Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 465 No, you are not Minato

"You...you really are Minato?"

If Minato hadn't warned her beforehand, Shinobu would have turned around long ago. She simply couldn't believe that the man behind her, who exuded an unfamiliar aura in his scent, temperature, and entire body, was Minato.

"Kishina, it's me, Minato!"

Li Yao had now returned to his original body and voice.

An unfamiliar voice.

Li Yao instantly sensed Xin Jiunai's suspicion, so he quickly reassured her with a low laugh, saying, "How about it, Xin Jiunai? Isn't my perfect transformation technique amazing?"

"Amazing!" Shinji Nai exclaimed sincerely. Even though she didn't turn around, she knew that Minato behind her had become a complete stranger.

It's even... too real!

Even though it was real, Kushina was still a little scared and couldn't help but ask again, "You... um... are you really Minato...?"

"Of course, if I'm not Minato, then who is?"

Li Yao answered without hesitation.

"Really?" Shinjiro asked again, her body trembling.

Li Yao's eyes flashed, and he said, "You hope I'm not?"

"Ah...no." Shinobu quickly denied it, but her body tensed up even more.

Hehe... Li Yao laughed. He didn't expect Xin Jiunai to have such a perverted side. No wonder she's called Scarlet Pepper, she really knows how to play.

Minato, that good-natured guy, is good at flirting, but he becomes a bit inflexible after he's done flirting.

Perfect, let this pervert join Shinji Nai in becoming a pervert.

But there's no rush. Let's wait a while until Shinjiro gets used to it before coming.

Ten minutes later.

After sensing that Shin Kyuna had completely gotten used to his presence, Li Yao adjusted his facial features, then breathed on Shin Kyuna's back and said, "Shin Kyuna, you can turn around and look at me now."

Xin Jiunai, who was tickled by Li Yaoha's words, turned around nervously upon hearing them.

"Um...who are you?"

The moment Xin Jiunai saw Li Yao's altered appearance and figure, even though she was somewhat prepared, her pupils contracted and she immediately screamed softly.

This feeling of unfamiliarity!

This chakra!

Whether it's the appearance you see or the chakra you sense.

Everything was telling Shinobu that this was a different person, not Minato at all.

However, Shinjiro did not shout or make a move.

Actually, when Li Yao reverted to his true form, Xin Jiuna didn't turn around immediately, but she had already decided in her heart that the person behind her was Minato.

Seeing Li Yao's appearance, Xin Jiuna was shocked, but because she subconsciously believed that it was Minato in disguise, she quickly accepted it despite her shock.

If it were a normal person like Shinjiro, she would definitely have noticed the abnormality.

After all, Li Yao's behavior and actions differed from Minato's.

Having lived under surveillance since arriving in Konoha for so many years, even with Minato, the little sun, by her side, Kushina still harbors a great deal of negative emotions.

Now, fueled by this tension and excitement, Xin Jiunai's pent-up negative emotions, which had been suppressed for many years, suddenly erupted.

As a result, Xin Jiunai lost her usual calm judgment.

"Madam, it's me, Minato!"

Li Yao laughed heartily, pretending... oh no, no need to pretend, he was laughing with unbridled smugness.

But in Kushina's eyes, it was Minato cooperating with her.

Shin-Kyuna became even more immersed in the role.

"Impossible, you're not Minato!"

"Tell me, who exactly are you?"

Xin Jiunai stared at Li Yao with wide eyes and a cold look on her face, as if she was about to start a killing spree at the slightest provocation.

Shinjiro does look quite intimidating now.

All I can say is that the acting was quite convincing.

Li Yao smiled, sensing Xin Jiuna's unprecedented nervousness.

This is really... great.

"I really want to just say I'm not Minato!"

Seeing Shinjiro fully immersed in her role, Li Yao felt a little impulsive, but he knew he couldn't. Facing the transformed Minato was already Shinjiro's biggest concession.

So… Li Yao raised his hand, feigning ferocity, and said menacingly, “Madam, you actually don’t believe I’m Shuimen, that’s really disheartening.”

"No." Kushina denied instinctively, then added fiercely, "No, you're not Minato, Minato..."

Snapped!

With a sharp crack, Li Yao struck Xin Jiunai on the shoulder, leaving a red mark, which made Xin Jiunai look at him with a resentful expression.

Li Yao chuckled, raised his hand again, and said, "My lady is naughty, so I'll have to spank her."

"I'll hit you back." Shinji Nai raised her hand without backing down.

"Then let's come on, and see who can beat whom," Li Yao said with a smile.

In an instant, Li Yao and Xin Jiunai were having a great time playing a little game of trust between husband and wife.

However, just as the two were having a great time...

In a valley in the southeastern part of the Land of Earth, Minato's squad was resting behind a boulder.

"I'm sorry, Captain Minato, you've only been married a short time and I'm already sending you on a mission."

The adult ninja sitting opposite Minato was a few years older than him, but he treated Minato with great respect and spoke to him politely.

"It's alright, the mission is important, Shinobu won't blame me."

When his wife, Shinjiro, was mentioned, Minato's face immediately lit up with a happy smile.

A month ago, he and Xin Jiunai got married in a low-key ceremony, and from then on they were a family.

Although the two rarely see each other due to the current war, as long as he thinks of Shinjiro waiting for him at home, Minato feels that no matter how hard or tiring the missions he does outside are, it doesn't matter.

For Shinjiro's future happiness.

For the sake of Konoha's peaceful and prosperous life.

I must do my best to complete the mission and end this war as soon as possible.

Minato thought to himself.

"I haven't congratulated you on your marriage yet, Captain."

The adult ninja opposite him stood up, took out a kunai, and handed it to Minato, saying, "I don't have much of a gift, so I'll give this lucky kunai that has always been with me to Captain Minato as a wedding gift. I hope that the captain will always be blessed with good fortune."

"This is Imai's lucky kunai, I can't accept it." Minato declined. The kunai had the word "lucky" engraved on it and was a gift from Imai's wife.

(End of this chapter)