"Your Sword Technique is better than mine, but 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 was a lot like Uzumaki Naruto—a genuinely nice guy.
The only difference was that he did not have the protagonist's plot armor and died young.
Natsuki wondered whether, now that he had joined the story as a butterfly effect, Nawaki would still die to an Explosive Tag like he had in the original.
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 but smile.
Although Nawaki was outgoing, he did not have many friends his own age because of his status and talent.
Natsuki was quite a good kid.
"You guys are way too strong, y'know!"
Uzumaki Kushina suddenly spoke up.
Only after saying it did she realize that she had accidentally let her verbal tic slip out. A faint blush immediately appeared on her little face.
"That's a very cute verbal tic."
Natsuki said with a smile.
Uzumaki Kushina froze slightly, then awkwardly shifted her gaze away.
"Since your sparring match is over, I should head back to work at Konoha Hospital."
Tsunade paused before asking, "Are you coming back with me, or are you staying here to train?"
"It's vacation anyway. Training here is no different from training anywhere else. I'll train with Natsuki."
Nawaki answered without hesitation.
"I want to stay too."
Uzumaki Kushina looked at Tsunade, her eyes full of anticipation.
"All right."
After giving it some thought, Tsunade agreed.
According to Konoha's rules, after becoming the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, one had to remain in a remote location for long periods.
That was because the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was Konoha's ultimate trump card. The fewer people who knew about it, 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 were training 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 not 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.
Even invincible Tailed Beasts became obedient little babies before the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu.
By comparison, Natsuki's Tree Climbing training was the most ordinary.
If he did not have his cheat, he did not know how he could possibly catch up to Nawaki and Uzumaki Kushina.
A month passed quickly.
March drew to a close, and Ninja Academy welcomed the start of the new term.
"Natsuki, our Medical Ninja Training Class will hold its first exam next Monday."
Yakushi Nonō spoke as they walked.
"What will it test?"
Natsuki asked curiously.
"Theory and practical work."
Yakushi Nonō paused before explaining, "The practical work is performing surgery on a fish."
"I see."
Natsuki immediately recalled that, in the original story, Haruno Sakura had begun 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 ask for 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 on the condition that his ranking did not fall in the next exam.
If it did fall, Ishida Yu would definitely give him trouble.
"Mm."
Yakushi Nonō nodded happily.
As usual, after Natsuki saw her to Konoha Hospital, he headed to 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 trained throughout the vacation."
Namikaze Minato answered honestly. "Mainly the Three Body Technique, Ninja Tool Throwing, and Basic Taijutsu."
"At your level, it will be hard to improve much by training those."
Natsuki suggested, "If you are not applying to graduate early, you can ask Teacher Ishida Yu to teach you more ninjutsu."
"Your thoughts align perfectly with mine."
Namikaze Minato nodded.
For the time being, he did not intend to graduate early.
First, because he was still young.
Second, because he wanted to win back a round in his competition with Natsuki.
Although Natsuki was stronger than him, he would not admit defeat so easily.
Nine in the morning.
Ishida Yu entered the classroom right on time.
The students of First Grade Class A stopped chatting, but all their gazes landed on 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 grown much louder.
"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.
"Exactly! 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!"
"That red hair is so ugly!"
With Onodera taking the lead, quite a few boys close to him began mocking Uzumaki Kushina as well.
Uzumaki Kushina subconsciously clenched her fists, and her expression turned awful.
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 wondered why neither Ishida Yu nor Namikaze Minato had helped when Uzumaki Kushina was being bullied.
Now he understood. Things like this were far too commonplace; even someone like Namikaze Minato tacitly accepted them.
But when dealing with these vile Konoha troublemakers, 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 stop.
If someone else had spoken up to stop them, not only would they have ignored him, they would have bullied that person too. 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. "From now on, you are classmates. You must be united and friendly."
Natsuki opened with an old-school move, giving him quite a scare.
Who would dare answer that question?
Uzumaki Kushina subconsciously looked at Natsuki.
A smile appeared on her chubby little face.
Sure enough, Natsuki was still the better one.
During their vacation training, they had already become friends.
But Natsuki speaking up for her today made her image of him change once again.
Before you continue