Kushina was now in a dilemma, feeling as if she had gone completely insane.
How could she have brought Makoto back to her home once again, even saying such heavily suggestive words to him at the beginning? Wasn't that essentially seducing him?
Why had she done such a thing? Makoto surely thought so too, leaving Kushina with no way out.
What should she do now? Let him leave just like that? But what if he became angry and refused to help her and Minato anymore?
Kushina's mind was in turmoil.
She wasn't mentally prepared for this.
She had already regretted going to the Hokage's office to find Makoto, feeling that she had been too impulsive and should have thought it through more carefully.
It was just a whimsical idea sparked during her conversation with Rin.
How had she naively acted on it?
Slowly letting go of the book, Kushina forced a strained smile as she looked up.
"Makoto... why the rush..."
She took a step back and said, "Why don't you... sit down for now."
Makoto, of course, wasn't in a hurry.
He was curious to see how far Kushina could go and how much she was willing to sacrifice.
At this moment, he felt like a character straight out of a movie or novel—a wealthy and powerful villain coercing the heroine into moral decline.
And he had to admit, it was quite thrilling.
After sitting back down on the sofa, Kushina appeared increasingly restless, getting up and sitting down several times, wanting to speak but stopping herself repeatedly.
Finally, she stood up.
"Sorry, I need to use the restroom for a moment."
She hurried away, leaving the already quiet living room even more silent.
Makoto heard the sound of running water.
He casually tossed the book aside and then got up, heading toward the direction of the restroom.
Kushina cupped water in her hands, splashing it onto her face in an attempt to calm herself.
But when she lifted her head, she saw Makoto standing behind her in the mirror, not knowing when he had arrived.
She was so startled that she nearly cried out.
Before she could turn around, Makoto had already pressed his body against hers, one arm wrapping around her slender waist.
Kushina's body instantly tensed up.
"Makoto..." She tilted her head back sharply, instinctively stretching out her fair, delicate neck.
"What... are you doing?"
Her heart was racing uncontrollably, but she found it hard to breathe, as if suffocating.
Aside from Minato, she had never been this physically close to any other man.
And was this guy even a man?
Makoto reflected in the mirror had a mature face, but there was still a youthful air in his brows.
He was clearly much younger than her.
Kushina suddenly couldn't understand how Ayane had managed to accept such a boy.
Makoto's hand gently stroked her waist, the thin layer of fabric barely a barrier, sending goosebumps all over Kushina's body.
I need to refuse him... I need to stop him!
Her mind screamed in desperation.
"Kushina," Makoto spoke first, cutting off her thoughts.
"When I observed the Four Symbols Seal last time, I felt I didn't study it thoroughly enough. There are still many things I don't understand."
"Why not let me have a proper look again?"
A look... at the seal?
Kushina couldn't help but swallow hard.
If only Makoto weren't pressed so tightly against her from behind, it might have sounded believable.
Makoto's next words instantly deflated Kushina's resolve to resist.
"I'll think of another way to help you and Minato."
"..."
Kushina felt utterly humiliated at that moment.
How could she have let things come to this? How could she have gone this far? If Minato ever found out about this...
Makoto's behavior disgusted her, but what disgusted her even more was herself.
Wasn't she the one who had intentionally brought him to her house in the first place?
The two of them remained in that tense stand-off in the bathroom, Makoto still holding her from behind, maintaining the same posture.
Time passed slowly until Kushina finally spoke again, "Makoto... can you really help me and Minato?"
Saying these words must have required an enormous amount of determination, but Makoto wasn't planning to let her off so easily.
With a slight smirk, he said softly, "That depends on how much you're willing to offer, Kushina."
"Last time... I couldn't see clearly because you were still wearing your top."
...
At the Nara household.
Shikaku, Inoichi, and Minato sat together, sipping drinks.
The dishes had all been prepared by Shikaku's wife.
"No luck with Makoto either?" Inoichi asked.
"Yeah... doesn't look promising," Minato said, troubled.
"Seems like Hyuga Makoto knows the situation very well," Shikaku sighed lightly.
Makoto was Orochimaru's second-in-command, the person Orochimaru trusted most in the village.
Having risen to power thanks to Orochimaru, there was no way he would go against Orochimaru's wishes.
Orochimaru's prohibition of Kushina and Minato's marriage boiled down to two primary reasons.
First, he intended to maintain strict control over the jinchuriki in the future.
Second, Minato had once been his rival.
Either reason was more than enough for Orochimaru.
After all, this Konoha belonged to him now—why should Minato be allowed to challenge him?
But if Minato chose not to fight, then he would truly never be able to marry Kushina.
He recalled the hints Kushina had once given him; she had always longed to marry him.
Minato, too, deeply wished to make her his wife.
He tilted his head back and drained the cup of sake, muttering to himself, "Is there really... no way?"
If Kushina found out they couldn't get married, how heartbroken would she be...?
Shikaku and Inoichi exchanged glances, both sighing deeply.
The Ino-Shika-Cho clans had lost much influence in the village due to Minato's failure.
Their clansmen had voiced grievances, and it had fallen on the three of them to suppress those discontented voices.
After a long silence, Shikaku suddenly spoke, "The only person who can openly marry a jinchuriki is the Hokage."
"The current Fourth Hokage is in his prime. Have you considered how many years it will be before the Fifth takes over?"
Minato's hand paused mid-pour, while Inoichi's expression turned to one of shock.
"Shikaku, have you had too much to drink?"
Shikaku's gaze was deep as he stared at the cup in his hand.
"Failure tastes awful, doesn't it? This is the hardest fall we've ever taken."
Neither of the other two spoke.
"The Fourth managed to rise to power. I refuse to believe he didn't do anything shady behind the scenes," Shikaku said grimly.
"But we've already lost," Inoichi said bitterly.
"No!" Shikaku's eyes sharpened.
"The one who lost was the Third—not us!"
Shikaku raised his head and looked at the silent Minato across from him. "Minato, how long are you planning to wait?"
"Until decades later, when the Fourth Hokage hands over the title to you?"
"By then, will it even be your turn? Have you forgotten about Hyuga Makoto, who is younger than you?"
"Ever since the Fourth took power, he's been holed up in his research lab day after day. Has he done anything meaningful for the village?"
"Minato, for the sake of the village, for us, and for Kushina..."
The table fell into a dead silence, and Minato's consciousness wavered.
The village he loved, the Kushina he cherished... were they both going to be taken from him?
--------------
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