"I didn't expect you to become a ninja so early, Renzou-kun. Did you apply for early graduation?" Minato asked, his gaze resting on the Konoha forehead protector Renzou Uchiha wore. Having just returned to the village, Minato and Kushina were unaware of Renzou Uchiha and Kai's accelerated graduation.
"Ah, the academy's training time felt too limited. Becoming a ninja frees up a lot of time each day for dedicated practice," Renzou Uchiha replied, a satisfied look on his face as he set down his empty ramen bowl. After wiping his mouth with a tissue, he turned to Minato.
"Renzou, why are you so driven to train?" Minato asked curiously, studying the young boy. At just seven years old, what fueled this relentless pursuit of strength?
"Because my dream is to be the first Uchiha Hokage. For someone aiming for that, being strong is the most fundamental requirement."
"Oh?" A sudden intensity flickered in Namikaze Minato's blue eyes. "The first Uchiha Hokage? That's quite a dream. But my dream is also to become Hokage, so let's work hard together, Renzou-kun. We'll be rivals from this day forward."
"Here we go again…" Uzumaki Kushina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. As Namikaze Minato's girlfriend, she knew him well. He usually exuded a gentle calmness, but the topic of becoming Hokage ignited a passionate, almost boyish fervor within him.
"Oh! Let's both strive then! The Fifth Hokage… no, the Fourth Hokage must be me! X2"
"Um?" The two who reacted looked at each other, their eyes widening in surprise, a moment of awkward silence hanging in the air.
"You mean… Fifth Hokage?" Minato looked at Renzou Uchiha in astonishment. They seemed to be on entirely different wavelengths.
"Yeah, you aim to be the Fourth Hokage, and I'm going to be the Fifth. I don't think I can beat you right now. Is there a problem with that?" Renzou Uchiha shrugged. Are you kidding me? Competing with Namikaze Minato for the Fourth Hokage? That's just asking for trouble. By now, Namikaze Minato was already a renowned figure in the ninja world, an elite Jōnin whose exceptional talent would undoubtedly lead him to Kage-level strength after the upcoming war. Coupled with his Flying Thunder God technique, few in the entire ninja world could stand against him. Renzou Uchiha, on the other hand, was just on the cusp of Jōnin-level. He needed to progress steadily. Breaking through the Jōnin bottleneck before the Third Great Ninja War wasn't an insurmountable challenge, but his current strength wouldn't even allow him to defeat weaker Kage-level ninjas like the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, let alone contend with Namikaze Minato for the Fourth Hokage position. Thus, Renzou Uchiha had concluded that his long-term goal was to become the Fifth Hokage – the first Uchiha Hokage. He'd leave the arduous task of becoming the Fourth to Minato.
"No problem," Minato replied, a slightly deflated look on his face as he sat back down. Beside him, Kushina was struggling to contain her laughter, playfully slapping Minato's back. "Seriously, Minato, you actually want to compete with a junior for the Hokage title and become rivals? Ouch, my stomach hurts from laughing so much!"
"Hiss, Kushina, please be gentle," Minato winced, the repeated playful blows to his back causing him discomfort. He could only offer a wry smile.
"Guests, your ramen is here!" Just then, Minato and Kushina's ramen arrived, and Minato secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The Uzumaki clan not only possessed vast chakra reserves but also a formidable physique. Combined with Kushina's often unrestrained nature, such playful interactions often left Minato silently enduring the consequences.
"Well then, we'll take our leave now. Please enjoy your meal," Kosuke said, standing up and nodding to the couple before preparing to depart.
"Goodbye, Kousuke-san. X2"
"See you next time, you two," Renzou Uchiha added, waving at Minato and Kushina as he followed Kosuke out of the ramen shop.
"With the weights on his limbs and torso, and that Jōnin-level chakra proximity, only now do I truly believe he defeated Kakashi," Kushina remarked after they had left, turning her attention to her steaming bowl of ramen and picking up her chopsticks.
"That kid has a sharp mind." Namikaze Minato's usual sunny demeanor shifted to one of thoughtful seriousness. "Ever since Renzou's parents passed away two years ago, he's become like a different person. Besides his studies, he trains constantly. He's been practicing taijutsu with Might Duy and his son for hundreds of days without stopping. His perseverance is far beyond that of ordinary children. Some time ago, he learned genjutsu from Yūhi-senpai. Jiraiya-sensei even told me that the boy was also learning at the Thunder Tiger Clan's Tianlei Stream. He knows what he wants, has a clear goal, and isn't easily swayed. So, I wasn't too surprised that Kakashi lost to him. Perhaps the Fifth Hokage will indeed emerge from these two children, Kakashi and Renzou. I genuinely look forward to it." With that, Minato's usual warm smile returned as he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
"Really?" Kushina looked slightly surprised. She hadn't expected Minato to hold such a high opinion of Renzou Uchiha. Initially, Kushina had assumed Renzou Uchiha's victory over Kakashi was due to luck, but after meeting him, she actually believed it. As the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, she was also a semi-sensory ninja. She could clearly perceive Renzou Uchiha's physical condition and emotional fluctuations at close range. Nine-Tails possessed the largest chakra reserves among the tailed beasts, its almost infinite chakra being its most formidable ability. It also had the power to sense good and evil, a unique psychological ability. From their brief encounter, she'd vaguely sensed that Renzou Uchiha seemed a little… wary and nervous around her? So, out of curiosity, she had subtly sensed him again. Now, Kushina was puzzled. Was she really that intimidating? Why did this child exhibit such strange emotions?
…
"Click…" Renzou Uchiha pulled out his key and unlocked the door. Stepping inside, he turned and closed it, shutting out the crisp autumn air. This autumn felt colder than previous years. After changing his slippers and a quick wash, Renzou Uchiha collapsed onto his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
So… scary. Was that the Nine-Tails, the nine-tailed fox? Even without Kushina consciously releasing her aura at the ramen shop, Renzou Uchiha's mental acuity, far surpassing that of ordinary people, had immediately detected the raw, untamed power of a wild beast sealed within her. The sheer intensity had startled him, causing him to instantly regain his composure. In Renzou Uchiha's perception, Kushina was practically a walking mass of chakra, the sheer quantity defying description. He watched with a mixture of awe and envy, secretly vowing to acquire a tailed beast as his own personal "power bank" if the opportunity ever presented itself in the future. While the other tailed beasts were scattered across various nations, with his knowledge of future events, securing one shouldn't be impossible.
As for Water Style, he'd made a good start. He would continue to learn as many subjects as possible, then gradually delve deeper into them. Missing such a valuable opportunity for training with Kosuke would be a significant loss, with no telling when another such chance might arise.
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End of Chapter 46