Not to mention Minato Namikaze himself, the others were also looking at Ebisu with open contempt.
As women, Kurenai Yūhi and Anko Mitarashi were especially blatant. The way they stared at Ebisu could almost be described as pure disgust.
They might not have children yet, but if anyone in the future dared to spray nosebleed blood in front of their own child, or treated their students like this, the two of them would absolutely unleash everything they had and make sure that person regretted being alive.
Genma Shiranui, Raido Namiashi, and Iwashi Tatami had once served as Hokage guards. Kakashi, Rin, and Obito were students of Minato-sensei. All of them knew very well what Minato Namikaze was like at heart. His wife and son were his absolute bottom line.
And now, his twelve-year-old son had been subjected to a perverted teacher nosebleed?
Holy hell. That killing intent was downright suffocating.
Ebisu was scared stiff.
Minato Namikaze was furious to the point of numbness.
Naruto was only twelve! And he was a boy!!!
"No, no, no, no!" Ebisu shook his head wildly. "Please listen to my explanation, Minato-sama!"
"Speak." The single word came out heavier than before.
Explain… how?
Ebisu's mind raced. Was he supposed to admit that he'd once looked down on that fox kid, worried he'd be a bad influence on young Kōnohamaru? Or confess that he'd been pranked so badly by a twelve-year-old brat using "Shadow Clone plus Transformation Technique" that his nose had practically exploded?
There was no right answer. None at all.
Naruto burst out laughing, while Sasuke and Sakura could only sigh in silence.
When Iruka came back carrying the ramen, he immediately took in the scene. He didn't need anyone to explain it to him. Naruto had obviously pulled off another successful prank.
That dark expression on the Fourth Hokage-sama's face was something Chūnin instructor Iruka Umino knew all too well. Almost every time kids pulled pranks, there was always a parent and a victim left to clean up afterward.
Once upon a time, whenever this happened, Naruto's brief happiness would be followed by facing everyone's anger alone. Because of the Third Hokage's orders, no one would truly punish or beat him, but that frustration only fermented into deeper, uglier resentment…
Ebisu was still stammering, completely at a loss for how to explain himself to the Fourth Hokage-sama.
Naruto slurped his ramen, then took the chance to brag to Iruka-sensei.
"Hey, Iruka-sensei! You know too, right? My Sexy Jutsu is awesome! Hahahaha! It's so strong that even the Third Grandpa couldn't handle it!"
Sexy Jutsu?
The moment they heard the name, everyone more or less understood what had happened.
Kurenai Yūhi and Asuma Sarutobi both raised a hand to their foreheads.
Minato Namikaze trusted Iruka quite a bit. This was only the second time he'd heard of a technique called "Sexy Jutsu," and with his sharp mind, a guess immediately formed.
If his earlier dark expression had been aimed at Ebisu, then now it was clearly directed at his beloved son, Naruto.
Unfortunately, Naruto still hadn't noticed at all.
"Oh, right!" he laughed loudly. "Iruka-sensei hasn't seen the upgraded version yet! The 'Seduction: Harem Technique'! Even that fake-serious, beady-eyed glasses teacher fell for it! It's super amazing! Hahahaha!"
"Naruto…"
Minato Namikaze's face went completely dark. His blue eyes, glowing faintly, turned toward Naruto Uzumaki.
"After dinner… Dad wants… to have… a little talk… with you?!"
Only then did Uzumaki Naruto realize he might have seriously messed up. He started trembling, cold sweat pouring down as he nodded frantically.
"Super big idiot," Sasuke said with a laugh.
Sakura noticed that the awkward atmosphere that had nearly formed because of Ebisu-sensei's words had been smoothed over by Naruto's antics. Everyone seemed to understand that some topics weren't suitable to bring up right now, and they quietly avoided them.
She also noticed that even though Sasuke called Naruto a "super big idiot," it had long since become his personal nickname for him. It felt a lot like how Obito used to call Kakashi-sensei "Stupid Kakashi" when they were kids.
Ebisu quickly excused himself, claiming he still had a mission to attend to. The luxurious seafood feast that had cost him three months of salary was left mostly untouched. He barely managed to eat a single bite.
Asuma smoothly changed the topic, joking with the Adult Kakashi.
"This Chūnin Exam really let your class steal the spotlight. The fights from the kids in my class probably won't be much to watch anymore."
"Yeah," Kurenai said with a smile. "With you and Minato-sama personally training Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno for two whole weeks, who knows how much they'll improve?"
The moment this came up, Naruto and Sasuke both lit up.
Their eyes shone brightly, filled with anticipation, as if they couldn't wait to master their own finishing techniques.
Sakura, on the other hand, still hadn't found her footing yet. After all, she was a girl, and her drive to pursue power wasn't as intense as Sasuke's or Naruto's. She did feel anxious at times, but with Rin's comfort and…
For girls, there was nothing that couldn't be solved by shopping and eating sweets. And if it wasn't solved, it just meant they hadn't shopped enough.
Only after Anko Mitarashi had eaten her fill of dango did she remember Jiraiya-sama's warning.
She brought up the matter of the cursed seal to Minato Namikaze.
"I heard that Orochimaru will return during this Chūnin Exam…"
Earlier, while everyone else had been chatting, Anko had mostly kept her head down eating, her mood weighed down by this very concern.
Minato, who had already learned that Anko Mitarashi was once Orochimaru's disciple, nodded.
"Not just that. He's also set his sights on Sasuke as a candidate for his cursed seal, and on the Third Hokage-sama's life."
"What?!"
Jiraiya hadn't mentioned that Orochimaru was targeting the Third Hokage's life.
Asuma Sarutobi immediately lost his composure. Even though he'd always clashed with the old man growing up because of their personalities, and had even left the village for years to work as a daimyō's bodyguard, blood was still blood. He had never imagined that one day the old man might actually be killed.
A fair hand with red-painted nails covered Asuma's hand beside him, silently urging him to calm down.
"The Third's bodyguards are very strong."
She was referring to Asuma Sarutobi's brother and sister-in-law.
Whether it was because most of the ANBU were now under Danzō's control or not, as the forces directly responsible for protecting his life, Hiruzen Sarutobi could now only place his trust in his own son and daughter-in-law.
Minato Namikaze said,
"Jiraiya-sensei will also stay in Konoha for the time being to protect the Third Hokage-sama. On top of that, Tsunade-sama is currently in a town near the village. Once word reaches her, she should return to oversee things herself. All things considered, logically speaking, there shouldn't be any major issues…"
But for some reason, Minato couldn't shake a lingering sense of unease.
He couldn't tell what he might have overlooked. Even if Obito from this world were to appear, he already had countermeasures in mind. And yet, deep down, that unsettled feeling refused to go away.
Asuma nodded. He trusted Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya, and Tsunade.
Sasuke looked toward Anko Mitarashi, the second-stage Chūnin Exam proctor he had once mentally labeled as a female version of Naruto because of her fiery personality.
"I heard you also have a cursed seal left by Orochimaru?"
He'd heard it from Jiraiya, who had rushed back ahead of time and left the juniors' dinner early, not bothering to stay.
Anko Mitarashi's usual bold demeanor faded. Irritation and restrained anger surfaced as she pressed her hand against the back of her neck.
"The cursed seal… it's on the back of your neck?"
"..."
Anko stayed silent, the irritation on her face growing heavier.
Sasuke asked,
"What exactly is that cursed seal? Does it just enhance the strength of the person it's placed on?"
"As if!" Anko's voice was thick with sarcasm. "You're giving that bastard way too much credit!"
Orochimaru was obviously not someone kind or benevolent.
"That bastard Orochimaru… he's the kind of person who can treat even his own students as test subjects!"
Her thoughts drifted back to her past self. Naive. Foolish. Innocent. She had worked tirelessly, longing for Orochimaru's approval.
Back then, she had been so…
Devoted to her teacher.
…
"Orochimaru-sensei, what is this white snake shed?"
"It's an amulet. A white snake shed symbolizes good fortune and rebirth. Listen carefully, Anko. I've already grasped the key to 'rebirth.'"
…
Those memories had once been so beautiful. The pain of learning the truth was just as overwhelming.
Anko Mitarashi felt as if the cursed seal that had already been sealed was burning her skin and will all over again.
She said to Sasuke Uchiha,
"Based on the intelligence I've gathered, Orochimaru's cursed seals are divided into the Cursed Seal of Heaven and the Cursed Seal of Earth."
She tugged down her collar and showed Sasuke the mark on her body.
"This is the Cursed Seal of Heaven."
The drum-shaped pattern didn't look particularly unusual at a glance, but Anko Mitarashi's reaction made it clear just how deeply she feared it.
"When a cursed seal user activates it, they gain tremendous power. But the longer it's used, the greater the damage to the user themselves."
She continued,
"Mine is the Cursed Seal of Heaven that was sealed by the Third Hokage. If a cursed seal stays on the body for too long without proper sealing, it doesn't just harm the user physically. It also has a huge impact on their emotions, personality, and even the way they think."
Sasuke frowned.
"What kind of impact?"
"Simply put, it makes people irritable and short-tempered, and their thinking becomes more extreme."
"..."
Sasuke felt like he'd heard something like that before.
Naruto finished the last mouthful of ramen broth.
"Isn't that what Tobirama big bro said about the possible side effects of the Sharingan?"
Tobirama big bro…
Why did that name sound so familiar?
Some of the people present did recognize the name Tobirama Senju, but they assumed Naruto had probably just seen some notes Tobirama-sama left behind somewhere and didn't think much of it.
They simply hadn't known that the Sharingan could have effects like this.
"I never thought the Sharingan had side effects like that."
"No wonder some people said the Uchiha they knew as kids were completely different after growing up. A total one-eighty."
Obito Uchiha looked dispirited.
"I used to think awakening the Sharingan was a good thing. Now it doesn't seem that simple."
Naruto turned to Sasuke and warned him,
"Sasuke, you and Obito already have the Sharingan. You absolutely can't let Orochimaru put a cursed seal on you! Otherwise, I really can't imagine how terrifying you'd be with both the Sharingan and a cursed seal, dattebayo."
"Shut up," Sasuke shot him an annoyed look.
Naruto still wouldn't let it go.
"If you dare let Orochimaru plant a cursed seal on you, I'll smash that stinking snake flat first, then beat you until your teeth are all over the ground."
Sasuke had no choice but to respond irritably,
"Got it, you super big idiot."
Anko could tell as well. Orochimaru had likely set his sights on Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan and body, intending to use him as a reincarnation vessel.
"You'd better be careful. If—just if—Orochimaru ever puts a cursed seal on you, you must immediately find someone to help you seal it as strictly as possible."
Sasuke nodded.
Might Guy, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly spoke up with a wild idea.
"If the Sharingan makes people more extreme, and the cursed seal does the same, is it possible that the two could cancel each other out?"
Genma Shiranui, Kurenai, Hayate, Asuma, and the others all fell silent.
"Honestly, that sounds exactly like something you'd think of," Adult Kakashi said. "But that idea is dangerous. Don't think about it anymore."
Minato Namikaze stood up and went to the next room to reinforce Anko's seal, calling Rin over to help.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were told to go rest, since they still had intense training waiting for them the next day.
...
Only the two Kakashis, the young Obito Uchiha, and the rest of their former classmates were left.
In addition, there was also adult Obito, who would slip into the Kamui dimension whenever he felt like it just to take a look around.
Ever since their last meeting, he'd been constantly thinking about those impossible coincidences, worrying about the cursed seal on Rin's heart. At the same time, he was trying not to arouse the suspicion of the Black-and-White Zetsu while continuing to stay here and observe.
With Minato around, everyone had been more or less restrained. Now that Minato and the younger generation like Naruto had left, and Rin was also not present, the atmosphere finally loosened up.
Although young Kakashi and young Obito were still underage, in the eyes of the others they were simply fellow Ninja Academy classmates from the same generation. Conversation flowed much more freely.
Naturally, the teasing started.
Some people tried to coax young Obito and young Kakashi into drinking or even smoking, but Adult Kakashi stepped in every time to block it for them.
Others asked whether, once the crisis was resolved, they would go back and confess to Rin.
Young Kakashi responded calmly, effortlessly deflecting the question and tossing it right back.
Young Obito Uchiha, on the other hand, was visibly flustered. Only then did it occur to him that he had completely forgotten to ask which Kakashi had helped him confess to Rin in the first place, and what Rin's response had been.
"Getting drunk on juice?" Young Kakashi glanced at the idiot Obito beside him, whose face was red as if he'd actually been drinking. "Maybe you should just stick to milk…"
The others all wore slightly puzzled expressions. This Kakashi didn't quite match the sharp-tongued kid they remembered from back then.
Being stared at by everyone made young Kakashi a little embarrassed. In annoyance, he grabbed a bottle of ice-cold milk from the fridge and pressed it straight against Obito's face.
Obito yelped and immediately started arguing, loudly insisting that he wasn't drunk at all.
Watching them like this, the gazes of the others from the same generation softened. As for Adult Kakashi, there was warmth in his expression, mixed with a trace of sadness.
Might Guy took it all in, then suddenly asked young Kakashi,
"Are you going to stay here forever?"
Young Kakashi pushed Obito's face away. At this point, Obito looked not much different from someone who really was drunk.
"For now, we can't go back," he replied to Guy. "But sooner or later, we'll have to leave."
Hayate spoke up.
"Is it because you can't find a way back?" After all, traveling more than ten years into the future was almost unheard of.
"Minato-sensei said we might need to complete a very troublesome mission," young Kakashi explained. "If we finish that mission, we might be able to return."
"A mission?" Genma asked. "What kind of mission? Is it really that troublesome?"
Raidō Namiashi followed up,
"Do you need our help?"