When Kushina Uzumaki mentioned Chinya, Mito Uzumaki fell into deep thought.
Noticing something odd about her grandmother, Kushina asked with concern, "Grandma Mito, are you okay?"
Mito gently shook her head and smiled. "Kushina, do you want to become friends with Chinya?"
Kushina nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"
Meeting the girl's determined gaze, Mito spoke seriously. "Chinya does have a point. If you really want to befriend him, many people may come to hate you. So if that's your choice, you must prepare yourself for it and never give up.
As for Chinya himself, I believe he's actually very lonely and longs for friendship. In Konoha, he has no family or familiar faces and faces discrimination from everyone around him. Life has been extremely difficult for him.
I hope you two can become true friends who take away each other's loneliness. Kushina, do you truly have this determination?"
Sparkling with fiery resolve, Kushina exclaimed cheerfully, "Grandma Mito, I'm ready!"
Mito gave a satisfied smile.
Looking puzzled, Kushina asked curiously, "But Grandma Mito, why does everyone hate Chinya? Did he do something wrong? My first impression of him was quite good. Also, he told me he doesn't have a surname. This is the first time I've met someone without a family name."
Sighing softly, Mito explained, "It's not that Chinya did anything wrong. He's actually a pitiful child caught between two ninja clans that harbor deep hatred toward each other.
Indeed, Chinya has no surname because his original clan refuses to acknowledge him while the other clan has already abandoned its family name altogether. That's why Chinya only has a given name without a surname."
Still very young, Kushina couldn't fully grasp what Mito had just said.
Patting Kushina on the back gently, Mito chuckled, "Alright dear, you should be tired by now. Go back and rest. Tomorrow you still have school."
Jumping out from Mito's embrace, Kushina called out happily, "Okay! Good night Grandma Mito!"
Watching Kushina leave with affectionate eyes, Mito stood quietly alone in her house after the girl departed.
A soft sigh escaped her lips, unbidden yet utterly understandable.
...
The next day.
Kushina marched toward the Ninja Academy with determination and confidence.
She made up her mind — today, she was going to befriend Chinya no matter what.
If he refused...
Thinking quickly, a mischievous idea popped into her clever little head.
She'd just beat him until he agreed to be her friend!
However, upon arriving at the classroom, Kushina felt disappointed to find Chinya absent from ninja school that day.
She didn't know anyone else, so she couldn't ask where Chinya had gone.
Instead, the group of kids whom Kushina had beaten up yesterday were looking for revenge today.
But when it came to fighting ability, Kushina had never tasted defeat.
The hot-headed Kushina Uzumaki swung her long red hair fiercely, pounding those bullies with her fists until they were left too dazed to retaliate.
Three days had passed.
Every day, Kushina Uzumaki beat up the brats who dared to provoke her.
Yet Kushina had been in low spirits for the past three days.
Because Chinya hadn't shown up at the Ninja Academy for three consecutive days, forcing her plan to make friends to be postponed indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Chinya was still lying in the Ninja Hospital.
In the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and asked, "How is Chinya's condition? Has he woken up yet?"
An Anbu appeared behind Hiruzen Sarutobi and knelt on one knee to report: "Chinya remains unconscious!"
Hiruzen frowned. "He hasn't woken up even after four days? What do the medical ninja say?"
The Anbu reported: "Chinya has severely depleted chakra, his chakra pathways have sustained significant damage, and his muscles are severely exhausted across his entire body. Particularly, the muscles in both hands and legs experienced this fatigue specifically because of Lightning Release techniques."
Hiruzen took another deep puff from his pipe, his eyes flashing with insight: "So then, that destruction in the forest was definitely caused by Chinya. It seems he has mastered an impressive Lightning Release technique after all. Have the medical ninja said when he might awaken?"
"Probably as early as tomorrow."
Hiruzen put down his pipe and said, "Report to me immediately once Chinya wakes up."
"Yes!"
The Anbu instantly vanished from sight.
...
School at the Ninja Academy ended, but Chinya still didn't show up, leaving Kushina very disappointed.
Kushina tidied herself up and prepared to return to Mito Uzumaki's residence.
As Kushina was about to leave the classroom, she sensed someone watching her.
Thinking it was those brats who were again looking for trouble, she abruptly turned around.
It wasn't those kids—it was Minato Namikaze, still seated at his desk, watching her.
Caught staring, Minato blushed and quickly looked down.
Kushina threateningly waved her fist and warned, "Mess with me and I'll punch you too!"
After issuing her warning, Kushina flipped her hair and stormed off without looking back.
Honestly, Kushina didn't think much of Minato—she always found him too delicate.
When she first came to the class, she wanted to establish herself, so she boldly declared, ["I'll be the first ever female Hokage!"]
But Minato stood up and said he would be Hokage too, as if telling her not to dream—like claiming he deserved the title more than she did just because he seemed more serious and composed.
So Kushina disliked Minato immensely.
After Kushina left, Minato gave a slight pout, looking hurt, wondering why Kushina hated him so much.
Kushina returned to Mito Uzumaki's estate.
"Grandma Mito, I'm back."
Seeing Kushina look dejected, Mito chuckled knowingly: "Looks like Chinya didn't come to school again today, right?"
These past few days, Kushina Uzumaki has come home looking like this every day. It's not hard for Mito Uzumaki to figure out what's going on.
Kushina dropped into a chair and sighed, "Yeah... I managed to gather the courage, but Chinya didn't even show up. Now I'm about to lose all my nerve."
Mito shook her head helplessly. "Kushina, once you've made your resolution, don't throw in the towel now."
"I know already! I'm not planning to give up, but if Chinya keeps avoiding me, how can I become friends with him?"
Kushina groaned and grabbed her head in frustration.
Mito smiled and said, "I know where Chinya is, you know?"
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