Someone Lacking Masculinity [Please Vote]

Someone Lacking Masculinity [Please Vote]

Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the crystal ball on his desk, which projected an image of Toneri in a Ninja Academy classroom.

Also with him were the three Hokage advisors: Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu.

Originally, Danzō had come to confront Hiruzen Sarutobi, while Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had been brought along to back him up.

Since yesterday evening, the Anbu under Hiruzen Sarutobi's command had been conducting a wide-ranging investigation into Root.

In the past, Hiruzen Sarutobi had turned a blind eye to some of Danzō's minor oversteps out of consideration for their old friendship. But yesterday, the Anbu had cut down every one of those transgressions in a single stroke.

Danzō knew why he had done it. He also knew that Hiruzen was trying to warn him not to entertain any ideas about the Two-Tails and not to overreach.

But in Danzō's eyes, he had done nothing wrong!

Jinchuriki were inherently unstable elements within a ninja village. If Konoha truly wanted to become more secure, the safest course was to completely control them through cursed seals and brainwashing.

Not to let them roam free and grow as Hiruzen Sarutobi did.

So he had come to argue with Hiruzen Sarutobi again, even bringing the other two advisors with him.

Yet when they arrived at the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi had them watch Toneri's enrollment instead.

Though Hiruzen Sarutobi had also been somewhat surprised that Toneri had gone straight into the graduating class, his expression remained unchanged.

"Look, this little fellow's goal is actually very simple.

After years of drifting from place to place, unable to eat enough or dress warmly, all he wants is to survive—to have enough to eat every day and not have to worry about his own safety."

Hearing Toneri's self-introduction, as well as the dream Toneri had mentioned during their last conversation, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt slightly conflicted.

More importantly, Hiruzen Sarutobi sincerely believed Toneri when he said that he wanted a peaceful life and dreamed of opening a Cat Cafe.

Perhaps it was because he had seen Toneri's true nature...

"Hiruzen, you're still as naive as ever! You just believe whatever others tell you? He says something, and you believe it? I seriously question your ability as Hokage!" Danzō's words were clearly barbed today.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi merely smiled without offering any defense. He had heard such words hundreds of times.

"Keep watching."

Then they saw Toneri walk straight toward Kushina.

At that sight, even Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned grave, and he even felt a trace of regret. He should not have let Toneri choose for himself; he should have simply thrown him into the first year.

If the Two-Tails and Nine-Tails both went berserk, then Konoha...

Bang!!

"Foolishness! Hiruzen, do you see what he's doing? You're playing with fire! If the Nine-Tails and Two-Tails both go berserk, even as Hokage, you won't be able to handle—"

Danzō slammed his cane forcefully against the floor and barked out the words.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance, each seeing the other's concern.

Then, from the crystal ball's godlike vantage point, they saw that after Toneri and Kushina met each other's eyes, a faint trace of Chakra belonging to Tailed Beasts seeped from both of them.

It was inconspicuous, even extremely subtle, so no one in the classroom noticed it.

"Damn it, are they really going to lose control..." Mitokado Homura could no longer sit still.

But soon, the Tailed Beast Chakra fluctuations around Toneri instantly withdrew. After he lightly patted Kushina's shoulder, the abnormal Chakra around her quickly receded as well.

"Haa—" Utatane Koharu slowly unclenched her tightly clasped hands and let out a long breath. Her palms were already soaked with sweat, though she had not noticed.

"Why are you all so nervous? Did you see that? Not only can Toneri suppress the Two-Tails inside him, he can also use the Two-Tails' power to calm the agitated Nine-Tails.

I don't think there was anything wrong with what I did."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was full of smiles.

Beneath the table, his sweat-soaked hands lightly rubbed against his trouser legs.

His face was full of confidence, but inwardly, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Danzō eyed him suspiciously.

Though he did not believe Toneri possessed such an ability, seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's utterly confident expression...

The worst-case scenario had not happened, so whatever you said went.

"I think the reason he can coexist so amicably with the Two-Tails is very likely because he genuinely likes animals such as cats from the bottom of his heart.

I think this could be a subject for researching how Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki can coexist peacefully. Perhaps... Kushina could try raising a few little foxes too..." Hiruzen Sarutobi held his pipe and began puffing away in contentment.

The image in the crystal ball vanished.

Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi's "everything is under control" expression, one could imagine how awful Danzō felt.

In his view, Hiruzen Sarutobi was playing with fire. Clearly, controlling the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki was the best choice. He could drive a four-wheeled supercar, yet he insisted on riding some bicycle, even claiming that bicycles were freer and could go anywhere.

Could a bicycle be faster than a supercar?!

Furious, Danzō turned and stormed away, even forgetting the main reason he had come here today.

Since Danzō had left, there was no reason for Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu to remain either.

Once everyone had left, Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspended heart slowly settled.

Fortunately, the Jinchūriki had not gone berserk. Toneri was not entirely suited to be a bearer of his Will of Fire; he even seemed to lack any spirit of self-sacrifice, far removed from the Will of Fire. But at least this incident proved that he had no violent tendencies and that his thoughts had not gone to extremes.

And judging from his ideals, he should be someone who kept to himself and followed the rules.

He replaced the tobacco in his pipe and lit it again. His gaze gradually unfocused, as though his thoughts had drifted somewhere far away.

In the classroom, Chitaka Nakai spoke for a long time, thoroughly analyzing everything related to Chakra Shape Transformation.

Though he was not a ninja skilled in combat, and his own strength was "only" at the Chūnin level, his teaching ability was unquestionably excellent.

The fact that he was entrusted with the most crucial graduating class showed just how outstanding his instructional skills were.

At last, class was over.

Kushina, who had been holding back her questions for the entire lesson, could no longer restrain the doubts in her heart.

"You... you too..." Kushina looked at Toneri, believing that he understood what she meant.

Toneri smiled and nodded, giving her a wink. "It's a secret, okay? Don't tell anyone."

Toneri had merely told Kushina not to tell anyone, but she immediately imagined the helplessness and confusion she had felt when she had first become the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. Connecting that feeling to Toneri, she suddenly felt something called "sympathy" for him.

"Don't worry, I absolutely won't tell anyone!" Kushina replied firmly.

As a fellow Jinchūriki, she saw Toneri as someone suffering from the same affliction as herself.

"By the way, your name is Kushina, right? Kushina Uzumaki?" Toneri suddenly asked.

"Huh? How did you know?" Kushina froze.

Toneri smiled mysteriously. "Because I have a friend named Minato Namikaze. When he found out I was going to the Ninja Academy, he said he wanted to introduce me to a friend—a girl with very beautiful red hair, whose name was... Kushina Uzumaki!"

"Minato Namikaze? Minato? That Minato Namikaze who keeps shouting about becoming Hokage, looks pretty decent, but is a little lacking in manliness?"

Toneri: "???"

Did I get the wrong script?

Or did you get the wrong lines?

How am I supposed to join them like this? Waiting online, pretty urgent.

You all know I've lost my right to speak, so I can only show off my presence here. How about smashing me in the face with some recommendation votes?

PS: A lot of people have brought up the original pairing. Am I, Jin Mu, the kind of person who breaks up couples? Tell me, huh? As for Kushina and Minato's current relationship, please check the author's note for an explanation.

Thanks to Mo Xiao Nian Ya, Lpyyyy, Shenma Ge de Shenma, Yuan Lucky Wu, and all the other generous readers for your rewards!

According to the information provided by AB, Kushina did not particularly like Minato at first. They only began to like each other after Minato rescued her from the Kumo Ninja. At that time, both Kushina and Minato were already wearing Headbands, so it was definitely after they had graduated. In Kushina's eyes right now, Minato was still rather girly, not steady enough, and not reliable enough. Of course, Toneri, who was still short, was not exactly very reliable either.