Konoha Village.
Inside a training ground.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, pipe in mouth, clapped with a genial smile. "Minato, it's getting late. That's enough training for today."
"Sorry, Hokage-sama," Namikaze Minato said as he jogged over, scratching his head. "I lost track of time."
Hiruzen waved it off kindly. "Since Jiraiya's been in the Rain Village for so long, I'm filling in as his teacher a bit."
"I'm busy most of the time, though. I can only spare a little time here and there to guide you, so don't hold it against me."
"Not at all. It's an honor to receive your guidance," Minato replied.
Hiruzen nodded, as if remembering something. He tapped his forehead. "Look at this forgetful old man." He pulled a letter from his robes. "Minato, Kushina wrote to me recently. This is my reply. Can you deliver it to her?"
"No problem," Minato said, tucking it away. "Leave it to me."
Hiruzen put on an apologetic look. "I'm sorry to trouble you so late."
"It's no trouble." Minato glanced up at the moon. "I'll go now."
As Minato's back disappeared, Hiruzen's smile faded. Under his breath, he murmured, "Go on."
In the night, trees stirred without wind. A few silhouettes slipped away and vanished.
—
"Kushina, thank you for coming so late to check on this old woman."
"Don't say that, Grandma Mito. You're my only family in this world. Of course I should look after you."
"And I don't have to go on missions like other shinobi. It's not tiring."
Under the warm lamplight, Uzumaki Mito leaned against the headboard. The youthful radiance she once had was gone, replaced by silver hair and wrinkled skin.
Watching Kushina move about the room, Mito's eyes flashed with tenderness.
Since Tsunade had left the village, this vast estate had been home to just the two of them.
Such is the way of the world.
While Mito drifted in thought, Kushina finished tidying up. With the trash in hand, she said brightly, "Grandma Mito, get some rest. I'm heading out."
As the door shut, Mito shook her head, helpless and fond.
Such a good, sensible child.
But her days ahead would not be peaceful.
Even she, as a jinchuriki, had ended up alone. The road ahead for Kushina would be harder still.
She sighed, thinking of how proud the Senju had once been.
'How did things change so much in just a few years…'
—
After leaving Mito's room, Kushina dumped the trash. Walking through the Senju compound, she felt hollow inside.
She'd thought and thought these past days and had finally decided to accept her fate—
To become the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.
She truly wanted the life of an ordinary, free person. But ever since she'd come to the village, the Third Hokage had cared for her, indulged her whims, and looked after her daily life—like a kindly grandfather guiding and helping her.
She couldn't be too selfish.
If only to repay that kindness, she would stay in the village.
And like Minato said, maybe there would be other ways to grant her some measure of freedom.
'Right. I should find Yuzuru and tell him my decision when I have time,' she thought.
Even so, choosing to remain the Nine-Tails jinchuriki didn't mean she thought Yuzuru's view was wrong.
As he'd said himself, the Uchiha were simply that way by nature.
She hoped Yuzuru wouldn't be angry with her.
Lost in thought, she didn't notice three shadows closing in.
"Who are you?"
Kushina cried out, flinging a handful of shuriken.
She began to weave signs to cast a jutsu and create a chance to break away—
But the enemy moved faster.
All three attacked at once. Before she could mount an effective defense, a cloth pressed over her nose.
Sleep crashed over her.
—
Late at night, at the village gate.
Inabi and Yakumi trailed silently behind their team leader, Uchiha En.
Glancing around, Inabi muttered, "Night duty rotates monthly, right?"
"It's almost been two months. Why are we still on nights?"
For a ninja, having reversed day and night cycles was a minor issue; the most crucial problem was that it was inconvenient for training.
'If this continues, when will they be able to become as strong as Squad Leader Yuzuru?'
"Think Captain Yuzuru swapped shifts with Captain Lihuo," Yakumi whispered.
"Huh? Why?"
"No idea. Maybe to stay on his future father-in-law's good side?"
"Hiss… that makes sense!"
"Inabi, Yakumi, enough whispering. Focus," Uchiha En called ahead.
"Yes, sir," they answered quickly.
None of them noticed the three dark figures streaking past in the night not far away…
—
"Finally, they appeared."
In the darkness, Yuzuru opened his eyes, a faint smile curving his lips.
By moonlight he clearly saw three men carrying Kushina at speed toward the village outskirts.
Without hesitation, he took up his long blade and gave chase.
In the original course of events, around a certain summer–autumn turn, Kushina had been kidnapped by shinobi from the Cloud Village.
So these past days he'd used night duty as a pretext to keep watch near her.
At last, the moment had come.
He didn't rush to rescue her, though—he shadowed the group instead.
Back then, the incident had been riddled with inconsistencies, the details too flimsy to hold up.
Afterward, if he laid those doubts out for Kushina, he was sure she would become completely disillusioned with the village leadership.