The others assumed Kushina wanted a few more moments alone with Minato, so no one questioned her decision to stay behind.
“Mr. Sima?”
“Kushina, wait for me a moment. It won’t take long.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Sima Ming began absorbing the spiritual energy lingering in the surrounding area.
As the energy flowed into his body, he could clearly feel his injuries slowly healing.
Even his Spiritual Pressure increased ever so slightly.
A few minutes later, every trace of the lingering spiritual energy had been absorbed.
His injuries had recovered by nearly thirty percent.
“We can go now.”
On the way back, Sima Ming hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell Kushina the truth.
He could have kept it a secret.
However, he knew that in the future he might need Kushina to take him to places rich in spiritual energy.
If she later discovered he had deceived her, the trust they had built would be shattered.
It was better to be honest from the beginning.
Besides, revealing the truth would only deepen her trust in him.
Of course, he also understood that absorbing the spiritual energy of the deceased wasn’t something most people could easily accept.
If he were still an ordinary person, and someone told him that the souls of his fallen loved ones would become nourishment for another being, he would be furious as well.
Fortunately, Kushina’s situation was different.
The only people who truly mattered to her were Minato and Naruto.
She barely knew most of the other shinobi who had died during the Nine-Tails attack.
Because of that, she accepted his explanation far more calmly than he had expected.
After listening quietly, she simply paused for a moment before continuing the walk home as though nothing had happened.
“Lady Kushina.”
“Yakushi Nono, has Naruto been crying?”
To help Kushina recover from childbirth, Sima Ming suggested hiring someone to assist with caring for Naruto.
The person he recommended was Yakushi Nono.
Initially, Kushina wasn’t comfortable leaving Naruto in someone else’s care.
The events surrounding the Nine-Tails’ attack had severely shaken her trust in Konoha.
In the end, however, Sima Ming convinced her.
His reasons for choosing Yakushi Nono were simple.
First, she was the director of Konoha’s orphanage and had extensive experience caring for children.
Second, Sima Ming knew her future.
As long as the orphanage continued receiving adequate funding and supplies, there was virtually no chance she would betray Kushina.
According to the original story, Danzo would eventually exploit the orphanage’s financial struggles to force Yakushi Nono back into Root as a spy.
Unable to abandon the orphanage, she had no choice but to obey.
That alone proved how deeply she cared for the children.
Compared to Danzo’s empty promises, the support of the Fourth Hokage’s widow was far more reliable.
Of course, helping Kushina rest and ensuring Naruto received proper care were only secondary reasons.
Sima Ming’s true goal…
Was bringing Danzo down.
Yakushi Nono was one of the very few former Root agents who had retired without being silenced.
She was known as the Walking Shrine Maiden, one of Root’s greatest spies.
Someone of her caliber undoubtedly possessed countless secrets about Danzo’s organization.
Naturally, Danzo had anticipated that possibility.
Every Root member carried the Cursed Seal of Sealing, preventing them from revealing confidential information.
Whether through Genjutsu, memory-reading techniques, or other secret arts, no one could bypass the seal.
But in the end…
It was still a sealing technique.
And Kushina was one of the greatest sealing masters alive.
Compared to her expertise, Danzo’s techniques were child’s play.
Breaking the seal would be far from impossible.
In the past, Kushina would never have considered acting against someone from Konoha.
But that was the old Kushina.
Things were different now.
Not long after returning home, an ANBU operative suddenly appeared.
“Lady Kushina, Lord Third requests your presence at the Hokage Office immediately. An important matter requires discussion.”
Kushina glanced at the mirror on the wall.
It seemed Sima Ming had been right once again.
“I understand. I’ll leave immediately.”
After dismissing the ANBU, she handed Naruto over to Yakushi Nono before heading toward the Hokage Building.
When Kushina entered the meeting hall, she found nearly every important figure in Konoha already present.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Danzo Shimura.
The two village elders.
And the heads of every major and minor clan.
Hiruzen nodded as she arrived before addressing the room.
“The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, sacrificed his life protecting the village.”
“We will never forget his contribution.”
“However, Konoha cannot remain without a Hokage.”
“Today’s meeting has been called to discuss the selection of the Fifth Hokage.”
The clan leaders had already guessed the purpose of the gathering, so no one appeared surprised.
The real problem was…
Minato had only recently become Hokage.
No successor had been prepared.
After a brief silence, Homura Mitokado spoke first.
“Sarutobi, send word to Jiraiya.”
“Among the younger generation, both his strength and reputation make him the most qualified candidate.”
Many people nodded in agreement.
Only Danzo looked displeased.
Homura noticed his old friend’s expression but couldn’t understand the reason.
No matter how wild his imagination became, he never considered that Danzo himself desired the Hokage’s seat.
Before Danzo could voice any objections, Hiruzen calmly spoke.
“I’ve already contacted Jiraiya.”
Danzo was startled.
He hadn’t expected Hiruzen to decide something so important without consulting him.
Then Hiruzen continued.
“Unfortunately… he declined.”
Danzo secretly let out a sigh of relief, although the resentment in his eyes remained.
At that moment, Hyuga Hizashi spoke up.
“What about Lady Tsunade?”
“Perhaps we should ask her to return and become the Fifth Hokage.”
The moment those words left his mouth, several pairs of eyes turned toward him.
Danzo.
Hyuga Hiashi.
And numerous clan leaders.
Hiashi even glared sharply at his younger brother, silently warning him not to speak carelessly.
Hiruzen sighed.
“Tsunade would certainly be a suitable candidate.”
“Unfortunately, despite our efforts, the ANBU have yet to locate her.”
His voice carried obvious disappointment.
Among his three legendary students—
Tsunade.
Jiraiya.
And Orochimaru.
Each possessed both the strength and reputation necessary to become Hokage.
Yet fate had other plans.
Orochimaru had secretly conducted forbidden human experiments before defecting from the village.
Jiraiya wandered the world searching for the so-called Child of Prophecy and had absolutely no interest in becoming Hokage.
As for Tsunade…
Although she was the granddaughter of the First Hokage and Hiruzen’s own student, the tragedies she had experienced during the Second Great Ninja War had left her disillusioned with Konoha.
She had long since abandoned the village.
Apart from those three…
No one in Konoha possessed both the strength and prestige required for the position.
Seeing the discussion reaching a dead end, Danzo cleared his throat.
“Ahem…”
“Since neither Jiraiya nor Lady Tsunade is willing to return, perhaps I—”
Before he could finish recommending himself, Hiruzen interrupted him.
“I have already made my decision.”
“Until a suitable Fifth Hokage is chosen…”
“I will once again assume the position of Hokage.”
Danzo froze.
For a moment, he nearly pointed his cane directly at Hiruzen and cursed him on the spot.
Instead, he tightened his grip until his knuckles turned white.
The tip of his cane pressed so hard against the floor that it nearly pierced through the wood.