A brief flicker of regret crossed Minato’s face, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
No matter what, giving Kushina a chance to live was far better than leaving Naruto an orphan.
He believed the village would not deliberately mistreat his son, but nothing in the world could compare to the love and care of a mother raising her own child.
Before Minato could agree to Sima Ming’s proposal, Kushina endured the unbearable pain coursing through her body and spoke.
“I don’t agree.”
She understood her husband better than anyone.
Minato had chosen to use the forbidden Reaper Death Seal only because he believed she would certainly die after the Nine-Tails had been extracted from her.
They loved each other deeply.
If Minato couldn’t bear the thought of living without her, then how could she possibly continue living without him?
Sima Ming was completely speechless.
Both of them had a chance to survive, yet they were still determined to sacrifice themselves.
Even if they had already accepted death, couldn’t they think about Naruto?
What would happen to an orphan carrying the Nine-Tails?
Although Kushina wasn’t fully aware of the darkness hidden within Konoha, Sima Ming refused to believe that Minato—someone intelligent enough to become Hokage—had never heard the rumors.
As someone who knew the future, Sima Ming didn’t care whether the Third Hokage was as manipulative as many claimed.
But one undeniable fact remained…
Naruto’s childhood had been miserable.
He had grown up isolated, feared, and hated by the villagers.
Every day he endured silent abuse while the Nine-Tails’ hatred constantly influenced him from within.
The only reason Naruto never fell into darkness was because fate—or perhaps the story itself—favored him.
Children are born like blank sheets of paper.
They become reflections of the people around them.
Raise a child in hatred, and expecting them to become kind is almost impossible.
Raise them with love, and it’s equally difficult for them to become evil.
The occasional kindness shown by the Third Hokage could never erase the damage caused by years of fear, rejection, and loneliness.
Unable to stay silent any longer, Sima Ming spoke.
“Have either of you considered what will happen to your child? He’ll become an orphan… and the vessel of the Fox Demon. Do you really think the villagers will treat him like an ordinary child?”
Minato frowned.
“That won’t happen,” he replied firmly.
“I trust Lord Third. He can—”
“He can’t.”
Sima Ming interrupted without hesitation.
“If he could, why were you—the Hokage—forced to face the Nine-Tails alone tonight?”
“Did you see a single member of the Uchiha Clan on this battlefield?”
“He hasn’t even managed to resolve the growing hostility between the village and the Uchiha. If he can’t eliminate prejudice against one of Konoha’s founding clans, how could he possibly erase the villagers’ fear of a Jinchūriki?”
Minato fell silent.
He couldn’t deny those words.
The conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha had begun during the Second Hokage’s era.
Yet after so many years under the Third Hokage’s rule, the relationship hadn’t improved.
It had only grown worse.
Minato himself had planned to repair that relationship once his position as Hokage became more secure.
He intended to work together with the Uchiha Clan’s leader to rebuild trust.
Unfortunately…
He no longer had that opportunity.
After a long silence, Minato finally asked,
“Who exactly are you? How do you know so much about Konoha?”
“My name is Sima Ming.”
“As for who I really am… that isn’t important.”
“What matters is that you make your decision now.”
“We’re running out of time.”
Minato closed his eyes briefly before turning toward Kushina.
“I’m sorry…”
“I’ll have to leave Naruto in your care.”
Kushina opened her mouth to protest.
“Minato, I—”
But Minato gently stopped her.
Instead, he looked directly at Sima Ming.
“Mr. Sima…”
“I’m entrusting them to you.”
Sima Ming nodded.
“First, seal the remaining half of the Nine-Tails back into Kushina.”
“Once that’s done, I’ll restore her vitality.”
Without another word, Minato activated the sealing technique.
Ignoring the Nine-Tails’ furious struggle, he forcibly dragged the remaining chakra back into Kushina’s body.
At the same moment, Sima Ming released his spiritual pressure.
Using the overflowing soul energy surrounding Minato, he began repairing Kushina’s damaged body.
Warmth slowly spread throughout her body.
The coldness faded.
Her strength gradually returned.
Yet despite recovering physically…
Her heart grew even heavier.
Behind Minato, the Shinigami removed the blade from its mouth.
Its payment had arrived.
Minato’s soul.
However, it sensed that someone was interfering with the offering.
If it waited any longer…
It might lose its reward entirely.
At that instant, Sima Ming remembered something from the future.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Minato had attempted to transfer the Nine-Tails sealed within him into Naruto.
Although Black Zetsu had interrupted the process, that moment proved one thing.
Minato was capable of transferring a Tailed Beast.
Rather than allowing half of Kurama to disappear forever inside the Shinigami’s stomach…
Why not seal it into Naruto instead?
That way…
Both Kushina and Naruto would become Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
With Kushina alive and Naruto carrying the other half of the beast, anyone wishing to target Sima Ming while he recovered inside Konoha would have to think twice.
When Minato heard the suggestion, he agreed immediately.
As he drew upon the Nine-Tails’ chakra, his fading vitality recovered just enough to delay the Shinigami’s attack.
The blade hovering above him stopped for a brief moment.
Kushina, now significantly stronger, immediately joined the sealing process.
She had no choice.
If they failed now, Minato’s sacrifice would have been meaningless.
For the first time, she realized that the rude stranger standing beside them truly wished to save their family.
Minato had originally sealed half of the Nine-Tails into Naruto alone.
Now, with Kushina—a master of sealing techniques—assisting him, the process became much smoother.
Soon…
The Eight Trigrams Sealing Style appeared on Naruto’s stomach.
Just like in the original timeline, Minato intentionally left a small opening within the seal, allowing Naruto to gradually draw upon the Nine-Tails’ power as he grew stronger.
This time, however, the key to the seal wasn’t entrusted to a toad.
Instead…
It was placed in Kushina’s hands.
Naruto’s own mother would guard it.
With the Nine-Tails finally gone from his body, Minato felt the Shinigami’s blade descend once again.
He smiled gently at Kushina.
Then he turned toward Sima Ming.
“Mr. Sima…”
“I’m leaving Kushina and Naruto in your care.”
“Especially Kushina.”
“There are many things within the village that aren’t as simple as they seem.”
“I’m worried that she…”
Before he could finish speaking…
The Shinigami’s blade sliced through his soul.
In an instant, Minato’s spirit was ripped from his body and swallowed whole by the Death God.
His lifeless body collapsed onto the ground.
“MINATO!!”
Kushina cried out in agony.
Ignoring her injuries, she staggered toward him and collapsed over his body, sobbing uncontrollably.
Standing nearby, Sima Ming glanced down at the stain on his pants before silently making a promise.
“Rest easy.”
“I’ll protect Kushina and Naruto until the day I leave this world.”
After a brief pause, he muttered awkwardly,
“…And for the record, my family name is actually Si.”
Holding Minato’s body tightly, Kushina’s tears flowed endlessly.
At the same moment, baby Naruto—perhaps sensing the loss of his father—began crying loudly for the very first time.
Sima Ming stepped closer and gently placed a hand on Kushina’s shoulder.
“My condolences.”
“But right now…”
“Naruto needs you more than ever.”
As Minato died, the barrier surrounding the battlefield disappeared.
Outside, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had been waiting with the village’s shinobi.
The moment the barrier vanished, they rushed inside.
Seeing Hiruzen approach, Sima Ming instinctively moved closer to Kushina.
Strangely…
None of the arriving shinobi seemed capable of seeing him.
Hiruzen looked at the heartbreaking scene before him.
His eyes widened as they fell upon Minato’s motionless body.
“Kushina…”
“Minato… he…”
Although he already knew the answer in his heart…
He still couldn’t bring himself to accept the devastating reality.