhile, in another large tent, Jiraiya studied a massive cleaver resting on the table before him.
"Man… I still can't believe Hayato actually killed one of the Mist's Seven Swordsmen."** He rubbed his chin.** "But now, what should we do with this thing?"
Tsunade, arms crossed, let out a sigh. "At least we saved them. Kushina and the others from Uzushio… they all made it out. I never would've guessed that kid could pull it off."
Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang, sat nearby, his brows furrowed.
"The biggest issue now is what to do with Uchiha Hayato and Kushina." His voice was calm, yet heavy. "They need to return to Konoha. And as for the remaining Uzushio shinobi… we need to decide their fate."
His sharp gaze turned to Orochimaru, who smirked slightly.
"Any thoughts?"
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "Hayato-kun and Kushina-chan will follow us back."
His golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "As for the Uzushio survivors… well, isn't that what the 'device' is for?"
Sakumo blinked. "Device?"
A nearby shinobi, Kaizo Ikkaku, coughed and spoke up. "The communication transmitter."
Sakumo let out an "Ah." expression, realization dawning. He had zero experience with Konoha's new technology. He preferred his sword over screens.
He frowned at the device in his hand. "How do I use this thing again?"
His teammates facepalmed simultaneously.
"Sakumo-sama… seriously?"
Jiraiya grinned. "Relax, leave it to me! I love these kinds of gadgets!"
With a flourish, he activated the transmitter. A screen projected into the air, displaying a live feed from Konoha.
Moments later, the face of Sarutobi Hiruzen appeared.
The Third Hokage frowned slightly. "Jiraiya? What's going on? You're still in the middle of a mission."
Jiraiya smirked. "Hey, old man! I've got two pieces of great news. Which one do you wanna hear first?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened immediately. "Get to the point, or I'll ban you from every bathhouse in Konoha."
Jiraiya's smug grin vanished. "Alright, alright! Here it is—
First, Hayato and Kushina are safe and accounted for."
Hiruzen let out a small sigh of relief. At least the bare minimum had been accomplished.
"Second… Hayato awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, defeated the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki from Kumogakure, and secured one of the Seven Ninja Swords. Oh, and he saved Uzushio, too."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
Even Hiruzen, the ever-composed Hokage, looked completely stunned.
But the most shocked person in the room was a shadowy figure standing in the corner—Shimura Danzō.
Danzō's expression twisted in disbelief. "Impossible."
If Hayato had truly killed the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, then the power of the Sharingan was even more terrifying than he had anticipated.
Memories of Uchiha Kagami flashed through his mind.
A cold hunger ignited in his chest.
This Uchiha brat… he must be controlled.
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened. "If the mission is complete, then don't waste time—bring Hayato and Kushina back to Konoha immediately."
The call ended, leaving the team with their orders. But for Hayato, his mind was already racing ahead to the challenges still to come.