Kushina sprinted from the room, a crimson blur brushing past Shirota and Mikoto as they re-entered. Mikoto caught a glimpse of the girl's flushed cheeks and felt a surge of quiet joy. The ice around the transfer student was finally beginning to crack.
The classroom remained tense, the air thick with the hushed whispers of students who didn't know how to process the violence they had witnessed. Shirota-sensei scanned the room, his voice calm but firm.
"Everyone, take your lunch break. And remember: what happened here today stays in this room. Am I clear?"
A chorus of soft "Yes, sensei" followed. Shirota then looked at the golden-haired boy standing by the desk. "Minato, come with me."
Minato nodded. He caught Mikoto's eye as he passed; she gave him a small, reassuring nod.
"Minato," she called out as he reached the door, "I'm waiting for you. You still haven't tried the rice balls."
"I'll be back," Minato promised with a faint smile before following the teacher into the hall.
The Academy training grounds were largely deserted under the midday sun. Shirota led Minato to the perimeter fence, where the wire mesh hummed softly in the breeze. He sat down cross-legged on the grass and gestured for Minato to do the same.
Minato sat, his posture stiff, his eyes searching his teacher's face for signs of disappointment. "Sensei... are you angry?"
Shirota let out a long breath and looked toward the Hokage Rock in the distance. "Tell me, Minato. Why did you come to this Academy? Why do you want to be a ninja?"
Minato went silent. It was a simple question, yet it seemed to trigger a deep, tectonic shift in his thoughts. Shirota watched him closely. Most seven-year-olds would say "to be cool" or "to get strong." But Minato's eyes grew distant, his young face hardening with a maturity that felt decades out of place.
After a long silence, Minato looked up, his azure gaze steady. "I want to protect the people I care about. To do that, I must have the power to stand between them and the world."
Shirota nodded slowly. "A clear goal. But let me ask you: is Kushina one of those people? You only met her today."
Minato paused. He thought of the weeping woman in his visions—the phantom pain that flared in his chest whenever he looked at the red-haired girl. He didn't understand the "how" or the "why," but the "what" was undeniable.
"I don't know why," Minato admitted, his voice a firm whisper. "But I feel it in my soul. I will protect her, no matter the cost."
Shirota was taken aback. The conviction in the boy's voice wasn't childhood infatuation; it was the vow of a sentinel. This boy is no ordinary student, Shirota thought. He carries a weight I can't yet identify.
"And Akasaka Yu?" Shirota asked, his voice deepening. "Is he the enemy in your path?"
"No," Minato said immediately. "He is family. He is a member of this village, and I want to protect him too."
Shirota blinked. "Then why strike him so hard?"
Minato looked at his hands, a shadow of guilt crossing his face. "I overreacted. My mind went... blank. I didn't want to hurt him; I wanted the bullying to stop. To me, everyone in Konoha is family. Even the ones who make mistakes."
Shirota felt a chill. At seven years old, Minato was articulating the very philosophy that defined the Third Hokage—the Will of Fire. It was the belief that the village was one great family, and the Hokage was the father who loved them all.
"Your ideas are... more comprehensive than mine, Minato," Shirota confessed, standing up. "As your teacher, I'm proud. But as a shinobi, I must remind you: a tool that cannot be controlled is dangerous to everyone. You must master this power before it masters you."
Minato stood and bowed deeply. "I understand. I will apologize to Akasaka-kun. I went too far."
"Good. Now, go eat. A ninja needs his strength." With a quick blur of movement, Shirota vanished, leaving only a few swirling leaves in his wake.
Minato walked back toward the classroom, lost in thought. As he stepped into the corridor, he noticed a boy leaning against the wall near the entrance. He was Minato's age, but his eyes were sharp, calculating, and fixed directly on Minato.
"Minato Namikaze," the boy said, his voice smooth and cold. "Why are you hiding? That speed back there... that wasn't the work of a student."
Minato stopped, his gaze meeting the stranger's. The peaceful atmosphere of the Academy felt suddenly very fragile.