Chapter 259: Seven Months
Kitahara Kaede stood outside the Hokage’s Office, his hand not yet raised to knock, when familiar footsteps approached from beside him.
"Kaede? You’re back?"
Minato walked over carrying a stack of documents, his blue eyes quickly scanning Kaede from head to toe.
"When did you arrive?"
"Just now."
Kaede nodded, his expression calm.
Minato stopped in front of him and lightly waved the papers in his hand. His tone carried obvious relief.
"I just finished discussing the next stage of our plans with Kirigakure with the High Command."
He smiled.
"Come on. Let’s talk inside."
Kaede followed him into the office.
Minato walked around the desk, sat down, and casually set the documents aside.
"How are things in Amegakure?"
Kaede took the seat across from him, already reviewing his prepared explanation in his mind.
"Nagato’s eyes were indeed taken."
"I also investigated the residence of the traitor named Fu."
Minato leaned slightly forward. He clearly considered that detail important.
Kaede continued.
"There was no indentation on the pillow from anyone sleeping there. There wasn’t a trace of ash in the stove, and the kettle was empty."
"There was no evidence anywhere in the house that someone had actually lived there."
Minato’s brow furrowed.
Kaede looked at him and gave his conclusion.
"Stealing those eyes wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. This was planned far in advance."
Minato remained silent for several seconds as he processed the information.
"Anyone capable of planning that thoroughly must have an enormous objective."
Kaede followed that line of reasoning and guided his thoughts.
"If they went to such lengths to steal those eyes, then they must need them to accomplish something earth-shattering."
"The problem is that they’ve hidden themselves too deeply. We have no idea what their next move will be."
Minato’s expression became increasingly grave.
"The news Jiraiya-sensei sent back isn’t encouraging either."
Kaede immediately asked, "What did Lord Jiraiya say?"
Minato shook his head.
"The trail has gone completely cold. Their counter-surveillance methods are extraordinarily sophisticated. Even Jiraiya-sensei hasn’t found a single clue."
Kaede wasn’t surprised.
Black Zetsu had plotted from the shadows for more than a thousand years. If Jiraiya could track him down easily, the Shinobi World would have achieved peace long ago.
Kaede pretended to think for a moment before speaking again.
"If we can’t find them by taking the initiative, then we can only switch to a defensive posture."
"Konoha must closely monitor every village. The moment anything unusual happens, we need to know."
Minato nodded seriously, approving the plan.
"Agreed. I’ll instruct the Intelligence Division to strengthen surveillance in that area."
"You’ve worked hard lately. You had barely rested after coming from Kirigakure before rushing to Amegakure."
Minato’s gaze softened considerably.
"Nothing major should happen in the immediate future. Take a few days to rest and recover."
Kaede acknowledged him.
Once the matter was settled, Minato suddenly smiled. The joy in it was impossible to hide.
"By the way, I have good news."
His voice softened, carrying the tenderness of a man who had just learned he would become a father.
"Kushina is pregnant. She’s already two months along."
Kaede’s expression froze for an instant.
Two months.
That meant there were only about seven months until the expected delivery date.
And that day was the deathtrap from the original timeline—the night Obito attacked Konoha and the Nine-Tails disaster erupted.
Minato didn’t notice anything wrong and continued sharing his happiness.
"Kushina has been talking about you for a long time. She keeps asking why one mission after another has kept you so busy that she never sees you anymore."
"When you have time, come over for dinner."
Kaede suppressed the storm surging through his heart.
"Congratulations, Hokage-sama. I’ll definitely come."
They exchanged a few more casual words before Kaede rose and took his leave.
Outside the Hokage Building, the afternoon sunlight was warm and bright. The streets bustled with people, and everything appeared peaceful and tranquil.
Yet to Kaede, the scene looked like a painting on the verge of being torn apart.
Seven months.
It was a countdown.
He walked through the crowd.
Would Obito still follow the original course of events?
Kaede’s presence had already been like a stone thrown into the pond of the Shinobi World, creating far too many ripples.
Kirigakure had ended the Bloody Mist Era early, with Terumi Mei taking power.
Yahiko had survived in Amegakure, and the Akatsuki remained an organization devoted to peace.
Would these enormous changes affect Obito’s choices?
Kaede didn’t dare gamble on it.
The only thing he knew for certain was that he had to prepare for the worst in advance.
He had promised to change Minato and Kushina’s fate. He could not break that promise.
If Obito acted according to schedule, Konoha would need enough power to confront the Nine-Tails head-on.
Even if Obito ultimately did nothing, Kaede still had to guard against Black Zetsu stabbing them from the shadows through some other scheme.
Kaede suddenly stopped at the edge of the crowded street.
If he wanted to find a path out of this dead end, seize the initiative, and perhaps follow the trail back to Black Zetsu and the missing Rinnegan, there seemed to be only one answer.
Nohara Rin.
If Rin could awaken, then there was a chance to pull Obito—the greatest variable of all—back from the edge.
A living Rin would mean something entirely different to Obito.
He might no longer want to "create a world where Rin existed." The location of the Rinnegan might even be uncovered through him.
But... what if she never woke up?
Kaede frowned.
Then he would have to assume the worst and reveal some information about the "masked man" and the Sharingan to Minato ahead of time.
Everything depended on whether Rin could awaken.
And to confirm Rin’s condition, there was one person he couldn’t avoid.
Tsunade.
Kaede’s feet seemed nailed to the ground.
He looked toward Konoha Hospital in the distance.
After a month apart, had she... reached a decision?
Or had she already sentenced him in her heart and decided never to see him again?
Kaede stood beside the street for a full five minutes while the crowd flowed around him.
Reason told him that now was absolutely not a good time to see Tsunade.
He could almost imagine what would happen.
A furious scolding. A cold order to leave. Or perhaps an answer he would find even more unbearable—a complete end to their relationship.
But he had no other choice.
Compared with the catastrophe capable of overturning Konoha seven months from now, what did these romantic entanglements matter?
Kaede drew a deep breath and started walking again.
He followed the familiar hospital corridors until he stopped before that equally familiar office door.
He raised a hand, only to lower it halfway.
He repeated the motion three times.
A young nurse passing through the corridor looked at him curiously, seemed to recognize him, then quickly lowered her head and hurried away.
Kaede gave a self-mocking smile, gritted his teeth, and knocked.
Knock, knock.
Silence lasted two seconds inside.
Then Tsunade’s voice sounded.
"Come in."