Uzumaki Mito heard Uzumaki Kushina mention Chi Yu and fell into deep thought.
Uzumaki Kushina noticed the change in Mito's expression and asked, "Mito-grandma, what's wrong?"
Uzumaki Mito gently shook her head and smiled. "Kushina, do you want to be friends with Chi Yu?"
Kushina nodded vigorously. "Yes!"
Mito's smile faded into a serious expression. "Chi Yu… is a complicated child. If you want to be friends with him, you might face a lot of criticism. Some people may even hate you for it. But if that's your decision, then you must be prepared and never back down."
She paused and continued solemnly. "Chi Yu is very lonely. He's all alone in Konoha, and many villagers dislike him through no fault of his own. He's going through a difficult time."
"I hope you can truly become friends. That way, two lonely people won't have to be alone anymore. Kushina… are you ready for that?"
Kushina's eyes lit up with determination. "Yes, Mito-grandma! I'm ready!"
Mito smiled, comforted by the young girl's spirit.
Kushina tilted her head, confused. "But why is Chi Yu hated by everyone? Did he do something bad? He seemed nice when I first met him. Oh—and he said he doesn't have a surname. That's the first time I've met someone like that."
Mito sighed, her expression tinged with sadness. "It's not that Chi Yu did anything wrong. He's a victim of a long-standing feud between two ninja clans. He's just a child caught in the aftermath."
She added softly, "Chi Yu has no surname because one of the clans refused to acknowledge him, and the other clan renounced their name entirely. That left him with only his given name."
Kushina didn't fully understand, but Mito gently patted her on the back and said, "It's getting late. You should rest. You have class tomorrow."
"Okay! Good night, Mito-grandma!" Kushina chirped as she jumped out of Mito's arms and ran off.
Mito watched her go with a kind expression, then sighed quietly to herself. As someone who had lived a long and often lonely life, she knew the pain of solitude all too well.
---
The Next Day
Uzumaki Kushina arrived at the Ninja Academy bursting with energy.
She had made up her mind—today, she would become friends with Chi Yu.
And if he didn't want to… she had a plan.
She'd beat him up until he had to be her friend!
But when she entered the classroom, her high spirits dropped. Chi Yu wasn't there.
She didn't know many people yet, so she couldn't even ask where he'd gone.
Worse still, the boys she'd thrashed the day before were itching for revenge.
Too bad for them—when it came to fighting, Kushina never lost.
With her long red hair whipping behind her and fists flying, she sent the troublemakers flying again.
---
Three days passed.
Each day, Kushina beat up anyone who dared to mess with her.
But each day, her mood worsened—Chi Yu still hadn't shown up.
Her plan to befriend him was on hold.
---
Meanwhile, at Konoha Hospital…
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi lit his pipe, exhaling slowly. "What's Chi Yu's condition? Has he regained consciousness?"
An ANBU agent appeared behind him, kneeling on one knee. "Chi Yu is still unconscious, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen frowned. "It's been four days. What did the hospital say?"
The ANBU replied, "Chi Yu's chakra was completely overdrawn. His meridians are damaged, and there's severe muscular strain—particularly in his arms and legs. The medical team believes the injuries were caused by overuse of Lightning Release techniques."
The Third Hokage's gaze sharpened. "So it was him who destroyed the forest…"
He took another puff from his pipe, deep in thought. "To use Lightning Release at such a level… He's quite the prodigy. When will he wake up?"
"The medical-nin believe he may regain consciousness tomorrow."
"Good. Inform me the moment he does."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
With that, the ANBU vanished.
---
Back at the Academy…
School was over for the day, but Chi Yu was still absent.
Kushina sighed as she packed up to leave.
Just as she was about to step out of the classroom, she sensed someone watching her.
She turned around sharply, expecting the usual troublemakers.
But it wasn't them—it was Minato Namikaze, sitting quietly and looking at her.
When their eyes met, Minato blushed and quickly looked away.
Kushina clenched her fist and shook it threateningly. "If you're thinking of picking a fight, I'll beat you up too!"
She flipped her red hair and stomped off without another glance.
To be honest, she didn't like Minato Namikaze very much.
He was too quiet—too girly in her eyes.
And back when she first introduced herself to the class, shouting boldly, "I'm going to be the first female Hokage!"—Minato had stood up and declared that he also wanted to be Hokage.
To Kushina, it felt like he was challenging her. As if to say, "You can't do it. Even I, a sissy, am more suited for the role."
Ever since then, she held a bit of a grudge against him.
Minato watched her leave, pouting slightly in frustration. He didn't understand why Kushina seemed to hate him so much.
---
Back at Mito's Residence
"Mito-grandma, I'm back," Kushina called out with a heavy heart.
Seeing her gloom, Mito chuckled. "Chi Yu didn't come to school again today, did he?"
Kushina slumped into a chair. "Yeah… I finally worked up the courage, but he hasn't shown up even once. Now I'm starting to lose my nerve…"
Mito shook her head, half amused. "Kushina, if you've made up your mind, you can't give up halfway."
"I know, I know! I'm not giving up… but how can I make friends with someone who never shows up?"
She scratched her head in frustration.
Mito smiled knowingly. "Well… I happen to know where Chi Yu is~"