That works too—if he kept being a salted fish, Kushina would get mad.
Minato had been in the hospital for days and he still hadn't visited—some classmate he was!
However, just as Night Maple was about to ask Kushina to go visit Minato, he was told Minato had already been discharged.
Night Maple suddenly felt that the little boat of friendship between him and Minato had sunk.
All the salted-fish's fault!
Right then, Minato actually came knocking on the door.
Night Maple stared, blank, as a fully recovered Minato walked up to talk to him.
"Night Maple-kun, uh, about that…"
"About what?"
Not only Night Maple—Kushina also looked a little lost.
Scratching his head, Minato said, "I kept replaying our last bout in the hospital and learned a lot. Night Maple-kun, would you… fight me again?"
"Of course, if I get hurt again, it has nothing to do with Night Maple-kun. I'm asking for it of my own accord!"
Minato glanced at Kushina and gritted his teeth. "Kushina can testify to what I'm saying now."
Once wasn't enough—he wanted to get beaten a few more times?
Night Maple suddenly wondered if Minato was an M…
…
In the end, unable to refuse Minato's self-abusive request, Night Maple agreed.
Kushina said with a strange look, "Boys are weird—always fighting all day."
Night Maple glanced at Kushina. "You used to be the first to throw a punch."
"I did not!"
Of course, the Uzumaki compound wasn't a place to throw down.
So Night Maple chose Konoha's Training Ground No. 5.
Why Training Ground No. 5? Because it was the closest…
The instant Night Maple, Kushina, and Minato stepped out of the Uzumaki compound, the Root Ten knew.
"Operation Night Maple—prep for capture!"
"Avoid exposing identities as much as possible!"
"Wait for the perfect chance—strike like thunder. Don't mind Uzumaki Kushina or Namikaze Minato. If necessary, injuring them is acceptable!"
"Move!"
From all directions, countless black shadows swarmed, waiting for the best opportunity to strike.
Night Maple sensed something at once.
Even Minato glanced around; the air felt off.
Only Kushina, the silly girl, was still in the dark.
Night Maple pondered, then pulled Kushina into a side alley.
"Night Maple! Don't go in—"
Seeing Night Maple tug Kushina around the corner, Minato gritted his teeth and followed.
He'd sensed the wrongness, but he couldn't ignore Night Maple and Kushina.
At that moment, a man wearing a black mask dropped from above.
In a hoarse voice he said, "Namikaze Minato, right? Your opponent is me!"
Minato frowned. "Who are you people?"
"Us? Naturally, sleepers from Kumogakure!"
Minato said coldly, "You're not Kumogakure sleepers. If you were, why would you admit it?"
Before the words were finished, Minato's figure flickered; he was suddenly in front of the blocker, a blazing Rasengan in his hand.
…
Night Maple, pulling Kushina along, looked up as figures sprang out all around. Each wore a ferocious mask; judging by their aura, they were chūnin-level and above—there were even several jōnin!
"You've got to be kidding me. Broad daylight, and there are kidnappers inside the village?"
Night Maple truly hadn't expected anyone to be this shameless. Were they really ignoring the Third Hokage and Uzumaki Mito?
"No need to guess—you're Root, aren't you."
Everyone froze for a beat.
He'd guessed their identity?
But it no longer mattered.
As long as there was no evidence, nothing was a problem!
Yamanaka Fū narrowed his eyes and said, "!"
At the command, everyone rushed in.
Yamanaka Fū immediately unleashed the Yamanaka clan's secret—Mind Body Switch Technique.
Focusing his spirit into a point and releasing it toward the enemy, he could, upon success, control the target's actions with overwhelming mental force, leaving them unable to move their own bodies.
At the same time, from two other directions, two men flared their cloaks, and swarms of poisonous insects poured out.
"Parasitic Destruction Insects!"
Meanwhile, directly ahead of Night Maple and Kushina, the eyes of a masked man suddenly glowed blood-red—the three tomoe spinning.
Kushina gasped, "Sharingan?!"
There was actually an Uchiha in Root?
That made no sense!
Night Maple was full of doubts as well.
"Sharingan Genjutsu—Narakumi no Jutsu (Hell Viewing Technique)!"
Leaves drifted on the wind, and Kushina's head began to swim.
Suddenly, she heard Night Maple call her name; delighted, she turned and answered, "Night Maple!"
Only to see Night Maple covered in kunai and shuriken, blood pouring as he collapsed by a tree.
With a scream of terror, Kushina fainted…
At the same time, others lunged for Night Maple and Kushina together.
The Root Ten struck like thunder the moment they moved—determined to take Night Maple down.