Uzumaki Mito's Curiosity

"Ah... it hurts, it hurts so much!"

This was a completely one-sided battle.

Although Uzumaki Kushina was very strong, with monstrous strength capable of swinging children her own age around and smashing them into the ground, and could even defeat a full-fledged Genin when enraged—

She was still far too inexperienced before Gojo Yoru.

She had brute strength but no technique whatsoever. Her attacks came straight at him, as though she were telling her opponent exactly what she planned to do next.

Gojo Yoru did not even need to overwhelm her with speed or rely on his reactions to dodge. He merely used deflection techniques to redirect her force, blocking all of Uzumaki Kushina's attacks before mercilessly giving the round-faced girl a thorough beating.

Before long, Uzumaki Kushina, whose face bore a few bruises but had lost none of its cuteness, was sprawled on the ground, sucking in cold breaths frantically.

"You're so weak. Didn't you say you were good at fighting?" Gojo Yoru mocked from above, though a faint smile hung on his face as if even he had not noticed it.

"Hmph, don't get too cocky. I was just careless earlier." Uzumaki Kushina covered her bruised little face and shouted indignantly.

"I hope your body is as tough as your mouth."

Gojo Yoru sneered, then crouched in front of Uzumaki Kushina and said firmly, "Move your hand."

"W-What are you going to do?"

Under the girl's wide-eyed, blushing gaze, as though she were letting her imagination run wild, Gojo Yoru stretched out his hand. A cluster of green light suddenly covered his palm.

His hand stopped beside Uzumaki Kushina's little face, less than two centimeters away. Then a gentle warm current, like a hot towel, covered her face.

The swelling and faint pain quickly vanished.

Through the green curtain of light, her dark blue eyes stared blankly at the serious-looking Gojo Yoru before her. Uzumaki Kushina suddenly felt her heart pounding wildly.

Although the pain was rapidly fading, she felt her little face becoming even redder.

"...Done."

As though he had not noticed Uzumaki Kushina's expression, Gojo Yoru used the most basic medical technique to heal her facial injuries, then stood up, shoved his hands into his pockets, and left.

Coming back to her senses, Uzumaki Kushina hurriedly got up and followed him.

This time, she did not trail behind Gojo Yoru. Instead, she walked beside him shoulder to shoulder and worked up the courage to ask, "Does what happened just now count as us becoming friends through a fight?"

"No. That was just a one-sided beating." Gojo Yoru replied coolly.

Uzumaki Kushina had wanted to say something else, but her eyes suddenly shifted. She then said angrily, "I already told you, I was just careless earlier. Besides, I hadn't eaten anything today. I was so hungry I had no strength or focus at all. If you've got the guts, fight me again tomorrow. I definitely won't lose again!"

Gojo Yoru said nothing. He merely turned his head and gave Uzumaki Kushina a scornful smile, as though asking, You?

Uzumaki Kushina raised her head at Gojo Yoru, who was nearly a head taller than her, and challenged, "Well? Do you dare? Don't tell me you're scared?"

Her provocation worked perfectly. Gojo Yoru gave a cold laugh. "I hope you don't cry tomorrow."

"That's what I should be saying."

Uzumaki Kushina was just like Uzumaki Naruto during his reckless days in the Original Work. Whether she could win or not, she had to put on a fierce front first.

After leaving the woods, Gojo Yoru did not immediately return to school. Instead, he went to a shop outside the school and bought several loaves of bread.

He casually tossed one loaf to Uzumaki Kushina without saying anything, then headed toward the school.

Uzumaki Kushina caught the bread, her eyes burning with emotion as she watched Gojo Yoru's retreating back. Her fondness for him surged wildly.

This guy really was cold on the outside but warm on the inside!

Unable to stop the corners of her lips from rising, Uzumaki Kushina tore open the bread's wrapper as she followed after him.

Neither of them said anything. They simply ate their bread.

Compared to the classmates who had brought bento lunches to school, such a meal was exceedingly shabby.

Yet Uzumaki Kushina ate with incomparable happiness.

Watching this scene from the shadows, Namikaze Minato's heart filled with envy.

If he had stepped in to help faster than Gojo Yoru, would he be the one standing beside Uzumaki Kushina now?

After the Senju Clan integrated into Konoha, they had torn down the high walls surrounding their clan grounds. After all these years, the once vast estate had long since become part of Konoha.

The only thing that could still represent the Senju Clan now was a traditional building. It was home to Konoha's strongest person, Tsunade and Nawaki's home, and also where Uzumaki Kushina was temporarily staying.

Tsunade, who worked at Konoha Hospital, had just returned home when she heard the sounds of fighting coming from the courtyard.

When she reached the veranda, the first person she saw was Uzumaki Mito, seated in a chair with a blanket draped over her legs.

At that moment, Uzumaki Mito did not look like someone with only a year or two left to live.

With the Yin Seal, she still gave off an unfathomable aura.

Moreover, as a perfect Jinchuriki, she was indeed Konoha's strongest person—and even the strongest in the Ninja World.

After all, Uchiha Madara was also old now, and the Rinnegan was no longer with him.

Walking over to Uzumaki Mito's side, Tsunade looked at Uzumaki Kushina and Nawaki, who were engaged in a Taijutsu Duel, and asked curiously, "Grandmother, how did you encourage Kushina? Why is she so different from yesterday?"

Uzumaki Mito smiled. "She met a good child."

"Oh, right. She went to the Ninja Academy today. Did she make a friend?" After realizing this, Tsunade grew interested as well. "She's like a completely different person in less than a day, and she's even so eager to spar with Nawaki. Is her friend a boy or a girl?"

"He is a very good boy." Uzumaki Mito gave him an extremely high evaluation.

Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen had paid close attention to Uzumaki Kushina's first day at school, Uzumaki Mito had done the same.

Although she did not possess the Crystal Viewing Technique, after the Second Hokage's death, no one in the entire Ninja World could compare to Uzumaki Mito in sensory abilities. She possessed the Mind's Eye of the Kagura and had fused with the Nine-Tails' Good Evil Perception.

The good and evil in children were the easiest to distinguish.

Uzumaki Mito had seen the malice the students held toward Uzumaki Kushina, an outsider from another village, as well as the goodwill Namikaze Minato and Gojo Yoru felt toward her.

Of them all, the one Uzumaki Mito paid the most attention to was naturally Gojo Yoru.

From that child, she sensed an extremely unusual Chakra fluctuation.

Ordinary sensory abilities could not catch it at all. Even she could barely "see" that energy.

It was somewhat similar to her husband's Sage Chakra, yet completely different. Instead, it resembled the Nature Transformations of Kekkei Genkai such as Lava Release and Ice Release.

However, those who possessed such Kekkei Genkai could only transform their Chakra into those Nature Transformations while performing techniques.

The energy within that child's body, however, was separated within him just like Sage Chakra.

That special Chakra was not secreted from the brain, which meant it was not Yin Release Chakra. Could it be a special Yang Release-type Kekkei Genkai?

Uzumaki Mito was a little curious, but she had no intention of investigating further.

Good Evil Perception would not deceive her. All she needed to know was that Gojo Yoru bore no ill will toward Uzumaki Kushina, only goodwill.

Besides, she did not have much time left. Uzumaki Mito only wished to spend her final days with her family and clansmen.

Naturally, Tsunade did not know what her grandmother was thinking.

Hearing that it was a boy who had changed Uzumaki Kushina, Tsunade immediately revealed a gossipy smile. Rolling up her sleeves, she said, "No wonder she's training so hard. Looks like she met a powerful rival. Let me give her a hand."

After saying that, Tsunade walked over and began instructing Uzumaki Kushina and Nawaki together.