The Red-Haired Girl

"Tsunade, you're bullying Genma again."

Uzumaki Mito's gentle voice appeared behind the two, and she gave Tsunade's head a light pat.

Tsunade shrank her head back and obediently let go of Senju Genma.

Senju Genma reluctantly pulled away from Tsunade, only to notice a little red-haired girl standing beside Uzumaki Mito.

"Lady Mito, who is this?"

"Let me introduce you. This child is Uzumaki Kushina. Kushina, these are Tsunade and Genma. Genma is a bit older than you."

Uzumaki Kushina said timidly, "Big Sister Tsunade, Big Brother Genma."

Hearing this adorable child call him "big brother," Senju Genma was overjoyed and reached out to pat her little head.

Uzumaki Kushina looked at Senju Genma's handsome features and lowered her head, feeling a bit shy.

"Uzumaki... Kushina?! Uzumaki!!"

Tsunade looked at Kushina, as if she had realized something.

She was no longer a child; at twenty years old, she was a disciple of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and already a Konoha Jonin despite her youth. She wasn't naive, and she knew exactly what the arrival of this child signified.

"Grandmother, are you planning to..." Before Tsunade could finish, Mito raised a hand to stop her.

Hearing Tsunade's words, Senju Genma also recalled the memories of his past life.

Uzumaki Kushina—wasn't she the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?

And Uzumaki Mito was the current Jinchuriki. For a Jinchuriki, extracting a Tailed Beast meant death.

A sense of sorrow couldn't help but well up in Senju Genma's heart. Although they were not blood-related, the affection Uzumaki Mito had shown him over the years was genuine.

His eyes turned red, and the two tomoe in his irises quickly evolved into three.

"Hey, hey! Your Sharingan is showing!" Tsunade poked Senju Genma in the kidney with her elbow.

"Hiss! I know, I'll put it away. Stop poking me; that organ is very important to me!" Senju Genma clutched his side and retracted his three-tomoe Sharingan.

Uzumaki Mito's expression was filled with maternal love as she said in a peaceful tone, "Tsunade, don't overthink it. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are common occurrences. I can still accompany you all for a few more years!"

"And Genma, you are a bright and gifted child. Tsunade only said a few words, and you already guessed it. However, you must learn to control your emotions."

"I told you a year ago: until you possess absolute strength, it is best not to expose your eyes in front of anyone other than us, not even other clansmen."

"Also, from now on, you two will take care of this child. Don't you dare bully her!"

"We understand!" Senju Genma and Tsunade hurriedly agreed.

That night.

Senju Genma and Tsunade took Uzumaki Kushina from the Senju clan head's residence and returned to their cozy little house.

This cottage had been specifically allocated by Uzumaki Mito from the clan grounds for Tsunade and Senju Genma to live in. As for what Uzumaki Mito was thinking, Senju Genma admitted he truly didn't know.

After settling Uzumaki Kushina into the spare room, the two returned to their own room to prepare for sleep.

Senju Genma sat before the vanity, looking at the reflection of his Sharingan in the mirror.

His Sharingan had awakened in his third year here. Over the past three years, it had only reached two tomoe, yet today, because of a single sentence from Tsunade, a moment of agitation had triggered the evolution to three tomoe.

He felt this was likely because the Sage Body and Sage Eyes complemented each other, making the evolution of the Sharingan easier.

Senju Genma felt his chakra.

Undeniably, although the system had provided a growth-type Sage Body and Sage Eyes, both were incredibly powerful.

In just six years, Senju Genma's physical stamina and chakra reserves had already surpassed the Chunin of the clan. However, he hadn't learned many ninjutsu; he only knew the basic Three Body Techniques, the Wood Clone, Wood Substitution, and Wood Transformation—the three basic Wood Release techniques. Lacking combat experience, his actual fighting power was mediocre.

Moreover, he discovered that as his Sage Body continued to grow, the rate at which his stamina and chakra increased was accelerating.

"A significant harvest today." Senju Genma touched the corner of his eye.

Watching Genma look in the mirror, Tsunade knew he was thinking about the Sharingan. She teased him softly, "I wonder which ancestor had the skill to snatch an Uchiha and bring them into our Senju clan. It's a good thing Second Grandfather isn't here, or you'd be in real trouble."

Genma knew Tsunade was intentionally trying to change the subject so he wouldn't feel alienated because of his Sharingan despite being a member of the Senju clan, so he said, "Let's sleep!"

Six months later.

The Land of Fire had entered autumn, and a light breeze brought a hint of chill.

Senju Genma and Uzumaki Kushina stood in the Senju clan's training ground.

Senju Genma had traded his white men's kimono, which symbolized his status as the young clan heir, for a black youth ninja combat suit.

Uzumaki Kushina stood opposite him, also wearing a combat suit, her long red hair tied into a ponytail with a ribbon.

The two held wooden kunai, facing off in the training ground before their figures began to cross rapidly.

Clack! Clack!

The sound of wooden kunai clashing echoed through the field.

Their movements were fast, possessing a level of skill that children their age shouldn't have.

At the edge of the training ground, a group of Senju Clan children were watching the match. They were mostly three or four years old, shouting, "Go, Big Sister Kushina!"

Senju Genma curled his lip, feeling rather displeased.

To think these brats were already bewitched by beauty at such a young age, when he was the one who was the Young Clan Leader of the Senju.

Senju Genma pondered for a moment, and the two resumed their taijutsu sparring.

Uzumaki Kushina soon fell into a disadvantage, her stamina failing as she crouched on the ground, gasping for air.

Senju Genma put away his kunai and helped her up, asking with concern, "Are you alright?"

Feeling the physical contact with Senju Genma, Uzumaki Kushina blushed and shouted in reply, "I'm fine!"

Standing to the side, Tsunade clapped her hands in praise.

"Very good, full of spirit! Kushina has made great progress over these six months of training!"

She then turned her head toward Senju Genma and raised her fist.

"Genma, what is the meaning of this? Didn't I tell you to hold back? Bullying a girl is not acceptable."

"How did I bully her? I was already doing my best to suppress my strength, alright!" Senju Genma felt a bit aggrieved.

This was just to help Kushina train so she wouldn't be bullied by others outside; it wasn't a life-or-death duel. Besides, with Kushina being so cute, he certainly wouldn't use his full strength.