Yesterday's speech by the Third Hokage marked the beginning of Uchiha Hayashi's final days at the Ninja Academy.
Post-holiday fatigue was in full swing; most students still hadn't shaken off the lazy rhythm of summer vacation. Hayashi didn't particularly care, but many of his classmates were struggling to return to focus.
Kushina showed up today.
Teacher Nishimura stood at the front of the classroom, his usual stern expression darkened even further by the students' lack of attention. By this point, there wasn't much left to teach at the academy anyway.
Rather than listening to another dull lecture about techniques he already knew, Uchiha Hayashi sat quietly in the back, practicing Wind Release chakra transformation under the desk.
After a full class, his progress was small—but his chakra consumption was high.
"Hayashi, what are you doing?" Minato asked curiously, glancing at him.
Hayashi's hands were hidden beneath the desk, moving in a steady rhythm. From Minato's perspective, it looked suspicious. Teacher Nishimura had been watching Hayashi for the entire period, his expression shifting from confusion to irritation, then to surprise—and, oddly enough, by the end, admiration.
Minato blinked. "Did… sensei just look impressed?"
Hayashi smirked, tossing a soldier pill into his mouth. "I'm practicing chakra nature transformation."
"Oh." Minato's curiosity deflated. "You're still working on that? Didn't you already practice before?"
"That was Fire Release."
"You have two chakra natures?"
Hayashi chuckled. "Do I need to announce if I have three? You've got to stay humble, Minato. Otherwise, how will anyone else feel good about themselves?"
Minato sighed. "You're impossible."
Hayashi passed him a small strip of chakra paper.
"What's this?" Minato asked.
"For testing chakra nature. I figured you've almost finished chakra shape training, so you might as well check your element."
Minato nodded, accepting it.
"You know the method," Hayashi explained. "If it splits, it's Wind. Burns—Fire. Gets wet—Water. Wrinkles—Lightning. Crumbles—Earth."
While Minato focused, Hayashi continued channeling chakra into his hands, shaping the air flow in his palm.
After a few seconds, Hayashi asked, "So? What nature?"
"Wind and Water." Minato frowned slightly. "Only two."
Hayashi blinked. "Wind and Water, huh? That fits you."
(I saw it on the Internet that it's Fire, Wind & Lightning... so, no one should come for me...)
In his memory, Minato's Wind nature made perfect sense. But Water too? That was unexpected—and somehow, it suited him even more.
He thought for a moment, smiling faintly. "Naruto, you really dropped the ball. With genes like that, you should've been a prodigy."
"Wind nature's enough," Minato said optimistically. "I'll ask Jiraiya-sensei for help later. He probably knows something about Water Release training."
"That's the benefit of a good teacher," Hayashi said, nodding. "No jutsu? Ask the teacher. No method? Ask the teacher. No girls—" he smirked, "—still ask the teacher."
Minato groaned. "You're hopeless."
Just then, Minato asked, "Where's Mikoto?"
Hayashi gestured toward the quiet Mikoto, who was calmly taking notes. "She's dual-natured too—Fire and Lightning."
As expected of the Uchiha clan, Fire Release was dominant, but Lightning affinity wasn't rare either.
Hayashi then pointed at Kushina, who was slumped over her desk. "Kushina, you try it too."
He repeated the explanation he'd given Minato.
Kushina lifted her head lazily. "What's the point of this?"
"It's just to know your nature," Hayashi replied. "It'll help guide your training later."
Kushina channeled her chakra into the paper.
"Wind nature," she said flatly.
Hayashi nodded. "As expected."
He chuckled to himself. Naruto really did get everything from her—except the blond hair.
Minato's genes were strong though. Even Tsunade's line from the First Hokage had seen color changes across generations, but Minato's descendants somehow kept their golden hair.
As Minato began reading through sealing scrolls again, Hayashi resumed his Wind Release training.
A student from the Inuzuka clan walked over, clearly bored.
Since many teachers had been sent to the front lines for the ongoing war, class breaks were longer, and the students were mostly left unsupervised.
"Where's your dog?" Hayashi asked casually.
"Oh, Fishball? He's at home getting his shots," the boy replied.
"Shots? For a ninja dog?" Hayashi raised a brow. "Wouldn't rabies make it bite harder?"
The Inuzuka laughed. "You want one too?"
"No, I've already got a summoning beast."
At that moment, a large white snake slithered briefly from Hayashi's collar, flicking its tongue before disappearing again.
"You keep a snake?" Inuzuka asked, impressed. "That's… bold."
Hayashi grinned. "It's cool, right?"
The Inuzuka boy glanced toward Kushina, who still hadn't looked up. His expression dimmed slightly.
Hayashi noticed. Ah… that face. Crushed by love already?
He thought back. There hadn't been much between them—aside from the time Kushina beat the boy senseless for calling her a tomato.
Stockholm syndrome? Or just masochism? Hayashi thought, smirking.
Then Kushina suddenly turned around. The Inuzuka's heart leapt—only for her to completely ignore him.
"Hayashi," she said, "my grandmother wants to see you."
Hayashi blinked, then nodded calmly.
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