Kushina Uzumaki

No one had expected the fall of the Land of Whirlpools to drive Konoha so mad.

They had actually gone to war with the other four great nations at the same time—and were still crushing them.

It had to be said, Konoha during this period was truly powerful!

With the four borders tying them down, Danzo spent roughly a month before finally wiping out the allied forces of the four great ninja villages that had invaded deep into the Land of Whirlpools.

They were called a ninja alliance, but in truth, they were merely pursuing their own agendas. Every ninja village wanted the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Technique.

Otherwise, Danzo would not have been able to wipe them out in one fell swoop. At the very least, a considerable number of them should have escaped.

After eliminating those allied forces, Danzo returned to Konoha with the Land of Whirlpools' treasures and the only surviving little girl from the country.

A few days after Danzo returned to the village.

"Hey, Minato, did you hear? I heard we have a transfer student today," Soji said mysteriously to Minato Namikaze.

"I did hear about it, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Minato Namikaze was curious about Soji's question. She was just a transfer student. Did Soji really need to make such a big deal out of it?

"Hehe, then do you know whether it's a boy or a girl?" Soji ignored Minato's question and continued asking.

"I heard someone saw Teacher Kimura leading a little girl around. She should be a girl," Minato Namikaze replied, still looking perfectly calm.

Hmph, just keep acting like that. Once you see what she looks like, I refuse to believe you won't be captivated, Soji thought gleefully.

As far as Soji remembered from the original story, Minato had fallen in love with her at first sight. That was why he wanted to set a trap for Minato now!

"Minato, don't you think you should take the initiative to befriend the new transfer student and help her get familiar with the school?"

The first step of his little scheme had already been laid.

"Mm, I suppose so." For Minato, getting along with every classmate was simply something he had to do.

"Hey, Soji, why are you so interested in this today? Aren't you normally only interested in training?" Uchiha Homura happened to be nearby, so he came over and asked as well.

Over the past month, Uchiha Homura's Sharingan had become known to his clan. He had apparently been permitted to learn more Fire Style Ninjutsu and genjutsu because of it.

Of course, he had challenged Soji again, but every challenge had ended in failure.

His genjutsu could not affect Soji's Byakugan at all, while his Fire Style Ninjutsu could not even touch him.

Besides Soji, Uchiha Homura had also challenged Minato Namikaze, but that had likewise ended in a crushing defeat.

Unlike Soji, Minato Namikaze was more adept at using the basic Three Body Technique and its advanced forms. He was also better than Soji at handling ninja tools, his movements more refined and precise.

Soji's advantages over Minato Namikaze lay in his raw speed and strength, as well as his perception after activating the Byakugan and his Gentle Fist taijutsu. That was why his matches against Minato had always been evenly matched.

"You sure talk a lot. What do you mean I'm only interested in training? You make me sound like some training maniac." Soji really wanted to kick away Uchiha Homura, who had suddenly butted in.

Ever since Soji had met Minato, he had never gotten much of an advantage over him. Now that he had finally found a chance to set a trap, that brat Uchiha Homura had come along to ruin it.

Looking at the bandages wrapped all over Homura's body, Soji considered whether he should give him a chance to get a few more.

After Soji said that, the friends who usually skipped class with him all looked at him as if to say, Aren't you, though?

"Uh."

Seeing their reaction, Soji could not help but reflect. Was he really such a boring person?

The answer seemed to be yes.

It looked like he could not keep going like this. He needed to change the bad impression his friends had of him.

Just as they wanted to continue talking, the class bell rang, and Teacher Kimura stepped into the classroom.

"Students, we have a transfer student joining our class today. I hope everyone will take good care of her from now on," Teacher Kimura said after looking around and seeing that everyone was present.

As soon as Teacher Kimura finished speaking, Soji glanced at Minato with an excited look.

Hey, stop staring. I can see you.

Minato really wanted to say that, but class had started, so he decided it was best not to make noise. He also had no idea why Soji had suddenly started acting so strangely today.

"Kushina Uzumaki, come in quickly." Teacher Kimura smiled and gestured toward the classroom door.

A cascade of long fiery-red hair first entered everyone's sight, followed by a little girl timidly walking up to the front of the classroom.

Her delicate face was round, with a touch of natural baby fat. Her bright, watery eyes seemed able to speak, beneath them was a pert little nose, and the most unforgettable thing about her was her blazing red hair. Once seen, it was impossible to forget.

In summary, she was a very pretty, delicate, and adorable little girl.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Kushina Uzumaki. Please take care of me from now on." After saying that, she bowed to the students below the podium.

"Uzumaki, what's your dream?" Some mischievous student began asking Kushina Uzumaki personal questions.

After hesitating for a while, Kushina Uzumaki neither wanted to be looked down upon nor wanted to leave an ordinary impression on her classmates. She shouted, "I'm going to become the first female Hokage!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Kushina Uzumaki became embarrassed and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Hahaha!"

The entire classroom erupted in laughter.

Perhaps most of the students thought Kushina Uzumaki was bragging.

After all, if they remembered correctly, on the first day of school, more than one student had said they wanted to become Hokage when talking about their dreams.

Becoming Hokage could be called the greatest dream of many ninja.

But a dream was a dream precisely because it was too far away from ordinary people.

Hearing the room full of laughter, Kushina Uzumaki puffed out her cheeks in anger.

Just wait. Once she became Hokage, she would make every classmate who had laughed at her obediently say, "I was wrong!"

Soji did not laugh at Kushina Uzumaki. But in Soji's opinion, she should choose another dream. Being the Hokage's woman suited her better than being Hokage herself.

When Soji looked at Minato Namikaze beside him again, Minato was staring blankly at Kushina Uzumaki, a foolish smile on his face.

There was no need to keep looking. Soji was certain that Minato had already been captivated by Kushina Uzumaki at that moment and had completely fallen for her.

Even after Soji had stared at him for so long, Minato showed no reaction whatsoever.

Soji knew it. Minato's casual attitude earlier had been an act. The moment he actually saw Kushina Uzumaki, he would be unable to move.

Love is like a tornado. Even at such a young age, his heart has already begun to stir. Once love comes, nothing can stop it! Soji thought with amusement.

After the introductions, Teacher Kimura began the day's normal lessons.

Yet during class, Minato still stole glances at Kushina Uzumaki from time to time.

The dismissal bell rang.

"Minato, shouldn't you go make friends with Uzumaki and show her around the school?" Soji said teasingly.

"Huh? Soji, what did you say?" Minato, who had been watching Kushina Uzumaki for a long time, was jolted awake by Soji's words.

Perhaps he had been staring too intently, because he had not even heard what Soji, his desk mate, had said.

Soji's face darkened.

Come on, was this really necessary? This was textbook choosing girls over friends.

He was actually ignoring his desk mate and friend for a girl he had only met for the first time today.

Soji truly wanted to grab Minato by the shoulders and shake him awake, asking him who he really was and where he had hidden the real Minato.

"I said, shouldn't you go make friends with her and show her around the different parts of the school?" Soji practically enunciated every word.

After hearing Soji's words, Minato hesitated instead.

If she had been an ordinary transfer student, Minato would definitely have volunteered. But when it came to a girl he liked, he instead shrank back.

This was a problem that existed everywhere. When facing someone they liked, many people tended to act cautiously.

They were afraid that some action of theirs might make the other person dislike them, or even cause them to be rejected.

The same held true for ninja.

Except for those with especially thick skin.

Clearly, Minato's skin was still rather thin.

Just as Minato was still struggling, he heard a burst of discussion from the students nearby.

"Look, her hair is completely red."

"Yeah, yeah, it looks so strange."

"I heard from my family that she seems to be the only survivor of the Uzumaki Clan."

"Red hair, round face... doesn't she look like a tomato?"

"Haha, now that you mention it, she really does."

"Tomato! Tomato! Hahaha!"

The students nearby immediately started egging each other on and laughing loudly.

Kushina Uzumaki grabbed the hair hanging down on both sides of her face and lowered her head.

"Hmph, what's the big deal? Tomato it is," Kushina Uzumaki muttered.

Back in the Land of Whirlpools, everyone had belonged to the Uzumaki Clan and had red hair, so Kushina Uzumaki had never felt anything unusual about it.

But ever since coming to Konoha, her red hair had drawn a great deal of attention. That fiery color made it difficult for people to ignore its owner.

After hearing the students give Kushina Uzumaki the nickname "Tomato," Minato's eyes narrowed unconsciously.

It seemed it was time to find an opportunity to have a proper talk with these classmates.

Soji had no comment on that.

Actually, in Soji's view, the students who had given Kushina Uzumaki a nickname did not necessarily truly dislike her. Perhaps it was because... they liked her?

Based on memories from his previous life, Soji remembered that when he was in middle and high school, many mischievous boys in his class had always liked teasing the girls.

Pulling their hair or giving them nicknames, it was all just to get the attention of girls they liked.

Even when they were chased around and beaten, they enjoyed it, all for the chance to openly speak with them.

Therefore, Soji felt that many of his classmates were probably mocking and teasing Kushina Uzumaki because they had a crush on her.

Everyone had their own little thoughts. As long as I don't say them aloud, none of you will know.

After all, even from Soji's perspective, with Kushina Uzumaki's looks, she might not grow up to be a beauty capable of toppling nations, but she would definitely become a great beauty.

There was no reason a girl who was so adorable as a child and destined to become such a beauty would be bullied by so many classmates on her very first day.

Yet throughout the entire day, Minato never found the courage to go talk to her.

And Kushina Uzumaki was teased with the nickname "Tomato" all day long.

Minato had already decided that after school, he would go have a proper talk about life with every classmate who had mocked Kushina Uzumaki today.

Just like that, the day quickly passed, and it was time for school to end in the afternoon.

Soji, Minato, and Uchiha Homura walked out of the school gates together.

Just as they were about to go their separate ways and head home, with Minato planning to arrange meetings with the other students, they suddenly saw a flash of fiery red following a group of little boys into a narrow alley.

The three exchanged looks, then decisively followed that figure in secret.

After turning through several alleys, Soji and the other two saw something that left them dumbfounded. That red-haired figure, Kushina Uzumaki, had actually given every student who had mocked her at school today a vicious beating.

And when Kushina Uzumaki beat people up, she only hit their faces!

In the end, Soji and the other two saw students lying all over the ground with bruised and swollen faces, while Kushina Uzumaki dusted off her hands and left in a cheerful mood.

Soji and the other two hid and did not dare show themselves. They were afraid Kushina Uzumaki would silence them by beating up all three of them along with those boys.

It was not that they could not defeat Kushina Uzumaki. The three of them simply had their own reasons.

For Soji, Kushina Uzumaki was Minato Namikaze's future wife. As the saying went, a friend's wife was not to be trifled with, so he certainly could not make a move.

For Minato, he liked Kushina Uzumaki, so he certainly would not make a move either.

As for Uchiha Homura, he was a proud member of the Uchiha Clan. How could he casually fight a woman?

Besides, after seeing Kushina Uzumaki cleanly and efficiently take down those students, he was not confident he could defeat her anyway...

Winning would bring no glory, while losing would be humiliating...