Chapter 50 - Warm shower

The Land of Fire's capital is separated into three sections: The outer section, with all sorts of things such as shops, civilians houses, warehouses... The internal section where the majority of nobles live, and the core section where is situated the Daimyo Palace.

From the ex-Minato memories, our protagonist learned a lot of secrets of the Land of Fire, including the whole layout of the capital. Unfortunately for the hopeful genins, they were not here to visit but to restock their convoy with the resources in one of the warehouse, with the Hokage having already bought and stock them here, knowing that having merchants come to Konoha will be more and more complicated the more extended the war becomes, and it was better to have multiple supplies base to spread the danger of ambush so decreasing it. The Daimyo, of course, helped too, after all, if he didn't help in times of war against other countries, he would have not lasted long on his throne. Even if Konoha doesn't dare to go against their master, if said master takes too many liberties, who knows what can happen.

Arriving in a warehouse and restocking the carriage of supplies, they departed directly to make another journey to the Land of River, decreasing a bit the good mood that they were in at seeing such a luxurious city. They would have at least love to eat in a restaurant and take a warm shower, but the Chunin in charge knew that doing that would be equivalent to insubordination. Their job was to bring the supplies at the fastest possible speed. If it was a normal mission, he could have done it, but in time of war, he didn't dare to do anything out of place.

Speaking of the city, nothing noteworthy happened in the capital. Despite being self-centered, this world's nobles weren't dumb enough to antagonize the main force of their country for nothing. Here young masters don't go out of their homes to bully people. Why would they do that if they already have everything they want home?

The whole journey to resupply another camp went without a hitch with their hidden stalker taking care of the ambushes, and with said ambushes being pretty weak for the time being, with only some chunin cannon fodder. All the villages have yet to reveal their hidden cards, like the hidden like a mole ambush team of Iwa that Minato knew of from the memories of the third world war or... Konoha and Suna don't have a special type of ambush team.

Finally, after around a month of harsh travel, their small group came back to Konoha, in the middle of the afternoon.

"Ok guys, I will report to Hokage-sama so you can all go back for the time being, you will be summoned again when you're needed" Exclaimed Chisato, dismissing the tired genin.

Hearing that, they cheered, happy to finally go back home and take a nice warm bath, while not having to look at their back each time they heard a sound anymore.

Minato went back home first, not bothered to bide goodbye to the other and took a much needed refreshing warm hot shower, displeased that he had to stink when there was no river nearby. The other genins didn't complain though. They didn't even notice him, too busy to run back to their homes to do the same.

On the way back home, he remarked briefly that this time, nobody followed him. It probably means that the higher-ups don't have the time and manpower to do it anymore, with Danzo and Hiruzen surely coming into an agreement because of the real war being near, with the battlefields slowly converging to Amegakure. If not, he was sure that this untrusting man will never leave him without surveillance.

Exiting the shower, he sighed in content 'I miss my spaceship, I could have all the luxury of the world even when traveling everywhere' Just thinking that he would have to pass years of his life filthily because of the lack of technology darkened his expression. But at least, it seems that for his next travel outside, there will be no more stalkers, and he will finally have the time to have some much-needed instinct training in dangerous battles.

Seeing that he finally realized she was here, she turned her head to the side while pouting, hmphing (Not R-18) to express her dissatisfaction at the fact the first thing he did was not to come and greet her.

'Women sure are complicated. If I went to see her while stinking, she would have complained too. Sigh...' Giving up of making any excuses, knowing it will be too bothersome to even argue, he just went to give her a hug "I'm home"

Kushina tried to squirm out of his embrace, but she gave up after some time. Blushing, she replied "Welcome back"

Looking at her like that, he found it hard to believe that this was Kushina, the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero that the lucky-but-unlucky-to-have-met-him Minato was going to marry. She was more like a cute little tomato 'I will have to cultivate this tomato to not become a violent chili pepper with me'

He took her to his small couch (Only traditional household don't have them) and asked her "So, what happened during the time I was away?"

Hearing that, she lost her shyness and came back to her bubbly personality, describing all the good things she, Mikoto and Tsume had done. From training to pranks, she explained all of them to him in great detail with a lot of exaggerations.

Minato was listening with rapt attention. If it was anyone else speaking of those feats, he would have found them boring and doze off, but when it came to people he likes, even those meaningless conversation entertained him. 'Is it the power of youth...love?'

The two of them were lost in their own world, and like that, time passed and the night began to fall.

Seeing the luminosity of the room dimming, Kushina looked outside to see it was already night and panicked internally 'Crap! I talked too much and it's already night. If Mikoto and Tsume find that I hogged Minato for myself the day of his return, it would become messy' Sweating a bit, she looked at Minato with a begging expression, clearly asking for his help on this matter. She does not fear the bullies at the academy, but the thought of seeing an enraged Mikoto made her shiver. Kind people are always terrifying when enraged.