Time passed.
Rin's death faded into the village's background, and the Mist's small-scale conflict with Konoha ended quickly—because it had only ever been meant to draw attention, to prepare for Rin's capture.
Gen Takuya didn't bother investigating the aftermath.
Kakashi was tragic, sure. He'd felt pity watching the original history.
But what did that have to do with him?
Everything Gen Takuya did was for himself.
In these days, he hadn't been idle.
He went to the exchange office and selected Lightning Release and Wind Release techniques suited to him.
Thankfully, he'd completed enough missions that—aside from S-rank—he could freely exchange for most techniques.
Besides, Konoha didn't actually have many S-rank techniques in storage.
Even A-rank techniques were limited.
He searched the Lightning Release listings and found almost nothing.
The only A-rank lightning technique he knew of wasn't even recorded—Kakashi's own creation, Chidori.
As for S-rank Lightning Release?
That would only exist once Kakashi later cut lightning itself and Chidori evolved into Lightning Cutter.
Wind Release, on the other hand, was much better represented in Konoha.
Because of Shimura Danzō—one of the village's great Wind Release users.
Within only a few days, Gen Takuya had learned nearly everything he'd chosen.
That speed was owed to one thing:
His fine chakra control.
With control like his, he learned fast.
That day, under bright sunlight, Gen Takuya received a visitor he hadn't expected.
"Minato-jōnin?" Gen Takuya stared at the blond man standing outside his door, momentarily stunned.
Minato smiled at his reaction. "Takuya-senpai—just call me Minato."
"Minato… why are you here?" Gen Takuya followed his lead and used the name, but the question remained.
"We said we'd exchange sealing techniques," Minato replied. "I meant to visit earlier, but… you know. Things happened."
His expression dimmed slightly.
Twice now, he hadn't been there when his students died.
It wasn't truly his fault.
Obito's "death" happened on the battlefield, amid chaos and enemy forces—he couldn't watch Team Minato every second.
And Rin…
He'd been away on a mission.
Even so, Minato couldn't stop blaming himself.
He felt he hadn't fulfilled the role of teacher.
Gen Takuya nodded. Internally, he wanted to complain.
He'd assumed it was polite talk.
Who would've thought Minato was serious?
But Gen Takuya wasn't opposed.
Minato's sealing techniques—especially his barrier-type work—were in a league of their own.
"Come in," Gen Takuya said, stepping aside. "You came suddenly. I don't have much to offer."
"That's on me," Minato said, entering with a curious glance around.
From outside, the house looked simple.
Inside…
It was the same. Simple, bare, almost austere.
But it was clean.
And sealing materials were everywhere—high quality, the kind Minato himself used.
Not cheap.
Minato nodded faintly.
So the rumors were true. Gen Takuya didn't care about comfort—only fuinjutsu.
Gen Takuya brought out a tea set he almost never used and began brewing.
Minato's eye twitched.
If he wasn't mistaken, that tea was… the cheapest kind.
Still, Minato had been an orphan once too. He didn't mind.
And he hadn't come for tea.
After a few polite exchanges, the topic shifted naturally to sealing techniques.
And then—
It was like two craftsmen discovering the same language.
They argued, verified, debated. Sometimes they agreed immediately; other times they clashed fiercely over theory.
Time vanished.
The sun sank.
But neither of them noticed—until a knock at the door snapped them back to reality.
"Hm?" Gen Takuya blinked. "Another guest?"
He was genuinely confused.
He'd had no visitors for years.
Why today?
When he opened the door, he saw long red hair—
Uzumaki Kushina.
The moment Kushina saw Gen Takuya, her heart jumped strangely.
A faint sense of familiarity.
A warmth she couldn't explain.
But she shook it off. Now wasn't the time.
"Excuse me—" she said, polite but brisk. "Is Minato here? He said this morning he was visiting his senpai."
"Kushina?" Minato heard her voice and finally realized the "guest" wasn't Gen Takuya's at all.
It was his wife coming to retrieve him.
"Minato!" Kushina's eyes narrowed. Her red hair seemed to ripple like flame, and an unmistakably dangerous aura rose from her. "If you're not coming home, you could at least send word."
Minato broke into a cold sweat. "S-sorry, Kushina. I got too absorbed talking with sen—Takuya-senpai. I lost track of time."
As if to betray him, his stomach growled loudly.
Kushina stared. Then her expression turned bizarre.
"Don't tell me…" She looked between the two of them. "You've been talking all day and didn't even eat?"
Gen Takuya and Minato exchanged a glance, then silently nodded.
If Kushina hadn't shown up, they probably wouldn't have slept tonight either.
Kushina slapped her forehead. "Honestly… you're in the same village. It's not like there won't be time later."
Minato nodded, sheepish. Then he looked at Gen Takuya. "Takuya-senpai, I'll come visit again."
"You're welcome anytime," Gen Takuya said with a small smile.
It had been useful. Several of his long-standing questions had been cleared away.
Minato truly lived up to his reputation—backed by Uzumaki sealing foundations, his theoretical base was incredible.
Gen Takuya had gained a lot just by listening.
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