Naruto: Not a Ninja, the System

Surprisingly, tonight, the usually energetic Kushina was silent.

The barbecue dinner had ended in a swirl of emotions—laughter, quiet conversation, unresolved tension. Everyone had returned to their quarters, their thoughts drifting with the weight of the day.

---

Above the Hokage Rock…

The moonlight painted the vast cliffside in silver as Kushina sat curled up, alone and vulnerable, atop Hokage Rock. Her knees drawn to her chest, her face buried in her arms, she wept quietly.

She didn't even know how she ended up there. All she could feel was pain—raw, gnawing pain.

The wound she had so carefully sealed away over the years had suddenly been torn open again.

She had always known of her clan's fate.

She had known about the betrayal of the nations, the inaction of Konoha.

But knowing it and feeling it were different things.

Tonight, the faces of her surviving kin—Yunnai and Uncle True—had brought it all crashing down on her like a wave she could no longer outrun.

The cold wind swept past her, biting into her skin. But she didn't move.

Minato Namikaze stood a few steps behind her, silent, simply watching her, letting her grieve in peace.

After a while, her sobs began to fade, replaced by quiet sniffles and shallow breathing. Minato slowly stepped forward and crouched beside her.

Without a word, he gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"You should be happy," he whispered. "You've found your clan again. At least… at least there's still someone."

Kushina didn't respond immediately. Her lips trembled, and her voice, when it came, was full of pain.

"I was once the princess of the Whirlpool Country. But I couldn't protect them. I failed then… and I've failed now. I'm completely useless, aren't I?"

She looked up at Minato, her eyes brimming with tears.

Minato didn't know how to answer.

She had just begun healing. She'd worked hard to smile again, to find meaning in Konoha.

But today had torn open the deepest wound of all.

Back then, when Konoha had rescued only her—when they left the rest of the Uzumaki Clan to burn—was it truly out of inability?

Or was it deliberate?

Kushina had always suspected the answer. Becoming the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki only confirmed it.

She was a tool.

Minato gritted his teeth but said nothing.

There were no words that could comfort her.

The two of them sat there, quietly watching the stars above Konoha. The night was cold, but they stayed close, sharing warmth in the silence.

After some time, Minato spoke again, this time with a hesitant tone. "Kushina… who is Whirlpool True? You seem to respect him a lot."

Kushina blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. Then she nodded slowly.

"Uncle True? He was one of the youngest Elite Jonin in the entire Whirlpool Country. A genius in sealing techniques—he mastered almost all the forbidden ones by the time he was twenty. He was once hailed as the strongest in the clan. If he had been there the day the clan was attacked…"

Her voice trailed off.

"That strong?" Minato asked, brows raised.

He'd known the man was capable, but that level of mastery—of sealing forbidden techniques on his own—was rare even among Kage-level ninja.

Kushina turned toward him with a faint smile. "Why the sudden interest?"

Minato scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I… just thought he was impressive. That's all."

Kushina's eyes narrowed teasingly. "Or maybe… you're wondering how they escaped?"

Minato chuckled awkwardly. "Caught me."

Kushina trusted Minato deeply, completely. But even so, there were things she wouldn't say—not out of mistrust, but out of caution.

Especially now, with whispers already floating through the village.

Unbeknownst to them, within thirty minutes of their separation from the restaurant, Whirlpool True's information had landed on the Third Hokage's desk.

The contents were brief but alarming:

> "This individual possesses the ability to seal a Tailed Beast alone."

---

Meanwhile, at a Villa Provided by the Hyuga Clan…

Jaxon and his group had finally arrived at their temporary residence—an elegant estate tucked into a quiet corner of Konoha.

It was surrounded by tall trees, the air crisp with the scent of pine. The Hyuga Clan, maintaining their reputation for propriety, had prepared everything down to the smallest detail.

Rooms were ready. Meals were served. But there was no hospitality beyond necessity.

They kept their distance.

The Hyuga were too careful to appear too friendly. They knew well that a public alliance with the wealthiest noble in the Land of Fire would upend Konoha's fragile balance of power.

For the Third Hokage, the implications of such an alliance were deeply troubling.

He had to account for how this shift would affect not just internal factions, but neighboring villages watching from the shadows.

Jaxon was fully aware of this.

He lay on his bed now, hands behind his head, eyes closed, reflecting on the day.

Inside his mind, a glowing system interface displayed a progress bar:

Replication World Progress: 4.996%

His heart raced as he stared at the number. He was just a whisper away from the 5% milestone.

"I'm so close…" he muttered.

His heart pounded. The 5% benchmark wasn't just symbolic—it marked the unlocking of his first major system reward.

Few things stirred emotion in Jaxon, but now, a rare sense of anticipation crept into his chest.

He smiled to himself.

"No wonder Kushina is the future protagonist's mother. She's got way more potential than most."

It was true.

He hadn't gained this much progress just by meeting Minato last time.

But bringing two surviving Uzumaki clan members into Konoha had pushed the story to a whole new trajectory.

"Too bad I couldn't speak to her alone," he murmured.

"If I could meet her one-on-one tomorrow… I'm certain I'd hit 5%."

He turned his head toward the window, watching moonlight scatter across the tatami mat.

"Coming to Konoha wasn't random. It was always part of the plan—to push the plot forward and seize the chance to replicate."

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.

His sixth sense screamed at him—someone was in the room.

Jaxon's eyes shot open.

Sure enough, a pair of sharp, golden-brown eyes stared at him from across the room.

Someone was sitting on his bed.

"P-Princess Tsunade?" Jaxon stammered.

Sweat beaded instantly on his forehead.

He hadn't sensed her approach. She hadn't triggered any seals. Even the Uzumaki perceptive guards outside hadn't reacted.

Tsunade—Legendary Sannin, famed for her monstrous strength—had entered like a ghost.

"Relax," she said calmly. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Her tone was casual, but Jaxon didn't relax.

Just as she spoke, the door burst open with a loud bang!

Multiple figures stormed into the room.

Whirlpool True appeared in a flash, grabbing Jaxon by the arm and yanking him backward.

The other guards stood defensively between them and Tsunade, their expressions grim.

Even though fighting in Konoha would be suicide, they couldn't just stand by.

To let someone—anyone—sneak into their leader's room undetected and sit on his bed?

That was unacceptable.

Jaxon's eyes flicked to Tsunade.

Even now, she hadn't moved.

She simply crossed her legs, hands resting calmly in her lap, as though this was a casual tea visit.

The room was tense.

Everyone waited for someone to make the first move.

But Tsunade simply smiled.

And that smile was more terrifying than any threat.

---

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