Chapter 84 – Agreement Reached
"Alright, it's settled then."
Kurama looked at the man's smile. For some reason, even though he didn't sense any malice from him, something about that smile still made the Nine-Tails uneasy.
"Since we've made a deal, now leave quickly!" Kurama growled, clearly wanting him gone.
Fugaku didn't linger. There was nothing more to see here. He cast a final, meaningful glance at the Nine-Tails before withdrawing his consciousness from Naruto's inner world.
I said I'd release you in five years, but I never specified which 'you,' did I? The other half sealed within Minato is still you, too. Fugaku thought to himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips as his eyes opened.
Of course, he fully intended to keep his promise. In five years, he would release the Nine-Tails inside Naruto—then simply reseal the Yin half of Kurama, still with Minato, back into Naruto's body.
As for Minato, trapped in the Shinigami's belly, Fugaku only needed to send someone to the Land of Whirlpools within the next five years. There, in the ruins, they could retrieve the Shinigami Mask from the shrine, release the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, and free Minato's soul. From there, Edo Tensei would bring Minato back, allowing Fugaku to extract the Yin half of the Nine-Tails from him.
In Edo Tensei form, Minato wouldn't die even if the Nine-Tails was removed.
These five years would serve as Naruto's development period. Even if he didn't reach jōnin-level strength, chūnin-level would be guaranteed.
Unlike the original timeline, Naruto wasn't left to rot in the Academy with no guidance. He now had Itachi's teaching, and without the Nine-Tails interfering, if he couldn't grow stronger in five years, then he would truly be hopeless.
But was Naruto hopeless? Of course not.
To be honest, Fugaku was looking forward to seeing how Naruto, now given the same starting point and resources as a clan heir, would grow in five years. Would his genius talent finally explode, shocking all of Konoha? Or would he remain the eternal "dead-last," with little progress, just as in the original history?
Show me, Naruto. Let me look forward to it properly.
Fugaku looked at Naruto, who obediently kept his eyes closed but couldn't stop fidgeting his fingers. A faint warmth softened Fugaku's expression.
"Alright, Naruto, you can open your eyes now."
He rubbed the boy's head, a rare look of affection flickering in his eyes.
Little Naruto was truly adorable.
"Uncle, I didn't peek at all! I, Naruto, won this game five times in a row!" Naruto shouted proudly, puffing out his chest.
Sasuke, watching TV nearby, couldn't help but roll his eyes at Naruto's antics.
"Alright, alright, you win," Fugaku chuckled, placing a milk candy into Naruto's hand.
Overjoyed to receive acknowledgment directly from his uncle, Naruto grew even more smug. Catching Sasuke's annoyed glance, Naruto leaned close, popped the candy into his mouth, and grinned.
"Sasuke! You jealous that I won?"
When Sasuke ignored him, Naruto pressed further, "Let's have a showdown! Whoever looks away first in a staring contest loses. The loser has to carry the winner's backpack tomorrow!"
"Boring." Sasuke crossed his arms and pushed Naruto aside. "Go away, you're blocking the TV."
Naruto scoffed but plopped down beside him anyway, happily watching the show together.
This warm, ordinary moment was the kind of family life Naruto had long dreamed of.
Whenever he lay alone in his cold, dark room at night, he fantasized about a family—imagining warmth like this. Now, chewing the sweet candy, his heart felt just as sweet.
---
Meanwhile, in the Asakusa district, at the mouth of a small alley—
Tsunade sighed, watching the endless crowd coming and going from the bustling Pansi Cave shop across the street.
"So many people just for a foot wash… business is booming," she muttered, recalling her own experience there the night before. The comfort had been undeniable, but…
Her hand patted her flat purse, and she sighed again.
No money. Not a single coin.
This was the first time Tsunade truly felt the pain of being broke.
Her stomach growled loudly. She rubbed it with a grimace. No money even for food. Should I just go back to the inn?
But hesitation flashed across her face. Earlier, she had boldly taken money from Shizune, claiming she'd win more at the gambling den. To return empty-handed now… she couldn't bring herself to face her apprentice like that.
Irritated, she snapped off a piece of rubble from the wall and crushed it to powder in her palm. Just then, something caught her eye.
On the ground nearby lay several scattered banknotes.
Tsunade froze for a second. Then, glancing left and right, she quickly bent down and scooped them up, stuffing them into her chest.
When no one reacted, she pulled them out and counted: one 10,000-ryō note, a 5,000, four 1,000s, and several 500s.
Her eyes lit up.
"Twenty thousand ryō! I'm rich!"
A faint sound came from behind, and Tsunade stiffened, tucking the notes back into her cleavage before whirling around.
It was only a black cat leaping across the eaves. She let out a breath of relief.
This wasn't a place to linger. She stuffed the bills properly into her pocket and briskly left the alley.
Her mood lifted as she walked. Tsunade-hime, reduced to picking up money off the ground… but luck's finally on my side!
The thought of the gambling den immediately surfaced, but her stomach growled again, quickly crushing the idea.
Gambling could wait—food came first.
She strolled along, looking for a restaurant. But after inquiring at several, she found the prices outrageous. She couldn't even afford a decent meal.
"Damn it! Since when did eating out get this expensive? What a scam!"
She stormed out of yet another restaurant, grumbling.
In the past, Shizune always paid for meals and inns. Tsunade only ever handled money at the gambling tables, where she would casually bet hundreds of thousands or even millions. And when broke, she could easily borrow just by invoking her name—Tsunade-hime, the Legendary Sannin, the world's greatest healer.
But now, with Shizune's purse empty, Tsunade was truly on her own.
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