Several months had passed since that grim day—the day Orochimaru defected from Konoha.
Since then, the person most frequently seen in the village wasn't the jonin, nor the Uchiha police force... but rather a bright red-haired woman who never seemed to tire of moving from one point to another across Konoha.
Uzumaki Kushina.
Her name, in a short time, had become so familiar to the people of Konoha. Arguably, after the Third Hokage, she was the most recognized and talked-about shinobi in the village. Not just because of her status as the Kyuubi's jinchuriki, or as the wife of the late Fourth Hokage—but because of one very noticeable thing: her constant presence and her genuine efforts to help rebuild the village.
Morning, noon, and even night, Kushina's shadow clones could be seen everywhere. Sometimes she was distributing logistics, other times she was helping rebuild destroyed homes, or clearing rubble with countless kagebunshin.
"Yosh! Team Kushina, let's start with the bakery ruins in the southern block!" she shouted, raising a fist to the sky. Her wide grin never faded, even though her body was exhausted.
Some villagers initially looked at her strangely. There were whispers like, "That's the demon fox… why can she still smile like that?" or "Is she trying to atone for the Kyuubi's sins…?"
At first, many harbored complicated feelings toward her. Not everyone could forget the night of the Kyuubi attack. For some, the fear and trauma still ran deep. But over time, one by one, hearts began to soften.
Kushina's enthusiasm was too sincere to ignore. Her efforts were tangible. The personal funds she and Minato had left behind—mostly from mission rewards and savings—were used without hesitation to support the village's recovery.
Children began approaching her without fear. Parents smiled when they saw her working hard, and even some villagers who once openly hated her began nodding respectfully when they passed her.
That didn't mean the hatred vanished completely. There were still whispers and cold stares. But Kushina... chose not to care.
"I can't change the past... but I can help build the future."
That was the conviction she held in her heart.
Meanwhile, the village elders were watching Kushina's movements very carefully.
Especially Shimura Danzo.
"She's too popular," Danzo muttered in his cold, closed-off office. "With the power of the Kyuubi and the people's admiration... she could become a threat."
Yet Danzo also knew that provoking hatred toward Kushina would be foolish.
So instead, they chose silence. Distance. Shadows.
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At her now-too-quiet home, silent without Minato's voice...
Kushina sat cross-legged in the middle of the room with a large scroll opened before her. Around her lay several other scrolls—notes and jutsu designs left by her husband.
Her eyes were sharp. Serious. So unlike the cheerful face she wore outside.
"...Hiraishin no Jutsu," she whispered, touching the ink at one part of the scroll.
The jutsu of Tobirama Senju. The technique Minato had perfected, earning him the title of Konoha's Yellow Flash. A technique she had once helped refine... and in her memory, an image of Minato beamed excitedly as he explained the complex space-time sealing formula.
"Back then, I didn't care that much... but now…"
Kushina clenched her fist.
"I need more ways to protect Naruto. I can't rely on anyone else."
Calmly, she began rereading the sealing formulas, noting key points, and preparing kunai marked with special symbols.
Was she sure she could master it?
No.
But that didn't matter.
"I'm not a genius like Minato..." she murmured with a small smile. "But I'm Kushina Uzumaki. And I won't lose."
That night, under the dim light of her lantern, the sounds of rustling paper and scribbling ink filled her home. A mother, a kunoichi, and a jinchuriki... preparing to face her new destiny.
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Today, Kushina decided to take a break from all the chaos and busyness that usually filled her days. No rubble to clear. No jutsu scrolls to study. Today… she had a very special personal agenda.
She lounged on her living room sofa, wearing a light red yukata with her hair loosely down, her face bright with a smile she couldn't quite hide.
"Finally, the time has come…" she muttered with excitement as she broke the protective seal on a brightly covered book.
Icha Icha Paradise.
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. That legendary novel... had been published much earlier than it should have.
According to her memories from the other world—whether it be the future or some alternate reality—this book shouldn't have been released until Kakashi was around eighteen. But now? Kakashi was barely fourteen or fifteen. That meant this release came at least three years earlier than the "normal" timeline.
"Jiraiya-sensei really couldn't wait, huh," Kushina chuckled.
She turned the pages steadily, reading with focus and amusement. Inside, the book wasn't just steamy—it was a strange blend of fantasy, Jiraiya's personal love experiences, and… her own secret contributions.
Yes. Kushina was the book's anonymous co-writer.
Of course, no one knew. The front cover listed only one author: Jiraiya.
And that was more than enough. She'd rather be kidnapped by Kumogakure a second time than be publicly known as an erotic novel writer.
Still, as she reread the final published version, she noticed some scenes had been revised from the draft she once helped with. Tsunade's rejections of Jiraiya formed the foundation for several emotional dialogues in the middle chapters, albeit topped with Jiraiya's signature drama.
The material Kushina provided—romantic interactions, conflict-filled pair dynamics, even silly scenarios about a shy ninja falling for an enemy—had been retained, but polished to suit the shinobi world's mainstream taste.
She sighed.
"I'm really not a writer," she muttered. "But… it is kind of fun reading the final version."
But the peace didn't last long.
A small giggle came from nearby.
Naruto, now seven months old, sat on a round cushion, staring at his mother with a... strange expression. His eyes were wide, curious about the brightly colored object in her hands.
"Eh?" Kushina turned—and froze in horror as she saw Naruto staring directly at the book.
She suddenly imagined... grown-up Naruto... reading this book...
"NO!!" she screamed internally. With lightning-fast reflexes, she slammed the book shut and hid it under the sofa pillow.
She picked Naruto up and stared into his little face, suddenly very serious.
"Listen carefully, Naruto… This book is FORBIDDEN! You're not allowed to read it until you have a beard! No—until you become Hokage twice!"
Naruto just blinked at her in confusion, then burst out laughing, delighted by how animated his mom had become.
Kushina sighed, defeated. "You can't even talk yet... let alone read. But still… the thought of you reading this someday is terrifying."
She tickled Naruto's tummy, laughing with him, ignoring the forbidden book now safely hidden. Today wasn't for Hiraishin. Not for training. Not for saving the world.
Today was for relaxing, laughing with her baby, and postponing her guilty pleasure until nap time.
And when the night came, and Naruto finally fell fast asleep in his tiny cradle...
Kushina quietly slipped behind the sofa pillow, pulled out Icha Icha Paradise, and smirked.
"Hehe… finally, chapter eight…"