"Everyone has heard Kushina's self-introduction. I hope you'll all get along from now on. Kushina, please find a seat."
The ninja instructor spoke with a faint smile, a rare expression on his usually stern face.
Kushina glanced around the classroom. The room was spacious, but all the front seats were taken—there wasn't a single spot left for her.
After hesitating for a moment, she made her way to the last row.
In the corner sat a cold-faced boy. Mustering her courage, she asked timidly, "Um… hello, can I sit here?"
Leo—his expression calm and unreadable—glanced at her once, said nothing, and simply moved slightly to make space.
Seeing this, Kushina exhaled in relief and quietly sat down on the bench.
Before coming to Konoha, her elders in the Uzumaki Clan had warned her repeatedly:
Konoha is the great tree under which the Uzumaki Clan seeks shelter. You must keep a low profile. Do not cause trouble.
"Alright, let's continue with the lesson. Picking up from last time, we'll go over how chakra is formed. Everyone, open your books." said the instructor.
At his command, the students took out their textbooks, and class resumed.
"Chakra," the instructor explained, "is a form of energy produced by the perfect fusion of the body's physical and spiritual energies. It is the source of power for performing ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu, as well as for creating chakra-based threads used to bind or cut objects made of chakra."
"Now then, who can tell me how chakra is composed?"
The students exchanged glances, but no one volunteered.
"Sensei, I know!"
A confident voice rang out. It was Minato Namikaze.
"Alright, Minato, please answer," the teacher encouraged.
"The main components of chakra are the physical energy drawn from every cell in our body and the spiritual energy cultivated through training and experience. When these two forces merge, they form chakra!" Minato replied.
"Correct! Very well done. You may sit down, Minato."
A ripple of admiration spread through the classroom. The girls blushed as they looked at Minato's bright, sunny face, while the boys frowned slightly in envy—after all, kids that age hated anyone who outshone them.
The teacher shook his head slightly and gestured for quiet before continuing the lecture.
Leo, meanwhile, remained completely unmoved by the scene. He continued to listen attentively, unaffected by what was happening around him.
Even though he had already mastered this material, each time he heard it, he gained a new layer of understanding.
"Um…"
Just then, a timid voice whispered beside him.
Leo frowned slightly and turned his head. Kushina looked flustered, her small face flushed red, eyes darting nervously.
"What is it?" he asked coldly.
"N-Nothing!" she waved her hands quickly, clearly uneasy. Then she added in a small voice, "It's just… I haven't gotten my textbook yet. Could I… maybe borrow yours to look at?"
Leo thought for a moment, then reached into his ninja pouch, pulled out a thick Ninjutsu Textbook, and handed it to her.
"Return it when you're done," he said coolly.
Kushina accepted the book, slightly dazed. That was… surprisingly easy?
Weren't kids from big villages like Konoha supposed to be arrogant and hard to get along with?
"You're not reading it?" she asked when she noticed he no longer had a book in front of him.
"I have a brain," Leo said bluntly.
"Huh?"
Kushina blinked, momentarily stunned. Then it hit her—was he saying she didn't have one?!
Her inner voice screamed in protest. What's with this cold, stone-faced brat?! Acting all high and mighty!
Hmph! I'll have you know, I'm the princess of the Uzumaki Clan!
But then she remembered her elders' warning: Keep a low profile in Konoha. Don't cause trouble.
So, for the sake of not worrying the elders, Kushina swallowed her pride and stayed quiet, determined to be a good girl.
Time at the Ninja Academy flew by, filled with theory lessons and practical exercises.
When the school day ended, Leo was about to head home when Minato walked up with his trademark warm smile.
"Hey, Leo, a new ramen shop just opened in the village—Ichiraku Ramen. Want to go try it together?"
Leo's expression twitched slightly. Ichiraku Ramen? Isn't that Naruto's favorite place? So it already exists at this time, huh…
Still, he had training to do, so he shook his head. "Thanks, but I've got something else to take care of."
"Haha…" Minato laughed awkwardly.
Leo gave a slight nod and walked away.
"See? Told you he'd just brush you off," said Shikaku Nara lazily, hands behind his head.
"Crunch!" Chōza Akimichi munched noisily on a bag of snacks.
"You shouldn't say that," Minato replied. "I really do want to be friends with him."
The three of them then headed toward the newly opened Ichiraku Ramen shop together.
As the sun set, Konoha was bathed in a warm golden glow, peaceful and serene.
"Strange… The Pirate's Treasure Chest System is supposed to spawn random chests. So why haven't I found even one yet?"
Walking through the quiet streets, Leo pondered his mysterious system. But he wasn't in a rush.
Even if all he had were the Three Colors of Haki, mastering them to their peak would still make him one of the strongest in this world.
After all, Marine Vice Admiral Garp had no Devil Fruit—just Haki—and with his mastery of Armament and Observation Haki, he could pummel Akainu into the ground and chase the Pirate King Roger across the seas.
Even facing a Yonko like Whitebeard, he wouldn't flinch!
"Hey, why's your hair red?"
"Uzushio Village? Never heard of it."
"Probably just some backwater place."
"Red hair, huh? Maybe she's a freak!"
Rude, mocking voices shattered Leo's thoughts.
His brows furrowed, eyes lifting toward the corner ahead.
There, three kids—two boys and a girl—had cornered another girl, sneering and taunting.
The victim was none other than the new transfer student—Kushina Uzumaki.
So even in this world, bullying still exists…
Kushina's eyes darted nervously, her small body trembling as the three jeered at her, looking utterly helpless.
"Ugh, that ugly red hair is so annoying! Let's just cut it off!" the girl sneered, pulling out a pair of scissors.
Her eyes held a hint of jealousy as she glared at Kushina.
"Hana, maybe that's not such a good idea…" one of the boys said uncertainly.
"What are you afraid of? My cousin's a genius from the Uchiha Clan. If anything happens, I'll take the blame." Hana smirked proudly.
With that, she raised the scissors and moved toward Kushina's hair—
(To be continued...)
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