Same Feelings

"Why…?"

He just wants to complete the task assigned to him by the Third Hokage and fully control the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. Isn't this good for everyone?

Kushina can get the protection of the village and enjoy the best treatment, and the Council doesn't have to worry about the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki escaping.

Isn't it the best for both?

But it's all over now.

Kushina was actually in love with Luo Lei, which made Minato uncomfortable.

If it were someone else, he would still have the confidence to win Kushina back.

But against Luo Lei…

It seems he has failed once again.

"Forget it! What's the point of insisting if she has already made her decision?! I have to go see the Hokage and explain the situation," he said in a tone of frustration he couldn't hide. His gaze lingered longingly on Kushina's house, but finally, he turned around and left without looking back.

"Kushina didn't choose me! But she'll see! She will definitely regret it!" Minato gritted his teeth as he walked away.

"Luo Lei... he's not a good person, he's arrogant and insensitive. He does whatever he wants without remorse and acts recklessly. It's only a matter of time before Kushina realizes her mistake!"

….

"Is he gone?"

After sensing that Minato finally left, Kushina, who was behind the door, let out a deep sigh of relief.

"I was really afraid that Minato might try something desperate..." she murmured. "Now that he's gone, the Council will find out immediately that I'm no longer under their control. This is all so complicated!"

"Mikoto, I hope you're right..."

Kushina blushed as she remembered something. "I hope Luo Lei wants to protect me... that it's more than just words... I want to believe that he will do something for me!"

As for Minato, Kushina could no longer hide the disappointment she felt.

Minato was nothing more than a puppet of the Council! He only thinks about that stupid Will of Fire... he never really thought about her.

...

Inside the Hokage's Office

Hiruzen was distressed, with intelligence files scattered across his desk.

Sigh...

His expression grew more bitter as exhaustion overcame him, and the sigh escaped as an automatic response to his frustration.

Bang!

With a violent bang, the door swung open, and Minato entered the office with a sad expression.

He stood in front of Hiruzen, fists clenched and head bowed, like a child caught doing something wrong.

"Minato?! What are you doing here?" Seeing Minato, Hiruzen set aside the document in his hand. He forced a smile and tried to appear calm. "From the look of you, it seems something very bad has happened. Am I right?"

Minato nodded silently.

Hiruzen looked at him in silence for a moment, his expression softening as he let out a long sigh. "You don't have to blame yourself so much, Minato. What happened in the war isn't entirely your fault. No one could have imagined that Luo Lei would appear like that, out of nowhere, and put an end to everything so abruptly."

"It's not that you're incompetent, but Luo Lei is...."

Sigh...

After saying this, Hiruzen picked up his pipe and let out another deep sigh.

"....."

Minato hesitated for a moment, then said with some pain, "Hokage-sama, Kushina already knows everything we did when she was a child to save her... and she's also in love with Luo Lei. She has completely separated from me."

"What?!"

Minato's words hit like a bucket of cold water. Hiruzen jumped up from his chair, his eyes wide with disbelief and rage.

He never, ever imagined that the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Kushina, would be capable of doing something like this at such a critical moment! Drawing a line with the Council? Breaking up with you? This changes everything!

Our plan to control the Jinchūriki...? Ruined!

And on top of that, Kushina knows that her kidnapping by Kumogakure was our conspiracy! Damn it, that's another advantage Luo Lei has gained!

"Everything is going wrong!"

Bang!

Hiruzen smashed the desk with a punch.

What the hell is Luo Lei trying to do? It's as if everything was perfectly planned! Once Kushina truly joins Luo Lei, we won't be able to do anything!

Silence fell over the office.

Both men, trapped in their helplessness, looked at each other with bitterness. The weight of failure filled the room.

"Minato, calm down first!"

After a long, tense silence, Hiruzen finally spoke. "Women shouldn't divert your path. Kushina has chosen Luo Lei, let her find her own luck!"

"What...?" Minato was in shock, his eyes filled with shame and pain.

"There's no other way... Luo Lei's power is dangerous. It's too great," Hiruzen shook his head. "We must endure it, we must wait... we must be patient and cunning!"

"Hokage-sama..."

Hiruzen's words hit Minato like a hammer. He clenched his teeth so hard that a drop of blood stained his mouth. "I am so useless... I have failed your expectations..."

"Don't say that, Minato." Hiruzen fixed his gaze on him, nodding slowly. "Minato, I still have faith in you. You can still achieve what we need."

Minato's eyes shone with determination.

"Hokage-sama, this time... this time I won't fail you. I'll do whatever it takes, no matter the cost."

"That's it! That's the spirit! Hahaha!"

________

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