130

Haruto stretched his tired muscles as he walked home, the weight of the day's training still lingering in his body. The sun had risen fully by now, casting the village in a soft, warm light. It wasn't enough to lull him into relaxation, though; his mind was already thinking ahead.

As soon as he entered his apartment, he followed his usual procedure. First, he did a quick sweep of his surroundings, ensuring everything was in order. He checked the seals he had placed around the doors and windows—simple security measures he'd learned to keep himself sharp and safe. Satisfied that everything was as it should be, Haruto dispelled his overnight clone.

Memories of the clone's work flooded his mind instantly. The Thunder Scalpel jutsu was progressing, but slowly. His clone had been experimenting with different chakra control techniques, trying to find the right balance between the precision of the Chakra Scalpel and the destructive force of lightning chakra. Some ideas seemed promising, but most were not what he needed to make the technique viable in combat.

"Still a long way to go," Haruto muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. But there was progress, and that was enough to keep him moving forward. He quickly created another clone, this time with a different purpose: heading to the hospital to check if Tsunade was available and to continue with some medical work.

Once that was done, Haruto turned his attention to his next task—lunch. He prepared himself a large, balanced meal, replenishing the energy he'd burned through during the intense morning training. Eating in silence, he mentally prepared for the afternoon ahead.

After lunch, Haruto met up with Daichi outside the apartment complex. The two exchanged a nod before heading toward Kushina's place together. Daichi seemed unusually quiet, which caught Haruto's attention. Before he could ask, Daichi spoke up.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Daichi asked, a playful glint in his eye. "Kushina can be pretty intense about fūinjutsu."

Haruto smirked. "I'm ready. Besides, you owe me for covering you with that bomb seal."

"Yeah, yeah, but I saved you from her wrath when you forgot to come yesterday. You're welcome."

They walked in comfortable silence until they arrived at Kushina's apartment. When she opened the door, Daichi was immediately pulled into a hug by his cousin, Kushina Uzumaki.

Kushina, at about 16 years old, was striking. Her fiery red hair cascaded down her back, contrasting against her pale skin, and her violet eyes gleamed with a mix of warmth and mischief. She wore her standard outfit—a long-sleeved shirt and dark pants—but what stood out most was the fierce determination that radiated from her. There was an air of power about her, a sharpness that came from years of training and her innate Uzumaki vitality.

"Come on in, you two," Kushina said, her voice carrying the same intensity that seemed to be in her every movement. She led them inside, her apartment neat but full of personality, with books and scrolls scattered in an organized chaos. A few framed pictures lined the walls, including one of a younger Kushina with the Hokage.

Once inside, Daichi gave Haruto an encouraging nudge, as if to say, Good luck.

Kushina wasted no time and led Haruto to a table where a test on fūinjutsu was waiting. "Alright, let's see what you've got," she said, her tone serious but not unkind.

The test was basic—almost too basic for Haruto. It consisted mostly of foundational questions on seals, chakra flow, and basic applications of fūinjutsu. Haruto barely had to think about his answers. He quickly scribbled down what seemed obvious to him, finishing far faster than he'd anticipated. The test touched on basic theory, but nothing too advanced. Even where the questions required a bit more insight, his dual-mind ability helped him piece things together.

It didn't take long for Daichi to lose interest. He yawned dramatically after the first ten minutes of watching Haruto scribble down his answers. "I'm gonna wait outside," Daichi muttered, clearly bored by the whole thing. "Call me when you're done." With that, he slipped out of the room, leaving Haruto to finish the test alone.

Haruto smirked to himself, barely missing a beat. Typical Daichi.

But then came the second part of the test. On a separate scroll, several fūinjutsu seals were drawn, each with minor errors embedded within them. Haruto's task was to find those errors and explain how to correct them. This was where his Two Minds ability truly shone. While one mind focused on the overall structure of each seal, the other zeroed in on the details, identifying flaws in chakra pathways, misaligned symbols, and incorrect pattern placements.

In less than half the time expected, Haruto completed the task, his hand moving almost on autopilot. With his enhanced cognitive abilities and experience in analyzing complex patterns, this part of the test felt more like a mental exercise than a challenge.

When he finally put the brush down, Kushina raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by the speed at which he had completed the exam. "Well, you didn't waste any time, did you?" she remarked, her arms crossed as she looked over the scroll.

Haruto shrugged, a small grin playing on his lips. "It wasn't too difficult. Just basic stuff."

Kushina's eyes gleamed with approval. "We'll see about that."

She began to read through his answers, her eyes scanning each line carefully. The room was silent except for the faint sound of the paper rustling as she flipped through the test and analyzed his seal corrections.

As she reached the end of the exam, she nodded slowly, her face betraying no emotion. "Not bad, Haruto. Not bad at all."

Haruto felt a sense of accomplishment swell within him, though he kept his expression neutral. He wasn't one to gloat, but the approval of someone like Kushina Uzumaki meant a lot. He knew that passing this test was just the beginning. There was so much more he wanted to learn about fūinjutsu, and Kushina was the key to gaining that knowledge.

"Alright," Kushina said, her tone shifting slightly. "Since you've got the basics down, we'll start working on more advanced stuff soon. But first, we're going to make sure you really understand the foundation. Fūinjutsu isn't something you can rush through. One mistake, and you'll end up blowing yourself—or someone else—up."

Haruto nodded. "Understood."

Kushina's stern expression softened into a small smile. "Good. Now let's get started on something a little more challenging."

After explaining a bit more of what they would do, Kushina paused and gave him a long look. "I want to train you. You've got a talent for this, and I think I can help you go further. So, what do you say?"

Haruto blinked at the offer, slightly taken aback. While he appreciated the acknowledgment of his skill, her offer seemed sudden. His curiosity piqued, he asked, "Why?"

Kushina's expression softened, her eyes glowing with something deeper than just a teacher's interest. "Daichi," she answered simply.

Haruto frowned. "Daichi?"

Kushina nodded, her tone gentle but full of sincerity. "You've helped him in ways that neither I nor anyone else could. He was in a dark place, Haruto. Our village's destruction, losing our home, it left scars on all of us. But Daichi… he was retreating, and I was scared for him. Then you came into his life and gave him a purpose again. You brought him back from the edge."

Haruto stayed quiet, absorbing her words. He had never thought of Daichi's past in that way. For as long as he'd known him, Daichi had been nothing but energetic and positive. But now, Haruto realized there had been more beneath the surface.

"He doesn't talk about it," Kushina continued, her voice thick with emotion. "But he's grateful for you, and so am I. You're his friend when he needed one most. You gave him something to strive for again."

Haruto, ever pragmatic, let the weight of her words settle in. He'd never sought praise or recognition. Being Daichi's friend was natural—it wasn't something he thought twice about. But the realization of how much it meant to Daichi—and to Kushina—left a mark on him.

"So," Kushina said with a teasing smile, "I figured, why not help you out too? You've already proven you're willing to work hard, and I think you can go far with fūinjutsu. What do you say?"

Haruto let a small smile creep onto his face. "If I take your training, am I going to regret it?"

Kushina's grin widened. "Oh, definitely. But you'll be stronger for it."

Haruto chuckled. "Alright. Let's do it."