Blood Red Pepper

If he doesn't even care about his own wife, then an outsider like me certainly won't get involved. Anyo shook his head and went back to pondering yesterday's genjutsu.

Sure enough, as soon as class ended, several boys surrounded Kushina Uzumaki at the back of the classroom.

One boy pointed at her and said, "A chubby, round face and that red hair-aren't you just a tomato? I hate tomatoes more than anything. And you want to be Hokage? Dream on."

Another boy chimed in, "Me too. I hate tomatoes. I never eat them."

"Looking like that, you want the villagers to acknowledge you? What a joke."

Perhaps their laughter was too loud, because Minato finally glanced back. Anyo signaled to him with his eyes: Are you really not going to help? That's your future wife.

Minato looked hesitant, as though he was considering whether to go over.

Kushina Uzumaki kept her head lowered in anger without saying a word.

Seeing that she wasn't fighting back, the boy grew bolder. He went straight up and began tugging her red hair, jeering, "So red! This tomato must be ripe already. Ready to pick!"

Kushina Uzumaki felt the pain and angrily grabbed the boy's arm. She actually lifted him right up, then spun around, knocking all the boys surrounding her to the floor. Then she straddled the boy who had jeered the loudest and pummeled him with alternating fists, punch after punch, saying as she hit him, "Don't ever call me a tomato again! Call me that again, and I'll make you pay!"

The boy screamed repeatedly under her blows.

At the sight, Minato couldn't help laughing.

Kushina immediately spotted Minato's smile. She shot him a sharp look and shouted, "What's so funny?"

Minato turned away with a sheepish laugh.

Seeing this, Anyo sighed helplessly to himself. They really are the destined couple. He's already afraid of his wife at this age.

After teaching the boys a lesson, Kushina ran straight out of the classroom, her fiery red hair streaming in the wind as she ran. Minato, who had just turned away, not daring to look, had at some point begun staring blankly at her retreating figure.

Unable to stand his lovestruck behavior, Anyo reminded him, "Hey, do you have to be that absorbed? You're the only one who'd like a little hot pepper like her."

Before Minato could reply, the boys who had just been knocked down stood up and said, "Right, a hot pepper! We won't call her a tomato anymore. We'll call her Blood Red Pepper."

Oh, so that's how Naruto's mom got her nickname. These little brats really have a talent for nicknames, Anyo marveled inwardly, finding it quite fitting.

Beside him, Minato shook his head and was about to sit down and read when Anyo patted his shoulder.

Minato looked at him in confusion.

Anyo helplessly pointed at the boy Kushina had just knocked down and said, "School isn't over yet, so why is that little brat leaving now? I'm guessing he lost face after that beating and went back to get help. Aren't you going to help that little hot pepper?"

Hearing that, Minato put down his book and vanished in front of Anyo with a Body Flicker Technique.

Damn, this guy really is lovestruck! He couldn't even wait for me.

Anyo likewise vanished from the classroom with a Body Flicker Technique. Of course, his speed certainly couldn't compare with Minato's, but catching up to Kushina, who had just run out, wouldn't be much of a problem.

Just as predicted, that boy had fetched his older brother.

He was still only a half-grown child himself, but he stood a head taller than Kushina and wore a forehead protector. Clearly, this older boy was already a genuine ninja.

Unable to see eye to eye, the two went straight to fighting. The older boy struck first, throwing a kunai at Kushina, though he was clearly holding back. The kunai lodged in a tree.

Spotting an opening, Kushina turned and charged, knocking him to the ground. But the older boy turned into a log-a Substitution Technique. Before Kushina, whose strike had missed its target, could locate him, the older boy appeared behind her and knocked her to the ground with a knife-hand strike.

Pretty experienced, huh? Anyo watched from above with admiration. He had prepared a Substitution Technique in advance, then deliberately exposed an opening to lure her into attacking before circling behind her and defeating her in one move. He could vent his anger without injuring anyone. Sure enough, wartime ninja all had a few tricks up their sleeves.

The older boy grabbed Kushina's red hair from behind and mocked her. "You couldn't even spot a Substitution Technique? Looks like you're just a little brat after all. But this hair is as stiff as wire. What an eyesore."

The younger boy Kushina had knocked down earlier stood beside them and laughed smugly. "Serves you right for hitting me earlier."

After saying that, the boy noticed Kushina was crying. He froze, then began to panic.

Kushina stood up and struggled forward, shouting wildly, "I don't like this red hair either, but it's part of my body!"

The force of her forward movement tore free the red hair in his grip. Even the older boy was shocked. Wasn't this little girl afraid of pain?

Taking advantage of his distraction, Kushina knocked him down with a flurry of blows. Just as she had in the classroom, she punched him with her left fist, then her right.

Watching from above, Anyo's gaze grew somewhat grave. He realized that Kushina's physical strength surpassed even his own. That tremendous leap just now was beyond an ordinary Genin, yet she had done it with ease. As expected of someone who would one day be able to seal the Nine-Tails, her vitality was unlike an ordinary person's.

Minato, who had just been about to intervene, stayed where he was in the tree when he saw this. After venting her anger, Kushina spotted him and demanded furiously, "Did you refuse to help me just because I'm an outsider?"

Minato opened his mouth, but he had only managed to say "I" before she interrupted him.

"That's what you think, isn't it?"

With that, Kushina ran off without looking back.

Minato was about to chase after her when Anyo stopped him and shook his head. "Don't worry. We're inside the village. She'll be fine. Besides, you didn't help her just now. Aren't you just asking to get yelled at if you chase her now?"

Minato looked at Anyo and said, "She must have been really hurt just now."

Anyo said nonchalantly, "A child from outside is very sensitive. That takes time to heal. Once she gets used to this place, she'll be fine."

Hearing this, Minato said with great admiration for Anyo, "We're the same age, but you know more than I do. From now on, I'll work hard to learn from you."

Rather than letting Minato's words go to his head, Anyo waved a hand. "Forget it. You'll have a teacher to guide you in the future. There's really no need to learn from me. My goal is just to stay unnoticed. Living a safe, peaceful life is enough."

An orphan himself, Minato understood the fear in Anyo's heart and encouraged him. "Let's train hard together from now on. Once we're strong, we'll definitely be able to live well."

Looking at the still-innocent Minato, Anyo suddenly thought of his future fate. Inexplicably saddened, he smiled and said, "Let's hope so..."