In the blink of an eye, Naruto’s one-month celebration arrived.
Just as Sima Ming had predicted, the situation on the front lines unfolded exactly as he had expected.
After Commander-in-Chief Nara Shikaku successfully repelled Kumogakure’s first offensive, the war settled into a prolonged stalemate.
The hot-blooded Fourth Raikage initially wanted to launch a decapitation strike alongside the Eight-Tails’ Jinchūriki, Killer Bee, hoping to eliminate Konoha’s command headquarters in a single blow.
Fortunately, he was persuaded otherwise by the veteran strategist, Dōdai.
Since the end of the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had never deployed its Nine-Tails Jinchūriki on the battlefield.
Although Kumogakure had invaded under the pretext of Minato Namikaze’s death, rumors had already spread that Kushina had survived the Nine-Tails Incident.
Throughout the ninja world, it was common knowledge that a Jinchūriki would die if their Tailed Beast were extracted.
Therefore, if Kushina was still alive…
The Nine-Tails had to be inside her once again.
Konoha had already lost many of its strongest shinobi.
If the village were pushed into a desperate situation, they would undoubtedly send their Nine-Tails Jinchūriki into battle.
Rather than fighting to mutual destruction and allowing other villages to reap the benefits, Kumogakure’s plan was simple.
Continue applying pressure.
Force Konoha into signing a ceasefire agreement.
Then demand enormous compensation.
Although the Raikage had a notoriously explosive temper, he wasn’t unreasonable.
He had no intention of fighting Konoha until both sides were destroyed.
This invasion was merely an opportunity to recover the losses Kumogakure had suffered during the Third Great Ninja War.
Meanwhile, in Iwagakure…
When the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, learned of Kumogakure’s invasion, he immediately considered taking advantage of the situation by attacking the Hidden Cloud Village.
Unfortunately…
Days passed.
Neither side escalated the conflict.
Instead, both armies fought with remarkable restraint.
“The reckless brat from Kumogakure actually isn’t charging in recklessly?”
“How disappointing.”
Ōnoki sighed with obvious regret.
“If I attack now, Kumogakure can simply withdraw its troops and return home.”
“That would only end up helping Konoha.”
A muscular man with reddish-purple hair glanced at him with open disdain.
“You’re forgetting something.”
“The Raikage is a Kage now.”
“He has responsibilities.”
“He can’t act however he pleases anymore.”
“Stop dreaming, Ōnoki.”
The speaker was Roshi, the Four-Tails’ Jinchūriki.
After the Third Great Ninja War, Iwagakure had exhausted nearly ten thousand shinobi just to bring down the Third Raikage.
Their own losses had been equally devastating.
In Roshi’s opinion, allowing Konoha and Kumogakure to weaken each other while Iwagakure quietly rebuilt its strength was by far the wiser strategy.
“You don’t understand…”
Ōnoki rolled his eyes but said nothing more.
Unable to find an opening, he reluctantly ordered his forces to continue monitoring the battlefield while waiting patiently for another opportunity.
As he watched the Tsuchikage leave, Roshi let out a quiet sigh.
He hated war.
Whenever conflict erupted, he, as Iwagakure’s Jinchūriki, was always sent to the battlefield.
Countless people would lose their lives.
His own family had died because of war.
He understood the pain of losing loved ones better than anyone.
Unlike the tense atmosphere spreading across the ninja world, Kushina’s home was unusually peaceful.
Wearing an apron, she stood before the stove with an expression of complete concentration.
“Now!”
Sima Ming called from behind her.
Kushina immediately poured the prepared vegetables into the pan and began stir-frying them exactly as instructed.
When the dish was finally finished, she eagerly took a bite.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
“It’s delicious!”
“I never imagined you could cook so well, Mr. Sima!”
Although she had accidentally added a little too much salt, the unfamiliar cooking style and rich flavors more than made up for the minor mistake.
Her confidence immediately soared.
Following Sima Ming’s instructions step by step, she prepared several more dishes.
Soon, the dining table was filled with food.
Yet…
As she sat there alone, quietly staring at the meal she had cooked, her excitement slowly faded.
Her eyes drifted toward the framed photograph of herself and Minato.
Loneliness quietly settled into her heart.
Sensing the change in her mood, Sima Ming stepped closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“What’s happened can’t be changed.”
“You still have Naruto.”
“Raising him well is the greatest comfort you can offer Minato.”
Hearing those words, Kushina quietly wiped away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
“Thank you…”
“Ming-kun.”
After finishing dinner, her spirits improved considerably.
She first spent some time playing with baby Naruto.
Only after gently putting him to sleep did she return to her room.
“Mr. Sima…”
“What should I do now?”
“Can Tailed Beasts really communicate with humans?”
A full month had passed since Naruto’s birth and the Nine-Tails Incident.
Kushina’s body had finally recovered completely.
Now her thoughts had returned to something Sima Ming mentioned earlier.
The Perfect Jinchūriki.
If she truly learned to control the Nine-Tails’ power…
She could accomplish far more than before.
Sima Ming sat cross-legged behind her.
“There are nine Tailed Beasts.”
“They are known as the One-Tail through the Nine-Tails, according to the number of tails they possess.”
He slowly began explaining their origins.
Their creation.
Their history.
And the lives they had lived throughout the centuries.
Deep within Kushina’s sealed mind…
The Nine-Tails listened silently.
Its enormous eyes gradually widened with surprise.
“…This human…”
Disbelief filled its expression.
Throughout the ninja world, everyone believed Tailed Beasts were monsters born from disasters and human hatred.
People feared them.
Despised them.
And, by extension, feared the Jinchūriki who carried them.
Yet now…
Someone outside was calmly explaining the Tailed Beasts’ true origin.
How could the Nine-Tails not be shocked?
What puzzled it even more was Sima Ming himself.
Although sealed, the Nine-Tails still retained awareness of the outside world.
It could clearly hear Sima Ming speaking with Kushina.
Yet…
It couldn’t sense his existence at all.
He was like a ghost.
When the Nine-Tails first noticed Sima Ming’s presence, it had actually felt rather pleased.
After being imprisoned inside Kushina for years, it had finally escaped…
Only for Minato to sacrifice his own life and seal it right back inside her.
Its hatred for Minato—and for Kushina as well—had reached its peak.
Then, barely a month after Minato’s death…
An invisible man appeared who followed Kushina everywhere.
The Nine-Tails couldn’t understand human romance.
But after living for centuries, it understood concepts like marriage…
And family.
Although it couldn’t personally take revenge on Minato anymore…
Watching another man constantly remain beside Minato’s widow was strangely satisfying.
If Minato could somehow witness the scene…
The expression on his face would surely be priceless.
However…
As it continued listening to Sima Ming’s explanations…
Its amusement gradually disappeared.
Sima Ming wasn’t merely explaining the origins of the Tailed Beasts.
He was encouraging Kushina to understand them.
To treat the Nine-Tails as an equal.
To communicate instead of suppressing.
For the first time in countless years…
Someone seemed to understand the suffering of the Tailed Beasts.
Long ago, the Nine-Tails had roamed the world freely.
It had patiently waited for the legendary blue-eyed child foretold by the Sage of Six Paths…
Someone capable of truly understanding the hearts of the Tailed Beasts.
Instead…
A certain man had declared that their power was too dangerous.
Like catching a helpless chick, he had seized the Nine-Tails and locked it away inside a human.
The Nine-Tails had never wanted endless conflict.
It had wanted peaceful coexistence.
Yet all humanity ever offered in return was fear.
Suspicion.
Exploitation.
And one seal after another.
Human malice had become the source of its endless hatred.
Centuries of betrayal had taught it one lesson above all else.
Never trust humans.
Even so…
It couldn’t help listening.
At the same time, it also remembered something Sima Ming had said earlier.
He wanted Kushina to master the Nine-Tails’ power completely.
The Nine-Tails snorted coldly.
“So that’s your real goal.”
“You’re just another human who covets my power.”
“Damn humans…”