Resolve

Mito Uzumaki fell into deep thought when Kushina Uzumaki mentioned Chiyu.

Kushina Uzumaki sensed that Mito Uzumaki was acting a little strangely and asked, "Grandma Mito, what's wrong?"

Mito Uzumaki shook her head and said with a smile, "Kushina, do you want to be friends with Chiyu?"

Kushina Uzumaki nodded her little head vigorously. "I do."

Mito Uzumaki said seriously, "Chiyu was actually right. If you want to be friends with him, many people may come to hate you. Since that is what you want, you must be prepared for it and not give up.

"I think Chiyu is lonely too, and desperately wants friends. He has no family in Konoha, and everyone dislikes him. His life has been very difficult as well.

"I hope the two of you can become friends, so that neither of you will be alone anymore. Kushina, do you have that resolve?"

Kushina Uzumaki seemed to ignite with fierce fighting spirit as she declared energetically, "Grandma Mito, I'm prepared!"

Mito Uzumaki smiled with relief.

Kushina Uzumaki asked in confusion, "But Grandma Mito, why does everyone hate Chiyu? Did he do something wrong? My first impression of him was pretty good. And he said he didn't have a surname. It's my first time seeing someone without one."

Mito Uzumaki sighed. "It isn't because Chiyu did anything wrong. Chiyu is a victim caught between two ninja clans that hate each other. He is a pitiful child.

"Chiyu truly has no surname, because his own clan does not acknowledge him, while the other clan has already abandoned its surname. That is why Chiyu only has a given name and no family name."

Kushina Uzumaki was still young and did not understand what Mito Uzumaki meant. She was completely confused.

Mito Uzumaki patted Kushina Uzumaki's back and said with a smile, "All right, you must be tired too. Go back and rest quickly. You still have school tomorrow."

Kushina Uzumaki jumped out of Mito Uzumaki's arms. "Okay. Goodnight, Grandma Mito!"

Mito Uzumaki watched Kushina Uzumaki leave with a kindly gaze.

After Kushina Uzumaki left, Mito Uzumaki was the only one remaining in the house.

Mito Uzumaki could not help letting out another quiet sigh. Now that she too was alone, how could she not know how painful loneliness was?

The next day.

Kushina Uzumaki headed to the Ninja Academy full of confidence.

Kushina Uzumaki secretly resolved that she would definitely become friends with Chiyu today.

If he was unwilling...

Her clever little mind turned, and she immediately came up with a solution.

She would beat Chiyu until he was willing to be friends with her!

However, when she arrived at the classroom, Kushina Uzumaki was disappointed. Chiyu had not come to the Ninja Academy that day.

Kushina Uzumaki did not know anyone, so she had no way to ask where Chiyu had gone.

Instead, the group of brats she had beaten up yesterday wanted to regain their pride today.

But when it came to fighting, Kushina Uzumaki had never lost.

The hot-tempered Kushina Uzumaki whipped her red hair around and, with her two fists, once again beat those brats until they could not fight back.

Three days passed in a row.

Every day, Kushina Uzumaki gave those brats who dared provoke her a good beating.

Yet Kushina Uzumaki was miserable throughout those three days.

Because Chiyu had not come to the Ninja Academy for any of those three days, forcing Kushina Uzumaki's plan to make friends to be put on hold.

Meanwhile, Chiyu was still lying in the Ninja Hospital.

Hokage's Office.

After taking a puff from his smoking pipe, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "How is Chiyu doing? Has he awakened?"

An Anbu appeared behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, dropped to one knee, and reported, "Chiyu remains unconscious!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. "It has already been four days, and he still hasn't woken up? What did the Ninja Hospital say?"

The Anbu reported, "Chiyu's Chakra was severely depleted. The meridians throughout his body also suffered varying degrees of damage, as did his muscles. The strain was especially severe in the muscles of his hands and legs. These muscle injuries were all caused by Lightning Release Ninjutsu."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a hard puff from his pipe, a glint flashing through his eyes. "So the destruction in that forest really was caused by Chiyu. It seems Chiyu has mastered some extraordinary Lightning Release Ninjutsu. Did the Medical Ninja say when he would wake up?"

"At the earliest, he will awaken tomorrow!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pipe and said, "Report to me the moment Chiyu wakes up."

"Yes!"

The Anbu instantly vanished from the spot.

The Ninja Academy was out, yet Chiyu still had not appeared, leaving Kushina Uzumaki deeply disappointed.

Kushina Uzumaki packed up and prepared to return to Mito Uzumaki's residence.

Just as Kushina Uzumaki was about to leave the classroom, she sensed someone watching her.

Kushina Uzumaki assumed those brats were still unhappy and wanted to cause her trouble again, so she whipped around.

But it was not those brats. It was Minato Namikaze, who was still sitting at his desk and looking at her.

When Kushina Uzumaki caught him, Minato Namikaze's cheeks flushed red, and he immediately lowered his head.

Kushina Uzumaki fiercely raised her fist and waved it threateningly. "If you dare mess with me, I'll beat you up!"

After issuing the threat, Kushina Uzumaki tossed her little head and left without looking back.

To be honest, Kushina Uzumaki looked down on Minato Namikaze. She thought he was far too girly.

Moreover, on her first day in class, unwilling to be looked down upon and wanting to leave a deep impression on her classmates, she had shouted out the bold declaration, "I'm going to become the first female Hokage!"

But Minato Namikaze had stood up and said that he wanted to become Hokage too. It was as if he were telling her, Forget it. You'll never become Hokage. Even an effeminate guy like me would be more reliable as Hokage than you.

That was why Kushina Uzumaki found Minato Namikaze extremely irritating.

After Kushina Uzumaki left, Minato Namikaze puffed out his cheeks in grievance, unable to understand why Kushina Uzumaki disliked him so much.

Kushina Uzumaki returned to Mito Uzumaki's residence.

"Grandma Mito, I'm back."

Seeing Kushina Uzumaki looking utterly dejected, Mito Uzumaki said with a laugh, "It looks like Chiyu didn't come to school again today, did he?"

Kushina Uzumaki had looked like this every day when she returned from school lately, so it was impossible for Mito Uzumaki not to know.

Kushina Uzumaki sat down in a chair and sighed. "Yeah. I finally worked up the courage, but Chiyu never showed up at all. I'm almost out of courage now."

Mito Uzumaki shook her head helplessly. "Kushina, since you have made your resolve, you cannot give up halfway."

"I know. I'm not planning to give up, but Chiyu never appears. How am I supposed to become friends with him?"

Kushina Uzumaki scratched her head in distress.

Mito Uzumaki said with a smile, "I know where Chiyu is~"