Konoha's Unruly Rabble

"Your Sword Technique is better than mine, while my Water Release and Taijutsu are better than yours."

Nawaki spoke with a sincere expression. "We can spar often and improve together."

"Sure."

Natsuki nodded.

It had to be said that Nawaki really resembled Uzumaki Naruto. He was a genuinely kind person.

The only difference was that he did not have protagonist plot armor and had died young.

Natsuki wondered whether, with him as a butterfly altering things, Nawaki would still die to an Explosive Tag like he had in the original story.

Natsuki did not want him to die.

After all, someone like him made an excellent friend. Namikaze Minato was the same.

Tsunade watched them and could not help smiling.

Though Nawaki had an outgoing personality, he did not have many friends his age because of his status and talent.

This little fellow, Natsuki, was quite good.

"You're both so strong, you know!"

Uzumaki Kushina suddenly spoke up.

Only after speaking did she realize that she had accidentally used her verbal tic, and a faint blush immediately appeared on her little face.

"That's a very cute verbal tic."

Natsuki said with a smile.

Uzumaki Kushina paused slightly and awkwardly averted her gaze.

"Since your sparring is over, I should head back to Konoha Hospital for work."

Tsunade paused, then asked, "Are you coming back with me, or staying here to train?"

"It's vacation anyway. Training here is no different, so I'll train with Natsuki."

Nawaki answered without hesitation.

"I want to stay too."

Uzumaki Kushina looked at Tsunade expectantly.

"Fine."

After giving it some thought, Tsunade agreed.

According to Konoha's rules, once someone became the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, they had to remain in a remote place for a long time.

Since the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was Konoha's ultimate trump card, the fewer people who knew about them, the better.

But Uzumaki Kushina was not yet the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, so there was no need to be so strict with her for now.

That was also why she could attend school.

After Tsunade left, the three began training.

Though they trained together, their training contents were all different.

Natsuki practiced Tree Climbing, Nawaki learned Water Release, and Uzumaki Kushina learned Sealing Jutsu.

Konoha's most famous Water Release ninja was Senju Tobirama.

As Senju Hashirama's grandson, Nawaki naturally learned Senju Tobirama's Water Release.

The Sealing Jutsu Uzumaki Kushina learned was no ordinary Sealing Jutsu either. It was the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu was the strongest Sealing Jutsu in the Ninja World.

Invincible Tailed Beasts were like obedient babies before the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu.

In comparison, Natsuki's Tree Climbing training was the most ordinary.

If he did not have his cheat, he would not even know how to catch up to Nawaki and Uzumaki Kushina.

A month passed quickly.

March came to an end, and the Ninja Academy welcomed the start of term.

"Natsuki, our Medical Ninja Training Class will hold its first exam next Monday."

Yakushi Nonō spoke as she walked.

"What are we being tested on?"

Natsuki asked curiously.

"Theory and practical work."

Yakushi Nonō paused before explaining, "The practical exam is performing surgery on a fish."

"I see."

Natsuki immediately recalled that, in the original story, Haruno Sakura had started learning Medical Ninjutsu by treating a fish.

"You don't have to come if you can't make it then."

Yakushi Nonō tilted her head and glanced at him.

"It's fine. I can take leave."

Natsuki raised his chin slightly. "I was first place in the Combat Exam, after all. Teacher Ishida Yu won't make things difficult for me."

Top students had privileges no matter where they were.

With his current ranking, Ishida Yu would not say anything even if he skipped school.

Of course, that was only if his ranking did not drop in the next exam.

Once it did, Ishida Yu would definitely give him trouble.

"Mm."

Yakushi Nonō nodded happily.

As usual, after Natsuki escorted her to Konoha Hospital, he headed to the Ninja Academy.

New term, new classroom. Their classroom had changed from First Grade Class A to Second Grade Class A.

"Natsuki."

Namikaze Minato asked with a smile, "How was your vacation?"

"Not bad. What about yours?"

Natsuki asked in return.

"I spent the whole vacation training."

Namikaze Minato answered honestly. "I mainly trained the Three Body Technique, Ninja Tool Throwing, and Basic Taijutsu."

"With your strength, it'll be difficult to improve much more by training those."

Natsuki suggested, "If you don't apply to graduate early, you can ask Teacher Ishida Yu to teach you more ninjutsu."

"You took the words right out of my mouth."

Namikaze Minato nodded.

For the time being, he did not plan to graduate early.

First, because he was still young.

Second, because he still wanted to win back a round in his rivalry with Natsuki.

Although Natsuki was stronger than him, he would not admit defeat so easily.

Nine in the morning.

Ishida Yu entered the classroom on time.

The students of First Grade Class A stopped chatting, but all their gazes fell upon Uzumaki Kushina behind him.

The unfamiliar little girl made them all curious.

"Kushina, introduce yourself first."

Ishida Yu said.

Uzumaki Kushina nodded and walked to the front of the classroom.

Looking at the many students, she could not help taking a deep breath.

"My name is Uzumaki Kushina. I'm a transfer student, and my dream is to become Konoha's first female Hokage!"

By the end, Uzumaki Kushina's voice had risen considerably.

"Hey, a little girl who just got here wants to become Hokage? You're seriously overestimating yourself!"

Onodera stood up and spoke without any courtesy.

"That's right! What a big mouth!"

"Your face is as round as a tomato, and your hair is red too. From now on, your nickname is Tomato!"

"Your red hair is so ugly!"

Once Onodera took the lead, quite a few boys close to him began mocking Uzumaki Kushina as well.

Uzumaki Kushina unconsciously clenched her fists, and her expression turned ugly.

Natsuki glanced at Namikaze Minato.

He sat in his seat without making any move, much like he had in the original story.

In his previous life, Natsuki had always been puzzled.

Why had neither Ishida Yu nor Namikaze Minato helped Uzumaki Kushina when she was being bullied?

Now he understood. Such things were far too common, to the point that even someone like Namikaze Minato tacitly accepted them.

But when it came to dealing with this vile Konoha rabble, he had to strike hard.

"Red is the Hokage's color."

Natsuki stood up and asked calmly, "You hate red. Does that mean you hate the Hokage?"

Onodera and the others' laughter came to an abrupt halt.

If someone else had spoken up to stop them, not only would they have ignored them, they would have bullied that person as well. But the one speaking was Natsuki.

First place in practical combat. They could not beat him.

"Natsuki is right."

Ishida Yu hurriedly stated his position. "You'll be classmates from now on, so you need to be united and friendly."

Natsuki had opened with an old-school tactic, giving him quite a scare.

Who would dare answer that question?

Uzumaki Kushina unconsciously looked toward Natsuki.

A smile appeared on her chubby little face.

As expected, Natsuki was better.

During their vacation training, they had already become friends.

But Natsuki's righteous defense today made her impression of him change once again.