"Hey! Ethan, your name is Ethan, right? Mikoto told me!"
Kushina, standing confidently, waved at him with a bright smile. "Hello! I'm Kushina, Uzumaki Kushina!" she declared.
She leaned closer and added playfully, "If anyone bullies you in class in the future, just tell them my name. I promised Mikoto I'd take care of you, hehe!"
Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at her spirited introduction.
Before he could respond, the head teacher, Kuroda Ichito, bellowed, "Kushina! Sit down, now!" His voice was stern, and veins pulsed on his forehead.
Kushina's eyes flashed mischievously, but she quickly obeyed, sitting down without protest.
Two rows ahead, Namikaze Minato, who had been quietly observing, couldn't hide his amusement. "Wow, Kushina really has the makings of a big sister, doesn't she? How interesting!" he murmured under his breath.
Hearing this, Kushina's eyes narrowed as she slammed her hand on the desk. "Hey! Yellow-haired sissy, are you laughing at me? Damn it!" she snapped, her tone half-teasing, half-angry.
Minato blushed, stammering, "Ah? No, I—"
But before he could explain further, Kuroda Ichito roared again, "Uzumaki Kushina! Sit down immediately!" Turning sharply, he added, "And Namikaze Minato, you too—don't pick up any bad habits!"
Both Minato and Kushina mumbled their apologies and quickly resumed their seats. Kushina, though still fuming, silently noted, "It's all because of this sissy; otherwise, I wouldn't be getting scolded again!"
As the commotion settled, Kuroda Ichito signaled for Ethan to introduce himself. With a composed smile, Ethan stepped forward and said, "Hello, I'm Ethan."
The classroom buzzed with mixed expressions—curiosity, surprise, and admiration. One of the teachers smiled warmly and addressed him, "You are Uchiha Ethan? I am the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen—your master. Did your teacher inform you?"
Ethan felt a flush of pride as he observed the warm welcome. Later, while taking his seat, he noticed that Kushina's favorability toward him was remarkably high—62 points, an impressive initial value.
He thought to himself, "It must be because of Sister Mikoto!"
The day was just beginning, and already Ethan could sense that his journey at the Ninja School would be full of surprises, challenges, and new bonds that would shape his future.
"Well! Maybe Teacher Tsunade and Master Mito have also mentioned it to her!" Ethan guessed, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
In the days that followed, Ethan attended school as usual. With his remarkable learning ability and efficiency, he quickly mastered everything that the school had to offer. His academic progress was impressive, and his relationships with classmates improved steadily. Notably, his bond with Kushina grew stronger, and he even made friends with Namikaze Minato, who eagerly took the initiative to greet him.
After several days, thanks to his friendly nature and effective communication, both Kushina and Minato's favorability toward him began to climb. Still, Ethan knew that reaching the minimum requirement of 80 favorability points for his contract would take time. Such things, he realized, simply couldn't be rushed—he had to take it slowly.
One afternoon, as school let out, Ethan gathered Kushina and Minato and said, "Kushina, Minato, these days I've mastered everything the school teaches. The curriculum just isn't challenging anymore. So, I plan to send a Shadow Clone to attend classes for me while I spend more time practicing on my own. That way, I can focus on refining my skills without wasting time in class."
Kushina's eyes widened in surprise. "Eh? Using a Shadow Clone to go to school? Is that even possible? Why didn't I think of that?" she exclaimed. Having attended school for a few months longer than Ethan, she had already learned all that was required—and truthfully, she found school rather boring and even torturous at times. She had long planned to persuade her grandmother to let her skip school altogether so she could learn the sealing techniques with her. Now, after hearing Ethan's idea, everything made sense to her.
"There's no need to drop out of school entirely," Ethan explained. "Wouldn't it be better if we simply use a Shadow Clone to attend classes in our place? That way, Grandma would surely agree, and we can dedicate our real selves to training."
Kushina mulled over his words. Even though she was a genius in her own right, mastering a small Shadow Clone was no trivial task—but for someone like her, with abundant Chakra, it would come easily. With renewed determination, she declared, "Then I'll also use a Shadow Clone to go to school from now on!"
Ethan smiled at her quick decision. "I heard from Sister Tsunade that you've also started learning sealing techniques recently," he said.
"Yes!" Kushina replied enthusiastically.
Ethan continued, "My mother had a deal with Master Mito, so I received a lot of sealing techniques from her. It's the perfect time to deepen my learning."
Kushina's face lit up. "It just so happens that I'm also going to learn the sealing technique from my grandmother. Would you like to join me? That way, we can exchange learning experiences and improve together. It'll be more interesting with a study partner—and, if I'm honest, it's quite pleasing to have a handsome, capable companion by my side, especially compared to a certain someone who is too soft!"
Ethan hesitated for a moment. "Huh? Is this kind of thing okay? Doesn't it require Master Mito's consent?" he asked, a trace of concern in his voice.
He didn't mind learning from Uzumaki Mito at all—it was far more efficient to have a ready-made master than to struggle on his own. He remembered from past experience that having a proper teacher drastically improved skill proficiency. Of course, his own talent allowed him to learn quickly, but who could refuse the benefits of having two mentors guiding him?
Ethan finally replied, "I will definitely agree! I'll tell Grandma when I go back later."
Kushina patted his chest affectionately. "After all, she likes you very much—she even asked me to look after you at school!" she promised. "So, don't worry. Ask her; if it doesn't work, it doesn't matter!"
Ethan nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Namikaze Minato, standing aside, felt a twinge of disappointment. Deep down, he wished he could join in too, but he knew his circumstances were different. Ethan had obtained the seal training scroll from Master Mito and had earned a good reputation with him. Minato, on the other hand, lacked such privileges and didn't even know the Shadow Clone Technique well enough.
Noticing Minato's gloomy expression, Ethan gently patted his shoulder. "Don't be disappointed! We can't spend all day learning sealing techniques. How about we set aside some time every day to practice ninjutsu and taijutsu together?" he suggested warmly.
Ethan considered Minato a good investment for the future. He believed that by guiding Minato now, he could eventually win him over and bind him as a reliable ally. After all, instead of leaving such potential talent to be swept away by the Third Generation and become adversaries later, it was far better to secure their loyalty early. And through proper guidance, Minato would come to see the true nature of the Third Generation—the real, unvarnished truth behind the Will of Fire and the harsh realities of the ninja world—so that he wouldn't be brainwashed.
Ethan's words brought a small smile to Minato's face, even as the prospect of training together promised a brighter future.
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