Chapter 19: The Fear Dominated by Kushina

"Yes, the Mutually Instantaneous Revolving Technique, if used well, is absolutely an excellent weapon on the battlefield."

Minato looked at the technique engraved on his kunai, a glimmer of yearning in his eyes.

"Come on, Minato, let's try it?"

Hearing this, Minato's curiosity about the new technique was completely piqued, and he agreed without hesitation.

"Okay, let's do it! We'll both leave our jutsu on each other and try it."

With that, the two marked each other with their respective jutsu. Kazuyama's "Your father is here" imprint appeared on Minato, while the "Sword of Love" seal from Minato was etched onto Kazuyama.

Kazuyama suddenly hurled a kunai. As it hit the ground, he placed his hand against his chest and announced, "Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Swish!

In an instant, Minato vanished, replaced by Kazuyama's kunai. Meanwhile, Minato reappeared tens of meters away, precisely where the kunai had landed.

"Hahaha! It really works. With your jutsu on me, I can teleport anywhere you've marked under your control!"

"The Mutually Instantaneous Revolving Technique is really useful!"

Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique once more, returning to Kazuyama's side. He was laughing joyfully—after all, he'd always teleported solo before, but now someone could join him. The feeling of flying around with a partner was exhilarating.

Kazuyama also smiled, but something in his expression carried an odd hint of mischief.

"It really is very useful, Minato. Want to try the distance? See if you can teleport to the coordinates I've left behind?"

Minato nodded, confident in his abilities. "Come on, partner, let me fly a little further!"

Had Jiraiya been present, he would have warned the young and eager Minato to be cautious—Kazuyama was notorious for his ruthless tricks.

"Get ready, Minato! I'm going to use my technique!" Kazuyama announced, preparing for the long-distance teleportation.

Minato nodded eagerly. In the next moment, the Flying Thunder God Technique activated, and Minato vanished in a flash of light.

As soon as Minato disappeared, Kazuyama sprang into action. He quickly erased the "Sword of Love" technique Minato had left on him, then bolted without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Minato only saw a brilliant flash before—

The once-empty field in front of Minato instantly transformed into a steamy, humid space. Confused, he glanced around, trying to understand where he was, when a piercing shout shattered the silence.

"Aaaaaah! There's a pervert!"

"A pervert sneaking into the women's bathroom!"

"Catch the pervert!"

"Aaaaaaaaaah!"

Minato froze on the spot, his brain scrambling to process the situation. The steam around him—it was hot air, damp and thick. And then it hit him.

Why was he in a bathhouse?

Kazuyama, you bastard, you've really done it this time!

Mortified, Minato's sharp mind whirled with panic. The glaring white towels and the chaotic scene before him made his heart race. This wasn't the time to think about Sensei Jiraiya or his antics. No, this was far worse.

He instinctively prepared to activate the Flying Thunder God: Mutually Instantaneous Revolving Technique, channeling chakra to escape. But the moment his energy flared, he realized something dreadful—Kazuyama had erased the mark Minato had left on him.

That guy planned this all along!

Damn it, he had to get out of here first. Unlike Kazuyama, who had scattered coordinates throughout the village, all of Minato's marks were on himself, leaving him stranded.

The angry cries of the women quickly turned into action. A barrage of clothing, towels, soaps, and scrubbers hurtled at him. Amidst the chaos, Minato even spotted... those other items too, and the sight made his cheeks burn redder than an apple.

With no other options, he bolted for the nearest window, leaping through it to escape in a frantic, clumsy retreat.

But the damage was done. By the end of the day, word had spread like wildfire—Minato Namikaze had "fallen from the sky" into the women's bathhouse. The entire village was abuzz with the scandal.

Kazuyama laughed until he could barely breathe, collapsing in fits of uncontrollable mirth. His victory was sweet, but his gloating would be short-lived.

That night, the door to Kazuyama's house rattled with an urgent knock. When he opened it, he was greeted not with words, but with a straight punch to the face.

"Ouch! Who—who just ambushed me?!"

Kazuyama, who had been casually chatting with Ebisami, was completely caught off guard. The punch struck him squarely in the face, leaving him with a throbbing black eye. Dazed, he turned toward the door, and the sight before him instantly made him break into a cold sweat.

Standing there was Kushina Uzumaki, her flowing red hair framing a face filled with fiery rage. Known as Konoha's Red Hot-Blooded Habanero, she radiated an aura that could terrify even the bravest shinobi.

"Oh no... Sister Kushina, it's you! What's going on? That really hurt!" Kazuyama stammered, his voice tinged with panic.

He already had an idea why she was there, though. Standing right behind her, battered and covered in scars, was none other than Minato Namikaze.

"Hmph! Now do you understand why I punched you?" Kushina asked, cracking her knuckles with a menacing crunch.

For the first time in a long while, Kazuyama felt true terror, the kind that seeped into his bones. Kushina's reputation wasn't just for show; her ferocity was legendary, surpassing mere violence—it bordered on brutality.

"I…" Kazuyama began to stammer, but Kushina cut him off.

"I'm warning you, don't even think about using the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape," she said coldly. "With that punch, I've already transferred Minato's jutsu onto your face."

"What?!" Kazuyama was stunned, his mind racing. Does that punch have additional effects now?!

Minato, standing silently behind Kushina, held up a ninja blade marked with a familiar technique. His expression was calm, but the implication was clear: if Kazuyama even tried to teleport, the pair would catch him immediately—no matter where he went.

Kazuyama forced a shaky laugh, sweat pouring down his face. "Come on, why would I run? We're friends, right? No need for anything drastic!"

"Haha…" His nervous chuckle trailed off as he realized there was no escape. This is it, he thought grimly. I'm done for. I won't be able to avoid this one.

What followed was pure chaos. Kushina launched into a relentless, merciless assault, leaving Kazuyama completely at her mercy. The scene was so brutal that even Chōmei, the Seven-Tails watching from within, refused to show his presence.

He silently reminded himself that Kushina, future Jinchūriki or not, was a member of the formidable Uzumaki Clan. With chakra reserves and power like hers, she wasn't someone to provoke.

I'm just a poor Seven-Tails, Chōmei thought to himself, better stay hidden and avoid detection.

It was said that Kazuyama didn't leave his room for an entire week after that day, spending all his time recovering.

However, despite the ordeal, the incident seemed to strengthen the bond between Minato, Kushina, and Kazuyama. The three grew closer, and Minato and Kazuyama, in particular, began working together more frequently on refining the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Interestingly, after the bathhouse fiasco, Minato seemed to develop a new level of enthusiasm for the technique. While Kazuyama often found himself as the one implementing Minato's ideas, the latter's interest in the technical nuances of the jutsu became almost obsessive.

Kazuyama couldn't help but feel confused. In his past life, Minato Namikaze was always regarded as a gentleman, someone noble and dignified.

Gentleman? Kazuyama thought to himself. Where? Minato's clearly a deeply hidden pervert!