Marvel: Trading with Worlds

When Kain sat beside her, Kushina snapped out of her thoughts. Flustered, she tried to look away and muttered, "I told you to sit across from me. Why are you sitting here?"

Kain smirked. "Alright, I'll move."

"It's fine. You can sit here," she quickly replied. Before Kain could stand, Kushina instinctively reached out and grabbed his sleeve, holding it firmly.

Once he was seated, Kain took out a newspaper, placed it on the table, and said with a smile, "I haven't had a chance to congratulate you, Kushina. You've become famous in the ninja world."

The newspaper detailed Kushina's exploits on the battlefield. While it didn't delve into the specifics of her Nine-Tails Jinchūriki status, it highlighted her military achievements and included a few photos of her in her heroic moments.

"How did they get these pictures?" Kushina asked, looking at the images of herself in the paper. She couldn't help but laugh. 

It suddenly made sense why the villagers had welcomed her so warmly earlier. It seemed they were already familiar with her accomplishments.

It was a much better reception than what she usually got from Konoha's shinobi, especially those who had shared the battlefield with her. 

Though they praised her skills, many still harbored fear of the Nine-Tails' power. Despite Tsunade's assurances that Kushina had full control, the memory of past rampages lingered in their minds.

"Thank you, boss," Kushina said, her cheeks flushing with pride as she smiled at him. She was clearly pleased with the contents of the newspaper.

Kain leaned back with a teasing grin. "Is that it? Just a verbal thank you? I'm a little disappointed. I was going to tell you some news about your Uzumaki relatives, but now I'm not so sure."

He let the sentence hang, giving her a meaningful look.

"I just got back, and I'm covered in dust..." Kushina mumbled, feeling a mix of reluctance and embarrassment. 

She didn't mind giving Kain a knee pillow massage as thanks, but she had just come off the battlefield. There was bound to be sweat and grime on her. She regretted not taking a bath first.

"Let me take care of that," Kain said with a snap of his fingers. A wave of magic swept over her, and in an instant, every speck of dirt and dust on her body vanished.

Kushina shivered slightly as a refreshing breeze seemed to envelop her. "Wow, this is amazing! Is this the magic you mentioned before, boss?"

Kain smiled at her reaction, clearly enjoying her amazement.

Kushina noticed that Kain wasn't answering, and the look in his eyes made her cheeks flush immediately. She realized what she needed to do next.

"Okay, I get it. Just lie down," Kushina said, patting her leg. However, before she could finish her sentence, Kain interrupted her.

"Forget it, Kushina. You've just returned from the battlefield; you must be exhausted. Let me give you a massage instead."

"Why?" Kushina asked, startled. Before she could process his words, her body was suddenly lifted into the air. 

The unexpected weightlessness made her instinctively wrap her arms around Kain's neck. Her toes curled up in tension, occasionally twitching as the sensation overwhelmed her.

'Should I refuse?' she wondered, her heart racing. 'But there's no real reason to refuse.'

By the time she had sorted through her thoughts, Kain had gently placed her on the sofa. As his hands began to massage her shoulders, a strange but soothing sense of comfort washed over her. 

Gradually, her tense muscles started to relax, the slow and rhythmic pressure melting her fatigue away.

Kain's hands moved from her shoulders to her waist, then to her thighs, and finally to her delicate feet. 

Kushina's face flushed deeply as his fingers worked gently over her fair toes. She tried to pull her feet back, but her body had become so relaxed that she could barely muster the strength. 

In the end, she could only allow Kain to continue kneading her soft, elegant toes.

"Kushina," Kain said, his tone casual but curious, "do you know the name of the Uzumaki you're related to?"

"En~" Kushina let out a soft, involuntary sound, her voice colored by the sensation of his touch. Even so, her reason pushed her to ask, "W-what's... the name?"

"His name is Uzumaki Naruto," Kain replied. "When he saw me, he said it felt like seeing his father. He also mentioned that his mother is a certain Uzumaki woman named tomato, who's rather strict with her son."

"Boss, you're lying~" Kushina said in a light, teasing tone, her voice trembling slightly.

"Of course I'm not lying. Do you want to meet him?" Kain asked with a smile.

By this point, Kushina was breathless. She realized she had somehow ended up sitting on Kain's lap, her arms draped around his neck. 

Her clothes were slightly disheveled, revealing a hint of alluring fullness beneath her neckline. Her heart thumped wildly, not from fear but from something much deeper.

The two years of longing and separation flared to life like a spark igniting dry kindling, filling her heart with a fierce and inextinguishable fire.

"Then... let me meet him," Kushina whispered, her flushed cheeks glowing with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Kushina's cheeks were flushed deeply, her expression alluringly shy, and she was left speechless after uttering the signal words.

What followed was a melodious chant and an intimate spring-like scene in the house, though all of it was carefully concealed by spells and enchantments.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield in the Land of Grass, Namikaze Minato was busy arranging strategic deployments and analyzing how to defeat the Rock Shinobi. 

He understood that Rock Shinobi Village lacked sufficient sealing scrolls and relied heavily on transportation for their supplies. 

The Kannabi Bridge was the key point for the transportation of Rock Shinobi's resources. Destroying it would put immense pressure on their logistics and cripple their ability to sustain the war.

After a detailed discussion with Jiraiya, Minato and his mentor finalized a series of plans to target the Kannabi Bridge.

Jiraiya offered some words of caution: "Minato, this mission will put you under a lot of pressure, so make sure you're careful."

"Don't worry, Jiraiya-sensei. I'll definitely complete this task," Minato replied with determination, confidence radiating from him. He was resolved to repel the Rock Shinobi and ensure victory.

Jiraiya placed a hand on Minato's shoulder and smiled. "If this plan succeeds, you'll be the hero of this war. Who knows? It might even secure your path to becoming Hokage. And maybe, just maybe, Kushina will start looking at you differently."

"Absolutely, Jiraiya-sensei. I must become Hokage," Minato said firmly, clenching his fists. His thoughts wandered to when Kushina first joined the academy, boldly declaring to the class that her dream was to marry the Hokage. 

If he could achieve that goal, perhaps it would finally clear up the misunderstandings between them.

….

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