“What?
Roy-san, I didn’t do anything…” Kushina stared ahead in confusion.
Until moments ago, she had nearly forgotten Roy was even there.
There was no way she could have placed a seal on him without realising it.
Besides, if she had truly sealed him, why would the seal allow him to grab hold of her whenever he wanted?
What kind of sealing technique worked like that?
“It wasn’t you?” Roy asked.
“Then why can’t I get away from you?” Kushina grew anxious and tried to turn around so she could explain properly.
The moment she moved, Roy tightened his arms around her, afraid he would be dragged around her again.
“It really wasn’t me!” Kushina insisted.
“I didn’t use any jutsu on you!” Her eyes began to sting with frustration.
Then another possibility entered her mind.
Perhaps Roy was only pretending to be trapped so that he could take advantage of her.
After all, he was a strange man who had suddenly appeared inside Naruto’s home.
The fact that no one else could see him only made him even more suspicious.
Now that she thought about it, perhaps saving her had not been an act of kindness at all.
Perhaps he had simply taken an interest in her.
“Roy…” Kushina said carefully.
“If you’re looking for a woman, I can introduce you to someone in the village.
I already have a husband and a child.
You shouldn’t waste your time on me.” She believed she had finally understood his intentions and decided to make her feelings clear.
“What are you talking about?” Roy could not understand how she had reached such a ridiculous conclusion.
Kushina was certainly beautiful.
Even after giving birth, her figure had hardly changed.
But did she truly believe he was that kind of man?
Soul Society had no shortage of beautiful female Shinigami.
Hueco Mundo also had women like Nelliel and Harribel.
Roy had never paid much attention to any of them.
Romance only distracted him from becoming stronger.
Strength was what truly mattered.
With his appearance and talent, he believed he would have no trouble winning a woman’s affection if he ever became interested in one.
Why would he need to use such a shameful method against a woman who had just lost her husband?
Unfortunately, Kushina did not believe him.
Roy did not believe her either.
The two continued arguing, each trying to defend themselves without listening properly to the other.
They only stopped when Hiruzen finished examining the area and approached with the ANBU.
“Fine,” Roy said at last.
“I’ll believe you for now.
But I can only move within ten metres behind you.
Until we find out what caused this, I’ll have to stay close.” Kushina wanted to refuse, but she had already discovered that she could not force him away.
Earlier, she had summoned her Adamantine Sealing Chains and tried to push him back.
The golden chains had passed straight through his body without touching him.
Roy had then retaliated by grabbing her several times with more force than necessary.
To Kushina, that only made him seem even more suspicious.
Still, since there was nothing she could do, she reluctantly agreed to let him remain behind her.
“Kushina?
What happened?” Hiruzen looked at her with concern.
From a distance, he had seen Kushina speaking to someone who was not there.
She had appeared angry and upset, and she had even placed Minato’s body on the ground while holding only Naruto.
“It’s nothing.” Kushina gave him a cold glance, picked Minato up again and continued toward the village.
Hiruzen let out a long sigh.
Minato’s death must have been too much for her.
For a moment, he wondered whether the shock had affected her mind.
“Hokage-sama…” Hiruzen raised a hand, stopping the ANBU captain before he could speak.
“When we return, contact the wife of the Uchiha clan head.
Ask her to visit Kushina.” Hiruzen would have preferred not to involve the Uchiha Clan at a time like this.
However, Uchiha Mikoto was likely the only person in Konoha whom Kushina would still listen to.
The wives of the Ino–Shika–Chō clan heads also attended the gatherings Kushina organised, but most of them had done so because they wanted closer ties with the Hokage’s family.
Hiruzen did not blame them.
Every clan had its own interests to protect.
As long as they remained loyal to Konoha and did not act against the village, there was nothing wrong with seeking better treatment for their people.
Trying to remove every personal motive would only push the clans away from the Hokage.
The ANBU captain seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
After accepting the order, he disappeared with the Body Flicker Technique and headed back to the village.
“Third Hokage-sama!” Another masked ANBU suddenly appeared and dropped to one knee before Hiruzen.
“We have confirmed that the Barrier Team was completely wiped out.
Lady Biwako also…” The ANBU could not finish.
Hiruzen’s expression went still.
In that instant, he seemed far older than before.
“Was her body recovered?” he asked hoarsely.
Biwako Sarutobi was Hiruzen’s wife.
She had been a jōnin of Konoha and was highly skilled in medical ninjutsu.
Because Kushina was the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki, Biwako had personally helped deliver the child.
Hiruzen had never imagined that after being apart from her for only half a day, he would never speak to her again.
“The Medical Corps has already taken the bodies back to the village.” Hiruzen waved his hand, dismissing the ANBU.
“Third Hokage-sama…” The ANBU captain beside him tried to offer some comfort, but his voice trembled.
“We’ll return to the village first,” Hiruzen said.
He forced himself to set aside his grief.
“Kushina’s delivery was a closely guarded secret.
Only a few people knew where it would take place, yet the enemy found the location at exactly the right time.” His eyes narrowed.
“Flame, once we return, take several men and quietly watch Danzo’s subordinates.” “Yes, Third Hokage-sama.” After returning to the Hokage’s residence, Kushina refused to hand Minato’s body over to the ANBU.
On the way back, Roy had told her about a forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage—the Impure World Reincarnation.
The technique could call a dead person’s soul back from the Pure Land and bind it to a living sacrifice.
Minato’s soul had been taken by the Shinigami through the Reaper Death Seal, so he could not be summoned through the Impure World Reincarnation.
However, no one else knew that.
Kushina did not want anyone disturbing Minato’s rest.
Instead of burying him in Konoha’s cemetery, she believed it would be safer to preserve his body with a sealing technique and keep it somewhere only she knew.
The ANBU sent to retrieve Minato’s remains scratched his head anxiously.
Minato had died as the Fourth Hokage and the hero who saved Konoha from the Nine-Tails.
If his body was not buried in the village cemetery, the villagers would never accept it.
He would also be unable to complete his mission.
However, the person refusing him was Kushina, the Fourth Hokage’s wife.
Even without that title, she was an Uzumaki and one of Konoha’s strongest kunoichi.
A single ANBU could not force her to surrender Minato’s body.
Even an entire squad might not be enough.
Just as the ANBU decided to return and report the situation to Hiruzen and the village elders, Kushina handed him Minato’s Hokage cloak.
She also gave him one of Minato’s special three-pronged kunai, marked with the formula for the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The ANBU accepted both items and left.
Once he was gone, Kushina sat quietly while holding the swaddled Naruto in her arms.
“Roy…” she asked weakly.
“What am I supposed to do now?” “You’re the Fourth Hokage’s wife, and you’re still the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki,” Roy replied.
“You shouldn’t let the village push you aside.” Kushina looked up at him.
“Are you telling me to take control of Konoha?” “I’m saying you need to make sure your voice matters.” Roy looked down at Naruto.
“If you stay silent, the elders will decide everything for you.
They’ll decide what happens to Naruto, what happens to Minato’s name and what happens to you.” Kushina tightened her arms around her son.
“If you want Naruto to grow up safely, you need enough support that no one can treat either of you however they please.” Roy paused before continuing.
“Minato probably wanted to change some things in the village as well.
He simply never got the chance.” At the mention of Minato and Naruto, some determination returned to Kushina’s eyes.
However, it quickly faded into uncertainty.
She had been the Fourth Hokage’s wife, but she had never cared about village politics.
She had no idea how to deal with clan heads, elders or the different groups within Konoha.
Roy did not understand politics either.
He only understood one thing.
When someone was strong enough, others were forced to listen.
Minato had died protecting Konoha, and right now, the entire village would honour him as a hero.
As Minato’s wife, Kushina could use that respect to protect herself and Naruto.
She was also still the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki, which meant the village could not simply ignore her.
But Minato’s reputation alone would not be enough.
Respect for the dead faded with time, especially when those in power found it inconvenient.
If Kushina wanted the shinobi clans to stand beside her, she would need to earn their support herself.
There was another problem.
Unless something unexpected happened, Hiruzen would soon return as Hokage.
As long as Hiruzen remained in charge, it would be difficult to deal with Danzo.
And as long as Danzo remained free to act from the shadows, he would continue to threaten Konoha’s jinchūriki.
He would also remain a danger to the entire village.