Naruto's Trash Station

The words carried an angry roar, as well as unwavering resolve.

Ren was slightly dazed, but the burst of laughter snapped him back to his senses.

Ren turned his head. In the vast classroom, quite a few students were laughing, as if mocking Kushina Uzumaki's dream and ridiculing her anger.

Teacher Yamada looked somewhat awkward, then said sternly, "Quiet! This is Kushina Uzumaki's dream. You have no right to mock someone else's dream!"

The laughing students gradually quieted down. It seemed Teacher Yamada still held considerable authority.

Yamada then looked at Ren and said, "Next, this student will introduce himself."

Hearing that, Ren gave Kushina Uzumaki a comforting look. Then his gaze turned cold, and the small amount of Chakra within him slowly began to flow.

Ren said, "My name is Ren. Remember that name. You will be proud to know it someday. And don't look at me with that mocking gaze. You are not qualified to look at me like that. Your eyes can only look up at me; they can never follow in my footsteps."

As he spoke, Ren took Kushina Uzumaki's hand, let his Chakra radiate outward, and slowly walked down from the podium.

Such arrogant words filled the students with anger. Yet Ren's terrifying gaze left them unable to say a word.

At some point, Ren's sensory ability had begun to faintly spread, carrying an air of cold indifference. That indifference made the students choose to shut their mouths. They did not even dare meet his eyes.

Perhaps this was one way of using sensory ability, but Ren had no idea what was happening. After all, his grandfather had not yet taught him this ability he had inherited from his mother, an ability that also belonged to his grandfather's clan.

But when he saw Kushina Uzumaki's anger and the students' mockery, the fury that surged up in an instant awakened this ability.

Yamada had initially looked surprised, but when he heard Ren's name, a faint smile appeared on his face. The way he looked at Ren also became slightly different.

The classroom fell silent. Reiko Uzumaki was somewhat timid; after saying only a few words, she stepped down from the podium.

After the three had finished introducing themselves, they headed straight for a spot near the classroom door where no other students were seated.

The three sat down. Yamada smiled faintly and said, "Now that our three new students have introduced themselves, let us continue class. Today, we will still be discussing Chakra, especially some issues regarding Chakra extraction."

"First, everyone has a different physique. The energy contained within their cells differs as well, so the Chakra they extract also differs. As for the question Minato Namikaze raised some time ago—why everyone can extract Chakra, yet the power of that Chakra differs—Teacher did not understand it very well either. So I asked many senior ninjas and learned that the strength of one's Chakra depends on one's physique and bloodline..."

Yamada continued speaking, explaining information about Chakra.

Ren listened carefully as well, since he knew nothing about this knowledge. Although Jiraiya had taught him before, it had only been superficial.

Chapter 22: Minato Namikaze

In the blink of an eye, half a day had passed.

Ren was still in the classroom, looking at the blond kid before him.

"Hello... My name is Minato Namikaze. I sit in front of you!"

Still a child, Minato Namikaze spoke with a faint smile and a warm look in his eyes.

It had to be said that Minato Namikaze had been quite handsome even as a child, and his smile was highly infectious.

Ren smiled faintly and asked, "Aren't you afraid they'll reject you?"

As Ren spoke, he looked toward the others in the classroom. Under his gaze, the previously noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

What Ren had said that morning had earned him the hostility of these kids. But when they faced his gaze, each of them showed fear.

Ren did not know that sensory ability could have such an effect. Perhaps he could find out by asking his grandfather after returning home.

For now, though, these kids did not dare approach Ren and quietly excluded the three of them. Yet Minato, who seemed rather popular in the class, had come over anyway, unafraid that the others would reject him.

Minato scratched his head and chuckled. "It's fine. They just don't understand you yet. Once they do, they'll interact with you."

"Hmph..." Kushina Uzumaki snorted, utterly dismissive of Minato's smile. Minato looked somewhat awkward, while Ren said, "You really have character. Then let me introduce myself again. My name is Ren."

After saying that, Ren looked at Kushina Uzumaki.

Facing Ren's gaze, Kushina Uzumaki said, "Fine, fine... For Ren's sake, I'll introduce myself again. My name is Kushina Uzumaki, and my dream is to become Konoha's first female Hokage!"

The simple and blunt introduction made Minato smile awkwardly.

As for Reiko Uzumaki, her soft words were at least understandable to Minato.

As they chatted, Ren gradually became acquainted with Minato. From him, he also learned quite a few things about the Ninja Academy.

Before long, it was time for school to end.

Before Yamada could dismiss the class, Nawaki had already walked in and shouted at Ren, "Ren... Hurry up and come out! I'll take you out to have fun today!"

Those words seemed to completely ignore Yamada.

Faced with Nawaki's disregard, Teacher Yamada merely smiled awkwardly, because he knew exactly who Nawaki was.

The First Hokage's grandson had privileges throughout all of Konoha. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi could not say much about it.

Yamada then said, "Class is dismissed! Everyone, go home!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ren took Kushina Uzumaki's hand and walked toward Nawaki.

The others in the classroom all chose to remain silent. Not only were they afraid of Ren's gaze, but they were also afraid of Nawaki.

It seemed Nawaki was also something of a little tyrant at the Ninja Academy.

Ren shook his head and followed Nawaki out of the classroom.

Not long afterward, inside a shop, Ren sampled tea and snacks while listening to Nawaki talk.

"Ren... No one in your class has been bullying you, right? If there is, tell me. Just watch me teach them a lesson. You should know that I'm the boss of the Ninja Academy!"

The words were full of street-gang swagger, making the whole thing feel rather strange.

Ren's mouth twitched. "Eat your ice cream. Stop talking about being the boss."

Ren was speechless. By now, he was certain that Nawaki was definitely the First Hokage's grandson.

Based on the original story, Ren had assumed Nawaki would be a hot-blooded youth like Naruto. But now it seemed Nawaki had inherited some of the First Hokage's traits as well.

Bosses, gambling, fighting... Nawaki had inherited all of it.

Ren truly did not know how the First Hokage had raised his children. Tsunade had inherited his bad habits, and Nawaki had inherited them too. This kind of parenting was really worth learning from.

Before long, night had deepened.

A man slowly approached Nawaki, leaned close, and quietly said, "Young master... Lady Mito wants you to return."

Hearing that, Nawaki nodded silently. Then he looked at Ren and said, "Ren... I'm heading back first. I'll take you out to have fun again tomorrow!"

Ren looked disgusted. "Take me out to have fun? You're just here to freeload. This shop is one of my family's businesses too!"

Nawaki chuckled. "You're rich, so what can I do? No wonder my sister always mentions you. So it's because you have money!"

With that, Nawaki ran off with a cheeky grin.

After Nawaki left, Kushina Uzumaki looked at Ren as well and said, "Ren... I'll head back first."

Ren nodded and watched the three of them leave.

He had already gotten along well with Kushina Uzumaki, and what had happened that morning had completely brought her to Ren's side.

It could be said that Kushina Uzumaki hid no secrets from him. She was currently living with the Senju Clan and receiving Mito Uzumaki's guidance.

Perhaps that was why Kushina Uzumaki would become so powerful in the future. Though she had only appeared a few times in the original story, it was obvious that she was definitely no weakling. After all, someone taught by Mito Uzumaki could never be ordinary.