Chapter 56: Mid-Autumn Festival Special
Kushina planted a light kiss on Naruto's forehead.
The touch was soft, like a flower petal landing on his cheek, but the warmth of it shot instantly from his forehead to his heart.
Naruto froze. His chopsticks clattered onto the table. His eyes were wide, and he forgot to breathe.
In all his life, no one had ever kissed his forehead like that.
As a child, when he saw other kids being hugged and kissed by their mothers, he would hide around the corner and watch, his heart filled with envy and a sour ache, always thinking, "If only I had a mom, too."
And now, that wish had come true.
He could even smell the faint scent of her hair, feel the tickle of strands brushing his cheek.
"Why the silly face?" Kushina giggled at his frozen expression, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "Don't you like Mom's reward?"
Naruto snapped out of it, his face turning beet red all the way to his ears.
He quickly looked down, fumbling to pick up his chopsticks. "N-No... I like it."
Minato, watching from across the table, teased him. "What about me? I was good today too. Don't I get a reward?"
Kushina rolled her eyes at him, but leaned over and gave him a light peck on the cheek as well.
Minato grinned like a child, raising an eyebrow at Naruto to show off. "See? Dad got one too."
Naruto watched his parents' affectionate interaction, and suddenly, his nose stung.
He buried his face in his bowl, shoveling rice into his mouth, terrified they would see. But the tears flowed uncontrollably.
"Naruto?" Minato keenly noticed his son's strange behavior. He put down his chopsticks, concerned. "Are you too tired from training?"
Kushina immediately leaned in, placing her warm hand on Naruto's forehead. "Do you have a fever? Why are your eyes so red?"
Naruto shook his head vigorously, but the tears wouldn't stop.
Finally, he dropped his bowl and chopsticks and threw himself into Kushina's arms, clinging to her waist like a lifeline.
"What's wrong?" Kushina stumbled back a half-step, quickly wrapping her arms around her suddenly emotional son.
She could feel his body trembling slightly, her apron quickly becoming soaked with tears.
"I... I..." Naruto sobbed, unable to form a complete sentence.
Minato gently patted Naruto's back, exchanging a confused look with his wife.
They had never seen their son lose control like this. Usually, even when injured in training, Naruto would just grin and say, "It's just a scratch."
"Did you have a nightmare?" Minato asked tentatively. He couldn't understand what could make his usually carefree son cry like this.
Naruto shook his head, wiped his eyes fiercely, and looked up.
"It's not a dream... right? It's really not a dream? You're really here... you won't suddenly disappear..."
Kushina's heart ached. She used the corner of her apron to wipe the tears from his face. "What silly things are you saying? Of course we're here."
"But..." Naruto clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The pain reminded him this wasn't an illusion. "I clearly remember... I remember you..."
"Remember us what?" Minato pressed sharply.
"Nothing." Naruto forced a bright smile, though a tear still hung in the corner of his eye. "I'm just... so happy."
Kushina sighed in relief, pinching his nose. "Silly boy, you scared Mom to death! Eat up. You still have training this afternoon."
Minato, however, gave Naruto a thoughtful look.
"Dad?" Naruto noticed his distraction.
"Ah, nothing." Minato snapped back to reality, smiling as he put a piece of meat in his son's bowl. "Eat more. This afternoon, Dad is going to teach you a new jutsu. Haven't you always wanted to learn that move?"
"The Spiralling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style: Jiraiya Twin Form Sphere."
"Idiot!" Kushina bonked Minato on the head. "It's the Rasengan! Who can remember a name that long?"
Minato shrank back from the blow but didn't look annoyed. Instead, he winked at Naruto.
"Hey, 'Rasengan' is so plain. Look at 'Spiralling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style: Jiraiya Twin Form Sphere'! It combines my inspiration, the time of creation, and Sensei's name. Isn't it resounding and beautiful?"
Just as he was proudly recounting the story of naming the jutsu, he caught a glimpse of his wife's expression and instantly shut his mouth.
Sheepishly, he said, "Uh... fine. Let's just call it the Rasengan. Simple. Clear."
He stole a glance at Kushina.
Kushina stood with her hands on her hips, her red hair floating ominously without any wind. "Minato Namikaze! If you dare fill our son's head with your messy naming sense again, you're sleeping on the couch tonight!"
"Yes, ma'am! You are absolutely right!" Minato immediately sat up straight, giving an exaggerated salute. Then he couldn't help but whisper, "But seriously, Jiraiya-sensei really liked that name back then..."
Afternoon, Training Ground.
"Naruto, watch closely. This is the Rasengan."
A swirling ball of blue chakra formed in Minato Namikaze's hand.
"The key to the Rasengan is the compression and rotation of chakra. You have to create a stable cyclone in your palm. Don't let it dissipate, but don't let it lose control and backfire on you."
The blue sphere spun faster and faster, emitting a low hum. The grass around them swayed in the airflow.
He gently pushed the chakra ball into a nearby tree. CRACK! With a loud bang, a massive hole was blasted into the trunk, wood chips flying everywhere. The tree snapped in half.
"Whoa—!" Naruto's eyes bulged. "That's so cool, Dad!"
Minato dispelled the jutsu, smiling as he ruffled Naruto's hair. "Want to learn? Let's start with the basics."
He crouched down, opening his palm. "Step one: Gather chakra in your palm."
Naruto immediately mimicked him, extending his hand. But only a few weak wisps of chakra appeared, flickering like a candle in the wind, looking like they would vanish at any moment.
He gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his temples, but the chakra wouldn't obey.
"Don't rush." Minato's large, warm hand covered Naruto's small one. "Feel the flow of chakra. Like this—"
A gentle stream of chakra passed from his palm to Naruto's. Naruto was surprised to find his father's energy was so compatible with his own.
He clearly felt that his father's chakra wasn't just warm; it had a strange guiding force.
Naruto had never heard of someone's chakra being able to guide another's movement.
It didn't forcefully control his chakra. Instead, like a pair of gentle hands, it softly cradled the "disobedient" energy, slowly guiding it to gather in the center of his palm.
Under this guidance, the unsteady chakra gradually stabilized, slowly forming a small, hazy ball of light in his palm.
Naruto's eyes widened in delight. He breathed shallowly, afraid to break the hard-won stability. "Dad, it's not shaking anymore!"