Tomato-Nai, Smelly-Mouth Night

No matter what world it was, everyone went through a certain stage.

That was childhood, when time seemed to pass slowly, sometimes even feeling like each day lasted a year.

But after growing up, time seemed to fly by, as though a single blink could make a whole day pass.

Gojo Yoru, whose soul had belonged to an adult from another world, had always been the latter.

His infancy, when he had been conscious from birth; his early childhood, when he had refined Chakra at the age of three; and his student years, when he had awakened his Golden Finger at six—all of it felt like yesterday.

As a new calendar was hung on the wall, a new year quietly arrived.

Before he knew it, Gojo Yoru's age had returned to double digits.

January 7th, Year 34 of Konoha.

This day marked the start of the third semester at the Ninja Academy.

Gojo Yoru had gotten dressed early and was standing before a full-length mirror, studying the boy reflected within.

At less than ten years old, no matter how tall he was, he was still just a child.

Only at ten could one be considered an adolescent.

However, Gojo Yoru's adolescent stage was a little different from ordinary people's.

In the Original Work, Jiraiya stood 1.91 meters tall, an absolute giant in the Naruto World.

Yet when this giant graduated at the age of twelve, his height had not differed much from that of his peers.

Meanwhile, Gojo Yoru still had a few months before he turned ten.

Yet he had already grown to 1.62 meters. He had shot up another two centimeters during this break, and the loose clothes he had bought only last year would soon no longer fit.

Being this tall at ten would not have meant much in many places in Gojo Yoru's previous life.

In some countries in this world, it was not especially rare either.

But in Konoha, where the average height of his peers was only 1.3 or 1.4 meters, Gojo Yoru's height was rather outrageous.

No wonder his school tyrant persona intimidated the entire academy. This height was simply too unfair.

Just standing in front of him, peers who were a head shorter immediately felt an oppressive pressure bearing down on them.

Even Gojo Yoru himself was certain that in this life, he would definitely grow past 1.8 meters in the future—perhaps even become a little giant of 1.9 meters.

"Looks like it isn't just the same surname and similar appearance. Even our heights might end up being very close. I won't really turn into Gojo Yoru 2.5 in the future, will I?" Gojo Yoru teased himself as he looked at the handsome boy in the mirror.

Though he said that, Gojo Yoru did not really care.

Although his character design resembled Gojo Satoru's, Gojo Yoru's abilities were more like Sukuna's.

Gojo Yoru, who had mastered Space-Time Ninjutsu, would only be the one cutting others in half at the waist. There would never be anyone who could cut him in half at the waist. Mm!

After straightening his collar one last time, Gojo Yoru shoved his hands into his pockets and jumped down from the balcony.

Outside the door, someone had been waiting for quite a while.

Seeing Gojo Yoru come downstairs this way, Uzumaki Kushina could not help complaining, "All you know is how to act cool. If you fall someday, I'll laugh at you for the rest of your life."

Despite saying that, a trace of amazement flashed through Uzumaki Kushina's eyes.

They were both handsome blue-eyed boys, but Gojo Yoru and Namikaze Minato had completely opposite styles, and their outfits were entirely different as well.

Namikaze Minato had a gentle style. His classmates called him the Little Sun, and he dressed like a warm, caring boy.

Gojo Yoru, on the other hand, had a cold and aloof style. Known as the Great Demon King, he dressed in dark, icy colors.

Gojo Yoru wore a white open-front trench coat over a black shirt, paired with black pants and black shoes.

A style that was mostly black would have seemed somewhat unconventional on anyone else.

But on Gojo Yoru, whose hair, eyebrows, and lashes were all white, it was a perfect match.

Especially when Gojo Yoru was not smiling, his icy blue eyes, his habit of keeping his hands in his pockets, and his height that crushed his peers gave him a lofty, contemptuous, cold aura.

Girls who liked that style only needed to meet his eyes once for their hearts to race and their submissive tendencies to explode.

The even crazier ones would become ultimate simps. Even if he had never treated them kindly since childhood, they would still turn against the best friend who had saved them for the sake of that unrequited love. If the person they liked chose to defect from the village, they would abandon their parents to follow him, even if it meant being hunted by the village's ninja for the rest of their lives, their parents being unable to hold their heads high in the village, or even choosing suicide under the pressure.

Even if they were cursed at or nearly killed, they would still choose to forgive him afterward.

Even if he chose someone else, they would silently bless him and remain unmarried for life.

Unfortunately, Gojo Yoru had been born at the wrong time. There were no such outrageous simps in this generation.

Having spent several months with Gojo Yoru already, Uzumaki Kushina knew that he was not actually some icy, aloof guy. He was simply an "act-cool guy" who was gentler than that effeminate fellow, though his personality was a little awkward and he loved mocking her.

Sure enough, Gojo Yoru started mocking her the very next second. "If you haven't woken up yet, go catch up on sleep in the classroom first. Otherwise, I seriously doubt whether your brain is still sitting on the pillow back home. Come say that to me again when your Body Flicker Technique can catch even a glimpse of my shadow, Tomato-Nai."

"Smelly-Mouth Night, what did you say? Say that again if you dare!"

"If your hearing is bad, go to the hospital and see an ear specialist. I only specialize in treating brains. Want me to punch you? Guaranteed immediate results."

"I'll punch you first!"

Uzumaki Kushina put on a performance of being weak yet loving to pick fights, only to be unable to take it in the end. Baring her teeth, she charged at Gojo Yoru.

The two bickered and tussled as they headed toward the Ninja Academy.

Judging from their familiar squabbling and fighting, this was clearly their daily routine.

Ever since Gojo Yoru had taught Uzumaki Kushina the Rasengan, she had become even clingier.

Uzumaki Kushina's personality was basically a female version of Uzumaki Naruto's.

Optimistic, cheerful, positive, fiery, unyielding, proud, daring to love and hate—those were all labels of her personality.

Although Uzumaki Kushina had not yet become the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, winning her over was actually just as simple as winning over Uzumaki Naruto.

As long as someone acknowledged her and cared about her, they could immediately gain Uzumaki Kushina's favor.

That was exactly what Gojo Yoru had done.

When the whole class had mocked Uzumaki Kushina, he had acted before Namikaze Minato, showing her goodwill and immediately gaining her favor.

During taijutsu sparring, he had shown no mercy, then used Medical Ninjutsu to create a suspension bridge effect, causing that favor to begin changing in nature.

The Rasengan's finishing blow ignited the girl's passion.

After that day, Uzumaki Kushina came to Gojo Yoru's house every day. Either she received Rasengan guidance at his home, or she dragged him out to train or go shopping.

This semester, she had even taken the initiative to come to Gojo Yoru's home so they could go to school together.

In a world where five- and six-year-olds already understood romance, Uzumaki Kushina's feelings for Gojo Yoru had become unmistakably clear.

At some point, that blond-haired loser dog who had always watched from the shadows had chosen to give up.

The NTR Warrior had won another great victory!