Chapter 313: Sango Is Pregnant, Minato Is Going to Be a Father; Kushina: We Must Use Love to Resolve Hatred! [HN]

Konoha, Hokage Building.

Chiya had just finished dealing with a batch of documents and was about to take a break.

An ANBU shinobi silently knelt before his desk.

“Hokage-sama.”

“What is it?”

Chiya picked up his teacup and took a sip.

“Jonin Namikaze Minato did not report for duty today. He has taken leave according to regulations.”

The ANBU’s voice was calm and emotionless.

Chiya paused slightly.

Minato was famous for his dedication and rarely took leave.

He put down his teacup.

“What happened? What’s the reason?”

The ANBU raised his head, and his voice seemed to carry a faint warmth beneath the mask.

“Reporting to you, Hokage-sama. Jonin Namikaze Minato’s wife, Uzumaki Sango, has been confirmed to be pregnant. Minato took leave today to accompany his wife for her first prenatal examination and make sure she could return home and rest comfortably.”

“Pfft, cough, cough!”

Chiya almost choked on his tea. He abruptly stood up, his face filled with surprise.

“Sango is pregnant? Minato is going to be a father?!”

The news had come somewhat suddenly, but thinking about it carefully, Minato and Sango had already been married for quite some time, so it was only natural.

Thinking about that sunny young man known as the Yellow Flash becoming a father, Chiya could not help feeling emotional.

‘As expected, after the war ended, everyone is busy accomplishing something big!’

“I understand. You may leave.”

Chiya waved his hand.

The ANBU shinobi vanished instantly.

Chiya paced around the office for a few steps, a smile on his face.

As Hokage and as a friend, he should offer his congratulations, both personally and officially.

He immediately summoned another ANBU and gave an order.

“Prepare some nourishing supplements suitable for a pregnant woman. Also, pick out some soft and comfortable fabric. Make sure the colors are bright. Sango should like them. Hurry.”

“Yes!”

Less than half an hour later, the ANBU returned with several exquisite gift boxes.

Inside were valuable medicinal herbs for supporting a pregnancy, rare fruits, and several bolts of high quality silk in bright colors with a soft texture.

Carrying the gifts, Chiya headed alone toward Minato’s home without attracting too much attention.

Minato and Sango’s home was located in a quiet residential area of Konoha. It was a warm and cozy house with a small courtyard.

As Chiya reached the courtyard gate, he heard Sango’s strong yet slightly coquettish voice from inside.

“Minato! I told you I’m fine! You don’t have to be so careful with me!”

Then Minato’s familiar gentle voice, filled with warmth and laughter, came from inside.

“Sango, you’re a priority for protection now. It’s better to be careful. Come on, drink this warm milk first.”

Chiya could not help smiling and raised his hand to knock on the door.

The door opened almost immediately, revealing Minato’s handsome face.

When he saw Chiya standing outside with gifts in his hands, he was clearly stunned.

Then a delighted and flattered smile spread across his face.

“Hokage-sama?! What brings you here? Please, come in!”

Hearing the words “Hokage-sama,” Sango also cried out in surprise from inside and quickly walked over.

Her long red hair fell smoothly over her shoulders. Although there was no visible change in her abdomen yet, a gentle maternal glow had already appeared on her face.

Seeing Chiya, she awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Hokage-sama, you’re so busy with your duties. Why did you come here personally?”

Chiya smiled and handed over the gifts.

“I heard that our Yellow Flash is about to upgrade to fatherhood. It’s such a happy occasion. How could I not come and share in the celebration? These are just some gifts for Sango to help her take care of herself.”

Minato hurriedly accepted the gifts and thanked him repeatedly.

“You’ve gone to too much trouble, Hokage-sama. Thank you so much!”

His smile was as sunny as ever, but his eyes clearly contained the excitement and nervousness of becoming a father for the first time.

Sango also looked at Chiya with gratitude.

“Thank you, Hokage-sama!”

“Don’t stand at the door. Come inside, Hokage-sama.”

Minato stepped aside and invited Chiya into the house.

The house was clean and tidy, filled with the atmosphere of everyday life.

The three of them sat down in the living room. Minato went to make tea while Sango sat somewhat nervously across from Chiya.

“How have you been feeling lately?”

Chiya asked with concern.

A blush appeared on Sango’s face as she waved her hand.

“I’m fine, Hokage-sama! Minato is just too nervous. I’m not that fragile.”

Although she said that, the happiness in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Minato walked over with the tea. Hearing his wife’s words, he smiled gently and placed a cup in front of Chiya.

“Hokage-sama, please have some tea. Sango is indeed doing well. Her only problem is that she sometimes doesn’t have much of an appetite.”

“Her appetite should be a normal pregnancy symptom.”

Chiya nodded. As someone with fairly extensive medical knowledge, he showed his concern at the appropriate time.

“She can try some light foods that stimulate the appetite, or suck on a slice of ginger to ease the discomfort.”

“Eh? Hokage-sama, you even know about this?”

Sango widened her eyes in surprise.

Chiya smiled without explaining further.

Instead, he turned toward Minato.

“Minato, from today onward, unless there’s an urgent situation, you can return home whenever you need to check on Sango.”

Minato nodded seriously, his golden hair shining brightly under the sunlight.

“Yes! Thank you, Hokage-sama! I’ll work even harder to protect Konoha and protect my family!”

His eyes were firm and warm.

At that moment, another series of quick footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a lively female voice.

“Sango! I heard…”

A figure rushed inside. It was Uzumaki Kushina.

She had the same bright red hair as Sango, tied into a neat ponytail that made her look energetic and capable.

The two belonged to the same clan and had an excellent relationship, almost like sisters.

As soon as she entered, her eyes immediately fell on Chiya. Two blushes instantly appeared on her face, and her eyes lit up.

“Ah, Chiya, Chiya-nii! You’re here too!”

Kushina’s voice was filled with obvious shyness and delight.

As soon as she finished speaking, she threw herself directly at Chiya.

Seeing her friend and fellow clan member so excited, Sango greeted her with a smile.

“Kushina is here!~”

Minato also stood up with a smile.

“Perfect timing. Hokage-sama and Kushina are both here. Why don’t you stay for lunch? I bought some good fish and was planning to make grilled fish.”

Kushina’s heart began beating even faster. Only then did she remember that Minato and Sango were still there, so she quickly released Chiya.

She turned toward Minato and nodded vigorously.

“Okay! Sure! I’ll help!”

As she spoke, she looked away and glanced toward Chiya.

Chiya smiled gently and said to Minato,

“Kushina and I won’t be imposing too much on you two, will we?”

“Of course not!”

Minato and Sango answered at the same time.

Having the Hokage visit their home was a great honor for them.

Thus, what had originally been a peaceful world for the two of them became a lively lunch gathering.

Minato put on an apron and showed off his impressive cooking skills, while Sango actively helped beside him.

The atmosphere during lunch was very pleasant.

“Try this. Minato’s grilled fish is really delicious!”

Kushina picked up a piece of fish and quickly placed it in Chiya’s bowl before he could reach for anything himself.

“And this too. Chiya-nii, try this!”

“…”

Before long, Chiya’s bowl was piled high with food.

Minato and Sango exchanged amused glances without saying anything.

Kushina realized what was happening a little too late. Only when she noticed their looks did she remember that this was not Mikoto’s house.

Her face turned red.

“Um…”

Sango said gently,

“If you like it, eat more!~”

She then put some food into Kushina’s bowl.

Kushina hummed in response and lowered her head to eat.

“It’s really delicious. Minato, I didn’t know you had this kind of cooking skill.”

Chiya smiled and spoke at that moment, helping to ease Kushina’s embarrassment.

Minato habitually touched his hair and smiled.

“It’s just some home cooking.”

“…”

Lunch ended in a cheerful atmosphere.

Chiya stayed for a while longer and asked about Sango’s condition.

He once again emphasized that they could contact him or Konoha Hospital at any time if they needed anything, then stood up to leave.

Minato and Sango accompanied Chiya all the way to the courtyard gate and thanked him repeatedly.

“Hokage-sama, thank you for coming today.”

Minato spoke sincerely.

“Take good care of Sango.”

Chiya patted Minato on the shoulder, then smiled at Sango.

“Take care of yourself. I look forward to meeting the little one.”

Watching Chiya and Kushina walk away, Sango wrapped her arm around Minato’s and leaned against him with a happy sigh.

“The Hokage really is a gentle person.”

Minato nodded, his gaze firm.

“Choosing him as the Fourth Hokage back then was indeed the right decision. Konoha has changed because of him!~”

“So we have to protect the Konoha he leads even more.”

…

Chiya and Kushina returned to the office. The door quietly closed behind them, temporarily cutting off the noise from outside.

Kushina naturally walked behind Chiya and reached out with both hands, gently massaging his slightly stiff shoulders.

Her movements were soft and precise, effectively easing his fatigue.

“You’re tired today, aren’t you?”

Kushina’s voice was different from the lively tone she used in front of others. It was softer now, carrying a hint of tenderness and concern.

Chiya relaxed against the back of his chair and closed his eyes, feeling the comfortable pressure around his shoulders and neck. A faint, warm scent like sunlight lingered around Kushina.

He raised his hand, covered hers where it rested on his shoulder, and gently held it.

“I’m fine. With you here, I feel much more relaxed.”

His voice was calm, but the satisfaction and warmth within it were obvious.

A sweet blush spread across Kushina’s face. She leaned down and rested her cheek against his hair as she whispered,

“I’m glad I can help. From now on, I want to come massage you every day.”

The two enjoyed this rare moment of quiet. The office was filled with silent understanding and affection.

After a while, Chiya seemed to remember something and slightly turned his head.

“Kushina, how has the ‘roommate’ inside you been behaving lately?”

He was referring to the Nine-Tails sealed inside Kushina.

Kushina’s hands paused slightly at the mention of it, but she soon smiled and answered casually.

“It? It’s been very well behaved. Especially when it knows you’re beside me. It doesn’t even dare breathe too loudly.”

This was not an exaggeration.

Chiya’s strength was unfathomable. His Rinnegan in particular possessed a natural suppressive effect against tailed beasts.

Although the Nine-Tails was arrogant and unruly, faced with such an overwhelming difference in power and status, it had no choice but to restrain its claws and harbor a deep fear of Chiya.

Chiya nodded, but his eyes became thoughtful.

He pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Although it fears me, relying on suppression for a long time isn’t a lasting solution. The tailed beast’s chakra is vast and violent, so it will ultimately place a burden on both your body and mind.”

Kushina walked in front of Chiya and crouched down, placing both hands on his knees as she looked up at him.

A strange light flashed in her eyes, mixed with sympathy and determination.

“Chiya-nii, actually… lately, I’ve often been able to sense its emotions.”

Kushina’s voice became softer.

“It’s not just anger and hatred… there’s also… loneliness.”

“Loneliness?”

Chiya raised an eyebrow.

“Yes.”

Kushina nodded firmly.

“It’s been sealed in a place without light for so long. It’s been treated as a symbol of disaster and feared and rejected by everyone. Anyone would become angry and twisted under those circumstances, right? It’s… it’s just like how I was isolated by people from other villages when I was young, and later because I became a Jinchuriki…”

She remembered her childhood experiences, and her eyes dimmed for a moment. But they soon brightened again, carrying a warmth that was almost compassionate.

“Lady Mito taught me before that the essence of sealing jutsu is ‘protection’ and ‘restraint,’ but at a deeper level, it’s ‘understanding’ and ‘acceptance.’ She once told me that powerful forces themselves are neither good nor evil. What matters is how they are guided.”

“Maybe… maybe I can try not to see it simply as a monster that needs to be suppressed. Instead, I can try to understand it, and perhaps… become friends with it?”

The idea was bold, perhaps even somewhat naive.

Becoming friends with the Nine-Tails? To anyone else, it would sound like an absurd fantasy.

But as Chiya looked at Kushina’s clear and kind eyes and saw the courage she had inherited from Uzumaki Mito, the courage to try to dissolve hatred through love, something stirred in his heart.

He remembered how Naruto eventually reconciled with the Nine-Tails in the original story. That reconciliation had been achieved through persistent understanding and communication.

He reached out and gently caressed Kushina’s cheek, his fingertips feeling the warmth of her skin.

His eyes were filled with approval and support.

“That’s a remarkable idea, Kushina.”

Chiya’s voice was gentle yet firm.

“Hatred only breeds more hatred. Only understanding and kindness can break the cycle. Since you can sense its loneliness, why not give it a try?”

With Chiya’s approval, Kushina’s eyes immediately lit up like stars. She excitedly grabbed his hand.

“Chiya-nii really thinks I can do it? You don’t think I’m being unrealistic?”

“Of course not.”

Chiya smiled and shook his head.

“You have the warmest and strongest kind of power in your heart. It’s a light that even the darkness of a tailed beast cannot completely consume. I believe in your feelings, and I believe in your ability. Go ahead and do it. Whatever the result, I’ll be there to support you.”

He paused before adding,

“But everything must be done with your safety as the priority. Take it step by step. Don’t recklessly enter its mental world. If anything feels wrong, stop immediately. Understand?”

“Yes! I understand!”

Kushina nodded vigorously, her heart filled with courage and emotion.

She threw herself into Chiya’s arms and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you, Chiya-nii! Thank you for understanding me and supporting me!”

Chiya returned the embrace, feeling her softness and trust. His heart was filled with peace and warmth.

The Konoha he protected and the woman he cherished were both moving toward a better and more harmonious future.

Perhaps the path toward coexistence between humans and tailed beasts really could begin with Kushina and open a new chapter.

Deep within the sealing space inside Kushina, the enormous crimson eyes that had originally been filled with violence and hatred slowly opened.

After sensing the goodwill from outside and the support conveyed by that powerful presence that it feared yet somehow found familiar, its gaze seemed to tremble ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Within the endless darkness and loneliness, it was as though a tiny warm stone had been thrown into the darkness, creating a barely perceptible ripple.

Perhaps the ice of hatred was not truly impossible to break.

And the first ray of sunlight that would melt it had already quietly entered.