Another contract appeared.
Two chips.
Minato turned Yun's earlier words over in his mind: a piece of intel he cared about… and a hidden force within Konoha.
The hint was practically spelled out.
If this "hidden force" was something he could borrow, then it had to come from someone Minato already trusted—or at least someone who still held goodwill toward Konoha.
And that "intel"…
Someone could control the Nine-Tails, yet it wasn't Uchiha Madara.
Minato could already see the outline of the answer, but…
He still didn't dare gamble.
This wasn't a battlefield where you could probe the truth with violence and see what broke.
This was Konoha's future.
Kushina's life.
And… Naruto.
"I accept… the contract."
The words came out both unwilling and resolute.
The contract took effect.
Yun chuckled and raised one finger.
"The first person you can ask for help…"
He paused, as if enjoying the timing.
"…is Hatake Kakashi."
"…What?"
Minato actually froze.
It was the first time his composure cracked—not because the information was shocking, but because the name was too familiar.
Kakashi's Hatake-Style blade work. That lightning that could slice through a bolt—Chidori.
Minato knew Kakashi's abilities inside and out.
Compared to the enemy intel Yun had just given him, Minato couldn't imagine how Kakashi could possibly help.
Yun waved a hand lazily. "Surprised? Kakashi himself doesn't even fully understand it yet."
"The power of that Mangekyō Sharingan."
Mangekyō Sharingan…?
Minato's mind snapped into motion. For the first time, his expression truly slipped.
Another Mangekyō.
And based on Yun's earlier description, the enemy wasn't Madara.
But there was still the Nine-Tails control—still the summoning contract—
An Uchiha. A one-eyed Uchiha. An Uchiha who defected… or vanished—
No.
Not vanished.
A body that never made it onto the Memorial Stone.
Minato's breath caught.
…Obito.
Yun continued evenly, as if he were reading off a report.
"Kakashi's Sharingan evolved into the Mangekyō long ago. He just hasn't realized it yet—because he isn't an Uchiha."
"And I can tell you this: that power… is particularly effective against that man."
Yun's faceless head tilted slightly.
"I'm guessing with your intelligence, Fourth Hokage, you've already deduced the enemy's identity."
Minato didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Yun lifted a second finger.
"And the second 'hidden force' inside Konoha…"
He spoke the names like chess pieces being placed on a board.
"…Uchiha Fugaku. Or… Uchiha Shisui."
Minato stared, stunned.
Yun sounded faintly pleased with himself. "To be honest, I'm not certain about those two."
"Maybe it's two pairs of Mangekyō."
"Maybe… neither of them has it."
"But regardless—Kakashi's eye needs Uchiha guidance. If you, as Hokage, build goodwill with the Uchiha…"
Yun's voice remained casual, but the intent underneath was sharp.
"…and if you remember who helped you, then in the future, the number of Mangekyō loyal to Konoha might reach three and a half pairs."
"And that," Yun said, "is what I meant by the future."
Before Minato could steady the turbulence in his mind, Yun pressed forward.
"The Third—once called the 'Professor'—is old now."
"When he watches children laughing in the streets, a part of him rejects anything that might shatter peace."
"But in this era, retreat is mistaken for weakness."
"Retreat from old classmates. Retreat from former…"
He paused.
"…students. Retreat from enemy villages."
Yun's gaze—though faceless—felt heavy.
"You are the Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash. Only you can change this."
"If you live, too many tragedies won't be allowed to repeat."
"Every step you take in the future will shape this world."
"And there's a high chance…" Yun said quietly, "that you can extend peace again."
The words landed.
Across the table, Minato finally relaxed, the tension easing out of his shoulders. He looked at Yun's silhouette and gave a helpless little smile.
"I don't know who you are," he said, "but hearing you speak of 'peace continuing again' as if it's something I can make real…"
He shook his head, half amused, half humbled.
"…it makes me feel unworthy."
"And from the way you talk, and the free information you've given… you must want peace too."
He met Yun's shadowed gaze.
"That's why I agreed. Even if it cost me four chips."
Then Minato's smile turned playful—just for a moment.
"So… do you have anything else free?" ^_^
Yun shook his head, also smiling. "I've already told you enough."
"And you don't have anything left that can pay the price."
Minato nodded. "Today, I've gained a great deal."
"…Thank you."
Then he stood—and vanished.
…
Uchiha District.
In his room, Yun lifted his head and glanced at the clock.
"Click."
As expected.
No matter how long you spent inside the Exchange, in the real world only an instant passed.
Still… a negotiation table made everything feel too stiff.
Next time, maybe he'd change the setting to the Hokage Monument—make it more intimidating. A little atmosphere went a long way in convincing "customers."
…
Fourth Hokage's home.
Minato stood beside the bed, turning the intel over and over in his mind.
On the bed, Kushina stared at him, hormones raging and temper climbing by the second.
"Mii—na—to!!!"
BOOM!
One punch.
The Fourth Hokage of Konoha—KO.
Minato's consciousness flickered.
Who am I? Where am I? What was I doing?
The classic three questions of life.
He crawled up from the wreckage of abused furniture, dazed, scratching his head.
Kushina's eyes had tears in them.
"Tomorrow I'm giving birth," she said, voice trembling with anger and hurt. "I asked you to pour me a glass of water. You ran to the living room, stood there for a second, and came back with empty hands."
Her lip quivered.
"Is that… really how little you care?"
Minato blinked.
Only then did he remember—before being dragged into that Exchange, he really had been about to get her water.
"…Uh."
He bowed his head immediately. "I'm sorry!"
Kushina sniffled, then turned her face away. "Hmph… I forgive you."
Minato hurried to the living room, poured the water properly, and brought it back.
But inside his head, the intel kept spinning.
Only one full day left.
A summoning contract that could control the Nine-Tails.
If he wanted this to be airtight—
He had to move now.
"I need to go out," Minato said.
Kushina had just taken a sip. She froze. "This late? Is there an emergency?"
With her due date tomorrow, the idea of her Hokage husband leaving at night immediately tightened her chest with fear.
Minato smiled and squeezed her hand. "Don't worry."
"Trust me."
"I've already made preparations—ones that won't fail."
"Rest. I'll be back soon, and I'll explain everything."
Kushina nodded obediently.
When it came to real matters, she never dragged him down.
If anything, whether it was the title Yellow Flash or all those achievements before he became Hokage…
Minato's success was inseparable from Kushina's sealing techniques.
Minato put on his Hokage cloak, lifted the Hokage hat—
and in a golden flash, vanished.
A heartbeat later, he appeared inside Hatake Kakashi's home.
It was a mark Minato himself had given Kakashi when Kakashi made jōnin:
a Flying Thunder God kunai etched with Minato's unique formula.