"Why do you keep asking about Reiko?! Reiko already has someone she likes! You're not allowed to try and steal her attention!" Uzumaki Kushina's face twisted into a scowl, and a storm of unspoken fury surged in her chest.

"You're overthinking it! I'm just... curious," Kaito replied quickly, watching Kushina transform into a furious red pepper in the blink of an eye.

"Really?"

"Really!" Kaito nodded earnestly.

Seeing his honesty, Kushina's expression softened and returned to normal.

"I don't know the full story. Minato brought Reiko back from the Iwagakure battlefield a few days after we broke up. At the time, Reiko was being chased by bandits. Minato saw her red hair and brought her back."

"Wait—you broke up with Minato?" Kaito blinked in surprise.

(My boy, Naruto, is about to get erased from every timeline lol...)

"That's right. What's the problem?" Kushina asked, puzzled.

"I thought you two were close. Why split up?"

"There was no spark left. It was mutual. And now that I'm out of the picture, Reiko can devote herself fully to Minato," Kushina explained calmly, her tone indifferent. She really didn't seem to harbor any feelings for Namikaze Minato anymore.

"So... you're saying Reiko likes Minato? When did you two break up?"

"Yeah. The whole damsel-in-distress thing. I think Minato fell for her too—her gentleness, her cooking, her patience. If it weren't for the war, they'd probably be married by now."

(Yo, wtf...)

She paused, frowning as she recalled, "We broke up about three months ago. Not long after that, Minato came back with Reiko."

Kaito stared at her, speechless. Was fate in the shinobi world somehow correcting its course? Kushina didn't fall for Minato, so the world handed Minato another Uzumaki instead. Maybe fate wouldn't allow a different protagonist for this story...

"Hey! What are you spacing out for?" Kushina waved her hand in front of his mask, annoyed.

"Nothing! Just thinking!" Kaito shook his head quickly.

Boom!

The door burst open. Tsunade walked in, hefting a large box, the clinking of glass bottles echoing as she approached.

"Tsunade-sensei! What's with the box?" Kushina blinked, pointing at the heavy container.

"This is sake from Konoha. Tonight, I'm making sure this guy drinks until he drops," Tsunade smirked, setting the box down.

"Lady Tsunade! Kushina! Kaito-san! Dinner's ready!" came a soft voice from the kitchen—Uzumaki Reiko.

She stepped out, carrying tray after tray of mouthwatering dishes.

"Wow! That smells amazing!" Kushina sniffed at the air and praised her.

"It's nothing special," Reiko replied humbly.

"Let's dig in! I'll start first!" she smiled, removing her apron.

"Huh? You're not eating with us?" Kushina asked.

"No, Minato's returning soon using the Flying Thunder God Technique. He's reporting to the Third Hokage and wants dinner ready when he returns."

She smiled faintly, opening a small container beside her, checking what she might serve Minato tonight.

"Alright then, see you tomorrow!" Kushina waved as Reiko left.

Only Tsunade, Kushina, and Kaito remained at the table now. Tsunade pulled out a bottle and grinned wickedly.

"Drink! One of us is leaving this table unconscious!"

"Fine by me," Kaito grinned. He'd made up his mind—tonight, he was letting go.

Since arriving in the shinobi world, he hadn't really rested. Training, fighting, surviving—it had been non-stop. One night of indulgence wouldn't hurt.

One bottle, two bottles... soon the table was littered with empty containers. Tsunade and Kaito locked horns in a drinking contest, neither willing to concede.

Two hours later, Tsunade passed out cold on the floor.

Kushina had joined midway through and was still holding her own, but Kaito wasn't backing down either. Tonight, he drank like a warrior in the thick of battle.

Hokage's Office

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat with a furrowed brow as Namikaze Minato finished his report.

"...A thunder giant wielded by Kaito and a colossal Susanoo used by Uchiha Madara—over 1000 meters tall. It happened at the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. The entire border unit witnessed it."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Hiruzen asked gravely. If he didn't know Minato's character, he'd suspect this was all made up.

Uchiha Madara? Wasn't he long dead—defeated by the First Hokage? Why had he resurfaced?

"It's real, Lord Hokage. Everyone stationed at the border saw it. This news will spread across the shinobi world in a matter of days," Minato replied, his voice heavy.

"Alright. You may leave," Hiruzen waved him off, eyes wide with unease.

Minato hesitated. "Aren't you curious who won?"

"Kaito is in Konoha now," Hiruzen said flatly.

"...I understand. I'll take my leave then," Minato bowed and exited.

Now alone in his office, Hiruzen's expression twisted with exhaustion.

If what Minato reported was true, then any dreams of secretly getting rid of Kaito would have to be buried. The young man had bested Uchiha Madara himself. No one in the current shinobi world could rival that feat.

He may have even surpassed the power of Senju Hashirama.

"Ugh..." Hiruzen exhaled a long, bitter sigh, full of resentment, defeat... and reluctant acceptance.

That sigh marked the end of any schemes against Kaito.

The Next Morning

As sunlight streamed through the window, Kaito stirred. His eyes cracked open, his head pounding.

"Ugh... how much did I drink last night? My head..."

He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the pain—then froze.

He felt something soft pressing against his chest.

Blinking, he glanced down—and his eyes widened in horror. His dry throat clenched.

A wave of clarity hit him like a bucket of cold water.

"What the hell happened last night?! Oh no... this is bad—really bad!"