Chapter 249: Vision of Ninja University
Mugetsu arrived at the designated location ten minutes early, as usual.
However, to his mild surprise, Kushina was already there waiting.
"Hmph, this time I was first, wasn't I?" Kushina said proudly, hands on her hips and her fair chin slightly raised.
Mugetsu didn't expect her to be competitive about something like this, but arriving early wasn't bad—it just meant more time to learn Sealing Techniques.
"Yes, Kushina-sensei, you're very diligent," Mugetsu said with a small smile.
"Haha! Of course! I'm Konoha's number one sealing ninja—it's only natural!" Kushina laughed heartily, clearly pleased with the praise.
"Quick, quick! I can't wait to see that photo you mentioned—the one that'll definitely make me laugh!" she urged, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Mugetsu didn't make her wait. He took out all the photos he had brought and placed the one with Minato's awkward, forced smile right on top.
"Hahahaha!"
Kushina burst into unrestrained laughter at the sight of that familiar face twisted into such a stiff, unnatural expression.
"Did you use some kind of Ninjutsu on him? How did you make Minato look like that? It's like he wants to laugh but physically can't!" she asked between fits of laughter.
"It's probably because he had just finished a big battle and was exhausted," Mugetsu replied calmly. "Since the photo was for you, he probably forced himself to look cheerful, and that's how it turned out."
"This is priceless! I'm framing this one—it's going to be my treasure!" Kushina said seriously.
She had seen Minato smile countless times, but never like this. That alone made it worth keeping forever.
She continued to flip through the other photos—some showing Minato's serious expression, others capturing moments of helplessness during unpredictable events. Kushina looked at each one carefully, her expression softening.
"War really is such a hateful thing," she sighed, gazing up at the sky.
Kushina wasn't someone who liked to sigh—her personality was bright and full of energy. But war… that was one of the few things capable of dimming her spirit.
She wasn't born in Konoha. Kushina came from the Land of Whirlpools, a small country inhabited solely by the Uzumaki Clan.
The Land of Whirlpools was tiny—though called a "country," it was more like a small island, not even as large as a major city in the Land of Fire. Despite its size, the Uzumaki never sought expansion or conflict.
Because they were distant relatives of the Senju Clan, the Uzumaki and Konoha shared a strong bond. They signed a friendship pact, and Konoha's sealing arts flourished thanks to Uzumaki teachings. To honor that alliance, Konoha even added the Uzumaki Clan crest to their ninja uniforms.
In Kushina's memory, the Land of Whirlpools was every bit as beautiful as the Land of Fire—lush forests, warm summers, and mild winters.
She loved her homeland deeply. But because of her special Chakra, she was chosen as the second Nine-Tails Jinchuriki at a young age. When she was old enough to attend school, she was sent directly to Konoha.
Later, she heard from Uzumaki Mito about the Land of Whirlpools' destruction.
It wasn't one or two enemies—it was many nations united in their greed, erasing her homeland from the map. From then on, the Land of Whirlpools existed only in memory.
Since that day, Kushina had hated war with all her heart. If not for it, her home would still stand.
Though Minato didn't appear injured in the photos, Kushina noticed stubborn stains on his uniform and dust on his face. It was obvious—on the battlefield, washing up twice a day was impossible.
"Minato asked me to tell you something: 'I'm fine. Take care of yourself, don't stay up late, and eat on time,'" Mugetsu said gently, relaying Minato's words.
"Honestly, does he think I can't take care of myself?" Kushina said, feigning irritation, though her lips curved into a soft, uncontrollable smile.
Afterward, the two made their way to the spot where they usually practiced sealing techniques.
Kushina cleared her throat twice, her lively demeanor returning as she declared, "Kushina's Sealing Technique Class is now officially open! Student Mugetsu, report your progress!"
Mugetsu thought for a moment, choosing to conceal part of his advancement. Drawing from his memory of just before he had truly mastered the technique, he began explaining.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Kushina—it was simply necessary to keep appearances consistent. Anbu was still observing him, and he had already shown extraordinary sealing talent. If he advanced too fast, it would raise questions.
He needed to progress naturally—step by step.
"I see, then you're learning quite fast. You've almost mastered Four Symbols Sealing after only two lessons from me. You must have self-studied a lot, right?" Kushina said, clearly pleased with Mugetsu's diligence.
Minato had already become an excellent sealing ninja under her guidance, and if Mugetsu could achieve the same, she would have taught two outstanding students.
"I feel like if I became a Jonin instructor, I could definitely become Konoha's new Sealing Technique founder!" Kushina laughed, half-joking but proud.
However, she knew it was only a dream. As a Jinchuriki, she couldn't serve as an instructor, since leading teams on missions required freedom to leave the village—and that was something a Jinchuriki could rarely do.
"You don't necessarily have to be a Jonin instructor to teach students," Mugetsu said with a smile. "Maybe in the future, the Ninja Academy will extend its curriculum and teach more advanced Ninjutsu. When that happens, you can become a teacher there, Kushina."
Mugetsu had a clear vision in mind—to turn the Ninja Academy into a true educational system with multiple levels: elementary, middle, and university.
Elementary would stay as it was now, middle school would teach Nature Transformation Ninjutsu, and the university would focus on advanced disciplines like Sealing, Barriers, and Medical Ninjutsu.
He also had a more personal reason. Teaching students who weren't his disciples was still part of his system's rewards. Mugetsu suspected that teaching stronger individuals might yield better results. When he taught Minato and Kushina cooking, even with just two students, he had received a teaching reward. Even a single recipe was still a valuable gain.
"That's impossible! If your idea really worked, even the more talented students could become Jonin right after graduating from university," Kushina said, shaking her head at what she thought was an unrealistic idea.
Training a ninja for over ten years would take far too long. After all, Konoha itself hadn't even existed for several decades yet.
"Kushina, do you really think it's normal for a twelve-year-old to graduate and become a ninja?" Mugetsu asked thoughtfully.
"It's very normal! Usually, that's already the latest age. I graduated at twelve, and Minato graduated at ten," Kushina said confidently, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Mugetsu sighed inwardly. Their perspectives were completely different.
To him, sending a ten- or twelve-year-old child into combat was like letting an elementary student become an assassin—it was far from normal.
Still, he had to admit that his idea of a "Ninja University" wasn't feasible right now.
It was wartime, and although Konoha's situation was stable for the moment, that could change at any time. If Konoha ever found itself under siege, they would rush students to graduate within two or three years just to replenish the frontlines, not extend their education.
Moreover, Hiruzen, the current Hokage, valued stability above all. Based on Mugetsu's understanding of him, he would never agree to such a massive reform.
Introducing middle and university levels to the Ninja Academy would be a complete overhaul, far more drastic than merely implementing special training or internship programs.
Special training and internships might slightly adjust the structure without increasing the total time needed for graduation, and they mostly affected students and Chunin instructors. But a multi-tiered education system would drastically extend the training period and require powerful Jonin to teach advanced courses.
The number of affected areas would be immense—and someone as conservative as Hiruzen would never approve such a sweeping change.
"Although it's difficult now, I think anything is possible in the future," Mugetsu said with a calm smile.
Even if the plan wasn't feasible yet, this was a world ruled by strength. And with his unique system, Mugetsu believed that once he became powerful enough, what seemed impossible could one day become reality.
"Haha! If the Ninja Academy really becomes what you imagine, Mugetsu, I'll definitely be Konoha's most famous Sealing Instructor!" Kushina said with a laugh, clearly entertained by the idea.
Mugetsu smiled, choosing not to dwell on the topic further, and refocused on learning Sealing Techniques with Kushina.
Under her supervision, he successfully performed the Four Symbols Sealing.
"Not bad, not bad! From now on, you can tell people I taught you your sealing skills," Kushina said with satisfaction, hands on her hips.
Mugetsu took the opportunity to ask her several questions about sealing Chakra, and Kushina patiently answered them one by one.
As noon approached, the two went to a nearby restaurant to borrow the kitchen and prepare lunch.
Before Kushina left, Mugetsu handed her a small box of pastries with a smile.
"You should be able to bring these back this time."
Kushina opened it and instantly lit up at the familiar, fragrant aroma.
"Oh, Mugetsu, you gave them to me after lunch! Do you think I can't eat dessert after a meal? Girls have a special stomach just for sweets!" Kushina teased before taking a bite of an osmanthus cake, her face glowing with satisfaction.
Of course, she was only joking. Something that delicious was worth savoring later. By the time she walked home, her appetite would be ready again.
After parting ways with Kushina, Mugetsu returned to his usual training with his disciples.
Two days earlier, he had held another special training session. Both Shisui and Obito had greatly improved their evasion counts—it was time to raise the difficulty once more.
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