Passing the Trial, Konoha's Adamantine Sealing Chains

The rooftop of the teaching building was spacious, making it a top choice for many students as a lunch spot.

To provide students with a pleasant dining environment, the rooftop not only had plenty of benches but was also lined with rows of small trees.

"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"

Leading Uzumaki Kushina to a bench and sitting down, Gojo Yoru continued treating the bags under her eyes while asking softly.

"No."

Uzumaki Kushina shook her head, her eyes fixed on her legs, not daring to meet Gojo Yoru's gaze.

Gojo Yoru raised his other hand to smooth her disheveled hair and chuckled, "You've got your worries written all over your forehead. Do you really think I'd believe that?"

Hearing this, Uzumaki Kushina's nose stung, and her tears flowed even harder.

This time, she looked straight at Gojo Yoru, her voice choked: "Yoru, if... if one day I turn into a monster, would you hate me?"

"Is this what's been bothering you all night?"

Gojo Yoru finally couldn't help but cup Uzumaki Kushina's small face, wiping her tears with his thumb as he stared into her eyes and smiled: "You're afraid I'll hate you, that I'll distance myself from you, so scared you couldn't sleep all night, just overthinking things, right?"

"...Mm!"

Seeing Gojo Yoru make such an intimate move for the first time, his eyes full of tenderness, Uzumaki Kushina's mind went blank, and she momentarily forgot to cry.

But she still instinctively responded.

"I don't know what you mean by turning into a monster, but..."

Gojo Yoru's lips curled into a disdainful smirk as he slowly said: "You're not afraid of becoming a monster, yet you're scared I'll hate you and pull away. Why should I be afraid of you turning into one? Tomato-Nai, you're underestimating me, Gojo Yoru, aren't you?"

With one hand pinching Uzumaki Kushina's cute round face, Gojo Yoru leaned in close to her eyes and said fiercely: "To keep you from overthinking in the future, I'll answer you right now! Unless you turn into a monster and your memories, personality, and soul die forever, and you're no longer the Uzumaki Kushina I know, I'll never hate you."

Gojo Yoru then raised his fist and shook it in front of Uzumaki Kushina's eyes, continuing: "If you just become a monster that's lost its mind temporarily, I'll beat you back to your senses like usual, then heal you."

At that, Gojo Yoru couldn't help but grin, flashing a smile identical to Gojo Satoru's, and uttered that classic line: "I'm the strongest!"

Uzumaki Kushina stared blankly at Gojo Yoru. The eight-o'clock sunlight happened to filter through the leaves, hitting the back of his head, so in her eyes, he seemed to radiate a dazzling light, dispelling the gloom and fear in her heart.

"Yoru, waaah..."

Unable to hold back any longer, Uzumaki Kushina, who hadn't slept all night, threw herself into Gojo Yoru's arms and began to sob loudly.

"That's more like it. Even if you're crying, you should be bawling like this." Gojo Yoru hugged Uzumaki Kushina, gently patting the girl's delicate back as he smiled.

"Hey, are you saying I'm not ladylike enough?"

"Pfft... go easy, you brute-force girl. Don't you know your own strength?"

Uzumaki Kushina punched Gojo Yoru in the chest, making him wince in pain.

"Didn't you say you'd beat me back to normal? How can you do that if you can't take a hit?"

"Can I take back what I said?"

"Too late. I've already memorized it. Even if I become a monster, I'll instinctively come find you."

"Then I'm doomed. That sounds worse than a nightmare."

"Hmph... scared now?"

After a bit of roughhousing, Uzumaki Kushina, naturally cheerful and optimistic, quickly returned to her usual self.

Just as Gojo Yoru had said, what had troubled the girl all night wasn't becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki at all, but the fear that he would be scared of her and distance himself once she became a monster.

Besides Uzumaki Mito, Tsunade, and Nawaki, Uzumaki Kushina only knew Gojo Yoru in Konoha.

And compared to Uzumaki Mito's family, she felt more fond of Gojo Yoru and was more at ease in his home.

Since Gojo Yoru wasn't afraid, she wasn't either.

Gojo Yoru draped an arm over Uzumaki Kushina's shoulder and asked, "Now can you tell me about the monster thing?"

"Lady Mito told me that in the ninja world, there are nine monstrous beasts as powerful as natural disasters..."

Leaning against Gojo Yoru's chest, Uzumaki Kushina relayed all the Tailed Beast knowledge Uzumaki Mito had taught her.

This scene left the Anbu hidden in the shadows looking conflicted.

If this Anbu removed his mask, Uzumaki Kushina would realize he was the same ninja who had escorted her from Hidden Whirlpool Village to Konoha.

The Jinchuriki was Konoha's highest secret.

Aside from Uzumaki Mito and Konoha's higher-ups, only this Anbu knew that the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was Uzumaki Kushina.

Even the future Sannin, who were still just Elite Jonin, didn't know she was the next Jinchuriki.

And now, Uzumaki Kushina was revealing this top secret to Gojo Yoru.

If it were anyone else, this Anbu would have already stepped in to stop it and taken Gojo Yoru away.

But now, he could only watch helplessly, not daring to act on his own.

"I see."

After hearing Uzumaki Kushina's explanation, Gojo Yoru feigned realization and sighed: "The world outside the village is truly incredible. Even things like Tailed Beasts exist."

"Yeah." Uzumaki Kushina nodded, then looked up at Gojo Yoru, still a bit anxious, and asked: "Yoru, are you really not scared?"

"It's fine — I'm the strongest!"

Gojo Yoru couldn't help blurting out that line again, grinning arrogantly. "You can't beat me right now. Even if you turn into a monster, you're definitely no match for me."

"Hmph... you sure talk big. Who was it that nearly choked from my punch just now?"

"Tch... Even with a brain you can't catch me. Turn into a mindless monster and it's even more impossible — I'll lead you around like a dog on a leash!"

"Who are you calling a dog?"

"Whoever's baring their teeth all day, that's who."

"Smelly-Mouth Night, take this punch!"

"You can't hit me, Tomato-Nai."

"Aaaagh... if you've got guts, don't dodge! One punch and I'll send you to the infirmary!"

A boy and a girl chased each other across the rooftop, forming a stark contrast with the serious exam scene unfolding in the classroom below.

Watching the two — mouths sparring relentlessly while smiles lit up their faces — Sarutobi Hiruzen, observing them through the Crystal Viewing Technique, wore a gratified expression. Filled with admiration for Uzumaki Mito's methods, he murmured, "Filling and binding the vessel with love? As expected of Lady Mito. Her judgment of people is truly sharp!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen had never dared to interfere in the relationship between Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina, precisely because Uzumaki Mito loomed over him like an unshakable monument.

The village's failure to react in time to the Land of Whirlpools incident was already a deep regret owed to this elderly woman.

Now, with Uzumaki Mito still alive, if the village dared to lay a hand on her last remaining clansman, it could trigger a chain reaction — jeopardizing the Nine-Tails' transfer, or even losing the Tailed Beast entirely.

Moreover, Sarutobi Hiruzen had immense trust in the judgment of Uzumaki Mito, the First Hokage's wife.

As Tobirama-sensei had said, his elder sister-in-law's perception rivaled his own, and she possessed the ability to sense good and evil — able to see through the darkness in a person's heart at a single glance.

If Gojo Yoru had any issues, there was no need for Hiruzen to send spies; Uzumaki Mito would see through him from home in an instant.

Over the past few years, Uzumaki Mito had never stopped Kushina from associating with Gojo Yoru, and had even allowed her to tell him about being a Jinchuriki. This clearly meant she had already affirmed Gojo Yoru's character, knowing this young man would never abandon Uzumaki Kushina.

Or perhaps — having Kushina tell Gojo Yoru about the Jinchuriki was the final test.

Now, Gojo Yoru had undoubtedly passed it.

Having confirmed this, Sarutobi Hiruzen made a decision in his heart.

He would nurture this common-born genius!

For no other reason — even if only to stabilize the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki — he would raise Gojo Yoru's strength to a level where he could handle, or at least escape and survive, a Tailed Beast transformation.

He would be the chain binding the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki — Konoha's "Adamantine Sealing Chains"!