Naruto: Imitation Ninja

"..."

Xing Liu stood frozen, staring dumbfounded at the woman before him, who was spouting words like a runaway train.

Could this really be something a woman would say aloud?

Then what did that make Xiao-chan, the bashful girl currently burying her flushed face into his chest? A completely different kind of adorable creature?

"You shouldn't feel shy about discussing these topics!" Kushina said nonchalantly. "As someone who's been through it, I'm just passing on some advice from an experienced senior to you youngsters."

"Stop!" Xing Liu quickly interrupted her before she could say anything even more shocking. If she kept going, he feared the little CPU in Xiao-chan's brain would overheat and crash from processing too much information.

"Big Sis, can't you act a little more ladylike?" he asked, exasperated.

"I still don't understand what my brother saw in a 'spicy pepper' like you back in the day..."

But once a woman turned into a "driver" behind the metaphorical wheel, there was no stopping the car.

For years, Xing Liu had thought of himself as someone with full marks in theory, even if his practical skills were lacking. Yet after encountering Kushina, he realized that no amount of theoretical knowledge could compare to the experience of a battle-hardened "veteran driver."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Kushina pouted, offended by Xing Liu's sudden "personal attack."

"Your brother obviously liked me for my personality! If he didn't, do you think little Naruto would've come along so quickly with his wooden demeanor?"

She wasn't wrong. Initially, Kushina had been sent to Konoha solely to serve as a vessel for the Nine-Tails.

But when an unyielding "spicy pepper" met the "Yellow Flash," hailed as a genius, sparks flew.

It was like the plot of a classic romance drama: a hardworking underdog crosses paths with an equally hardworking prodigy.

After all, Minato's repeated heroic rescues had gradually led to the beautiful love story they now shared.

"Alright, alright. Let's set aside your love story with my brother for now."

"Actually, there's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while. And depending on your answer, I might decide whether or not to punish you both."

This "you" clearly referred to both Kushina and Minato, who was busy working hard in the Hokage's office. If Xing Liu didn't get to the bottom of this matter, he doubted he'd get a peaceful night's sleep.

In truth, Kushina had stayed behind earlier precisely because of this. She had guessed that Xing Liu would bring it up after his stroll through the marketplace.

"I know you want to ask why we've been portraying you as a secret hero," Kushina began, her expression uncharacteristically serious. "But in this turbulent ninja world, having a deified guardian often helps stabilize the restless hearts of the villagers, doesn't it?"

"Besides, it's not like we've been lying."

"Subduing the Nine-Tails, repelling the Akatsuki members, defeating Orochimaru, and most recently, aiding Sunagakure... Aren't all of these your achievements?"

"So don't go accusing us of crafting some false image of you as a hero. This is the recognition you deserve!"

"After all, a hero who's done so much shouldn't just fade into obscurity."

By the time she finished, her serious demeanor had melted away, replaced by her usual playful grin.

"Of course, that's just the official reason."

"The real reason is that Minato's been too busy to come home lately. Meanwhile, you've been lounging around at home with a wife on your left and laziness on your right. It's simply unfair!"

"So Minato and I thought about it and decided it's better to give you something to do. That way, not only can we lighten Minato's burden a little, but we can also give you, this slacker, a chance to redeem yourself."

"See? Your big brother and sister-in-law are so good to you!"

"#%... @#￥!%... ￥#" Xing Liu sputtered incoherently, venting his frustration before finally sighing in resignation.

"Having you two as my brother and sister-in-law is the only mistake I've made in this life..."

When he first transmigrated into this world and met Minato, Xing Liu had thought he could ride his coattails and live the life of a carefree slacker.

But as it turned out, while he had indeed grabbed hold of a "thigh," it wasn't clear who was leaning on whom.

From saving Minato and Kushina during Obito's attack on Konoha to orchestrating various strategies against the Akatsuki, Xing Liu's contributions clearly outweighed whatever benefits he might have received from Minato.

"Aw, don't be like that!" Kushina teased, patting him on the shoulder with a grin.

"You and Minato are sworn brothers, aren't you? Helping each other out is only natural!"

"And we did help you marry such an adorable little wife, didn't we?"

"I won't deny that you two played a part in that," Xing Liu admitted. "But could you at least give me a heads-up before making decisions like this? Also, who came up with the title 'Shadow Hero'?"

Before marrying Xiao-chan, Xing Liu had faced firm opposition from her father. At the time, Xing Liu had little to his name apart from his initial act of saving the Fourth Hokage.

Years of idling around the village as a slacker had overshadowed his reputation as a hero.

And what father would willingly marry off his beloved daughter to a known good-for-nothing?

If such a father existed, he probably held a grudge against his daughter.

"It took us a lot of effort to convince that stubborn old man," Kushina recalled. "If not for Minato's status as Hokage, I'm sure he would've thrown us out during our first visit!"

Kushina still felt a bit wronged by the memory. Getting kicked out of someone's house was something she hadn't experienced since childhood.

"If it weren't for that rascal Xing Liu's marriage, I wouldn't have had to suffer like that!"

"By the way, Xing Liu, don't forget you still owe Minato and me a favor," Kushina said, her tone turning sly.

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