The Sannin's Attention

March 20th, early morning.

Gojo Yoru had just woken up, and for some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.

For someone who slept a full nine hours every day, with ample vitality and abundant energy, this was a highly unusual occurrence.

If it were anyone else, they might have been affected by the fact that today was the final exam.

But for Gojo Yoru, the final exam was just a formality—he hadn't felt any pressure from it in years.

By the time it reached 7:50, Gojo Yoru, who had already prepared a nutritious breakfast and was reading a book in the living room, finally realized something was wrong.

Normally, Uzumaki Kushina would have already knocked on his door by now.

But now, with school time approaching, there was still no sign of Uzumaki Kushina.

Having stuck with the routine for an entire semester and grown accustomed to coming to Gojo Yoru's place for breakfast before heading to school together, there was no way Uzumaki Kushina would miss it for no reason—especially on the day of the final exam.

Gojo Yoru narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, Could it be... today?

Since the original work never revealed the exact date, Gojo Yoru had no way of knowing which day Uzumaki Kushina became the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Thinking back to the irritation he felt upon waking up and Kushina's absence, Gojo Yoru was a hundred percent certain—this was related to the Jinchuriki.

"Of all days, today? Is Uzumaki Mito reaching her limit?" Gojo Yoru couldn't help but speculate, then got up to enjoy his breakfast alone.

After washing the dishes, Gojo Yoru headed toward the school.

Today, in fact, belonged to the sixth graders.

In the face of the sixth grade's graduation assessment, the final exams of the other five grades were utterly insignificant.

Just like the opening day of the new school year in April, the entrance of the Ninja Academy was already packed with parents early this morning.

After sending their children into the school, they waited outside the gate for the results.

When the sixth graders finally came out together, the atmosphere here would surely be filled with joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, praise and scolding, comfort, and so on...

But none of that had anything to do with the other five grades for now.

Gojo Yoru, who would only move up to fifth grade next month, had grown used to such scenes over the years. He didn't even bother glancing at the crowd of parents as he walked straight through the school gate.

What Gojo Yoru didn't notice was that three pairs of eyes were sizing him up from a distance.

"Orochimaru, is he the seedling you've got your eye on?"

"Mm."

"This height? He was only nine last year? Are you kidding me? He looks as tall as Tsunade! Are the teachers at the academy and Teacher Sarutobi blind? A monster with this kind of build—why not let him graduate early? What's the point of keeping him in the Ninja Academy, wasting his time and talent?"

"He's the one hiding it, choosing to stay in the academy."

"Why? This height means his chakra reserves are abnormal too. Forget his classmates—even the sixth-grade graduates are no match for him. What challenge is there left in school?"

"He wants to accumulate knowledge, so that even in a desperate situation, he has the strength and wisdom to handle it."

Hearing this, Jiraiya, who had been ranting a moment ago, fell silent.

Tsunade, who had come to send Nawaki to the academy today, looked at Gojo Yoru's retreating figure with admiration in her eyes, then smiled at Orochimaru. "No wonder this kid appeals to you so much. He's practically a bigger version of you when you were little."

Orochimaru chuckled lightly. "He's far stronger than we were at his age."

"Oh?"

Tsunade and Jiraiya suddenly perked up. The latter raised an eyebrow and said, "You said he's been hiding it—has he already mastered advanced Five Element Ninjutsu?"

"With that abnormal uniqueness of his, plus the legacy of Sa and Mio, mastering advanced ninjutsu at this age isn't surprising." Tsunade offered her congratulations to Orochimaru. "Congratulations, Orochimaru. You've found an excellent disciple. Too bad for Nawaki—I was hoping you'd be his teacher."

"Isn't there another candidate here?" Orochimaru immediately played wingman for his good friend.

Jiraiya started winking at Tsunade, but she rolled her eyes and mercilessly mocked him. "Forget it. If I let Jiraiya take Nawaki, I'm afraid he'd turn my cute little brother into a pervert. I'd rather quit my hospital job and teach him myself than let him do it."

Jiraiya was crushed, his body turning gray.

Seeing this, Orochimaru could only shrug helplessly.

Gojo Yoru had no idea that the future Konoha Sannin were watching him.

As he walked into the classroom, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

There, beside his seat, was the familiar figure—already present.

But Uzumaki Kushina looked like she was catching up on sleep, her head buried on the desk.

This obviously off-kilter state drew the worried glances of a certain golden-haired loser who had already given up hope, unable to stop himself from repeatedly shooting concerned looks her way.

"I don't recall provoking you yesterday, so why are you sulking again?"

Gojo Yoru walked to his seat, and under Namikaze Minato's envious gaze, reached out to ruffle Uzumaki Kushina's head.

When Kushina looked up, Gojo Yoru was startled. "Did you go thieving last night? What happened to you?"

Uzumaki Kushina looked like she hadn't slept all night, or maybe she'd been crying—her eyes were bloodshot, and her eyelids were puffy and dark.

Normally, Kushina would have snapped back at him by now.

But this time, she just forced a weak smile at Gojo Yoru and said hoarsely, "I'm fine. Just feeling a bit unwell, that's why I didn't come find you."

Gojo Yoru understood instantly.

Uzumaki Kushina had not yet become a jinchuriki, but she already knew about jinchuriki and the Tailed Beasts.

The girl was probably afraid—that was why she hadn't slept all night, maybe even cried through it.

If not for today being the Final Exam, she might not have wanted to come to school at all, not wanting Gojo Yoru to see her ugly side.

So Gojo Yoru glared at the classmates sneaking glances, scaring them into looking away.

He moved his chair closer to Uzumaki Kushina, sat down without a word, formed hand seals to create a green chakra coating over his palm, and pressed it to her face, treating her puffy eyelids.

Watching him with focused concentration, just like after their first battle last year when he used Medical Ninjutsu to heal her.

Uzumaki Kushina vaguely remembered how fast her heart had raced back then, how hot her cheeks had felt.

Even now, Uzumaki Kushina felt her breath catch, and the fear filling her heart suddenly grew even stronger.

Tears she thought had dried up spilled from her eyes again.

Sometimes silent crying was more contagious than loud sobbing.

Seeing this, Gojo Yoru made a decision on the spot.

He lowered his hand, took Uzumaki Kushina's, and led her out of the classroom.

Watching this, Namikaze Minato couldn't suppress the urge to follow again.

But after thinking it over, he gave up, letting out a powerless sigh.

A few minutes later, though, he saw Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina walk back in through the classroom's rear door.

And Uzumaki Kushina's face no longer looked like it had before.

Namikaze Minato blinked in surprise, then couldn't help feeling admiration for Gojo Yoru.

Amazing—he calmed her down that fast. Is this why I can't measure up to Gojo Yoru?

Then, as if noticing something, Namikaze Minato's pupils suddenly contracted.

No!

This wasn't Uzumaki Kushina, nor Gojo Yoru's real body—this was... Shadow Clone Jutsu?!

Realizing this, Namikaze Minato's first thought wasn't awe at Gojo Yoru's skill, but curiosity about where both their real bodies had gone.

Watching the two shadow clones calmly waiting for the written exam to start, Namikaze Minato suddenly had a feeling.

Once Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina's real bodies returned, he really wouldn't have any hope left.