Later, Kushina found herself growing closer and closer to Ethan. For some inexplicable reason, being with Ethan made her feel comfortable and relaxed. His words and actions always seemed to align with her wishes, and before she knew it, their friendship had deepened—though perhaps a little too quickly.
One day, as they walked together, Kushina suddenly became self-conscious. "Really?" she murmured, her cheeks flushing. Her subtle expressions of affection couldn't be hidden even from Tsunade, let alone from Uzumaki Mito. Sensing the change, Mito joked lightly, trying to ease the tension.
But Kushina repeatedly shook her head and stammered, "No, no—I wouldn't admit it even if someone beat me to death! Don't even think about eating my melon!"
Mito, seeing her on the verge of exploding with embarrassment (her red hair practically flying), quickly intervened with a perfunctory nod. "Since you want him around, then just ask him to come along!" he teased. "After all, Ethan has also mastered the practice methods for these sealing techniques. At most, he can only help strengthen our connections. With the level of his demonic medical skills, it's absolutely worth it!"
Kushina's face brightened at the praise she'd heard from Tsunade about Ethan. "Great! I'll tell him the good news tomorrow! Hehe!" she chirped happily.
Tsunade then smiled and asked, "So, are you planning to use a Shadow Clone to attend school instead of going yourself?"
Kushina giggled, "Great! That way, I can exchange medical skills with Ethan even more often every day! Haha!"
She added, "Maybe you can even ask him to split a Shadow Clone so that he can learn from me as well."
"Yes! Let's do it!" Ethan agreed enthusiastically.
"Why didn't I think of this before? I wasted several days in vain!" Kushina exclaimed. No matter what, she was determined to make up for lost time. Uzumaki Mito didn't object at all—she actually hoped that Tsunade would learn more medical knowledge from Ethan. In doing so, Tsunade's medical skills would only grow stronger. Someday, when faced with difficult-to-treat diseases in the tribe, she might even be able to resolve them without needing external help.
The next morning, as soon as they arrived at school, Kushina shared the good news with Ethan.
"Ethan, I asked my grandmother, and she has agreed! Should we start learning today or tomorrow?" she asked eagerly.
"Let's do it today!!" Ethan replied directly, his voice brimming with excitement. He couldn't stand staying at school for even one more day. "It just so happens that Minato has also learned the Shadow Clone Technique. Let's take him to find a quiet spot to practice together!"
He continued, "That way, the Shadow Clone can actually be sent to learn the sealing technique, while I focus on practicing physical skills and strengthening my body. After all, a Shadow Clone can never replace actual physical training, don't you think?"
"Of course," Ethan added, "today is our first day. I'll go see Master Mito first and explain the situation to avoid any misunderstandings. Every day counts, and we mustn't waste any time."
Ethan also noticed that Kushina's favorability toward him had suddenly increased to 81 points—reaching the binding standard. He began planning quietly: if he could bind both Kushina and Minato, he could later invest more in them. With the right support—health-preserving exercises, Haki training methods, and even Sea Kings' meat—their growth could be accelerated considerably.
"Huh? Is that so?" Kushina asked, slightly stunned, then with a trace of concern added, "Will it be very hard to practice physical skills?"
Ethan, though momentarily taken aback, comforted her, "Don't worry, I have other skills to ensure it won't be too hard! Believe me—as long as we have the assistance of Sea Kings' meat and continue our health-preserving exercises, the difficulty of body-building will be greatly reduced."
"Okay! I believe you!" Kushina replied, looking at Ethan seriously before quickly turning away with her cheeks flushing and her heart pounding. In that moment, she thought, So handsome... She hadn't paid much attention to these feelings before, but after Uzumaki Mito's remark yesterday, she realized how much she had changed—and she didn't hate this new feeling at all.
Meanwhile, Minato, who had been watching quietly, felt his heart sink. "Is Kushina in love with Ethan?" he wondered, feeling a mix of heartbreak and complicated emotions. His first love, it seemed, might have ended before it even began. Yet, he didn't hate Ethan for it; he saw clearly that it was Kushina who had taken the initiative. Ethan, oblivious to the shift in Kushina's feelings, continued on as if nothing had changed.
Later that day, after school ended, Kushina shared the good news with Ethan once again. "Ethan, I asked my grandmother, and she has agreed. Should we start learning today or tomorrow?" she repeated eagerly.
"Let's do it today!" Ethan said decisively.
He added, "It's too boring here—I can't stay in this school for a day longer. And since Minato has also mastered the Shadow Clone Technique, let's find a quiet spot to practice together. I'll focus on my physical training and strengthening my body, while you both use your Shadow Clones to learn the sealing techniques."
"Of course," Kushina agreed, though she still felt a tinge of uncertainty about the physical training. Yet, her trust in Ethan's promise and his confident reassurance—"Don't worry, I have the skills to ensure it won't be too hard! Just believe in me"—bolstered her resolve. She nodded, blushing as she looked at Ethan, her heart pounding with a mix of admiration and something more unspoken.
Before long, their practice session was arranged. Minato, ever the gentle soul, hesitated slightly and said, "But, in this way, will I end up owing you too much, Ethan?" He worried about being indebted to Ethan in the future.
Ethan laughed lightly and patted Minato's shoulder, "Then I'll pay you back slowly. I'm not afraid of owing you a bit—after all, we're friends, and friends help each other grow!"
Minato's eyes shone with gratitude as he silently vowed that Ethan would always be his best friend. Ethan noticed with pleasant surprise that Minato's favorability toward him had soared even higher. "Wow, that's amazing—maybe we should sign a contract right now!" he teased.
"No, no," Ethan laughed, "we haven't known each other long enough. Let's wait a few more days until I pass on the promised Shadow Clone Technique and some ninjutsu from Rear Admiral. We need to build our goodwill first."
With that settled, they all went their separate ways, hearts full of hope and anticipation for the future.
Later, Uchiha Sarah gathered everyone to announce, "By the way! Ethan, our Uchiha pharmacy will open tomorrow. For the next period, you must refine more medicine every day—it will be tough on you!"
"Okay! I've taken note," Ethan replied with a nod.
Then, with an excited glint in his eyes, he added, "Oh! I forgot to mention—the favorability of the captured ninja eagle has reached the standard, and I've contracted it!"
He explained further, "I will release it into the space-time gate space and grant you the authority to summon it whenever needed. It's even better to establish a Summoning contract, as that's more convenient and conceals it from prying eyes."
Ethan then thoughtfully granted the necessary authority to Uchiha Sarah and Mikoto. This majestic ninja eagle had arrived a few days earlier, and through daily care and feeding, its favorability had finally reached the required threshold. With a wingspan of 15 meters—like a small airplane—and endowed with Jōnin-level Chakra and Wind Style abilities, the eagle was extraordinarily fast, capable of speeds exceeding 400 meters per second. Truly a sight to behold!
"Okay! There's a blank Summoning scroll at home. I'll use it later to bind the ninja eagle, and then each of us can sign our contract!" Ethan declared confidently.
Uchiha Sarah nodded, "With this ninja eagle, opening the map will be so much more convenient. Next, Mom will dedicate some time each day to run the map. Ethan, just wait patiently—I'll notify you when it's time to set out together. I'm worried about you venturing out alone at sea."
"Okay!" Ethan replied, clearly touched by her concern.
After dinner, Uchiha Sarah promptly retrieved a blank Summoning scroll, and together with Ethan and Mikoto, she entered the space-time gate to complete the contract with the Shinobi Hawk. Once done, they returned home.
Meanwhile, in the Senju tribe, as soon as Kushina returned, she excitedly informed Uzumaki Mito that she planned to use a Shadow Clone to attend school. She also mentioned her hope of learning sealing techniques alongside Ethan.
"Oh?" Uzumaki Mito raised his eyebrows in surprise. "It seems that your relationship with Ethan is getting better and better!"
One teasing voice piped up, "You even want to study together—are you in love with him?"
At that moment, Nawaki (who had returned earlier) and Tsunade (just arrived) shot Kushina playful, teasing looks reminiscent of the Eight Trigrams.
"Oh, Grandma!" Kushina blushed furiously, puffing her cheeks and protesting, "No!" Inside, though, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, her feelings were changing. She had initially contacted Ethan simply because of instructions from Mikoto and Uzumaki Mito, but now things felt different.
As the days passed, Kushina found herself getting along better and better with Ethan. Without even realizing it, she began to notice that being around him felt incredibly comfortable and relaxing. His words and actions always met her wishes, and before she knew it, their friendship had deepened—so much so that she was surprised by how quickly her feelings were evolving.
Yet, the speed of this change was a bit unsettling. Emotions, after all, were often uncontrollable and unpredictable. "Really?" Kushina wondered aloud, her naïve expression betraying her inner conflict. Even Tsunade could see her blush, and Uzumaki Mito couldn't help but joke, teasing her about her sudden infatuation.
"No! No!" Kushina shook her head repeatedly, trying to deny it. In her heart, she would never admit it—even if it meant being teased relentlessly. "No way am I letting anyone 'eat my melon'!" she declared, her tone a mix of stubbornness and embarrassment.
Seeing her on the verge of an emotional outburst, Uzumaki Mito quickly interjected with a light laugh, "Alright, since you want him around, then just ask him to come along!" He added, "After all, Ethan has already mastered the practice methods for these sealing techniques, so at most he can only help make more good connections. With his demonic medical skills, it's definitely worth it."
Kushina beamed at the praise. "Great! I'll tell him the good news tomorrow! Hehe!" she chirped happily.
Later, Tsunade joined in with a smile. "So, are you planning to use a Shadow Clone to attend school instead?" she asked.
"Great! Then I can exchange medical skills with Ethan more often every day! Haha!" Kushina exclaimed.
"Maybe you can ask him to split a Shadow Clone to learn from me?" Tsunade suggested.
"Yes! Let's do it!" Kushina agreed enthusiastically. "Why didn't I think of this before? I wasted several days in vain!" she added, her excitement palpable.
Uzumaki Mito had no objections—she was pleased, as it meant Tsunade could learn even more medical knowledge from Ethan. In turn, Tsunade's medical prowess would only grow stronger, enabling her to treat even the most difficult diseases in the tribe without outside help.
The next morning, as Kushina shared the good news with Ethan at school, she asked, "Ethan, I asked my grandmother, and she has agreed. Should we start learning today or tomorrow?"
"Let's do it today!!" Ethan said directly, his voice full of determination. He couldn't stand staying in school when there was so much to be done. "It just so happens that Minato has also learned the Shadow Clone Technique. Let's take him along to find a place to practice together!" he added.
"Then, the Shadow Clone can be sent to learn the sealing technique, while I focus on practicing physical skills and strengthening my body," Ethan continued. "After all, a Shadow Clone can never replace actual physical training. What do you think?"
"Of course," Ethan said firmly. "Today is the first day—I'll go see Master Mito first and explain the situation properly so we don't come off as rude. Every day counts, and I can't afford to waste a single moment."
That evening, after discovering that Kushina's favorability toward him had unexpectedly increased to 81 points—meeting the binding standard—Ethan felt ready to take the next step. He planned to use this opportunity to bind both Kushina and Minato, ensuring he could later provide them with health-preserving exercises, Haki training, and even Sea Kings' meat to accelerate their growth.
"Huh? Is that so?" Kushina asked, slightly stunned, then with concern, "Will it be very hard to practice physical skills?"
Ethan smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, I have other skills to ensure it won't be too hard. Believe me—as long as we have the help of Sea Kings' meat and continue our health-preserving exercises, the difficulty of building strength will be greatly reduced."
"Okay! I believe you!" Kushina replied, looking at Ethan with earnest eyes before quickly turning away, her cheeks tinged with red. Her heart pounded as she secretly thought, So handsome... It was a new feeling for her—one she didn't quite understand yet, but one she didn't mind at all.
Minato, witnessing this exchange, felt a pang of heartache. "Is Kushina in love with Ethan?" he thought, his emotions a tangled mix of regret and resignation. His first love might have ended before it even began, but he didn't resent Ethan for it. He clearly saw that Kushina had taken the initiative, even if it hurt him.
Ethan, seemingly oblivious to the depth of Kushina's shifting feelings, continued to focus on their training plans. "Alright, let's begin today!" he declared. "I can't spend another day at school when there's so much to learn. Let's use our Shadow Clones to attend classes while we focus on practice. Minato, since you've mastered the Shadow Clone Technique, let's find a quiet spot to practice together, while I focus on my physical training."
"Of course," Ethan agreed. "Today is the first day—I'll go see Master Mito and explain everything to avoid any misunderstandings. Every minute counts; we can't waste time."
With that, the three friends embarked on a new day of training—each determined to grow stronger and support one another. And though Ethan remained blissfully unaware of the full extent of Kushina's deepening feelings, Minato silently vowed to keep a close watch on his own heart, even as he continued to cherish their friendship.
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