2. A message?

Walking home after meeting with the Hokage, Minato looked at the village, enjoying its lively atmosphere and the good people in this settlement. Thinking that in a few months he would take responsibility for them.

On the way, he met his student - Kakashi Hatake, who was a thirteen-year-old teenager with ash-colored hair; he was dressed in dark clothes with white stripes... both his shirt and trousers; in his hands, he held a book titled "The Life of a Shinobi," and the hitai-ate, which was on his forehead, covering his left eye, under which was the Sharingan dojutsu of the Uchiha clan.

His brown right eye was open, so Kakashi saw Minato approaching him. Kakashi lost his mother when he was a baby, and then lost his father - Sakumo Hatake, - who was a legend of this village with the nickname "White Fang of Konoha."

After a failed mission, Sakumo committed suicide in front of his son. The only one who supported the boy after all this was Minato Namikaze, who later became a sensei for Kakashi and his two teammates: Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha.

During the war, Kakashi lost his teammate and friend Obito and received the Sharingan as a parting gift. And then, on one of the missions, Rin ran into Kakashi's hand, which was sparkling with the deadly Chidori. After that, the ashen-haired boy developed a pessimistic view of life, he distanced himself from the world, and only missions helped him distract himself from the darkness that clouded his mind.

"Good day, sensei. Were you at the Hokage's? Do we have a mission?" Kakashi asked slowly and seemingly without interest.

"Yes, Kakashi, we have a mission. Inform the others; we're setting out this evening."

"Why such urgency, sensei, is it something serious?"

"Indeed, if the mission succeeds, the war will be over!"

Kakashi incredulously looked at his sensei, then, touching his left eye, he said, "Finally, sensei! Finally, Obito's eye will see the end of this war..." As soon as he raised his right hand, the one that killed Rin, he immediately lowered his gaze.

Minato noticed this and said, "Kakashi, stop blaming yourself. This war has taken many. I mourn for them too, but we must try to live for them and honor their memory," Kakashi, relaxing, looked at his sensei. "Yes, sensei, I will try."

Leaving the boy alone, Minato went home and, opening the door to his house ajar, saw his wife sleeping on the couch, her legs dangling. Kushina Namikaze, formerly Uzumaki, was one of the last members of this clan.

At the age of ten, she was brought to Konoha along with her aunt, Kaname Uzumaki, to seal the Nine-Tails. She is Minato Namikaze's peer and wife. She had long crimson hair that reached her hips, a snow-white face, and deep dark blue eyes in which one could drown. She was dressed in a green dress covering her rounded belly.

Approaching her quietly, Minato knelt down so as not to wake Kushina and kissed her belly. But when he did, he felt a faint kick. Kushina woke up immediately. "Darling, you're already home!" she smiled.

"Yes, dear!" he said with a joyful face. "Were you with the Third?"

"Yes."

"Something serious?" she asked with a grim face, as her husband often went on missions after meeting with the Hokage.

"Yes, dear, don't worry, I'll be back before our girl is born," Minato said with a smirk.

"I'll hold you to that, and if you don't come back as promised, know that you don't have to come home," she warned, raising her fist to her husband's temple. Feeling her angry aura, Minato felt uncomfortable and decided to change the subject.

"By the way, what should we name our girl?"

"Miruku!" she replied, stroking her belly.

"Beautiful name, who came up with it?"

"Aunt Kaname!"

"Heh," Seeing her beloved's frowning face,

Minato took her hands. "Kushina, don't worry about the Nine-Tails, Kasame is the best sealing master in Konoha, just like you, she's from the Uzumaki clan; and both she and I won't let you and our daughter be harmed,"

After these words, Kushina stood up, stretching her arms upward, and in a commanding tone said, "Right, Minato, this fluffy ball of fur won't interfere with our happiness! And also... could you bring me ice cream and wasabi, preferably in one dish?"

Minato, cringing at such an "appetite," didn't argue with her, as he knew his wife's character better than anyone. "Okay, dear, I'm on my way."

*Knock *Knock

The silence was interrupted by a knock from outside. Opening the door, Minato saw a middle-aged woman with crimson hair: almost a copy of Kushina, except for her green eyes and a tuft of hair on the back of her head. "Kaname-san, come in, we've been waiting for you,"

"Hi, Minato, how's my niece?"

"Waiting, but can't wait for the rumors that have accumulated during your absence," Namikaze joked, for which he immediately received a tap on the head. "What did you say, blond bastard?"

Backing away into the corner, Minato raised his hands in a peace sign. "Kushina, I meant that you missed her."

"Okay, darling... I'll forgive you this time." Seeing this, Kaname shook her head, disapproving of these actions. "Kids, stop it right now! Kushina, you're pregnant! And you, Minato, don't provoke her!"

"Sorry, Kaname-san!" Kaname took guardianship of Kushina after Uzushiogakure was destroyed, and after learning that Minato was an orphan, she did the same.

Seeing this scene, tears welled up in her eyes. After all, she managed to teach them a lot. And for both of them, she was like a mother. Minato, preparing to leave, kissed his wife, and then hugged Kaname-san.

End of flashback.

***

Upon reaching the clearing, Minato witnessed the aggressive gathering of forces from the Village of Sand and Stone. Just as they started shooting lightning bolts at each other, a three-petaled kunai with the Flying Thunder God seal was thrust into the ground before them. Then, a clap of thunder resounded, and Minato himself appeared.

"Gentlemen, allow me to deliver a message," he said. As soon as Minato appeared, the Hidden Stone villagers started to get nervous and step back. They were taught that when the Yellow Flash of Konoha appears, they should run immediately and avoid his gaze at all costs. After all, just a few months ago, Minato had decimated a large part of the Hidden Stone's army in an instant.

"A message?" asked Rasa, also known as the Fourth Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village. Leading the Stone was Kitsuchi, son of the Third Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone Village.