Kushina immediately blocked out Gekko Chizan's grumbling, focusing only on the useful information in his words.
Namely, that Minato Namikaze was safe and sound.
"That's good. That guy's been gone so long without sending me a single message."
"Tsunade-sama already came back."
"And yet he ran off to the battlefield in the Land of Grass without even returning to the village. It pisses me off!"
"When he gets back, I'm definitely going to make him pay!"
Just like Shirakumo last year, Minato Namikaze couldn't sit still.
Shirakumo had led a team to the Land of Rivers, while Minato had headed straight to the Land of Grass.
Konohagakure was now fighting on three fronts, and every battlefield was burning hot with conflict.
Within the village, aside from a fixed number of stationed shinobi, everyone else had been deployed to the frontlines.
As for his teacher, Orochimaru, he probably wouldn't stay much longer either—after all, Kirigakure joining the war had made the situation even more complicated.
Seeing Kushina's indignant expression, Gekko Chizan grinned broadly. He didn't owe Minato anything—it was just that the reward was too tempting.
"Kushina-san, you really should give him a proper scolding."
"Back during the Land of Hot Springs campaign, that guy Minato fought like he didn't care about his own life."
"The enemy's blade was already right in his face and he still didn't dodge."
"Even if he has Flying Thunder God, he can't act like that, right?"
Chizan wasn't making things up—Minato's neural reflexes were freakishly sharp. His reaction time was off the charts. Even with a blade just one centimeter away, he could still dodge. But when Kushina heard that, the interpretation was quite different.
"What?! That bastard! I told him specifically to be careful! Not to get careless!"
"Unbelievable! The moment he leaves the village, he just forgets everything I said! When he gets back, I'm going to teach him a serious lesson!"
Watching the blood-red pepper's crimson hair rise as if in a gust of wind, Gekko Chizan's grin widened—but he wasn't done yet.
Suddenly, he put on a troubled expression, as if what he was about to say was difficult to voice.
"Chizan, what's with that face?"
"If you've got something to say, just spit it out. You think I'll kill you or something?"
Kushina saw the look on his face and immediately started hammering him with sharp words.
He'd been waiting for that line.
"Since you've asked so sincerely, I'll tell you."
"Kushina, have you noticed that Minato acts a little different in the village compared to when he's outside?"
Kushina froze. Minato was different?
What was that supposed to mean?
"Just my personal feeling."
"I always thought Minato in the village was this polite, well-mannered guy—a model young man. You know, kind of like me."
That made Kushina break out in a full-on facepalm. She held back her urge to roast him and continued listening.
"But the moment he's outside the village, he changes. He becomes wild—reckless even."
"It's like he's letting out all the pressure that's built up inside. You get what I'm saying?"
Chizan put it as tactfully as he could—so much so that Kushina furrowed her brows.
He wasn't in a rush. He just waited for her to think it through.
"You're saying... Minato shows me one face and hides another?"
Uzumaki Kushina wasn't Uzumaki Naruto. She was known as the Blood-Red Pepper for her temper, yes—but she was also incredibly sharp.
Back when she'd been kidnapped by Kumogakure, she'd cleverly left clues using her red hair.
Though Chizan's words were subtle, she pieced together what he meant.
"You figured that out yourself. I didn't say it."
"If Minato asks, you better not throw me."
Chizan fought hard to suppress his grin as he distanced himself from the fallout with exaggerated seriousness.
"That can't be. Minato's always treated me well. Why would he hide from me?"
"Chizan, maybe you've got it wrong?"
But Kushina still had faith in Minato. She didn't believe he was the type to hide things from her.
"No way! I saw it with my own eyes!"
"I saw Minato sitting on a big rock under the moonlight, just smiling to himself. What do you think he was smiling about?"
"Don't tell me he was thinking about you while staring at the moon."
Kushina fell silent again, deep in thought—but this time, she came up with a different explanation. Still, when she saw how serious Chizan's face looked, she swallowed her words.
"You're saying... Minato has a side I don't know about?"
"A side that might be crazy... maybe even battle-hungry?"
Exactly! That's it!
Chizan nodded furiously. No matter what, he'd finally managed to lead Kushina down the wrong path.
"So you see, Kushina-san, I really think you should have a proper talk with him."
"Tell him to rein it in a little. Because acting like he's got two faces—it's just too weird."
"If that doesn't work, then beat it out of him! Get all that bottled-up madness out of his system like a dam bursting!"
"That way, he won't have the energy to mess around or get all twisted."
Leading someone down the slope once they've taken the first step—Chizan was a master at it. He never missed a chance to stir up a little trouble for personal gain.
Poor Minato had no idea that while he was risking his life on the frontlines, Gekko Chizan was stabbing him in the back with a metaphorical knife.
"That makes sense..."
"You're right—Minato can't go on like this. When he gets back, I'll customize a full stress-relief training plan for him!"
"Alright, thanks, Chizan!"
"I'm off!"
With her plan made, Kushina turned and left, leaving Gekko Chizan watching her go with a barely-contained grin.
Once she was out of sight, Chizan burst into laughter.
"Chizan, you little devil."
"Minato's in for a world of hurt when he gets back."
Chōmei had been watching the whole thing and chimed in with a teasing tone.
"Of course I'm a devil. Otherwise, would I even be me?"
"But really, I wonder how the battlefield in the Land of Grass is going?"
"I've got to head to the Daimyō's mansion in a few days. I doubt that'll be a cushy job."
"There's a big red circle around the words 'security' on the mission scroll. That's already a warning sign."
"If there's a circle on a mission scroll, it can only mean one thing—Hiruzen-sama personally marked it. No one else would."
"And if he went out of his way to circle it, then the message is clear."
"He wants me to stir things up a little at the Daimyō's place."
Chizan might not be quite at the level of the Nara clan, but he was definitely sharper than Kakashi.
Well, at least in his own opinion. Still, he was clever enough to pick up on what the Third Hokage meant.
"Tsk tsk, the Daimyō's mansion, huh? The Daimyō of the Land of Fire is loaded."
"I wonder what I can get out of this trip."
Since the higher-ups had already assigned the task—and Chizan was someone who loved this sort of job—
Causing a little chaos at the Daimyō's mansion was only natural.