Naruto: Puppet Master Undercover in Konoha

Perhaps it was because spring was approaching—the season of rebirth.

While Obito and Rin Nohara were walking down the streets of Konoha, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki also walked together on a street within the Barrier Zone.

Kushina asked curiously, "Minato, that technique you used... I felt it was very similar to the Tailed Beast Ball the Nine-Tails tried to use. How did you develop it?"

Minato replied, "I saw the Tailed Beast Ball used by jinchuriki on the battlefield. I simply took inspiration from that... Because I wanted to pass on a technique to you, Kushina, that could counter a jinchuriki."

Minato showed off proudly to Kushina, "I call it the 'Dual-Swirl Spiral Energy Technique'!"

Kushina retorted, "Ugh... That thumping feeling again..."

Minato, who didn't think the name was uncool at all, asked confusedly, "Really? I think it sounds okay..."

Kushina pointed at herself and said, "So you made this for me? Then can I name it instead?"

"I don't mind."

Minato wasn't particularly attached to the name anyway; he had picked it simply because he thought it sounded cool.

Kushina grabbed Minato's hand, saying, "Minato, come with me—I'll take you somewhere where we can really let our minds run free."

Kushina pulled Minato forward running.

Being held by the hand, Minato looked at Kushina's back, his cheeks unconsciously turning slightly red.

Ugh… it's that thumping feeling again.

Kushina brought Minato to the top of the Whirlpool Tower.

Looking at the breathtaking view and the Hokage Rock seemingly within reach, Minato exclaimed, "There's actually such a great place!"

As a butterfly flew past him, Minato extended one finger, and the butterfly landed gently on its tip.

As the butterfly flew away, Kushina suddenly spoke up.

[Rasengan.]

Minato turned his head toward Kushina, surprised, "Huh?"

"That's the new technique's name... What do you think?"

Kushina asked nervously.

"Rasengan..."

Under Kushina's expectant gaze, Minato smiled brightly and warmly, "Yeah! Great name!"

Seeing Minato's smile, Kushina also sincerely smiled happily.

...

Minato trained with Kushina in sealing techniques for a while before departing on a mission.

Originally, it had been Minato's duty to bring lunch to Shindai, but now that task fell to Obito and his team.

Then, not long after Minato Namikaze left to carry out his mission, Kakashi, Rin, and Obito also received a mission and set off to complete it.

"Ugh... I'm starving. What's keeping Obito and the others today? Why haven't they shown up yet?"

Shindai hadn't stepped out of his house much during this period and stayed indoors, devoting all his time to working on his puppet.

Right now, Shindai had completely lost track of time and couldn't even distinguish day from night anymore.

When he could no longer bear the exhaustion, he would lie down for a short nap, then get right back to work once awake.

Shindai's puppet was starting to take form—it had a rough outline, and now he was focusing on fine details.

Just when Shindai, driven by unbearable hunger, was debating whether to endure a bit longer or go out for a meal,

"I'll just hang in there a little longer. Eventually, you get used to being hungry."

As Shindai was about to continue working, the door suddenly swung open.

"There you are! I was about to starve to death!"

Shindai thought it was Obito and the others arriving, but instead found Kushina Uzumaki standing at the doorway.

"Eh? Kushina-nee, what are you doing here?"

Kushina walked in, placing the food she carried on the table before speaking, "If I didn't come, with Minato and Obito out on missions, you might just forget to eat again. Obito told me they were going on a mission—don't tell me they didn't inform you?"

Shindai thought for a moment. Yesterday, when Obito brought him dinner, he did mention something about going on a mission.

But back then, Shindai was fully focused on his work, so the words went in one ear and out the other, and he simply gave a distracted response without really paying attention.

Scratching his head, Shindai said sheepishly, "Oops, forgot. But, Kushina-nee, can you come out now?"

Kushina nodded, "Yeah. While teaching Minato the Sealing Technique, I've made great progress myself. My seal is now stable enough that even if I leave the Barrier Zone, there's no need to worry about the Nine-Tails disrupting it. However, continued observation is still necessary, which means I can only stay out of the Barrier Zone for a limited time—I have to go back after a while.

Looking at you like this, I bet you wouldn't eat unless someone like Minato brings you meals. So starting now, I'll prepare your meals and bring them over every day."

Shindai stared blankly at Kushina Uzumaki for a while before asking confusedly, "Kushina-nee, why does it feel like you're treating me so nicely?"

The next moment, a lump popped up on Shindai's forehead.

"Remove that 'like' from your sentence!" Kushina sat across from Shindai, smiling as she continued, "Maybe it's because you and I are both newcomers who came alone from different villages to Konoha. I just find you really relatable. Anyway, hurry up and eat."

Lowering his hand from his head, Shindai opened the lunch box and started eating.

That's just how Shindai was—he could be extremely quiet when calm, but once talkative, he really wouldn't stop. He always remembered what tasted good but never learned from getting hit.

"See what I mean?" Shindai couldn't help but blurt out again, "Sister Kushina, you should be gentler. Don't hit people all the time. Look at Minato-sensei—he's such a gentle person. You really should learn from him."

A throbbing vein already pulsed on Kushina Uzumaki's forehead. "Does eating not shut your mouth?"

Sensing an imminent beating, Shindai immediately zipped his lips.

Kushina turned her gaze toward Shindai's side.

Beside Shindai stood Kannazuki's unfinished puppet frame. Since Shindai hadn't yet crafted skin for it, Kannazuki was still an Iron Sand Body at its core.

Curiously, Kushina asked, "Haven't you finished building your puppet yet?"

Swallowing the food in his mouth, Shindai replied, "Still early days. There remain many problems to be solved. For example, since Kannazuki is composed entirely of magnetic iron sand, I need to develop a magnetic inhibitor that won't interfere with her normal functions. Otherwise, during battle, projectiles might get drawn toward her like this."

Shindai grabbed a kunai and hurled it into the air.

Suddenly, the kunai instantly got attracted and stuck onto Kannazuki's body.

"As you see," explained Shindai, "her unstable magnetism pulls any metal object toward her body. During combat, this could be deadly. So that's the first issue I need to resolve.

"There are plenty more problems waiting for me to fix. Fortunately, I have the ninja tech documents Minato-sensei brought me. Otherwise, with my limited knowledge back then, I would've had to give up temporarily."

Shindai went on explaining various issues he'd encountered, while Kushina listened, eyes glazed over and confusion deepening, until a dull headache began to form.

After Shindai finished his meal, Kushina picked up the empty lunchbox and muttered, "I'll come back at mealtime tomorrow," before bolting off directly.

Shaking his head, Shindai sighed, "Tsk tsk, guess she's just a struggling student after all. Looks like I wasted my breath back there."

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