章節 689: C688 Sensei?

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The barrier dissipated as Peter stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Minato's shoulder. "See? Sometimes you just have to trust that people can settle their own differences."

Minato's eyes, still filled with concern, flicked to Peter. "But what if she had killed him? Then what?"

Peter shrugged nonchalantly. "Would it really have been a bad thing?"

Minato's shock was palpable. "Yes, yes it would have!" His voice almost rose to a shout, anger and confusion blending on his face.

Peter glanced at the prone form of Hiruzen, who lay still, staring up at the sky. Reaching into his storage necklace, Peter pulled out a thick stack of papers and handed them to Minato. "You might change your opinion after going through all of that."

Minato accepted the papers, a mix of curiosity and dread filling him. Before he could begin reading, Kushina approached, her steps slow and measured. Without a word, she pulled Minato into a hug, burying her face into his neck.

Minato wrapped his arms around her, the papers crumpling slightly in his grasp. He held her close, feeling the tension in her body gradually easing. "I'm so sorry, Minato," she whispered, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "You were right. I just needed to get all of the anger out of me. I won't kill Hiruzen."

Minato smiled, squeezing her gently. "It's okay. I'm just glad you're alright and that you didn't do anything you'd regret later."

Kushina hummed in agreement, though a small part of her wondered if she might regret leaving Hiruzen alive instead. She hoped not.

Breaking the embrace, Minato looked into her eyes, concern replacing his earlier relief. "Wait, where's Naruto? Everything happened so quickly, I forgot about our baby."

Kushina placed a calming hand on his chest. "Mikoto is watching him for me."

Minato relaxed and nodded, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Why don't you go check on him? I trust Mikoto but Naruto is still so young..." he said, indicating the papers in his hand. "I need to deal with this. I'll be home soon, and we can talk more then."

Kushina smiled and nodded, watching as Minato walked over to where Hiruzen lay. She turned to Peter, gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you for letting me deal with things without anyone interrupting."

Peter accepted her thanks with a nod. "Anytime." He smiled, gesturing behind him. "I was planning on heading to the Uchiha district. Want to walk together?"

She accepted, and they began the journey back, leaving just as some Anbu appeared to carry Hiruzen to the hospital.

As Peter and Kushina walked back to the Uchiha district, the silence between them was companionable, but heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Peter glanced at Kushina, noticing the distant look in her eyes. He guessed that she must be thinking about her homeland and decided to break the silence. "You know, I've just realized that I'll never get to see Uzushiogakure. What was it like?"

Kushina's expression softened, a small smile tugging at her lips as she looked ahead, lost in memories. "Uzu... it was the most beautiful place. Peaceful and serene. The air was always so fresh, and the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs was like a constant, calming melody."

Peter listened intently, picturing the scenes she described. "It sounds like a paradise."

"It was," Kushina agreed, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "The village was mainly surrounded by water, but we also had a dense forest, filled with tall, ancient trees. And in the spring, the cherry blossoms would bloom, their petals drifting through the air like pink snow."

Peter could see that his questions were brightening Kushina's mood, so he kept asking more and more. "What about the people?"

Kushina's smile grew, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "The people were kind and strong. We were a close-knit community, always looking out for one another. The Uzumaki clan was known for our sealing techniques, and we took great pride in our knowledge and abilities. We lived in harmony, focused on improving our skills and helping others."

She paused, taking a deep breath. "My family... they were the heart of Uzushiogakure. My parents were wise and loving, always putting the needs of the village first. I was just a child when the attack happened, and I wasn't even there, but I like to think that they fought bravely to protect our home."

Peter nodded solemnly. "It must have been devastating to lose it all."

"It was," Kushina admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But even though Uzu is gone, the memories of my homeland and my people live on in me. I carry their spirit with me every day."

Peter placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You honor them by keeping their memory alive, Kushina. And by being the incredible person you are."

Kushina looked at him, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you, Peter. It means a lot to hear that."

As they passed through the entrance to the Uchiha district, Peter spoke again, his voice thoughtful. "You know, I doubt that you're the last Uzumaki in this world. There have to be at least a few wandering clansmen who survived the attack. Maybe you should send out a message or something and call them together. I'm sure Minato would be happy to help you start a new Uzumaki Clan here in Konoha."

Kushina nodded, a determined look slowly appearing on her face. "That's… that's not a bad idea..." she muttered, a smile blooming on her face. "I could even commission a mission to bring back Uzumaki Clan Members…"

Peter smiled, feeling her entire being begin to radiate a renewed sense of purpose. "See? The Uzumaki Clan hasn't disappeared yet. You've only just begun. And you even have a second clan member now…" he said, motioning over to a nearby house window, where Mikoto could be seen rocking a crying Naruto in her arms.

Kushina smiled warmly as she saw her son, the only blood-related family she had left in this world. "Yeah, I do, don't I?"

Peter paused, turning to Kushina. "Take care, Kushina." He said as he walked off, "And tell Mikoto that I'll be back later. I just want to stroll around for a bit…"

She smiled, genuine and warm. "Sure. And thank you again."

Peter watched her walk inside, then turned away, his thoughts already shifting as he walked off.

…

Peter wandered through the quiet streets of the Uchiha clan district, his thoughts adrift. The purpose that had brought him to this universe still loomed large in his mind. Should he seek out Death's Successor now? He had been putting it off, focusing on the immediate chaos, but the nagging feeling that he needed to move forward with his mission persisted.

As he pondered, a familiar, small figure appeared beside him. The miniature, puppy-sized Kurama trotted up, breaking Peter from his reverie.

"I hear you went off and caused some trouble without me?" Kurama's voice, though small, carried a teasing tone.

Peter smiled, his worries momentarily forgotten. "My bad. I'll make sure to bring you along next time."

Kurama snorted. "As long as you don't forget."

They walked in silence for a while, the air cool and soothing. Peter glanced at Kurama, a thought crossing his mind. "Kurama, do you want to leave?"

Kurama raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Can I leave?"

Peter nodded. "Sure. I was only keeping you captive for the time being. But now that everything is over, you can go if you want. But I wouldn't if I were you."

Kurama's other eyebrow joined the first in a skeptical arch. "Why?"

Peter explained, his tone serious. "Pretty soon, you and your fellow tailed beasts will be hunted down. It's probably best that you stay in a place where you can be protected."

Kurama rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "We've been hunted down for ages. Why should I be so careful now?"

"This will be different," Peter said cryptically. "You should take my advice and come to some sort of deal with Konoha. Become their guardian beast or something, for a price of course."

"…" Kurama looked at Peter as if he were impossibly dumb for even suggesting such a thing.

Peter didn't give up. "Wouldn't you like a place you can call home without having to look over your shoulder every five seconds, wondering when the next power-hungry human is going to try and seal you away or control you like last night?" He said, his words carrying some weight to them. "You could speak with the Hokage and work out an equal deal with the village. You'd be willing to live here and be given certain freedoms and luxuries, but in return, you have to help protect the village if it's ever in danger. I could see Minato agreeing to that pretty easily."

Kurama stared at Peter, the wheels turning in his mind. The idea of a home, of stability, was tempting. But he was a proud and stubborn beast, and the notion of striking a deal with humans was something he had never considered. Still, the thought lingered, and Peter's words echoed in his mind as they continued their walk, the future uncertain but filled with possibilities.

Before Kurama could fully process Peter's words and come to a decision, out of nowhere, a wooden kunai flew towards Peter's head. But, just before it could hit its mark, he raised his hand and caught it effortlessly between his fingers.

A split second later, two little kids with black hair and black eyes rushed out from the nearby tree line, launching a coordinated attack.

Peter sidestepped their every move with ease, bending down and flicking each of them on the forehead. The two kids, now identifiable as Itachi and Shisui Uchiha, who was only a few years older than Itachi, flew back a few yards upon the impact. But luckily, they managed to land on their feet like cats, grunting as they rubbed their stinging bruised foreheads.

[Insert picture of Shisui here]

Itachi turned to Shisui, complaining, "See? I told you we should have waited until he got closer."

Peter raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. "What are you brats up to?"

Shisui was the first to respond, bowing deeply. "Please, we want you to be our sensei!"

Itachi joined him in bowing seconds later, his face earnest.

"?" Peter's surprise was evident as he looked at the two young Uchiha, not expecting such a request.

A/N: 1760 words :)

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