章 682: C681 Saving Kushina

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In the quiet room where life seemed to hang by a thread, the gentle sound of baby Naruto's cries echoed as Peter waved his hands through the air, inscribing a golden spell circle. The mystical symbols shimmered in front of Kushina, who lay weakened on the bed, her pale complexion illuminated by the spell's soft glow.

Kakashi stood tense by the bedside, his gaze shifting between the glowing spell and Kushina's frail form. Prepared to defend her from any potential threat, his hand hovered near the kunai at his belt. As the spell completed and its effects became evident, his suspicion briefly spiked, prompting him to act decisively.

In a swift, fluid motion, Kakashi appeared beside Peter, the sharp blade of his kunai pressed gently yet firmly against Peter's neck, ready to defend Kushina if the unexpected ally proved to be a threat.

As the spell was completed, Peter ignored Kakashi and directed it toward Kushina. The spell shot forward, a stream of light that seemed both alarming and beautiful. It entered her body, causing her to jolt slightly from the surprise.

"What was that?" she gasped, but her words trailed off as a warm sensation flooded through her, knitting her flesh and bones back to health with astonishing speed.

Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief, feeling strength surge through her veins. She sat up straight, cradling a much calmer Naruto against her chest. Her condition had not just improved; she felt as if she had never been ill at all. And it seemed Naruto realized that too; he stopped crying altogether, giggling up at his healthy mother.

Kakashi, observing the rapid transformation, lowered his kunai slightly but didn't sheathe it, his instincts still on high alert. Peter, noticing Kakashi's hesitation, remained calm, a soft smile playing on his lips as he asked, "So, how are you feeling? Any problems? The spell should have taken care of everything, but you never know."

Before Kushina could reply, she caught sight of Kakashi still holding his weapon near Peter. Her relief turned to indignation. "Kakashi!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of relief and reprimand. With a swift motion of her hand, adamantine chains sprang from her wrist, wrapping around Kakashi and pulling him away from Peter.

"Apologize to him!" she demanded, her maternal fierceness on full display.

Kakashi, caught in the chains, couldn't help but smile as a stray tear escape his exposed eye, mixed emotions of relief and happiness flooding him. "I'm... I'm just glad you're okay, Lady Kushina," he managed to say, his voice cracking with emotion. After all, Kushina is like the mother he never had, losing her would be crushing.

Kushina softened at his words, her stern expression melting into a warm smile. She drew Kakashi into a hug, her chains disappearing, "I'm not going anywhere, Kakashi. I promise."

As they embraced, a moment of peace settled in the room. Peter watched them, a satisfied yet somber smile on his face, appreciating the scene's heartfelt sincerity.

However, the moment was abruptly interrupted by a small, sarcastic voice. "Oh, you managed to save the red-haired demon woman. What a shame. I was hoping she would die..." Kurama, still in his small form, stood at the doorway, his comment slicing through the tender atmosphere.

Kushina's head whipped around, her fiery gaze locking onto the tiny figure of Kurama. With Naruto still securely in her arms, she leapt from the bed, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You!" she accused, the word echoing with the weight of their shared history, her eyes blazing with the intensity of a thousand suns.

"Me?" Kurama looked almost comical in the face of her fury, but his eyes held a defiant gleam.

Before the situation could escalate, Peter stepped in, his voice carrying a mix of authority and reassurance. "Kushina, Kurama isn't a threat at the moment," he said, glancing at Kurama with a warning look that made even the formidable fox flinch. "And if he tries anything, I'll handle it."

Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the fox flinch in fear. She turned to Peter, her curiosity skyrocketing. "Who are you exactly? And how did you heal me? Those seals... they're unlike anything I've seen, and I know seals."

Peter chuckled softly, "I'm Peter. And that wasn't a seal; it was the Mystic Arts."

"Mystic Arts?" Kushina echoed, her interest now fully awakened. She had never heard of such a thing, not even in her extensive clan's lore. But her inquiry was cut short by Naruto's sudden whining, his small form beginning to squirm in her arms.

She rocked him gently, trying to soothe his discomfort. "Oh, I'm sorry sweetie. Was mommy being too loud?"

Kurama, annoyed by the noise, grimaced. "Can you shut that meat bag up already?" he snapped, which only fueled Kushina's irritation.

"What does it look like I'm doing? If you don't like the noise, then take your tiny a*s out of my house," Kushina shot back, her voice laced with a mocking tone that made Kurama bristle.

Their bickering continued, the old animosity flaring between them. But as they exchanged barbs, Peter suddenly cut in, redirecting Kushina's focus. "You should probably head back to Minato. He seemed really worried about you."

The mention of Minato snapped Kushina out of her squabble, her eyes widening in an instant. "Minato!" She exclaimed, recalling the danger her husband was in, and without a second thought, she dashed out of the house at a breakneck pace, Naruto clinging to her.

Without a second thought, Kakashi followed closely behind, vanishing with a swift motion into the shadows they left behind.

Left alone in the room, Kurama turned to Peter. "Are we not going with them?" He asked.

Peter shook his head. "Nah, they'll be fine without us," he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "How about we go and deal with some human garbage I know about?"

Kurama, despite everything, matched Peter's smirk. "I don't really have a choice, do I?" he replied.

"No, you don't…" With a nod, Peter walked out of the room, pausing in the hallway for a moment. "But first, let's see if this place has a library…"

Kurama, eyeing Peter with a mix of suspicion and curiosity, followed him down the hall. "Planning on a bit of light reading?"

"Not exactly," Peter replied, pushing open the door to a room filled with scrolls and ancient books. The air was heavy with the scent of parchment and ink. He walked in, his eyes scanning the vast collection of jutsu and seal information stored within. "More like light copying."

Using his mystic arts, Peter began to replicate the scrolls, particularly interested in the Uzumaki sealing techniques and Minato's Flying Thunder God technique. Each document shimmered briefly as he conjured an exact copy, storing the duplicates in the small necklace he wore around his neck.

Kurama watched from the doorway, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So, you're a thief now?"

Peter didn't look up from his work. "It's not theft; it's compensation. I saved their village and their lives. Think of this as a consultant's fee."

"Convenient justification," Kurama scoffed, his tail flicking in amusement.

Peter continued his work, the intricate symbols on each scroll glowing under his touch. He was methodical, ensuring that nothing was out of place and that it would appear untouched. "When in another world, one must adapt."

"Another world?" Kurama muttered, confusion written all over his furry face.

Once the last scroll was copied, Peter stood, stretching slightly. "Alright, that's done. Ready to head out?"

Kurama's ears perked up. "And where are we headed at this hour?"

Peter smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Let's start with the Uchiha Clan District."

Kurama's interest piqued, and his smirk widened. "Lead the way," he said, thinking they were off to slaughter some Uchiha's, which he was more than willing to participate in.

They left the house quietly, blending into the shadows of the night. The village was still, the only sounds being the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.

————

The scene outside the village was one of tense anticipation, the stillness broken only by the occasional crackle of energy emanating from the powerful barrier that Peter set up.

Inside, Minato faced Obito, their battle reaching its climactic end. Outside, Kushina landed gracefully, Naruto cradled securely in her arms, her eyes immediately catching the final moments of the confrontation.

As Minato delivered what looked to be a decisive blow on their unmasked attacker, Kushina's heart raced. The realization that the masked man was none other than Obito struck her hard, sending a chill down her spine.

Beside her, Kakashi touched down, his expression grim. "I didn't know how to tell you," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "I'm sorry, Lady Kushina."

Before she could respond, the rustle of approaching footsteps drew their attention. Guy, ever the bundle of energy, rushed towards them, his face lighting up as he spotted Naruto. "Lady Kushina! You're alright!" he exclaimed, his relief palpable. "Is this the fourths son?! How youthful!"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen, followed at a more measured pace, his expression one of shock and relief. "Kushina, you're well?" he asked, his eyes darting between her and the baby. "We thought you were at death's door."

"Peter healed me," Kushina replied, her voice filled with a mixture of gratitude and awe. "He used something called the Mystic Arts."

Hiruzen's brow furrowed in thought. "And where are Peter and the fox now?" he inquired, scanning the area.

Kushina and Kakashi turned, looking back the way they had come, but there was no sign of Peter or Kurama. "We thought they were right behind us," Kakashi said, shrugging slightly.

With a nod, Hiruzen turned to his Anbu. "Find them," he commanded, and with a swirl of cloaks, the Anbu vanished into the shadows, tasked with locating the mysterious ally and the notorious fox.

Meanwhile, Minato's focus shifted from the unconscious Obito to his wife and son. His relief at seeing them safe was immense, as he rushed over, but was stopped by the barrier, still trapped inside. At least until Peter returns to let him out.

He moved as close as he could, his hands touching the invisible wall that separated them. "Kushina, Naruto!" he called out, his voice filled with emotion. "Y-You're alright?"

Kushina moved forward, her hand reaching out to touch the barrier. "Minato," she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears. "We're safe, thanks to Peter."

————

High above the assembled shinobi, concealed among the dense foliage, Zetsu watched the scene unfold with an intensity that belied his usually detached demeanor. His unique black and white visage was split down the middle, each half observing carefully—the black focused on Obito's prone form inside the barrier, and the white scanning the area.

[Insert picture of Zetsu here]

From his vantage point, Zetsu remained motionless, his eyes glued to the barrier that even he, with all his unique abilities, could not penetrate. If he could have, he would have already extracted Obito from the disastrous situation. The presence of such a powerful barrier was a complication he hadn't anticipated, and it irked him deeply.

After a moment of silent contemplation, the black half of Zetsu murmured, "We can't retrieve him now. This barrier is too strong..."

The white half, usually more impulsive, nodded slowly, a rare sign of agreement. "We need to report this to Madara," it hissed softly. "He will want to know about the barrier... and the new variable that's appeared..."

With a final, sweeping glance at the scene below—ensuring no details were missed—Zetsu made a decision. It wasn't the time for hasty actions. Strategic retreat was necessary. Merging seamlessly with the tree upon which he perched, Zetsu disappeared into the bark, his form blending into the wood grain until he was no longer visible.

A/N: 2022 words :)

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