Chapter 15: Mito Uzumaki's Curiosity
"Ow ow ow... That hurts!"
This was a one-sided beatdown.
Though Kushina Uzumaki possessed considerable strength—superhuman power that could lift and slam peers, even capable of defeating official genin when enraged—she remained far too inexperienced before Yoru.
Raw power without technique, straightforward attacks practically announcing her next move to opponents.
Yoru didn't even need to leverage his speed advantage or use his reaction ability to dodge. Simply employing deflection techniques to redirect force, he blocked all Kushina's attacks before giving the round-faced girl a thorough thrashing without mercy.
Before long, Kushina—face sporting minor bruises but still undeniably cute—had already collapsed on the ground, gasping dramatically.
"You're so weak. Didn't you say you were good at fighting?" Yoru mocked from above, though his face bore a slight smile he seemed unaware of.
"Hmph, don't get too cocky. I was just careless earlier." Kushina clutched her bruised face, shouting defiantly.
"I hope your body can match your mouth's toughness."
Yoru smirked contemptuously, then crouched before Kushina, his tone commanding: "Put your hands down."
"Wh-what are you doing?"
Under the girl's wide-eyed stare—face reddening with apparent wild thoughts—Yoru extended his palm. His hand suddenly became covered in green light.
His palm hovered beside Kushina's face, less than two centimeters away. A gentle warmth like a hot towel enveloped her bruised cheek.
The swelling and mild pain rapidly vanished.
Through the green glow, her dark blue eyes stared blankly at Yoru's serious expression. Kushina's heart suddenly began pounding.
Though the pain swiftly faded, she felt her face growing even redder.
"...Done."
As if oblivious to Kushina's expression, Yoru used the most basic medical technique to heal her facial injuries before rising and departing with hands in his pockets.
Snapping back to awareness, Kushina quickly stood and followed.
This time, she no longer trailed behind but walked beside Yoru, shoulder to shoulder, gathering courage to ask: "Doesn't our fight count as getting acquainted through conflict?"
"No. That was just one-sided abuse," Yoru said coolly.
Kushina, about to respond, suddenly rolled her eyes before declaring indignantly: "I told you, I was just careless! Plus I haven't eaten anything today. I'm so hungry I have no strength or focus. If you dare, we'll fight again tomorrow—I definitely won't lose!"
Hearing this, Yoru said nothing, merely turning his head to give Kushina a contemptuous smile, as if saying "with your abilities?"
Tilting her head back to face Yoru—nearly a full head taller—Kushina challenged: "Well? Do you dare? Are you scared?"
Her provocation succeeded. Yoru chuckled coldly: "Hope you don't cry tomorrow."
"That's my line!"
Like the reckless-period Naruto from the original series, regardless of whether she could actually win, Kushina prioritized establishing momentum.
Exiting the forest, Yoru didn't immediately return to school. Instead, he visited a shop outside campus and bought several bread rolls.
Casually tossing one to Kushina, Yoru said nothing and headed toward school.
Catching the bread, Kushina's eyes grew hot with emotion as she gazed at Yoru's retreating back, her favorable impression of him surging wildly.
This guy really did have a cold exterior but warm heart!
Her smile unstoppable, Kushina tore open the bread's packaging while following.
Neither spoke, simply eating their bread in silence.
Compared to classmates who brought packed lunches, this meal was shabby beyond measure.
Yet Kushina ate with tremendous happiness.
This scene filled Minato Namikaze—secretly watching from hiding—with envy.
If he'd acted to help before Yoru, would he be the one standing beside Kushina now?
After the Senju clan integrated into Konoha, they'd torn down the walls surrounding their compound. Over the years, their once-vast territory had become part of Konoha itself.
Now only a single traditional building represented the Senju clan—home to Konoha's current strongest fighter, Tsunade and Nawaki's residence, and Kushina Uzumaki's temporary shelter.
Tsunade, just returning from her shift at Konoha Hospital, immediately heard sounds of combat from the courtyard.
Arriving at the veranda, she first spotted Mito Uzumaki seated in a chair with a blanket across her lap.
The current Mito Uzumaki showed no signs of having only one or two years remaining.
Possessing the Yin Seal, she still projected an aura of unfathomable depth.
Moreover, as a perfect jinchuriki, she remained Konoha's—indeed, the shinobi world's—undisputed strongest.
After all, the current Madara Uchiha was similarly aged, and the Rinnegan wasn't in his possession.
Standing beside Mito, Tsunade watched Kushina and Nawaki's taijutsu match, asking curiously: "Grandmother, how did you counsel Kushina? Why is today's transformation so different from yesterday?"
Mito smiled gently: "She encountered a good child."
"Oh right, she attended the ninja academy today—she made a friend?" After her realization, Tsunade's interest piqued. "In less than a day, she seems like a different person. Actively seeking out Nawaki for practice too. Is her friend male or female?"
"A very fine young man." Mito offered this exceptionally high praise.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi paid close attention to Kushina's first academy day, so did Mito Uzumaki.
Though she lacked the Telescope Technique, after the Second Hokage's death, throughout the entire shinobi world, no one's sensory abilities could match Mito Uzumaki—who'd mastered the Mind's Eye of the Kagura and fused with the Nine-Tails' good-evil perception.
Children's good and evil were easiest to distinguish.
Classmates' malice toward Kushina as an outsider, along with Minato Namikaze and Gojo Yoru's favorable impressions of her—all registered in Mito's awareness.
Most noteworthy to Mito was naturally Gojo Yoru.
Within this child, she'd sensed an extremely unusual chakra fluctuation.
An energy ordinary sensing couldn't capture at all—one even she could only barely "see."
Something somewhat similar to her husband's Sage Mode chakra yet fundamentally different, instead resembling the nature transformations of bloodline limits like Lava Release or Ice Release.
However, bloodline limit users only transformed their chakra into those nature types when performing techniques.
The energy within this child's body separated itself internally like Sage Mode chakra.
That special chakra didn't secrete from the brain, indicating it wasn't Yin Release chakra. Could it be a special Yang Release bloodline limit?
Mito felt curious but didn't intend to investigate further.
Good-evil sensing didn't lie. She only needed to know Yoru harbored no malice toward Kushina—only favorable feelings.
Moreover, her remaining time was limited. Mito simply wished to complete her final journey accompanied by family and clan members.
Tsunade naturally didn't know her grandmother's thoughts.
Hearing that a boy had changed Kushina, Tsunade immediately revealed a gossipy smile, then rolled up her sleeves: "No wonder she's training so diligently. Seems she's encountered a powerful rival. Let me help her out."
After speaking, Tsunade walked over to simultaneously instruct both Kushina and Nawaki.