(This book's main heroines are Kushina Uzumaki, Tsunade, Mikoto, Konan, Terumi Mei, Pakura, and others. Please read on and add it to your collection!)
"If Kushina hadn't married Minato or died, would she have become Hokage?"
Uchiha Kurohane wanted to become one of the Five Kage. This question was very important to him.
He stood handsomely on a tree branch, looking down at the red-haired girl surrounded by three children below, lost in thought.
It was the year 40 of Konoha, the final year of the Second Shinobi World War.
Kushina Uzumaki was a ten-year-old girl. She hadn't yet become the fiery Little Chili Pepper; she was just a shy Little Tomato.
She wore a yellow, old-fashioned, sleeveless dress, with a black fishnet undershirt beneath it. The hem was very short, revealing a pair of tight black shorts.
Her two slender, snow-white legs glimmered in the sunlight.
She was such a cute, beautiful girl. Why were the children of Konoha bullying her?
Was it because Konoha's male ninja only had bromance, not romance?
Uchiha Kurohane looked at the three losers surrounding Kushina Uzumaki, baffled.
"Red-haired freak! You look like a tomato. Tomatoes taste awful, and I hate them!"
"Who'd like an outsider like you? You even want to be Hokage? What a shameless idiot!"
"No one here will accept you. Get out of Konoha, hahaha!"
The three delinquent kids, sporting unusual fruit-themed hairstyles, hurled vicious insults at Kushina Uzumaki, mocking her without restraint.
Kushina Uzumaki had been driven back against a tree. Her little face was tense, and she looked both angry and hurt, with a hint of helplessness in her eyes.
Her home, the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools, had just been destroyed by war. Her parents, relatives, and friends had all been killed.
She'd wanted to forget the past and make Konoha her new home.
Then she could make new friends and start her life over.
But after arriving in Konoha, all she'd felt was hostility.
Kushina didn't understand. Wasn't Konoha an ally of the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools?
Why was everyone hostile toward her when she hadn't done anything wrong?
She'd tried so hard to fit in.
Why didn't anyone here understand her?
Why did everyone here hate her?
Having red hair and looking like a tomato wasn't her fault.
She hadn't wanted to leave her home, and she hadn't wanted to come to Konoha. But just like her appearance, it wasn't something she could choose.
When the Pineapple Head kid saw Kushina press her lips together and fall silent, he assumed she was afraid of him and grew even more smug.
He stepped forward, roughly grabbed Kushina Uzumaki by her long red hair, and sneered.
"Your hair's so red, it's practically ripe! Is it tomato harvest season already? Don't come to school anymore. Go harvest the crop!" (Original line from the anime.)
Facing the bullying, Kushina Uzumaki was heartbroken and despaired of ever having a future in Konoha.
But she didn't back down. She was a brave girl.
She'd fight back against anyone who bullied her!
She'd beat everyone who mocked her into rotten tomatoes!
Just as Kushina clenched her fists and prepared to strike,
a handsome voice rang out above her.
"Three guys teaming up to bully a little girl. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?"
"You're pathetic!"
Someone was going to help me?
Knowing that someone in Konoha was willing to help her stirred a strange feeling in Kushina Uzumaki's heart. Her despair-ravaged heart seemed to find salvation.
Who was going to help me?
Full of hope, she looked up toward the voice.
A handsome boy stood on a tree branch, one hand on his hip.
He wore a black, high-collared ninja outfit and white shorts. Looking down at the three delinquent kids from above, he stared at them with disdain.
He's so handsome!
Watching Uchiha Kurohane's dashing figure made Kushina Uzumaki's heart skip a beat. A blush spread across her little face.
He looks like one of my classmates...
Kushina Uzumaki had only arrived at the Ninja Academy today and didn't know Uchiha Kurohane.
But she'd noticed that he'd been watching her at school.
She'd been curious about him then, wondering what he was looking at and thinking he was a little strange.
Now Kushina Uzumaki understood why he'd been watching her.
So he'd been looking out for me!
A sweet warmth immediately welled up in her heart.
So there were good people in Konoha after all!
"Who's sticking their nose where it doesn't belong?"
The three delinquent kids shouted and turned around to look.
"Kurohane, so it's you. Why are you acting tough, you dead last?"
"Have you fallen for this tomato and decided to play the hero?"
"Take a good look at yourself. You're no match for us! Hahaha!"
The three delinquents changed targets and mocked Uchiha Kurohane relentlessly.
He likes me?
Kushina Uzumaki's heart raced. Her little face grew even redder, and confusion shone in her bright eyes.
I have such strange red hair. That can't be possible, can it?
Though Kushina didn't dare believe it, her heart still stirred.
He was the only one who'd stood up to help her. Even if he didn't like her, she was still very happy.
But he's dead last, so he must be weak. He'll get hurt if he steps in for me.
I can't let him get hurt because of me.
Kushina Uzumaki parted her cherry-pink lips and spoke in a sweet, cute voice.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I don't need your help. I can deal with them myself—"
"Shut up. I'm talking to those three losers!"
Uchiha Kurohane forcefully cut Kushina Uzumaki off.
"Huh... I'm supposed to be quiet...?"
His domineering voice startled Kushina Uzumaki, leaving her a little dazed.
Wasn't he going to help me? Why was he telling me to shut up?
Konoha's ninja are so strange!
Though Kushina Uzumaki felt a little annoyed, she obediently covered her mouth with her little hand and really did stop talking.
The three delinquent kids seemed to have hit a nerve and jumped up in anger.
"You're the worst student in the class, and you dare call us losers? Have you no shame?!"
"You're the loser! Your whole family's full of losers!"
Uchiha Kurohane snorted, his eyes full of disdain.
"Taking school grades seriously is a stupid idea that only losers would have."
"I'm telling you, dead lasts are often the strongest."
The Pineapple Head kid's face flushed with anger. He pointed at Uchiha Kurohane and cursed.
"Stop running your mouth. Get down here, and let's fight one-on-one!"
After he said that, he exchanged glances with Onion Head and Radish Head. The three of them all broke into wicked smiles.
They said they wanted a one-on-one fight, but what they really had in mind was ganging up on him.
They planned to take on Uchiha Kurohane three-on-one and beat him to a pulp.
They thought this made them clever. They were geniuses!
They were secretly rather pleased with themselves.
"You want to fight one-on-one?"
"Sure. Let's have a fair, one-on-one fight!"
Uchiha Kurohane sneered and waved his hand. A large flock of crows suddenly flew out of the leaves behind him.
Flap! Flap!
The crows beat their wings, swarmed over the three kids, and pecked them mercilessly.
These weren't ordinary crows. They were Ninja Crows specially trained by Uchiha Kurohane.
Their wings were powerful, and their beaks were as sharp as knives, able to tear off a chunk of flesh with one peck.
"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts! Don't hit me in the face... Stop pecking my face!"
"...Holy crap, not there! Don't peck it off!"
The three delinquents were all students at the Ninja Academy—in other words, they were weaklings.
They'd never been attacked by summoned beasts before. Panicking, they had no idea how to respond and could only flee from the flock of crows, arms over their heads.
The Pineapple Head kid squeezed his knees together like a sissy, covered his crotch, and shrieked.
"You said this was one-on-one! Why are you using summoned beasts?!"
"And you're using a whole flock of them! How is that one-on-one?"
"This is so unfair! If you've got guts, come down and face me one-on-one!"
Uchiha Kurohane pursed his lips, a delighted smile spreading across them.
"You think it's unfair? Good. Justice is justice. It doesn't have to be fair!"
Uchiha Kurohane leaped down from the three-meter-high branch, landing with perfect aim on the Pineapple Head kid's head and stomping him into the dirt.
Thud!
Stomping on someone's head with your full weight was no joke.
The Pineapple Head kid's head smashed into the ground, leaving a small hole. He didn't make a sound, collapsing unconscious.
Onion Head and Radish Head were so frightened by the brutal attack that they froze in shock.
They exchanged glances, completely unable to understand.
Why wasn't this dead last playing by the rules?
The dead last was supposed to be the weakest in the class, someone the three of them could beat up together.
How had he turned around and taken someone out in one move?
Was this how a dead last was supposed to act?
Before you continue