Chapter 245 : Great, It's Pure Love!
Uchiha Taiga looked at Namikaze Minato with a beaming smile.
"Congratulations on coming back to life."
His voice was casual.
"How do you feel?"
Namikaze Minato fell silent for a moment, not answering immediately.
He stood there, assessing his body's condition. His heartbeat, breathing, blood flow, muscle tension, and joint mobility—everything was perfectly normal.
But that was exactly what made it so abnormal.
He was a dead man who was now alive; just thinking about it raised massive red flags.
However, he didn't show too much wariness. He simply nodded and said, "Very good."
His voice was still a bit hoarse, but it was better than before, as if he were slowly recovering.
The corners of Uchiha Taiga's mouth curled up even higher.
"Hmm, that's good."
He clapped his hands.
"This is the first time I've actually used this jutsu. From the looks of it, there's nothing that needs improving. It's already perfect."
His tone was filled with satisfaction.
Uchiha Taiga turned his head and looked at Nagato.
"What do you think of this jutsu?"
Nagato stood by the table, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his white cloak. He thought for a moment, then nodded.
"It's incredible."
His voice was calm, his tone certain.
It wasn't flattery; it was a genuine evaluation.
As a research genius, he knew all too well how difficult this jutsu was. Extracting a dead person's soul from the Reaper and stuffing it into a sacrifice's body, allowing the soul to reshape the vessel into the deceased's original appearance.
This involved multiple layers—souls, chakra, cells, and genetics—each requiring an extremely high level of mastery.
Uchiha Taiga chuckled.
"Right? After all, it's a jutsu I developed. It's only natural that it's incredible."
His tone held a hint of smugness, like a child showing off his masterpiece.
He placed his hands on his hips.
"As expected of me."
Namikaze Minato stood to the side, listening to their conversation.
He took a deep breath and finally spoke up.
"So, where is this place?"
His voice had steadied considerably.
Uchiha Taiga snapped back to reality and let out an "Oh."
"This is the Land of Rain."
His tone was casual, so casual it sounded like he was stating the most mundane fact.
Namikaze Minato frowned slightly.
The Land of Rain.
As someone who had participated in the Third Great Ninja War, he naturally knew that the Land of Rain was located west of the Land of Fire and had been a major player in the third war.
Before he died, the Land of Rain was still embroiled in a civil war, ruled by Hanzo of the Salamander.
He didn't know what it had become now, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he asked a much more important question.
"If I remember correctly, I should be dead."
His voice was calm, carrying a probing undertone.
Uchiha Taiga nodded.
"Yes, and I brought you back to life."
His tone remained just as casual.
Namikaze Minato's hands clenched into fists inside his sleeves. He was a little tense.
Not out of fear, but out of uncertainty.
He didn't know who the man in front of him was, why he had resurrected him, or what ulterior motives he might have.
He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
"How did you manage to do this?"
Namikaze Minato paused, then spoke again.
"I mean... why did you do this?"
His tone was polite, but his hands silently tightened as he stared at Uchiha Taiga, trying to glean something from his expression.
Uchiha Taiga stroked his chin.
"Probably to deal with some troublesome matters."
He thought about it, then nodded again.
"Yeah, that's about it."
His tone was casual, as if he were talking about something that didn't require an explanation.
Namikaze Minato's frown deepened; he wasn't satisfied with that answer. But he didn't press further, opting for a different approach instead.
"I appreciate you bringing me back to life."
His tone was sincere.
"But what is your purpose in doing so?"
He looked at Uchiha Taiga without averting his gaze.
"As a former Hokage, I am well aware of the reality of the ninja world. If I have been resurrected, then you must want something from me."
He knew exactly what he possessed.
The Nine-Tails!
It was the most powerful of the Tailed Beasts, possessing apocalyptic strength.
Before he died, he had sealed its chakra into his son's body, as well as his own.
Now that he was resurrected, that half of the Nine-Tails should still be inside him.
This matter concerned the peace of Konoha and the entire ninja world; he couldn't afford not to be vigilant.
Namikaze Minato raised his head and looked at Uchiha Taiga, his gaze heavy.
Uchiha Taiga looked at him and smiled.
"Like I said, it's just to deal with some troublesome matters."
His voice remained as casual as ever.
Namikaze Minato fell silent for a moment before asking, "Then, can I return to Konoha?"
His tone was composed, but there was expectation in his eyes.
Upon hearing Uchiha Taiga's response, he knew he was definitely subjected to some kind of restriction.
Sure enough, Uchiha Taiga shook his head.
"Obviously not."
Namikaze Minato's hands clenched tighter.
He didn't speak, merely standing there and looking at Uchiha Taiga.
Namikaze Minato took another deep breath and changed the subject. "Are you from Konoha?"
Uchiha Taiga thought for a moment, nodded, and then shook his head.
"I used to be, but not anymore."
Namikaze Minato's brow twitched.
"A Rogue Ninja?"
His tone carried a hint of surprise.
Uchiha Taiga smiled. "I do consider myself a Rogue Ninja, yes."
He paused, as if weighing his words.
"Though it seems Konoha hasn't actually put a bounty on my head."
Namikaze Minato looked at him, remaining silent for a few seconds.
Then he turned his head and looked at Nagato.
Nagato stood there, his expression completely placid.
Namikaze Minato spoke up, "And what about you?"
Nagato looked at him and calmly replied, "I'm a local."
His voice was calm, his tone unruffled.
The corner of Namikaze Minato's eye twitched.
A local?
A local of the Land of Rain?
He took a deep breath, adjusting his breathing for the third time.
Then he turned his head back to look at Uchiha Taiga again.
His gaze landed on Uchiha Taiga's eyes.
Those eyes were white—pure, bright white, more beautiful than any Byakugan he had ever seen.
The characteristics of the Byakugan were glaringly obvious.
Moreover, Uchiha Taiga's forehead was smooth and unblemished, devoid of any markings.
He wasn't from the Branch House.
Namikaze Minato thought for a moment before asking, "Are you from the Hyuga Main House?"
His words were probing.
Uchiha Taiga shrugged. "My surname is Uchiha."
Namikaze Minato froze.
*Ah, this...*
His mouth hung slightly open, his expression turning rather peculiar.
*You have the Byakugan, but your surname is Uchiha?*
A flurry of thoughts surged through Namikaze Minato's mind at that moment.
As the former Fourth Hokage, if he remembered correctly, there was absolutely no blood relation between the two clans, nor were there any records of intermarriage.
After all, the two great dojutsu clans of the ninja world each had their own immense pride. Both boasted that their Kekkei Genkai was the best in the world and held a fair amount of disdain for the other.
It was a miracle if members of these two clans didn't start fighting the moment they met; how could they possibly intermarry?
So, how could an Uchiha clansman possess the Byakugan?
He couldn't figure it out.
Then, a possibility struck him.
*Could it be that the love between this man's parents had broken through the barriers of the two clans?*
At that thought, Namikaze Minato's eyes lit up.
*Great, it's pure love!*
Uchiha Taiga's mouth twitched. Watching Namikaze Minato's expression shift several times, he gave him an odd look.
Namikaze Minato then subconsciously looked at Nagato.
Nagato stood there, still maintaining his placid demeanor.
Namikaze Minato spoke again, "And what about you? You must be from the Hyuga Main House, right?"
Because Nagato's forehead was also unobstructed and completely smooth, showing no trace of the Caged Bird curse mark.
Nagato remained unfazed. "My surname is Uzumaki."
Namikaze Minato was bewildered.
He looked at Nagato's Byakugan, then at his red hair.
*Wait, you have the Byakugan, but your surname is Uzumaki?*
*Then what's the deal with your parents?*
*Is it pure love too?*
Namikaze Minato opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say. He just stood there, looking somewhat dazed.
Uchiha Taiga stepped forward and patted his shoulder.
"Alright, you'll figure these things out later. For now, let's talk about the Nine-Tails inside you."
Namikaze Minato's eyes instantly sharpened.
His body tensed slightly, his muscles tightening as he lowered his center of gravity.
Like a blade drawn from its sheath, he was ready to strike at a moment's notice.
It was obvious that Uchiha Taiga's words had struck a nerve.
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