"Hiss... that hurts, that hurts!"
It was a completely one-sided battle.
Although Uzumaki Kushina was strong, possessing monstrous strength capable of throwing peers around and even counter-killing official Genin when enraged...
In front of Gojo Yoru, she was still too green.
She had brute strength but no technique. Her straightforward attacks were like announcing to her opponent exactly what she was going to do next.
Gojo Yoru didn't even need to use overwhelming speed or reaction ability to dodge. Just by using parrying techniques to deflect force, he blocked all of Uzumaki Kushina's attacks, then beat up the round-faced girl mercilessly.
In a short while, Uzumaki Kushina, with a few bruises on her face but still looking cute, was slumped on the ground, sucking in breaths of cold air frantically.
"You're so weak. Didn't you say you were really good at fighting?" Gojo Yoru mocked from above, yet there was a smile on his face that even he seemed unaware of.
"Hmph, don't get too arrogant. I was just careless just now." Uzumaki Kushina covered her bruised little face and shouted indignantly.
"I hope your body can be as tough as your mouth."
Gojo Yoru smiled contemptuously, then squatted down in front of Uzumaki Kushina, his tone firm: "Put your hands down."
"Wh... what are you going to do?"
Under the girl's wide-eyed, blushing gaze as her imagination ran wild, Gojo Yoru extended his palm. Suddenly, his palm was covered by a green glow.
His hand hovered next to Uzumaki Kushina's small face, less than two centimeters away. A gentle warmth, like a hot towel, covered her face.
The swelling and slight pain disappeared rapidly.
Staring blankly through the green light screen at the serious-looking Gojo Yoru in front of her with her dark blue eyes, Uzumaki Kushina suddenly felt her heart pounding.
Even though the pain was fading quickly, she felt her face becoming even redder.
"...Done."
Gojo Yoru seemed not to notice Uzumaki Kushina's expression. After healing the injuries on her face with the most basic Medical Ninjutsu, he stood up, put his hands in his pockets, and left.
Snapping back to reality, Uzumaki Kushina hurriedly got up and followed him.
This time, she didn't trail behind Gojo Yoru but walked beside him, shoulder to shoulder. Mustering her courage, she asked, "Does that count as 'no discord, no concord' just now?"
"No, that was just a one-sided beating," Gojo Yoru said coolly.
Uzumaki Kushina, who wanted to say something more, rolled her eyes and said indignantly, "I told you, I was just careless. Besides, I haven't eaten anything today. I'm so hungry I have no strength or spirit. If you're brave enough, fight me again tomorrow. I definitely won't lose again!"
Gojo Yoru didn't speak upon hearing this. He just turned his head and gave Uzumaki Kushina a contemptuous smile, as if saying, You?
Uzumaki Kushina looked up at Gojo Yoru, who was nearly a head taller than her, and clamored, "What, do you dare? You're not scared, are you?"
Her provocation was very successful. Gojo Yoru sneered, "I hope you don't cry tomorrow."
"That's what I should be saying."
Just like the reckless Uzumaki Naruto in the original work, whether she could win or not, Uzumaki Kushina first had to build up her momentum.
Walking out of the woods, Gojo Yoru didn't return to school immediately. Instead, he went to a shop outside the school and bought a few pieces of bread.
Casually tossing a piece of bread to Uzumaki Kushina, Gojo Yoru said nothing and walked towards the school.
Uzumaki Kushina, holding the bread, felt her eyes heat up with emotion. Looking at Gojo Yoru's back, her affection for him skyrocketed.
This guy really was cold on the outside but warm on the inside!
The corners of her mouth couldn't stop curling up. Uzumaki Kushina tore open the bread wrapper while following him.
Neither of them said anything, just simply eating bread.
Compared to those classmates who brought bento boxes to school, such a lunch could be described as extremely shabby.
But Uzumaki Kushina ate with immense happiness.
Watching this scene from a hidden corner, Namikaze Minato was filled with envy.
If he had acted faster than Gojo Yoru to help, would the person standing next to Uzumaki Kushina right now be him?
...
After the Senju Clan integrated into Konoha, they tore down the high walls surrounding their clan grounds. After so many years, the once vast clan grounds had long become a part of Konoha.
Now, the only thing representing the Senju Clan was a traditional building where the strongest person in Konoha currently resided. It was also the home of Tsunade and Nawaki, and the temporary residence of Uzumaki Kushina.
Tsunade, who worked at the Konoha Hospital, had just returned home when she heard the sounds of fighting from the courtyard.
When she arrived at the veranda, the first thing she saw was Uzumaki Mito sitting in a chair with a blanket over her legs.
At this moment, one couldn't tell that Uzumaki Mito had only a year or two left to live.
Possessing the Yin Seal, she still gave off an unfathomable feeling.
Moreover, as a Perfect Jinchuriki, she was truly the number one powerhouse in Konoha, and perhaps even the Ninja World.
After all, Uchiha Madara was also old now, and he didn't have the Rinnegan with him.
Walking to Uzumaki Mito's side, Tsunade looked at Uzumaki Kushina and Nawaki, who were engaging in a Taijutsu duel, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Grandmother, how did you enlighten Kushina? Why is the change in her today so different from yesterday?"
Uzumaki Mito smiled faintly. "She met a good child."
"Oh right, she went to the Ninja Academy today. Did she make a friend?" After realizing this, Tsunade also became interested. "Less than a day, and she's like a different person, so actively seeking Nawaki for sparring. Is her friend a boy or a girl?"
"A very nice boy." Uzumaki Mito gave a very high evaluation.
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen paid close attention to Uzumaki Kushina's first day of school, so did Uzumaki Mito.
Although she didn't have the Telescope Technique, after the death of the Second Hokage, in terms of sensing ability in the entire Ninja World, no one could compare to Uzumaki Mito, who mastered the Mind's Eye of the Kagura and fused it with the Nine-Tails' negative emotion sensing.
The good and evil of children were the easiest to distinguish.
The malice of the classmates towards Uzumaki Kushina, the outsider, as well as the goodwill of Namikaze Minato and Gojo Yoru towards her, were all seen by Uzumaki Mito.
Among them, the one Uzumaki Mito valued most was naturally Gojo Yoru.
On this child, she sensed a very special Chakra fluctuation.
It was an energy that ordinary sensing couldn't capture at all, and even she could barely "see."
It was somewhat similar to her husband's Senjutsu Chakra, yet completely different. Instead, it resembled the nature transformations of Kekkei Genkai like Lava Release or Ice Release.
However, those Kekkei Genkai users only converted Chakra into that nature transformation when performing techniques.
The energy in this child's body was separated within him, just like Senjutsu Chakra.
That special Chakra wasn't secreted from the brain, meaning it wasn't Yin Release Chakra. Could it be a special Yang Release type Kekkei Genkai?
Uzumaki Mito was a bit curious but didn't intend to investigate further.
Her sensing of good and evil wouldn't lie. She only needed to know that Gojo Yoru bore no malice towards Uzumaki Kushina, only goodwill.
Besides, she didn't have much time left. Uzumaki Mito just wanted to spend her final days accompanied by her family and clansmen.
Naturally, Tsunade didn't know her grandmother's thoughts.
Hearing that it was a boy who changed Uzumaki Kushina, Tsunade couldn't help but reveal a gossipy smile. Then she rolled up her sleeves and said, "No wonder she's training so hard. It seems she met a strong rival. Let me give her a hand."
After speaking, Tsunade walked over to instruct both Uzumaki Kushina and Nawaki at the same time.