"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"Jiraiya sped through the forest at an incredible pace, the sound of air splitting echoing in his wake. Like a wild horse unchained, only a dark blur could be seen flashing by.
Lin Feng was slung over Jiraiya's shoulder. His head was spinning, his vision darkening. Slowly, his consciousness faded, and he sank into darkness and chaos.
When Lin Feng finally woke up, he found himself lying on a hospital bed. Not far from the bed sat an exceptionally beautiful woman.
"Is that... Kushina Uzumaki?" Lin Feng stared in surprise at the woman's signature long, fiery red hair, guessing her identity in his mind.
"You're awake. Feeling any better?" The woman, with sharp instincts, stood up immediately and quickly walked over to the bed, her voice full of concern.
"She's so beautiful." Lin Feng felt his mind go blank, his mouth dry.
She was a rare beauty—delicate features, elegant brows, phoenix-like eyes, and a gaze that sparkled like the stars in the sky. Her skin was flawless, fair as jade, soft as water, and looked like it could be pinched to squeeze out droplets. Her figure was nearly perfect—no more, no less than ideal. On top of that, she had the commanding presence of a strong shinobi, making her all the more striking.
Kushina Uzumaki—what a stunning woman.
"What's wrong?" Kushina noticed Lin Feng staring blankly at her and tilted her head in slight confusion.
If it had been an adult looking at her like that, she would've punched him without hesitation. But Lin Feng appeared to be just a seven or eight-year-old child, so she couldn't bring herself to get angry.
"Big sister, you're really beautiful," Lin Feng composed himself and said sincerely.
"You little charmer," Kushina laughed happily and reached out her white, delicate hand to gently pinch Lin Feng's cheek.
"I'm not trying to flatter you! You really are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Lin Feng said honestly, his heart fluttering slightly.
"Haha! Alright, alright, I get it—you're just stating facts," Kushina chuckled, unable to stop herself from smiling.
After all, no woman dislikes being told she's beautiful.
"Big sister, who are you? And where am I?" Lin Feng, although fully aware he was in Konoha's hospital, feigned ignorance, looking around with a dazed expression.
It was a private medical room, and he was the only patient. Besides Kushina, he hadn't seen a single doctor or nurse.
"Konoha may be peaceful, but it still treats strangers with caution," Lin Feng thought to himself.
"Little one, my name is Kushina Uzumaki. You're in the hospital of the Hidden Leaf Village," Kushina said slowly, her beautiful eyes fixed on him.
"Uzumaki… Kushina?" Lin Feng repeated.
"Yes. Uzumaki… Kushina," she emphasized her family name as she spoke.
She watched Lin Feng carefully, trying to read something from his expression.
The boy Jiraiya brought back three days ago had striking red hair—a clear trademark of the Uzumaki clan. Naturally, Kushina was very interested.
But to her disappointment, Lin Feng showed no particular reaction, as if the Uzumaki name meant nothing to him.
"Big sister, what's wrong?" Lin Feng noticed her reddened eyes and the sorrow on her face.
"I'm fine. Thank you," Kushina quickly adjusted her emotions.
Though more than ten years had passed, she still couldn't forget that horrific night. Her parents and siblings had all been massacred. Only because she had been playing outside the village did she survive.
Even though she had found nearly perfect love with Minato Namikaze, she could never truly let go of that night.
"Little one, what's your name?" Kushina asked after calming down.
"I… I'm Lin Feng," he said after a moment of hesitation, eventually giving his real name.
"Lin Feng?" Kushina frowned. Clearly, the surname puzzled her.
Just then, the door to the room opened. A young man around twenty years old walked in—sunny, handsome, and exuding a calm warmth. At the same time, he carried the quiet authority of someone truly powerful.
"The Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze!" Lin Feng immediately recognized him.
In today's Konoha, only the legendary "Yellow Flash" could possess both such a presence and striking blond hair.
"Kushina." Minato walked over to her and gently patted her shoulder.
"I'm okay, Minato," she smiled at him. "His name is Lin Feng." She pointed at the boy.
"Lin Feng? What a strange name," Minato frowned. As Hokage, he had vast knowledge and experience, but even he had never heard of such a surname.
"Big sis Kushina, who is this big brother? He's really handsome!" Lin Feng tugged on Kushina's hand and whispered. Of course, he already knew Minato's identity, but he had to play dumb—otherwise, they might treat him as a spy.
"Lin Feng, this is the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village," Kushina said proudly. "And also—my husband."
"Huh?! Big brother is the Hokage?" Lin Feng feigned surprise.
His acting was clumsy and wouldn't fool any adult normally—but as a child, he had a clear advantage. Neither Minato nor Kushina would suspect a seven-year-old boy of lying.
"Nice to meet you, Lin Feng," Minato said warmly, without a trace of arrogance.
"Big brother—oh no, I mean, Lord Hokage…" Lin Feng stammered, visibly overwhelmed. After all, this was his idol speaking to him so gently.
"Just call me big brother," Minato smiled. "You still need plenty of rest, so we won't keep you."
He gave Kushina a look, and the two quietly left the room.
"Kushina, any clue about his identity?" Minato asked once they were out.
"He doesn't seem to have any memory of the Uzumaki clan," she replied, shaking her head. "And his surname suggests no connection either."
"Not necessarily," Jiraiya's voice came from the corridor as he approached. "I used Sage Mode to examine the kid. There's an incredibly strong life force hidden within him—stronger even than Kushina's. With that, plus his red hair, he has to be a surviving member of the Uzumaki clan."
"But…" Kushina still looked doubtful.
"Maybe he has amnesia," Minato suggested suddenly.
"Amnesia?" Jiraiya's eyes lit up. "That's possible. Minato, go bring Inoichi Yamanaka here. If anyone can uncover the kid's memories, it's him."
"Got it," Minato nodded.
"Whoosh!"In a flash of golden light, he vanished like a ghost.
"Minato's Flying Thunder God technique is getting more and more impressive. I can't even compare anymore," Jiraiya said, clearly proud. Watching his student grow like this filled him with satisfaction.
"Flying Thunder God… Uzumaki sealing techniques… I have to learn them all," Lin Feng thought to himself, lying in bed, mind racing.
He looked forward to his future—but also feared it.
Still recovering from his injuries, Lin Feng soon drifted off into sleep once more.
"Let's go in."Minato jumped down from a window and spoke to Inoichi Yamanaka.
"Lord Hokage, who is this child that requires such precautions?" Inoichi asked, puzzled.
"He may be a survivor of the Uzumaki clan," Minato replied quietly.
"A member of the Uzumaki?" Inoichi's eyes widened, then he nodded in understanding. "They're born with massive chakra reserves and incredible life force—ideal candidates for becoming Jinchuriki. No wonder…"
"Ahem." Minato coughed lightly.
"My apologies, Lord Hokage," Inoichi immediately fell silent.
They pushed open the door and entered.
"Genjutsu: Sleep." Minato formed a hand sign and spoke softly.
"I'll leave the rest to you," he said with a nod to Inoichi.
"Understood." Inoichi placed his right hand gently on Lin Feng's forehead and closed his eyes, sending his powerful spiritual energy into Lin Feng's mind.
The Yamanaka clan specialized not only in mind control but also in reading thoughts and retrieving memories.
Minato had called Inoichi to uncover Lin Feng's past. Konoha was powerful and tolerant—but never naive enough to shelter someone of unknown origin.
After all, even a seven-year-old could be a trained spy.
"Ninja Art: Mind Reading Technique." Inoichi murmured.
In an instant, he entered a vast mental world.
"What is this?" Inoichi gasped in shock.
A boundless sea of consciousness stretched before him, waves roaring like thunder. In the midst of an endless starry sky, a blood-red moon hung high, radiating an eerie glow.
On that crimson moon were three concentric black rings. Each ring bore three tomoe, arranged just like the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.