Chapter 23: Minato and Kushina
In front of Mugetsu were three scrolls.
He opened them one by one. The first scroll contained money. After counting it, Mugetsu confirmed it totaled two hundred thousand Ryo.
He neatly stored the money away. In any world, money was always useful.
Ninja were notorious spenders—whether it was ninja tools, special medicines, or training materials, everything cost a fortune.
Next, he opened the second scroll. Inside was a C-rank Ninjutsu—Fire Release: Flame Bullet.
Mugetsu glanced over it briefly. It wasn't part of his current repertoire, but having already mastered many advanced Fire Release techniques, both large-scale and precise, he didn't plan to waste time practicing this basic jutsu.
Finally, he picked up the last scroll. This was Danzo's reply to his report.
As expected, Danzo first praised his performance—complimenting how quickly he'd risen to become an "excellent teacher," gaining recognition from the Third Hokage. A standard round of PUA-style flattery.
Mugetsu skipped the meaningless part and went straight to the actual order:
"Become Asuma Sarutobi's tutor, earn his trust, and become someone he respects."
Mugetsu put away the Ninjutsu scroll and burned the other two.
He might not practice the jutsu, but free things were free things—burning it would be a waste.
"That old man Danzo really hasn't given up on the Hokage seat," Mugetsu muttered.
It was obvious Danzo had some long-term plans involving the Third Hokage's youngest son.
Mugetsu didn't really care. It would cost him a few weekend hours at most.
If Asuma's talent reached S-rank, I'd even consider making him my official disciple. I still have a slot left, he thought.
Then, another thought surfaced.
Should I sell the house in the Main District?
The original Mugetsu hadn't always lived in the remote Southern Forest. He actually owned a property in the Main District of the Leaf Village, inherited from his parents.
To conceal his true identity, he had moved to the Southern Forest, only returning to clean the Main District house once a year.
Mugetsu figured, since he wasn't living there, maybe it was time to sell. The location was good, and the money could be reinvested into cultivation supplies and secret medicines.
Even with the system's assistance, every bit of personal growth helped.
With that decision, Mugetsu got up and headed toward the Main District to inspect the property and prepare it for sale.
Guided by old memories, he soon found the house. Just as he was about to unlock the door, a blond figure appeared from the neighboring home.
"Hello, are you a new resident?" Minato greeted politely.
He had moved into this house a few months ago, and it was the first time he'd seen someone enter the neighboring property.
Mugetsu turned to look, and Minato's gaze lingered on his golden hair and blue eyes before recognition dawned.
Ah, the library guy.
Minato didn't have a photographic memory, but someone with the same hair and eye color—and that calm, gentle smile—stood out. It felt a little like seeing a reflection of himself.
"No, this is my house. Due to certain reasons, I moved out and rarely return," Mugetsu explained with a smile.
Immediately, his thought shifted. No need to sell this house now. Becoming Minato's neighbor? This is a priceless opportunity to get close and pick up Sealing Techniques for free.
Besides, technically, Minato was the one who had moved in later.
"Minato! I'm here for you!"
A cheerful, energetic voice cut through the air.
"Eh, Minato, you didn't tell me you had a brother who looks just like you!" Kushina teased, striding over.
With the same golden hair and blue eyes, plus that gentle smile, it was hard not to draw comparisons—even if their actual facial features were quite different.
Minato scratched his head apologetically.
"Sorry about this. My girlfriend's… a little too lively sometimes," Minato said sheepishly.
Then, realizing he didn't know Mugetsu's name, he hesitated, "This is my neighbor…"
"Hayate Mugetsu," Mugetsu introduced himself with a nod.
"Uzumaki Kushina! And your name sounds really nice," Kushina replied brightly, hugging Minato from behind and peeking out to smile.
"Minato Namikaze," Minato added with a warm smile, gently prying Kushina off him.
"Thank you, your fiery red hair is quite stunning," Mugetsu replied smoothly, opening the door to his house.
Kushina's eyes sparkled. Giving Mugetsu a thumbs-up, she grinned, "Nice! You've got taste."
As the door opened, dust swirled out from the long-neglected interior.
Glancing inside, Mugetsu noted it wasn't too bad—just layers of dust from disuse.
"Sorry, I can't entertain you right now. I need to clean up first," Mugetsu said politely.
"No worries, we won't bother you," Minato replied, pulling Kushina back toward their house.
Mugetsu watched them leave, activating his appraisal.
[Name: Kushina Uzumaki]
[Chakra: 150,000 (???)]
[Potential: SS]
[Evaluation: Master of Sealing Techniques, possesses massive special chakra far beyond ordinary shinobi]
That chakra reserve… Mugetsu couldn't help but sigh in envy.
The mysterious question mark next to her chakra count caught his attention—likely due to the Nine-Tails sealed inside her.
Kushina's SS potential was the highest Mugetsu had seen so far. Still, from what he knew of the story, at least part of that potential came from Kurama. Without the Nine-Tails, she'd probably drop to S-rank potential—still powerful, but not monstrous.
Well, no point overthinking it, Mugetsu decided, forming a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Ten shadow clones popped into existence and immediately started cleaning.
Mugetsu once again marveled at Tobirama's genius. The Shadow Clone Jutsu was truly a revolutionary technique.
After thoroughly cleaning, Mugetsu purchased basic daily necessities and stocked the place.
There was no need to rush friendship with Minato. Instead, he'd gradually become a familiar neighbor. Opportunities would come naturally.
As evening fell, Mugetsu leaned by the window, enjoying the breeze while refining training plans for his disciples.
Might Guy and Obito, who had failed to place first in their grade, needed targeted reinforcement training.
For Shisui, Mugetsu decided to focus on refining his chakra control, strengthening his immediate combat ability while preparing him for Genjutsu mastery in the future.
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