The Kumogakure shinobi had no idea what was happening to Kazuki's body in the distance.
To them, the boy who had been struck down was already a corpse.
Their focus remained on Kushina.
"Kushina," one of them sneered, "stop trying to stall."
"No matter how much time you waste, no one's coming to save you."
Kushina clenched her fists.
"Aren't you afraid this will start a war?!" she shot back. "Kidnapping me from Konoha—do you think the Hokage will let that slide?!"
The Kumogakure jōnin burst out laughing.
"War? Konoha fears war more than we do."
He leaned closer.
"Let me be honest with you. Once we cross back into the Land of Lightning, Konoha won't dare make a move."
Kushina's heart skipped.
"What do you mean…?"
"You're an Uzumaki. Perfect vitality. Perfect compatibility." His grin widened. "You'll become our village's jinchūriki."
Her eyes widened in horror.
"You—!"
"And don't worry," he continued mockingly. "You'll be treated well. Better than in Konoha. If all goes smoothly… you might even become the next Raikage's wife."
"The First Lady of Kumogakure."
Kushina's face went pale.
So that was it.
A political tool.
A tailed beast container.
A bargaining chip.
"I don't want that!" she shouted.
She thought of—
Kazuki covering his head while she smacked him."Hey! Stop hitting me! If you're this violent, no one's gonna marry you!"
Minato smiling gently."Your red hair is beautiful, Kushina."
Mikoto in an apron, laughing."Come help me cook, Kushina-chan!"
Her friends waving at the river.
And Mito-sama's soft voice:
"We Uzumaki were brought here as jinchūriki… but before that, find love. Fill your heart. Even if you carry the Nine-Tails, you can still be happy."
Tears welled in Kushina's eyes.
"I don't want to leave…"
And then—
The ground trembled.
Tiny saplings burst from the earth.
In seconds, they grew into towering trees, separating the Kumogakure shinobi.
"Wood Release?!"
"What?!"
The forest erupted around them.
"Grab her!" the jōnin roared.
But five figures suddenly dropped from the trees and engaged them in combat.
Kushina looked up hopefully—
Then froze.
"Kazuki?!"
All five of them—
Were Kazuki.
Before she could process it, thick wooden branches swept around her, lifting her away from the battlefield.
"Ah—!"
She found herself gently lowered in front of someone.
Her legs gave out.
Strong arms caught her.
"Hey, Red Pepper," Kazuki teased, holding her steady. "What's with the weak knees?"
She looked up.
Black hair.
Sharp brows.
Bright, confident eyes.
And that same easy smile.
But different.
Stronger.
Calmer.
When did he look like this?
"K-Kazuki…?"
He grinned."Surprised?"
The tension in her chest melted instantly.
She glanced at the battlefield again.
"Is that… Shadow Clone Technique?"
"What else?"
Truthfully, Kazuki had only fused about five percent of Hashirama's power.
And even at five percent—
He felt invincible.
The Kumogakure shinobi were being completely overwhelmed by his clones.
Only the leading jōnin managed to break free and flee.
The rest were crushed beneath wooden branches.
That elite undercover agent who had infiltrated Konoha for years?
Neutralized in seconds.
The fleeing jōnin shouted in panic—
"Retreat—!"
Kazuki's hands formed a seal.
"Trying to run?"
Wooden roots exploded from the earth like spears.
"No—!"
The jōnin was swallowed whole by a mass of thick roots.
Silence returned to the plain.
Kazuki exhaled slowly.
Wood Release…
Even at minimal fusion—
It was overwhelming.
Hashirama truly earned the title "God of Shinobi."
Kushina stared at him blankly.
"Are… are they dead?"
Kazuki shook his head calmly.
"No. Just restrained."
"We'll wait for reinforcements."
Kushina blushed slightly, glancing at her tied wrists.
"Kazuki… can you untie me?"
At that moment—
A familiar panel appeared.
[System Notification][Three options available:]
Option 1:Wait for the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, and preserve the original timeline.Reward: C-Rank Summoning Contract — Little Toad.
Option 2:Escort Kushina to Kumogakure and become a villain.Reward: A-Rank Ninjutsu — Hell Stab (Lariat Variant).
Option 3:Untie Kushina's restraints and carry her.Reward: Kushina Favorability +10Supreme Pack ×1
Kazuki stared at the options.
Minato arriving…
Preserve the timeline?
Or—
Rewrite it.
And in front of him—
Kushina looked up at him with trust in her eyes.
"Kazuki…"
For the first time—
She wasn't looking at him like the class clown.
She was looking at him like her hero.