Just before he reached the office door, there came a loud "BANG!"
Sounds like someone slammed the table?
Link paused. Considering this was the Ninja Alliance building, it probably wasn't anything dangerous; deciding not to send his shadows ahead to check, he stepped up to the doorway and was just about to knock when—
"BANG!"
"Kachik!"
"Today, you have to give me an explanation!" A sharp, childlike voice pierced his ears like a needle.
Auntie Kushina?
Link recognized the speaker an instant later and, recalling that business with Jiraiya tricking Naruto into turning into a bikini‐clad woman—the fiasco Kushina discovered—he silently took a step backward.
"Creak—"
The door opened. A four‐year‐old Minato stood on tiptoes, gripping the doorknob from inside. Seeing Link's wide‐eyed look, Minato gave him an apologetic smile.
No help for it—if he didn't bring in someone with enough influence to cool things down, there might be no end in sight.
Just as he expected, discovering Jiraiya's misdeeds with her son was only the tip of the iceberg. Naruto had come home, cheerfully telling everything about training: participating in the writing of the Icha Icha series, sneaking with Jiraiya to various red‐light districts, host clubs, bathhouses, hot‐spring peeping—everything.
All of it touched upon Kushina's worst triggers. Last night, Minato had barely calmed her down; early this morning, she'd come straight here to demand an explanation from the Sandaime.
"Link?"
The childlike Kushina's glare practically bristled. Even so, she was controlling herself enough not to unleash her fury on him.
"Uhh, well, Sandaime‐dono, I came here to see you… um."
Inside, four‐year‐old Sarutobi Hiruzen perched on the windowsill looking like a monkey, while the entire office was in disarray.
Some pieces of furniture were scattered, chairs crooked, presumably from an outburst.
Kushina's face still glowed with anger, but she forced a polite smile and tried to speak gently,
"Link dear, we have some personal matters to deal with, so could you—"
"Ahem, Kushina."
Minato cut her off. Gritting his teeth, doing his best to ignore the predatory light in his wife's gaze—and the retribution likely awaiting him at home—he awkwardly pressed on,
"Since Link's here, maybe he's got important business with Sandaime‐dono?"
Meaning: Let's not cause more trouble; let them get on with whatever they need.
Everyone's eyes turned to Link.
One second of blankness.
He realized Minato and Hiruzen were both silently pleading for rescue. Link, after that brief pause, replied,
"Yes, yes, exactly. I do have a matter to discuss with Sandaime‐dono."
Kushina narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She could spot that single second of hesitation. But since Link was their benefactor, she wouldn't push it.
"In that case, we'll excuse ourselves for now."
She flashed a bright smile, her long red hair glistening in the sunlight. Then, in her little‐girl form, she stepped toward the doorway. In an unyielding tone, she added,
"Minato, let's go."
A forced smile appeared on Minato's face—almost as pitiful as Jiraiya's yesterday—then he led her out the door.
Kushina turned back with a sweet grin, voice calm,
"Link, dear, do drop by our place sometime. Naruto loves playing with you!"
"Sure thing, Auntie Kushina."
Link agreed. The moment she turned around, her face switched from warm smile to black‐storm fury; she left. The air pressure in the room seemed to revert from dangerously low back to normal.
"Phew. We're saved."
Sandaime Sarutobi hopped off the windowsill, complaining,
"Jiraiya sure loves causing me trouble. And Kushina, for goodness'—"
"Sandaime‐dono, maybe say a little less."
Link knew how sharp the Uzumaki clan's sensory was; the shadows in the corner were already tidying the place, dragging out a spare chair. The three of them sat.
Still looking like a small child, Sarutobi Hiruzen folded his legs on the chair, seemingly unaffected by the ruckus,
"So… you really came for me about something, or was that just a cover story?"
"I— Well, no, I did come specifically to see you."
Link hadn't really thought that part through, but seeing how things turned out, he just went with it.
Sarutobi gave him a glance, then hopped off his seat.
"As you can see, I've got a bunch of messy business here. If there's nothing else, I should get going."
He patted the messy, creased files, scanning the wrecked office. Then, with a faint laugh,
"Next time you want to see me, come to the Third Parallel World. I'll be transferring over to help with reconstruction.
"…On second thought, forget it. Don't come see me there either."
Because the Third Parallel World was an entire war‐ravaged planet. The scope of tasks—simply removing or repairing the devastation caused by God‐Tree World‐Wrest was massive. Relief missions alone would occupy them for over a year.
And who posted these missions?
Because previously, a large, overextended Rashōmon had been placed in the Third Parallel World, letting in many revived spirits. They had no shortage of tasks. Payment or bounties? Earn them all there. People had died en masse; it was both post‐apocalyptic wasteland and, ironically, a giant treasure trove waiting to be explored.
So the ninjas in the Alliance often grouped up—ten or so elite ninjas—took a small assignment and snuck in, rummaging for valuables or Ninjutsu knowledge.
Sarutobi planned to flee there. Possibly under the pretext of "any random mission." If things went well, he could hide for who knows how long. The only issue was how to tell his wife.
Sigh.
Anyway, not going home might be safer. Kushina was obviously furious. Jiraiya was one thing; she'd whack him into sense. But if she wanted an explanation, she'd go to the root. That root was "the one who allowed Naruto to travel with Jiraiya."
Oh well, guess I'll just run for it.
He sighed again, turning to go, apparently resolved to vanish rather than face the storm at home.
Link watched him leave, at a loss for words.
"He's that busy, huh?"
Utakata, who'd stood silently this whole time, let out a chuckle.
Link lifted his eyes, meeting Utakata's. After a moment, he smiled wryly.
"Anyway, seems the Third and the Fourth are still doing alright."
"I guess so."
~~~
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