"Dance?"
"Seisui, don't underestimate me!" Minato said seriously, fixing his gaze on Seisui. "I've been dancing every single day!"
"Every day without dancing is a desecration of youth!"
"When Uncle Dai gave me this outfit, I was already in my prime!"
"Seisui!"
Minato's eyes burned with determination as he roared,
"Let me show you the results of my hard work!"
"This is two hundred times more effort than that of an ordinary person!"
Hearing him, Seisui grinned, then spoke seriously,
"Minato! Compared to me, two hundred times more effort still isn't enough!"
"Next to me, you're like a firefly competing with the full moon!"
Watching them, the tension was palpable, ready to erupt into a fight. Kushina immediately stepped in front of Minato and cleared her throat.
"You haven't notified Haru yet. Go tell him first. Stop causing trouble."
Seisui snorted coldly.
"Fine, in Kushina's presence, I'll spare you this time."
"You'll be defeated by me, Seisui!"
"Heh~" Seisui didn't answer, tossing a pat at Minato.
"I'm going to find Haru, little weakling," he added, pouting with a mocking grin.
Nawaki clenched his fists in the training field, watching this scene.
"So annoying…"
"Do you dare say that in front of him?" Yahiko appeared behind Nawaki, grinning strangely.
"Cough, cough," Nawaki coughed, "I'll let it slide this time… but next time, I'll beat him up!"
"Nawaki, you're pathetic!" Yahiko laughed, slinging an arm over his shoulder.
The two had grown close over time, both hot-blooded and idiotic in personality, getting along very well.
"Just wait!" Nawaki clenched his fist. When I awaken Wood Release, I'll be able to suppress every enemy in the ninja world, just like my grandfather!
"But Seisui said he's developing Wood Release too," Yahiko said thoughtfully.
"I don't know what Wood Release is, but I have a feeling Seisui will develop it before you."
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Nawaki immediately retorted.
"This is the power to pacify chaos! Only my grandfather developed it!"
"No matter how smart or strong Seisui is, he can't develop Wood Release!"
Nawaki looked confident.
"If Seisui develops Wood Release, I… I… uh…" He suddenly faltered, glancing at Minato's sister, Mina, inside the ice pavilion. His face instantly flushed bright red.
"If he develops Wood Release… I'll confess to Mina!"
Yahiko: "???"
"You little… that's taking advantage of everything!"
Nearby, Kushina sighed helplessly at Minato.
"Minato, why do you insist on inviting trouble?"
"Seisui is a pervert. You know how strong he is."
Minato smiled.
"Kushina, you don't understand. It's because Seisui is strong that I have to constantly challenge him! Besides, defeating me benefits him too."
The sunlight filtered through the ice pavilion, illuminating Minato's face with a radiant glow. Kushina was momentarily speechless.
"Seisui is great, even though I lose every time," Minato stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her and resting on her shoulder.
"Even when I lose, Seisui never uses his full strength. Every battle is different—different tactics, different lessons. If he really wanted a quick victory, even with Flying Raijin, I'd be instantly defeated."
Hearing this, Kushina finally understood why Minato loved fighting Seisui.
A constantly changing opponent, able to restrain strength yet give full effort without concern for injury or death—Seisui was likely the only one in the entire ninja world like this.
As for the "benefit to Seisui," Kushina didn't care much. To her, Seisui was a monster. Monsters didn't need reasoning.
Even if he appeared next to her the next second and claimed the world was ending, she would believe him.
Seeing the couple together, Konan, Mina, and Nagato exchanged glances and quietly left.
This space was left for the young couple to be affectionate.
Meanwhile, Seisui walked through the Uchiha clan's territory. Everyone made way for him.
If ordinary Konoha villagers only knew the name "Seisui, the Ghost of the Konoha," most of the Uchiha clan knew him personally.
Since Seisui had been with Uchiha Haru, he had become something of a celebrity in the Uchiha clan. At first, some didn't know him well, but after news of his Mangekyo Sharingan spread, nearly everyone knew who he was.
Even those unfamiliar would ask others for a picture to recognize him.
The Mangekyo Sharingan was legendary among the Uchiha. Most had heard of eyes beyond the three tomoe, but none had seen one.
In most people's minds, it was a myth. But now, the legend had come to life.
"You're Ghost of the Konoha?!"
Seisui stopped as a small brat ran out from the side, looking at him arrogantly.
"I'm Seisui," he crouched down with a smile. "Kid, what's up?"
"I'm not a kid!" The boy wiped his nose and pulled out a wooden kunai.
"I'm challenging you!"
Seisui paused, then recalled using a wooden kunai to train with Minato when he was young. Although he was older now, he couldn't help but smile.
"What's your name, kid?" Seisui chuckled. "Pointing a kunai at your fellow villagers is rude, you know."
"Damn it! I'm not a kid!"
"My name's Obito—Uchiha Obito!"
Obito sniffed, then continued, "I'm challenging you today!"
Seisui paused in surprise, then smiled. I didn't expect to meet this convict here.
"Winning means they'll call me Ghost of the Konoha," Obito said seriously, pointing at a group of kids peeking from behind.
"Do you know how I survived three days to get this chance?!"
Obito's words left Seisui unsure where to even start his complaints.
If you beat me, why even play ninja games?
"Such a naive kid," Seisui thought, a mischievous grin forming.
"Since you're so serious, I'll accept your challenge."
He clapped his hands, and the wooden kunai from the Panda Clan—worn with training marks—instantly appeared in his hand.
Obito stared at the worn wooden kunai, then glanced at his new one, gritted his teeth, and said,
"I won't let you underestimate me!"
The Uchiha had a hierarchy, but it wasn't as strict as the Hyuga.
As a millennium-old clan, they were lenient with children.
Obito's parents had died on a mission shortly after his birth, leaving only his grandmother to raise him. Despite limited resources, he grew up safely.
The Uchiha clan provided subsidies for children like Obito, ensuring they never starved.
It was a matter of pride—not allowing a clan member to suffer hunger.
Through generations, the Uchiha also contracted with the Ninja Cat Clan, supplying wooden ninja tools for kids.
Obito's new wooden kunai was part of this tradition. Wooden weapons were safer than metal, letting kids practice without serious injury.
If they did get hurt, they could be treated at the hospital.
Providing safety, nurturing growth, and cultivating future ninjas—that was the responsibility of a prestigious clan.
Looking at Obito's new wooden kunai, Seisui smiled faintly.
"You kids have it much easier than I did back then."
Obito didn't understand, but nodded seriously.
The surrounding Uchiha noticed a child challenging Seisui, and that Seisui had accepted. They crowded around to watch.
"Obito's bold for his age," one non-ninja Uchiha remarked.
"Yeah…" another agreed.
"Much braver than you were as a kid, haha!"
"Go for it, Obito!"
"Don't cry if you lose!"
"Hahaha."
Obito, hearing the adults, flushed slightly.
"Damn it, I'm not going to lose!"