Next Time For Sure

"So, you mean Minato didn't do it on purpose?"

"Of course he didn't!"

Kushina gestured toward the direction of the ward: "Minato was supposed to go out for training with Tsunade today. His shadow clone didn't have much chakra to begin with. If they hadn't come looking for trouble, this never would have happened!"

Ikkaku Umino nodded: "Shinnosuke, please make a trip and inform the Third Hokage about this."

"Understood!"

Shinnosuke hurried away.

Konoha Hospital is located right beneath the Hokage Rock, not far from the Hokage Building.

Before long, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived.

"Third Hokage."

Ikkaku Umino looked ashamed: "I am deeply sorry, this is all due to my negligence..."

"Shinnosuke has already told me the sequence of events. It has nothing to do with you, so don't take it to heart."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, signaling for the other to calm down.

The incident occurred after school and off campus; no one could have predicted such a thing.

At most, Ikkaku Umino could be blamed for failing to educate his students properly, but he had no direct involvement in this matter.

"Kotai! My poor Kotai!"

Just as Ikkaku Umino stood in silence, not knowing what to say, the parents of the trio arrived at the hospital.

"Third Hokage, what exactly happened? How are our children?"

The plump woman leading them looked frantic. Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi, she asked with reddened eyes.

"Please, calm yourselves. Their lives are not in danger."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned stern: "However, due to the severity of their injuries, I fear they will no longer be able to remain at the Ninja Academy."

"How could this be..."

Hearing this, the plump woman burst into tears: "Who did this?!"

"The incident began when Kotai and the other two cornered and attacked a fellow student on their way home from school due to a verbal dispute."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said indifferently: "You must understand, as a parent, that no matter who did this, I will not allow you to go and cause trouble for that child."

"How can you say that? Our children are lying in bed with serious injuries, their futures ruined, and yet you, Third Hokage, are showing such bias toward the culprit?"

The plump woman immediately protested, and the other parents began to voice their dissatisfaction as well.

"Exactly! Shio has always been a good boy; I don't believe he would do such a thing to a classmate!"

"That's right! Even if there was a dispute, classmates shouldn't use such heavy-handed tactics, should they?"

As the group caused a commotion in the hallway, Ikkaku Umino hurriedly intervened.

"Everyone, please be quiet! This is a hospital!"

"Well, we still need an explanation for this, don't we?" the plump woman demanded aggressively.

"An explanation? What kind of explanation?"

A cold, sharp voice reached everyone's ears as Tsunade walked over with Minato in tow.

Her golden ponytail swayed briskly with her movements. Tsunade strode up to the ward, her gaze sweeping over the group of parents with an imposing air.

"Are you saying that because your children ganged up on my student on their way home and tried to ambush him, I owe you an explanation?"

Tsunade's eyes were filled with ferocity as she asked in a chilling tone.

"Ts... Tsunade-sama?"

Seeing Tsunade, the expressions of the group froze instantly.

"Minato!"

Seeing the two arrive, Kushina, who had been feeling uneasy, immediately found her pillar of support and hurried forward to grab Minato's arm.

Watching Kushina's submissive behavior, Minato couldn't help but reach out to gently pat her little head, soothing her emotions.

"Speak up. Didn't you want an explanation?"

Seeing them cowering, Tsunade let out a cold snort, yet no one dared to make a sound.

The reason was simple: this was Konoha Hospital, Tsunade's territory.

Their children's lives were currently in her hands...

Besides, who in all of Konoha didn't know that Tsunade was the Third Hokage's student?

Especially since two of the parents were Chunin of the village, they were even more afraid to speak up now.

Seemingly feeling aggrieved, the plump woman sobbed: "It was just a dispute between children, why was it necessary to use such force?"

As the words fell, Tsunade's beautiful eyes widened, and she was about to give the woman a piece of her mind, but Minato gently took hold of her hand.

"Hmm?"

Noticing the warmth radiating from her palm, Tsunade instinctively looked down and saw Minato gently holding her hand, a subtle, inexplicable feeling rippling through her heart.

Minato was unaware of Tsunade's inner thoughts; he was glad that she was willing to support him unconditionally, but he did not want her to gain a reputation for being arrogant or domineering because of this incident.

"My apologies, everyone. We arrived in a hurry and aren't yet aware of what specifically transpired."

Minato said gently, "Although it was a clone, it still carries my will. Based on my understanding of myself, I shouldn't have done something like this."

"It wasn't your doing to begin with, Minato."

Kushina waved her small fist. "Those guys were knocked to the ground the moment they made a move. Minato was originally going to leave, but they pestered him and clung to him, which is what caused this result!"

Shinnosuke nodded. "That is correct. Furthermore, before the incident occurred, your clone had already warned them, but they didn't listen."

"Then I understand what happened."

Hearing this, Minato immediately realized the situation and patiently explained, "They must have triggered the defensive instinct of the Wood Clone when their chakra was nearly exhausted, causing it to unconsciously activate its strangulation ability."

The fat woman seemed to want to say something more, but she was pulled back by her husband.

Seeing her husband's grim expression and the way he shook his head slightly at her, the fat woman ultimately said nothing.

She didn't know what a Wood Clone was, but her husband, being a ninja, knew all too well!

That was Wood Release!

The Wood Release that founded Konoha!

Who could say anything?

Who would dare to say anything?

To corner someone who possessed the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai...

This was only because Hiruzen Sarutobi had a good temper; if it were anyone else, their entire family might have ended up touring the interrogation department to strengthen their education in the Will of Fire.

"That should be the case."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Alright everyone, you all know the detailed situation now. Are there any other questions?"

"No... no more."

The group had never dared to provoke Tsunade, and seeing the atmosphere turn sour, they all fell silent.

"Hmph, rest assured, I will do my best to heal those three brats."

Tsunade let out a cold snort; although she was unhappy with these people, she still possessed the professional ethics of a doctor.

She beckoned for them to follow, leading the group into the ward to check on the patients' conditions.

Minato turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi and bowed slightly. "My apologies for causing trouble for the Hokage-sama."

"Haha, it is no trouble at all. However, you should be more careful when using clones in the future."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said cheerfully, making no effort to hide his closeness toward Minato.

Seeing this, Shinnosuke hurriedly pointed at himself. "What about me! I'm the one who testified for you, you know!"

Minato chuckled. "My thanks to you as well, Shinnosuke."

"Then why don't you come and spar with me?"

Shinnosuke said, eager to try. "I never expected you to possess a Kekkei Genkai. Could you let me see your Wood Release?"

"Next time, for sure."

"..."