You'll Regret This

Hiruzen Sarutobi glared at Shimura Danzō and said sternly, "Don't even think about it. Even if I agreed, Lady Mito never would. Don't bring this up again."

Shimura Danzō furrowed his brow, realizing Hiruzen Sarutobi was using Uzumaki Mito to threaten him.

Uzumaki Mito herself was Kage Level. Although she wasn't a Perfect Jinchuriki, she could control the Nine-Tails' chakra. Her true strength surpassed even that of Hiruzen Sarutobi, who proclaimed himself the strongest Hokage. Shimura Danzō certainly didn't dare offend her.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, picked up the documents, and began reviewing them. Then he dismissed Shimura Danzō. "Danzō, you can go. I still have official business to take care of."

Shimura Danzō looked annoyed, but he knew there was no point arguing. He prepared to leave, but before he did, he delivered his customary threat:

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzō, I'm the Hokage!" Hiruzen Sarutobi replied coldly without even looking up.

Shimura Danzō stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Hearing the door slam, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only sigh helplessly.

Sometimes, he really didn't know what to do with his good fri—friend.

At the Ninja Academy, Kato Taka was still teaching at the front of the classroom. Senju Genma sat upright at his desk, looking as if he were listening attentively, but in reality, his mind was elsewhere.

He had already mastered the material taught at the Academy. After all, he'd received private lessons from Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade at home.

He wasn't the only one in the classroom who wasn't paying attention.

For children from the great clans, attending school was just a way of complying with Hiruzen Sarutobi's policies.

The training clan children received was beyond what civilians could offer. They started out on entirely different footing.

While Senju Genma was still imagining himself beating Madara Uchiha in a fight and carrying Kaguya Otsutsuki on his shoulders,

Kato Taka had had enough of the atmosphere and decided to call on a student who looked reasonably well-behaved to answer a question and liven things up.

"Genma, tell me: what is the main message of today's moral education class?"

Fortunately, Senju Genma had learned how to do two things at once back in his previous life. Even while daydreaming, he'd still heard what Kato Taka had said.

He stood up, cleared his throat, and answered, "Today's lesson was mainly about the Will of Fire: 'Where the leaves dance, the fire burns on.' The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and help the new Konoha take root."

Kato Taka smiled.

He really had picked the right student. Senju Genma was a good kid!

"Very good! Can you explain what that means to everyone? Put it in your own words."

Senju Genma continued, "The Will of Fire is about passing things on. Young people are the hope of the future. The older generation's sacrifices aren't meaningless; they inspire the young to become the pillars who will shoulder the future."

Kato Taka immediately said, "Excellent answer! You can sit down now. I'm adding ten points to Genma's class score."

Namikaze Minato nodded in approval. He thought Senju Genma was right.

Uzumaki Kushina looked at Senju Genma and thought he seemed even more handsome and adorable. She edged a little closer to him.

Watching them sit so close together, Namikaze Minato felt an odd sensation in his heart.

What did it matter to him what those two did?

Namikaze Minato shook his head and stopped paying attention to them.

When the bell rang, Kato Taka coughed, closed his textbook, and announced, "That's all for today. This afternoon, I'll teach you how to extract chakra. It's very important for your future as ninjas, so don't be late or skip class. You're dismissed."

He was really speaking to the civilian students. The clans had their own chakra extraction techniques; the ones who needed to learn them were the civilians, who were starting from a lower point.

After Kato Taka left, the students took out the lunch boxes their families had prepared.

Senju Genma and Kushina took out their lunch boxes, too. Their meal had been made by Uzumaki Mito herself.

Tsunade had originally planned to make lunch to celebrate Genma and Kushina's first day of school, but Genma had firmly refused.

He still remembered the disaster that had followed Nawaki's first taste of Tsunade's cooking. Even Tsunade's Jonin-level Medical Ninjutsu hadn't been able to cure Nawaki; she'd had to send him to the hospital for a lengthy stay.

Senju Genma and Kushina were enjoying their meal when Namikaze Minato walked over to them.

Senju Genma asked, "Minato, is something the matter?"

Namikaze Minato was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the Senju Genma who'd intimidated the entire class to speak so gently and calmly.

It must have been because the other students had gone too far, making kindhearted Genma so angry!

"Genma, there's a girl outside looking for you!"

Senju Genma slapped his forehead. No wonder that chakra had felt both familiar and unfamiliar. It was the girl he'd locked eyes with in the school building.

Watching Senju Genma's reaction, Namikaze Minato found him rather cute.

If only Genma were a girl.

He quickly shook his head, banishing that dangerous thought.

Senju Genma smiled. "Thanks, Minato. Kushina, eat your lunch, okay? I'll go see what she wants."

Kushina obediently replied, "Okay."

Senju Genma walked out of the classroom.

Uzumaki Kushina stood up, too.

"You...?" Namikaze Minato asked, confused.

Hadn't she said she would eat her lunch? What was she doing?

Kushina held a finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet, then went to the doorway and leaned against the wall.

Kushina peeked around the corner and saw a petite girl with long, straight black hair standing in front of Senju Genma. From her expression, it was obvious she was shy.

"Hello, Genma," Uchiha Mikoto said softly, tucking her hair behind her ear with her right hand.

"Um, my name is Uchiha Mikoto."

Senju Genma smiled brightly. "Mikoto, what is it?"

Mikoto seemed worried that Senju Genma hadn't heard her, and spoke carefully. "I'm an Uchiha, you know."

Senju Genma liked Mikoto even more. She'd even gone out of her way to remind him that she was an Uchiha. Kindness was practically in her bones.

"Mikoto, I know what you mean. I just want to say that whether someone's a Senju, an Uzumaki, or an Uchiha, it's all the same to me."

"And, Mikoto, you really are a kind person!"

Mikoto twirled the ends of her hair by her left cheek with her right hand and blushed. "Kind... That's too much!"

"Here, this is for you. I'll be going now."