Kazuki looked ahead.
He had already reached the gates of Konoha.
It was night. The entrance was brightly lit, a few figures standing under the lantern glow.
Looking closer—
The female ninja in front was Mikoto Uchiha.
"Kazuki? Thank goodness you're okay!"
She had been waiting for him?
Behind her stood the three members of Team Seven.
Terumi had already been taken away as a mission target.
"Sensei!"
"Kazuki!"
Rin and Mikoto were the first to rush forward.
Kazuki smiled faintly.
"I'm fine. I'm back."
Rin grabbed the corner of his clothes and inspected him carefully.
"Sensei… you're way too clean."
Mikoto glanced at Minato Namikaze, who stood behind him.
"Minato… what is that?"
Minato's expression turned serious.
"That's classified. I need to report in."
Kazuki nodded.
"Go ahead."
In a flash of yellow light—
Minato disappeared.
Mikoto felt a sudden chill.
The clothing on the body Minato had carried looked familiar.
Like a Kage robe.
No… the color was blue.
Mizukage?
She shook her head quickly.
Impossible.
Kazuki reached out and ruffled Rin's hair.
"It's late. I'm back safe. Go home."
Rin nodded.
"Okay, Sensei! See you tomorrow!"
"You two head back as well," Kazuki said to Kakashi and Obito.
At least the three of them had the decency to wait at the gate.
"Mission's complete. Take a few days off."
"Mikoto, you should go too."
Mikoto nodded.
"Kazuki… I'll take Obito back. Thank you for helping our Uchiha clan raise a genius."
Kazuki chuckled.
"That's his talent. Even if he cries a lot, it's still there."
"Sensei Kazuki, shut up!"
Obito nearly exploded.
How could he say something like that in front of Mikoto-sensei?
And Rin was right there!
Obito wanted to strangle him.
Kazuki waved lazily.
"Alright, alright. Go home."
Right now—
Killing the Mizukage felt like yesterday's news.
Seeing his fiancée was more important.
He wondered what Kushina was doing.
Was she thinking about him?
Mikoto suddenly spoke.
"Oh—right. Kazuki. I heard Danzo returned. He had the Administration Department summon Uzumaki Mito somewhere…"
Kazuki stopped.
"Danzo called Grandma Mito away?"
Mikoto nodded.
"Yes. He apparently brought back the Two-Tails and asked Mito-sama to help stabilize the seal."
The Two-Tails?
Kazuki's eyes darkened.
If he remembered correctly, the Two-Tails belonged to Kumogakure.
Danzo had just signed a twenty-year peace treaty with the Hidden Cloud—
And then stole their tailed beast?
Classic Danzo.
In a single instant, Kazuki pieced it together.
"Fugaku mentioned he saw Mito-sama and Kushina heading toward Training Ground Four. The one closest to Hokage Rock."
A faint unease rose in Kazuki's chest.
"I'll go check."
His figure vanished instantly.
Team Seven stared in awe again.
"Sensei's so fast…"
"That's what a jōnin looks like."
"Hmph. I'll be stronger than him someday."
"Obito, keep dreaming."
"Kakashi, you want to fight?! I've got Sharingan now!"
"I have Chidori."
Rin sighed.
"You two… stop it. It's late. Go home."
Mikoto frowned slightly and tugged Obito away.
"Let's go. The Uchiha clan has a new prodigy. The clan head will be pleased."
Obito snorted proudly and walked off with his nose in the air.
He was a genius now.
Kazuki moved like a shadow across the rooftops.
In seconds, he reached the wall of the Uzumaki compound.
Empty.
Mito and Kushina weren't there.
Then—
He felt it.
From the direction of Hokage Rock—
Two massive chakra signatures exploded into existence.
One of them—
He knew intimately.
Nine-Tails chakra.
That was Uzumaki Mito.
The other—
Cold. Blue. Violent.
Two-Tails.
"Grandma Mito and Kushina are in trouble."
Kazuki shot toward Training Ground Four without hesitation.
At that exact moment—
The fusion percentage of the Hashirama Senju character card reached 100%.
Full synchronization.
[Ding! Congratulations, host. SSS-rank character card Hashirama Senju fully fused.]
An overwhelming flood of knowledge surged through Kazuki's mind.
Every technique.
Every instinct.
Every fragment of power belonging to the God of Shinobi.
And then—
The final technique awakened.
[Immortal Art: Wood Release — True Several Thousand Hands, Top Transformed Buddha.]
Kazuki felt as if Hashirama himself had awakened inside him.
The Ninja God.
[Ding! S-rank character cards detected: Uzumaki Ashina and First Mizukage Byakuren. Choose one to fuse.]
Kazuki didn't hesitate.
"Fuse Uzumaki Ashina."