Chapter 294: Kushina’s Peril

Chapter 294: Kushina's Peril

Minato, carrying Tonari on his back, clearly heard the two words: Lingxiang.

For just a brief moment, he hesitated. He didn't know why Tonari was looking for Lingxiang, but without question, he activated Flying Thunder God Technique, vanishing from their current location with Tonari.

Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails, which was pinned to the ground, continued to struggle frantically. Though it still couldn't break free, the Myojinmon (Torii Gates) that had sealed it trembled slightly. It wasn't much, but the fact that it had moved at all was significant.

Minato and Tonari reappeared in a relatively quiet patch of grass near the chaos caused by the rampaging Nine-Tails.

"Minato..."

A weak female voice reached their ears.

Both Minato, who had just set Tonari down gently, and Tonari, who had barely touched the ground, froze for a moment.

Kushina.

The two of them turned toward the voice at the same time.

There, lying on the ground, was a woman covered in blood, her body frail and exhausted. In her arms, nestled carefully, was a newborn baby—so freshly born that traces of amniotic fluid still clung to its skin.

Beside her, another woman knelt, tears streaming down her face, as she desperately channeled medical chakra into Kushina's wounds.

It was Lingxiang.

The wounds on Kushina's body were healing slowly, but Tonari could clearly sense that her life force was rapidly fading.

Once her life force was completely drained, her death would be inevitable.

Tonari's pupils shrank, and a sharp pain pierced his heart.

It felt as if he were suffocating.

He had sworn to protect Kushina and Minato.

He had believed he had prepared for every possibility.

Yet—this still happened.

In contrast to Tonari's rising panic, Minato remained eerily calm—too calm.

He gently placed Tonari down, then knelt beside Kushina, gently grasping her hand.

His gaze was gentle—but filled with deep sorrow.

"Kushina, I brought Tonari here..."

Kushina smiled weakly. Blood trickled from her lips, but her eyes held only love as she nodded slightly.

"Minato... I'm sorry... From now on... Naruto will only have you..."

Hearing those words, Minato's fingers trembled.

He looked at the tiny baby nestled in Kushina's arms.

His expression softened with fatherly warmth—but beneath it, a deep emptiness took hold.

Tonari's eyes widened in shock.

Minato's life force—which had been stable just moments ago—was now dissipating rapidly.

It was accelerating with every second.

Despair had already consumed him.

Tonari understood now.

There is no greater grief than a heart that has died.

Kushina felt it, too. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Minato! No! Don't do anything foolish... Naruto needs you! Please, Minato, don't..."

Her voice weakened with each plea.

Minato smiled.

He gently brushed a few strands of red hair from Kushina's face.

Then, he bent down and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry," he whispered.

"Naruto will have Tonari... He will grow up strong... and he will understand that his parents were heroes of Konoha..."

Minato stood up, turning his gaze toward the struggling Nine-Tails in the distance.

"Since we are the cause of this disaster, it is our duty to end it."

"Kushina... wait for me."

"I will be back soon."

The moment he finished speaking, he prepared to teleport away.

But just before he could activate Flying Thunder God, Tonari spoke.

"Wait."

Minato froze mid-step, turning back to look at him.

Tonari was too weak to explain everything, so he simply turned his gaze to Lingxiang—who was sobbing beside Kushina.

"Lingxiang, come here."

Lingxiang flinched but immediately turned toward Tonari.

Hope lit up her tear-filled eyes.

She staggered to her feet and rushed to his side.

"Tonari! You have to save Kushina!" she pleaded.

"A masked man ambushed us when Minato was gone—he kidnapped Kushina and forcibly unsealed the Nine-Tails!"

"Kushina was forced to give birth too early just to protect Naruto!"

"That's why she's dying!"

"Tonari, you must have a plan—you knew this could happen, right?"

"You must have a way to save her!"

Lingxiang clutched his arms, desperation filling her voice.

Minato froze.

For the first time, hope flickered in his eyes.

Tonari didn't waste time explaining.

Instead, he looked at Lingxiang's arm and said, "Your hand."

Lingxiang immediately understood.

She rolled up her sleeve without hesitation, exposing her pale, unblemished skin to him.

A faint fragrance drifted from her skin.

Tonari swallowed instinctively, then bit down on her delicate wrist.

In an instant—

Pure chakra flooded into his body.

His exhausted chakra reserves were replenished at an incredible rate.

His energy surged back.

"Ah..."

Lingxiang shuddered, biting her lip as her face flushed red.

She felt everything—the warmth of his breath, the gentle pressure of his lips...

Minato watched in stunned silence.

He had never known Lingxiang had such an ability.

What... was this power?

One minute.

Two minutes.

Lingxiang's face grew pale.

She trembled as her chakra was drained away.

Finally—just before she collapsed, Tonari released her arm.

Though still weak, he felt far stronger than before.

Supporting Lingxiang, he gently laid her down.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"I needed too much chakra."

Lingxiang shook her head weakly.

"Tonari... save Kushina..."

Tonari nodded firmly.

"I will."

Then, he turned to Minato.

"They're in your hands now."

"This time—you must protect them."

Minato clenched his fists.

His eyes burned with resolve.

"This time... I won't fail."

"Tonari, please..."

With those final words, Tonari vanished.

---

Tonari arrived at the battlefield, facing the raging Nine-Tails.

The Myojinmon Torii Gates had weakened.

Kurama snarled, its massive claws digging into the earth—almost free.

Tonari's voice rang out:

"Kurama!"

The rage in Kurama's eyes dimmed slightly.

Memories surfaced—Tonari had warned it of this very day.

At the time, it had thought he was bluffing.

But now—

It had been controlled again.

Tormented again.

And worst of all—Madara had returned.

Kurama trembled, not from fear—but from rage.

Tonari's eyes gleamed.

"I need your power."

He clasped his hands together.

A black kanji appeared on his palm—"Restrain".

"For now—I need to borrow you, Kurama."

"Forgive me."

A torrent of wood surged forward.

"Senpou: Kokuan-nyoirin!"

Kurama roared in defiance—

But was helplessly absorbed into Tonari's seal.

A new kanji appeared on his arm—"Nine".

Half of Kurama had been sealed into him.

Tonari exhaled deeply.

Finally, with newfound power, he turned toward Kushina's direction—

And vanished into the night.

---

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