The academy rooftop was spacious, a prime lunch spot for many students.
To provide students with a pleasant dining environment, the rooftop not only had plenty of benches but also rows of small trees.
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
After bringing Uzumaki Kushina to sit on a bench, Gojo Yoru continued treating the bags under her eyes as he gently asked her.
"No."
Uzumaki Kushina shook her head, staring at her legs and not daring to meet Gojo Yoru's eyes.
Gojo Yoru raised his other hand and smoothed out her tousled hair. Smiling, he said, "You've practically written what's bothering you on your forehead. Do you think I'd believe that?"
At those words, Uzumaki Kushina's nose stung, and her tears flowed even harder.
This time, she looked directly at Gojo Yoru and choked out, "Yoru, if... if one day I turn into a monster, would you hate me?"
"Is that what kept you troubled all night?"
Gojo Yoru finally couldn't help cupping Uzumaki Kushina's little face, wiping away her tears with his thumbs as he looked into her eyes and smiled. "You were afraid I'd hate you and stay away from you, so you spent the whole night unable to sleep, letting your thoughts run wild. Right?"
"...Mm!"
It was the first time Uzumaki Kushina had seen Gojo Yoru act so intimately, with such tenderness in his eyes. Her mind went blank, and she forgot to cry for a moment.
Still, she nodded instinctively.
"Though I don't know what you mean by turning into a monster, but..."
The corner of Gojo Yoru's lips curled up in a disdainful smile as he slowly said, "You're not even afraid of becoming a monster, yet you're afraid I'll hate you and stay away from you. Why would I be afraid of you becoming a monster? Tomato-Nai, aren't you underestimating me, Gojo Yoru, a little too much?"
Pinching Uzumaki Kushina's adorable round face with one hand, Gojo Yoru leaned close and said fiercely, "To keep you from overthinking things in the future, I can answer you right now! Unless, after becoming a monster, your memories, personality, and soul all die forever, and you're no longer the Uzumaki Kushina I know, I will never hate you."
Gojo Yoru raised his fist and waved it before Uzumaki Kushina's eyes as he continued, "If you merely become a monster that temporarily loses its mind, then I'll beat you back to your senses like usual, then heal you."
At that, Gojo Yoru couldn't help grinning, flashing the same smile as Gojo Satoru as he delivered that classic line: "I'm the strongest!"
Uzumaki Kushina stared blankly at Gojo Yoru. The morning sunlight after eight happened to shine through the leaves onto the back of his head. In Uzumaki Kushina's eyes, Gojo Yoru seemed to be radiating a dazzling light that dispelled the gloom and fear in her heart.
"Yoru, sob..."
Having been unable to sleep all night, Uzumaki Kushina could no longer hold herself back. She threw herself into Gojo Yoru's arms and began crying loudly.
"That's more like it. Even if you're going to cry, you should bawl your eyes out like this." Gojo Yoru held Uzumaki Kushina and smiled as he gently stroked the girl's back.
"Jerk, are you saying I'm not ladylike enough?"
"Pfft... Go easy on me, you freakishly strong girl. Don't you know how strong you are?"
Uzumaki Kushina punched Gojo Yoru in the chest from within his arms, making him bare his teeth in pain.
"Didn't you say you'd beat me back to normal? How can you do that if you can't take a beating?"
"Can I take back what I said?"
"Too late. I've already remembered it. Even if I become a monster, I'll instinctively come looking for you."
"Then I'm doomed. That sounds even scarier than a nightmare."
"Hehe... Scared now, aren't you?"
After a brief scuffle, the naturally cheerful and optimistic Uzumaki Kushina instantly returned to her usual self.
Just as Gojo Yoru had said, what had troubled the girl all night was not becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki at all, but the fear that Gojo Yoru would be afraid of her and leave her once she became a monster.
Other than Uzumaki Mito, Tsunade, and Nawaki, Uzumaki Kushina only knew Gojo Yoru in Konoha.
And compared to Uzumaki Mito's family, she liked Gojo Yoru more and felt freer in his home.
Since Gojo Yoru wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid either.
Gojo Yoru draped an arm around Uzumaki Kushina's fragrant shoulders and asked, "Can you tell me about this monster thing now?"
"Lady Mito told me that there are nine Monsters in the Ninja World as powerful as natural disasters..."
Leaning against Gojo Yoru's chest, Uzumaki Kushina told him everything Uzumaki Mito had taught her about the Tailed Beasts.
The scene left the Anbu hidden in the shadows looking deeply conflicted.
If this Anbu removed his mask, Uzumaki Kushina would discover that he was the ninja who had escorted her from Hidden Whirlpool Village to Konoha.
A Jinchuriki was Konoha's highest-level secret.
Aside from Uzumaki Mito and Konoha's upper echelons, only this Anbu knew that the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki would be Uzumaki Kushina.
Even the future Sannin, who were still only Elite Jonin, did not know that Uzumaki Kushina was the next Jinchuriki.
Yet now, Uzumaki Kushina had told Gojo Yoru this highest secret.
If it had been anyone else, this Anbu would have stepped out long ago to stop her and take Gojo Yoru away.
But now, he could only watch helplessly, not daring to act on his own.
"So that's how it is."
After listening to Uzumaki Kushina's explanation, Gojo Yoru feigned realization and sighed. "The world outside the village really is incredible. I can't believe things like Tailed Beasts exist."
"Yeah." Uzumaki Kushina nodded, then looked up at Gojo Yoru and asked uneasily, "Yoru, are you really not afraid?"
"Daijoubu. I'm the strongest!"
Gojo Yoru couldn't help saying those words again. With an arrogant smile, he said, "You can't beat me now, and even if you become a monster, you definitely won't be my match."
"Hehe... Big words. Who was it that nearly got the wind knocked out of him by my punch just now?"
"Tch... You can't catch me even with a brain. Once you become a mindless monster, it'll be even more impossible. I'll walk you like a dog!"
"Who are you calling a dog?"
"Whoever bares her teeth all day is one."
"Smelly-Mouth Night, eat my fist!"
"You can't hit me, Tomato-Nai."
"Ahhh... If you've got guts, stop dodging! I'll send you to the infirmary with one punch!"
The boy and girl chased each other across the rooftop, forming a stark contrast with the serious examination taking place in the classrooms below.
Watching the two bicker relentlessly while their faces remained full of smiles, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was observing them through the Crystal Viewing Technique, wore a gratified smile as well. Filled with admiration for Uzumaki Mito's methods, he murmured, "Using love to fill and bind the vessel? As expected of Lady Mito. Her eye for people is truly accurate!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had never dared interfere with the relationship between Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina because Uzumaki Mito was still above him.
Konoha had failed to react in time during the Land of Whirlpools incident, and it already owed this old woman a great debt.
If the village dared move against her last clanswoman while Uzumaki Mito was still alive, it could very well trigger a chain reaction, causing the Nine-Tails transfer to fail or even resulting in the loss of the Nine-Tails.
Moreover, Sarutobi Hiruzen deeply trusted the judgment of Uzumaki Mito, the First Hokage's wife.
Teacher Tobirama had once said that his sister-in-law's sensory abilities were no weaker than his own and that she possessed the ability to sense good and evil, capable of seeing through the darkness in a person's heart at a glance.
If Gojo Yoru had a problem, there would be no need for Sarutobi Hiruzen to send anyone to test him. Uzumaki Mito would be able to see through him at home with a single glance.
Over the past few years, Uzumaki Mito had not stopped Uzumaki Kushina from interacting with Gojo Yoru. She had even allowed Uzumaki Kushina to tell him about the Jinchuriki matter. Clearly, she had already affirmed Gojo Yoru's character and knew that this boy would not leave Uzumaki Kushina.
Or perhaps, Uzumaki Mito had made Uzumaki Kushina tell Gojo Yoru about the Jinchuriki matter precisely as a final test.
Now, Gojo Yoru had undoubtedly passed that test.
Having confirmed this, Sarutobi Hiruzen made a decision in his heart.
He would nurture this civilian genius!
For no other reason than stabilizing the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he had to raise Gojo Yoru's strength to a level where he could handle—or at least flee and survive against—a Tailed Beast transformation.
He would become the chain that bound the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki: Konoha's "Adamantine Sealing Chains"!
Before you continue