"Such good eyesight?"
Kushina Uzumaki muttered.
She could barely see the road herself.
"If you're scared, just follow me."
Kiyoshi let Kushina walk behind him.
Village's technology was quite developed, with modern equipment like refrigerators and display screens.
However, it was normal for street lights to break. Kiyoshi had never seen this area renovated, many of the buildings were old.
"Okay."
Kushina agreed to Kiyoshi's suggestion and followed behind him.
Well, it was certainly a different scene from the usual.
A broken street light was a rare experience for Kushina, too.
She glanced towards a certain dark direction, and her eyes dimmed slightly.
Kiyoshi happened to look back and caught the change in Kushina's eyes with his peripheral vision.
In the Naruto world, every hidden village was extremely resistant to a [Host of a Tailed Beast].
A Host of a Tailed Beast, or Jinchūriki, is someone who sacrifices their own existence to seal a Tailed Beast and coexist with it.
Unfortunately, this heroic sacrifice earned little appreciation.
In the massive Hidden Leaf Village, the only area Kushina could move freely in was within the circular sealing barrier centered on the [Uzumaki] Clan Shrine.
This meant she couldn't even walk through all of the village, seeing the same scenery day after day, trapped in the [Vortex] of the present era, unable to escape, over and over again...
And she would always have two Anbu watching her.
"My name is Kiyoshi Uchiha. What's yours?"
After walking a few steps, Kiyoshi pretended to be curious.
"I..."
Kushina glanced at Kiyoshi, who was walking in front, seemingly hesitating whether to tell him her name.
She suddenly felt the name was familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere.
Kushina thought carefully and finally had a small clue.
"I heard about you from Minato. Are you the foreigner from the Land of Lightning?"
Kushina's red lips parted slightly.
"Yes, I only came to Konoha a few months ago. I'm much more familiar with it now, but there are still many places that feel strange."
Kiyoshi's tone carried a hint of loneliness.
The [Art of Conversation (White)] Trait made his words sound more sincere.
However, the greater the other party's status compared to Kiyoshi, the weaker the effect.
"Me too! My name is Kushina Uzumaki."
Kushina, walking behind him, excitedly patted her chest, causing a noticeable tremor in the curve that moved men's hearts.
"I also came from outside, though I arrived a few years before you."
This was the first time Kushina had met someone with a background similar to her own.
Since the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools, she was the only surviving member of the Uzumaki clan to come here.
Other scattered survivors were spread throughout the ninja world, living in anonymity, no longer bearing the Uzumaki surname.
In her excitement, Kushina began asking Kiyoshi about his feelings toward Konoha.
Kiyoshi deliberately stopped walking to chat with Kushina.
In his black eyes, Kushina's vivid red hair and delicate face were perfectly reflected.
His Dōjutsu power fluctuated slightly.
It must be said that, as Naruto's mother, Kushina was quite charming.
Kiyoshi suppressed this fluctuation, the Anbu were still watching.
It was enough to have made contact with Kushina today. Future developments could be taken slowly, step by step, gradually eating away at her defenses.
In this way, Kiyoshi would gain an increase in [Dōjutsu] power, and Kushina would likely avoid the tragic fate she suffered in the original work.
Everyone would have a bright future.
After a while, the two gradually emerged from the alley. The light from the distant street lights grew stronger, falling onto them.
The shadows on Kiyoshi's face, however, deepened under the changing light.
***
Natsu Hyūga queued for a long time to buy her dessert, then quickly rushed back toward the Hyūga clan compound.
"You're back so late."
Ginka Hyūga, who had been out strolling, ran into Natsu Hyūga returning.
"Lady Ginka, I was delayed on the road for a while."
Natsu Hyūga bowed her head and recounted her encounter on the road.
"An Uchiha?"
A flash of thought crossed Ginka Hyūga's eyes. She recalled that a new Uchiha had indeed arrived in the village, and the Clan Head had specifically instructed all Hyūga members not to let the [Byakugan] vision leak out, and had checked the [Caged Bird Seal] on the heads of the Branch House members once more.
"The Uchiha are a naturally evil clan. Minimize your contact with him."
Ginka Hyūga stated.
"...Yes."
Due to Ginka Hyūga's command, Natsu Hyūga found it difficult to argue.
Although she didn't know why the Uchiha were described as "naturally evil."
The two left the street and walked further away.
"These people really love to judge with prejudice."
Kushina and Kiyoshi emerged from the alley and heard the comment about "naturally evil Uchiha."
Having been bullied herself because of her red hair, she felt a sense of shared resentment.
"It's fine."
Kiyoshi shook his head.
Naturally evil Uchiha, huh?
His unique method of awakening his eyes meant he was destined not to be a "good" Uchiha.
Whether it was Kushina, Natsu Hyūga, or that Main House member, they would all be transformed into fuel for his own strength.
"Well, I'll see you next time."
Kiyoshi waved goodbye.
Kushina returned the farewell.
After Kiyoshi left, a blond man approached Kushina.
"Sorry, I was out on a mission today and came back late."
The man, Minato Namikaze, smiled gently, apologetically.
"Don't let it happen again, Minato."
Kushina forgave Minato Namikaze's tardiness this time.
Just as she turned to walk, she suddenly realized that Kiyoshi Uchiha, who shared a similar background to her, hadn't shown any strangeness toward her red hair.
"What's wrong?"
Minato Namikaze took a breath, calming his exertion from running over.
He thought Kushina was saying she was fine but secretly sulking.
"Nothing."
Kushina shook her head.
Minato Namikaze scratched his head, perplexed.
***
A month passed, and Kiyoshi finally committed all the basic theoretical knowledge to memory.
The school issued books, including all the previous ones.
These weren't actually very numerous, as ninja schools primarily taught children.
Considering children's memory and focus, the course was set for six years.
Kiyoshi, possessing an adult soul, learned very quickly.
Later, the Uchiha clan also gave Kiyoshi some materials—the preliminary education that ordinary Uchiha ninja received.
Thus, Kiyoshi mastered all of it through self-study alone.
"Huh? Kiyoshi, you're graduating early?"
Kurenai Yūhi, who had just gotten used to taking extra lessons from Kiyoshi, felt like the sky was falling when she heard the news.
Although her father, Shinku Yūhi, also taught her [Genjutsu] and knew more than Kiyoshi.
Communication with a peer, however, was clearly easier than facing her strict father.
"Yes, I submitted my application yesterday."
Kiyoshi replied.
"Then... then I'll graduate early too."
Kurenai Yūhi considered this and stated.
Many things taught at the Ninja Academy had already been taught to her by her father at home.
Only true civilians needed to follow the curriculum step-by-step. Before the current era, many students from ninja clans with resources could graduate early.
Of course, there were different tiers of early graduation, with Kakashi's scores being in the highest tier.
"Are you sure?"
Kiyoshi looked at Kurenai Yūhi.
Kurenai Yūhi's face still had some baby fat, making her look soft, but she was now serious, her small face taut with determination.
"Yes."
Kurenai Yūhi nodded.
***
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