The morning light filtered through the mist, dyeing the streets of the Star City a soft gold.
The morning market on the east bank of the Yuu River had already become lively. The cries of vendors, the sounds of bargaining, and the fresh scents of fruits and vegetables mixed together, forming this city's most ordinary morning.
Mikoto carried a woven bamboo vegetable basket, her white apron swaying gently in the morning breeze.
She stopped at a mushroom stall, her slender fingers carefully selecting shiitake mushrooms based on their quality.
"Mikoto! Over here, over here!"
An energetic voice came from nearby.
Mikoto turned her head and saw Kushina waving at her.
Her signature red hair blazed like fire in the morning light, and her green apron was still dusted with some flour… clearly, she had already been busy in the kitchen early this morning.
"Kushina." Mikoto walked over with a smile. "You're out shopping early too?"
"No helping it. Minato has meetings all day again today, and I overslept this morning, forgetting to prepare everyone's boxed lunches." Kushina said helplessly, already crouching in front of a vegetable stall, beginning to carefully select carrots.
Her movements were quick and focused... she examined each carrot's color and freshness meticulously. "That Hikari is the same, forgets to eat when she's working. And that Ajisai girl..."
Mikoto crouched beside her and took a cloth bag from her basket. "I need to buy some carrots too. Gaara seems to have been quite fond of carrot and pork rib soup lately."
Mentioning Gaara, Kushina's hands paused for a moment.
She looked up, her pale eyes showing a trace of concern. "How is that kid doing now? I heard from Minato that he's already completed several A-rank missions in the six months since graduating."
"Mm." Mikoto nodded, her voice gentle. "Thanks to your guidance, his control over the Tailed Beast's power has become more and more mature. It's just—"
She paused and sighed softly. "I always feel he still can't let go of the matter concerning his uncle."
Her words were soft, but Kushina could hear the worry in them.
Over the years, Mikoto had taken care of the three Sand Siblings, and her understanding of them had become deep. She knew that although Gaara appeared increasingly calm and mature on the surface, there was always something unresolved hidden deep in his eyes.
"The matter of Yashamaru..." Kushina murmured lowly, gripping the carrot in her hand a bit tighter.
She still remembered the first time she saw Gaara, years ago.
That boy with deep dark circles under his eyes and a timid look on his face, always with a mass of sand flowing around him as if it were alive.
And what shocked her even more was a certain... emotion contained within that sand.
After examination, it was confirmed that this sand was not a Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai, but it acted as if it had its own will, protecting Gaara.
Kushina handed the carrots she had selected to the stall owner to weigh, then turned to Mikoto and said, "I can feel it. The sand around him contains a kind of love. Like... like a mother's love for her child."
These words made Mikoto pause slightly.
Kushina continued, her voice carrying a certain conviction. "I noticed it back when I was training him. That sand actively protects him, even when he's unconscious. It's not a Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai ability, but a very special kind of Chakra…"
"Filled with the will to protect and love."
Kushina thought back to those days of training.
When Gaara was struggling to control Shukaku's power, the sand would always form the most suitable defense, blocking Kushina's attacks without harming her.
That precision and gentleness...
"I think so too," Mikoto said softly, placing the selected shiitake mushrooms into her basket. "Perhaps the death of Gaara's mother, and the death of his uncle, have other hidden circumstances."
The two fell silent for a moment.
The bustle of the morning market flowed around them, but between them, a small, quiet space had formed.
The stall owner weighed the carrots, packed them in a plastic bag, and handed them over. "That'll be 120 ryo."
Kushina took a banknote from her wallet and handed it over. The stall owner nimbly gave her change.
Taking the change and the carrots, Kushina stood up and dusted off her apron.
"Anyway," She gave Mikoto a radiant smile, "That kid has us around. No matter what happened in the past, the road ahead is still long."
Mikoto also stood up and returned a gentle smile. "That's right."
The two browsed a few more stalls, buying fresh fish, seasonal vegetables, and some seasonings. Kushina also made a point of going to a dried goods shop to buy kombu and katsuobushi, as Minato loved the miso soup she made with them.
"Oh, right." Before parting, Kushina suddenly remembered something. "How about coming to my place for dinner tonight? I'm planning to make oden!"
Mikoto thought for a moment. "Sure. Gaara and the others should be back early today too."
"Then it's settled!" Kushina said happily, carrying her heavy shopping basket toward home, her red hair bouncing in the morning light.
Mikoto watched her retreating figure, the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifting.
She looked down at the ingredients in her basket, already starting to plan the lunch menu.
Kushina returned home, placed the shopping basket on the kitchen counter, quickly changed into her house clothes, and tied her apron back on.
The kitchen was her most familiar battlefield.
The sound of the knife against the cutting board, the splash of water washing vegetables, the subtle sounds of pots and pans heating up… these sounds formed the symphony of her morning.
Carrots cut into uniform rolling chunks, shiitake mushrooms scored with cross-cuts on top, pork ribs blanched to remove any gamey smell.
Miso slowly dissolved in the ladle, releasing a rich, mellow aroma.
Kushina's movements were fluid, every step highly practiced.
About an hour later, the kitchen was filled with an appetizing fragrance.
Kushina turned off the stove and divided the simmered carrot and pork rib soup into three insulated lunch boxes.
Next came the miso soup, rice, grilled fish, vegetable salad… she arranged the food delicately in the compartments of the lunch boxes as if arranging works of art.
Finally, she took out a sticky note pad and a pen from the drawer.
On the first sticky note, she wrote the word [Minato] in her elegant handwriting and stuck it on the largest lunch box.
After a moment's thought, she drew a little smiley face next to it.
The second note read [Hikari].
Kushina paused, then added the line "Remember to eat on time."
The third note was [Ajisai].
She drew a cute little flower pattern.
With the lunches ready, Kushina formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
With a puff of white smoke, another Kushina, identical to the original, appeared in the kitchen.
The shadow clone winked at the original, picked up the three lunch boxes, and said, "Leave it to me~"
"I'm counting on you." Kushina smiled. "Minato's at the Administration Center, Hikari's probably at the training ground or Anbu, and Ajisai's at the Ninja School. If you can't find them, just give them a call on the communication device!"
"Got it!" The shadow clone responded energetically and headed out the door with the lunches.
The original Kushina then began preparing the broth for the evening's oden.
She placed the kombu and katsuobushi in water to simmer slowly, her movements as gentle as if she were tending to something precious.
Star City's Ninja School.
The lunch bell rang, and in an instant, cheerful noise flooded the hallways.
Children ran out of their classrooms… some hurrying to the training grounds to practice, some discussing the day's lessons in small groups, others chasing each other down the corridors.
Ajisai walked out of the Year 1, Class 3 classroom, holding a stack of lesson plans. Her short purple hair was slightly disheveled.
"These kids... are way too naughty!" She complained softly. "Not cute at all!"
Even as she said it, watching the children scamper past her, she couldn't help the corners of her mouth from turning up.
These six- or seven-year-old children, with eyes sparkling with curiosity about the world and yearning for Ninjutsu, reminded her of herself many years ago.
"It means they have a lot of energy."
A gentle voice came from beside her.
Ajisai turned her head and saw Yakushi Nono walking out of another classroom.
The principal of the Star Ninja School was dressed in simple, elegant black and white everyday clothes, her eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses twinkling with amusement.
"Principal!" Ajisai quickly straightened up and bowed respectfully.
Nono waved her hand, walking over to her. "No need to be so formal. How are you finding it? Getting used to the teaching life?"
Ajisai hugged the lesson plans in her arms a little tighter. The discontent on her face gradually faded, replaced by a mixture of accomplishment and tenderness. "Actually... it's not bad. Although I always complain about them being naughty, I have to admit, these kids are really talented. Even the ones who started a bit later, whose grades are temporarily behind, are all working very hard to catch up. Seeing their progress, little by little... it feels pretty good."
She taught first-year new students, all around six or seven years old, who had just left their parents' embrace not long ago. It was the age where even cats and dogs find them annoying, so mischief was the norm.
But the Land of Stars had gathered talent and resources from everywhere. The average talent of these children truly far exceeded that of ordinary Ninja Villages. What was even rarer, in the Land of Stars's relatively peaceful educational environment and under the influence of the Will of Stars, their eyes held a pure desire for knowledge and power.
And Ajisai's experiences over the past three years in the Land of Stars had been quite rich.
First, she had systematically studied the Uzumaki Clan's inherited Sealing Techniques and the theoretical knowledge of Space-Time Ninjutsu under Minato and Kushina. Then she had entered the Sealing Corps for practical experience, participating in the maintenance and development of several barriers and seals.
Later, following her interests, she had gone to the Medical Department to study basic Medical Ninjutsu.
However, whether in the Sealing Corps, which required intense concentration and precise operations, or in the Medical Department, which demanded care and patience, she always felt something was lacking, unable to fully integrate into those highly specialized and somewhat closed environments.
It wasn't until Nono heard about her situation that she proactively approached Minato, suggesting that Ajisai be transferred to the Ninja School as a teacher.
Nono recognized that although Ajisai was young, she had struggled to survive in the brutal Ninja World for many years. She had not only mastered solid Sealing Techniques and various basic Ninjutsu, but had also accumulated valuable experience in wilderness survival, intelligence gathering, and crisis management.
These were precisely the things the Ninja School's students most needed to learn and practice.
At the same time, Ajisai's own talent in Sealing Techniques and Space-Time Ninjutsu could help the school identify and nurture talent in these areas early. After all, Ninja skilled in Sealing Techniques and Space-Time Ninjutsu were scarce resources anywhere.
"What you teach the children isn't just Ninjutsu," Nono had said to her then. "It's the wisdom to survive danger. That's something you can't learn from textbooks."
Now, standing here, Ajisai finally understood the meaning of those words.
She taught first-year new students… basic Chakra Refinement, the Three Basic Techniques, as well as some wilderness survival tips and theoretical knowledge of Sealing Techniques.
The children learned earnestly, and she taught with dedication.
"As long as you're adapting well." Nono smiled gently, her gaze sweeping over the lesson plans in Ajisai's arms. "I've looked over your teaching plans. Very creative. The kids especially love that [Sealing Technique Game]."
Ajisai blushed slightly. "I just thought, if I could introduce it as a game, they might find the principles of Sealing Techniques easier to understand—"
"A great idea." Nono said approvingly, a pleased smile on her face. "Education shouldn't be rigid. Oh, right, remember to attend the teachers' meeting this afternoon. We need to discuss next semester's curriculum adjustments."
"Yes, Principal."
As they were talking, familiar footsteps and a shout came from down the hall: "Principal Nono! Ajisai!"
Kushina's shadow clone came jogging over, holding the lunch boxes, her red hair bouncing with her movements.
"Aunt Kushina!" Ajisai's eyes lit up.
The shadow clone handed her the lunch box. "Here, these are the lunches I forgot to make for you this morning! Sorry, sorry, I overslept!"
Ajisai quickly took the heavy lunch box, feeling the warmth of 'home' emanating from it. As an orphan herself, it sent a wave of warmth through her heart.
After experiencing the coldness and exploitation of Amegakure, after long years of wandering and loneliness, it was Menma, Minato, Kushina, and everyone here who had given her a new home and warmth.
She nodded firmly, her eyes glistening with emotion. "Thank you, Aunt Kushina! I love your cooking the most!"
"Remember to come home early tonight. We've invited Mikoto and the three Sand Siblings over for oden together!" With that, the shadow clone disappeared with a 'poof' of white smoke.