"For the next three days, do not mention the words sealing jutsus in front of me."
There was an obvious keyword in Hagoromo's statement that made Kushina distinctly unhappy.
But if it wasn't about the Reverse Four Symbols Seal, then what exactly was making her so cheerful today?
"Oh, I get it," Hagoromo said thoughtfully.
"It's romance—"
Before he could finish, he took a solid hit to the head.
"You're an underage kid," Kushina snapped.
"Don't you think you know a little too much?"
Was that embarrassment?
Yes.
Because Hagoromo had guessed correctly.
Minato Namikaze was returning to Konoha today.
To be honest, although Kushina occasionally hit him without warning, Hagoromo genuinely enjoyed being around her. She was straightforward by nature, and the fact that she didn't bother putting on airs around him meant she already regarded him as one of her own.
"So… Minato-senpai is coming back?" Hagoromo asked, clutching his head and carefully keeping his distance from Kushina.
"How do you know Minato?" Kushina asked in surprise.
She was genuinely puzzled as to how Hagoromo knew about her relationship with him.
"Minato Namikaze—the Yellow Flash of Konoha," Hagoromo replied innocently.
"It'd be strange not to know that name, wouldn't it?"
As the Third Shinobi World War escalated, Minato's reputation had spread throughout the shinobi world. Especially after Konoha's loss of the White Fang, Minato became the village's most powerful mobile combatant, appearing on nearly every battlefield.
He had effectively been shaped into Konoha's sole heroic symbol—his fame even overshadowing the still-active Legendary Sannin.
Whenever the Yellow Flash appeared on the battlefield, allied morale would surge while enemies fled in terror. For someone of Hagoromo's age to know Minato's name was completely normal.
Back when he was still in the Ninja Academy, most students didn't know what Minato looked like—but many idolized him nonetheless.
Of course, Kushina hadn't meant it that way at all.
What she really wanted to ask was whether Hagoromo knew about her relationship with Minato—and how he knew it.
But Hagoromo's deliberately vague answer derailed the question. Fortunately, Kushina wasn't particularly interested in pressing the issue.
"Anyway," she said, waving a hand,
"today's a day off. No ninjutsu training, no C- or D-rank missions, and absolutely no endless forbidden-jutsu research. Just come with me."
"Roger, Master!" Hagoromo replied crisply.
Naturally, he had no objections. He understood the importance of balancing work and rest.
Kushina led Hagoromo to the gates of Konohagakure, then stood there like a statue—eyes fixed on the main road outside the village.
Before long, four figures appeared in Hagoromo's line of sight—one adult and three youths.
Unfortunately, there was no dramatic reunion scene.
Minato didn't instantly teleport to Kushina's side.
Kushina didn't leap into his arms.
No—
There was a dramatic scene.
Just not one Hagoromo wanted to witness.
"Hahaha! Hagoromo! How did you know I'd be coming back today?"
"I can't believe you came all the way here to welcome me—truly worthy of a best friend!"
There was no need to ask who said that.
It was obviously Uchiha Obito.
At moments like this, one had to admit: the brain was a wonderful thing.
Unfortunately, some people were simply born without one.
Two lovers reunited—
—and this guy was the first to rush out?
"I should state this clearly," Hagoromo said quickly,
"I'm not here to welcome you."
"This is nothing to be embarrassed about!" Obito said proudly.
"Our friendship is unquestionable!"
Embarrassed my ass. Questionable my ass.
I'm literally just here as background decoration, alright?!
"Hagoromo, I heard you stayed in Konoha the whole time?" Obito continued smugly.
"Haha, that's rough. You know, as an elite ninja, I've already carried out A-rank missions. Jealous? You should be."
Only three minutes after meeting again—after three months apart—Obito had already begun boasting.
Hagoromo simply smiled without responding.
Heh. Idiot.
I'm currently assisting in an S-rank forbidden jutsu research project, alright? Even if I'm just doing calculations.
Hagoromo didn't bother rebutting Obito—but someone else clearly couldn't stand it.
"Hmph," Hatake Kakashi snorted coldly.
"I don't recall you contributing anything meaningful during that mission. Some dead last was dragging everyone down the entire time."
"Kakashi, you bastard! What nonsense are you spouting now?!"
Unable to tolerate Kakashi's "arrogance" (completely unaware that he himself was the arrogant one), Obito immediately turned on him.
The two instantly entered mutual-destruction mode.
Hagoromo stopped paying attention to those two idiots and instead greeted Nohara Rin at the back.
"Alright, you three—cut it out," Minato said gently once he finished registering his return at the village gate.
"We can talk while walking."
He called out to his students, then naturally moved to Kushina's side.
"Kushina," Minato said softly,
"I'm back."
The last time Minato had returned, it had only been to pick up his other two team members—Rin and Obito. He'd come and gone in a hurry, without even having time to see Kushina.
In fact, the two of them hadn't met in an entire year.
Minato and Kushina walked ahead.
The rest followed behind.
Given Minato's popularity in Konoha, once people noticed he'd returned, villagers and ninja alike greeted him frequently. Minato responded to each one with a warm smile—patient, approachable, and without the slightest hint of irritation.
Obito continued pestering Kakashi, while Kakashi maintained his usual aloof indifference, occasionally tossing out a remark just to provoke him further.
Meanwhile, Rin and Hagoromo chatted quietly.
"That woman up front—is she your teacher, Hagoromo?" Rin asked softly.
"She seems very close to Minato-sensei…"
"Is that strange?" Hagoromo replied casually.
"Didn't you know? Kushina-sensei is Minato-senpai's girlfriend."
He delivered this nuclear-grade piece of gossip in the most ordinary tone imaginable.
"Kushina… the legendary Red-Hot Habanero?" Rin exclaimed.
"She's Minato-sensei's girlfriend?!"
"That's not a problem, is it?" Hagoromo said calmly.
"Red and yellow have always made a good pairing. Honestly, shouldn't you guys be keeping tabs on this kind of intel?"
Without realizing it, even Obito and Kakashi had stopped arguing.
They were both subtly eavesdropping.
In a shinobi world that universally adored gossip—especially during wartime—this kind of information was priceless.
After all, one half of the rumor was the infamous Red-Hot Habanero, and the other was the even more famous Yellow Flash.
"Tch," Obito scoffed stiffly.
"What use is that kind of information?"
"Oh, it's very useful," Hagoromo replied with a smile.
"The more miscellaneous intel you have, the easier it is to grasp your teacher's weaknesses. And if there's a jutsu you really want to learn someday…"
"You can always use that weakness as leverage."