Talking with Kushina for the first time

Inabi knocked on the door and walked in, with Tekka following close behind.

"Just met Lady Mikoto on the road; seems she's looking for you," Inabi said.

"What does she want with me?" I asked.

"No idea. I just happened to run into her." Inabi spread his hands, looking just as clueless.

Behind him, Tekka rushed up to me, his face filled with shock. "Don't tell me… you really made Chunin?"

"Shimizu is a Chunin now. You can't escape the reality," Inabi said, smirking. "And guess what? So am I! Hehe."

Inabi's schadenfreude was written all over his face as he looked at Tekka.

Luck was on his side this time—he'd managed to pass the Chunin exams. Lately, his mood had been soaring. Finally, he could join the long-dreamed-of Konoha Police Force!

"Great, now I'm falling further behind you guys," Tekka muttered, looking dejected.

"Hey, it's no big deal. You're still young. Look on the bright side—you're already better than those outsiders," Inabi said, patting Tekka on the shoulder in consolation.

After a moment, Inabi turned to me. "Shimizu, are you heading straight to the Konoha Hospital to report in? I remember Lord Fugaku mentioning something about this at the assembly."

A flicker of recollection flashed across Inabi's eyes, leaving Tekka looking puzzled. Tekka, fresh out of the Ninja Academy, hadn't attended that assembly.

"Maybe," I replied, shaking my head. Glancing at the clock hanging inside the room, I added, "It's getting late. Since Sister Mikoto is looking for me, I'll head out first."

"Alright then." Inabi and Tekka exchanged a glance and left together, arms slung around each other's shoulders.

I stayed behind for a moment, lost in thought.

Mikoto was likely here to pass on a message from Fugaku. My performance in the Chunin exams had been too outstanding.

Recalling the simulated future in the system, I remembered Kushina being present too. However, her purpose for coming remained unclear.

After some contemplation, I took out a small mirror and revealed my three-tomoe Sharingan. Using the mirror, I cast a suggestion on myself.

The suggestion was simple: when Uzumaki Kushina was present, I wouldn't harbor any malicious thoughts toward her. Once she left, the effect would wear off, with the genjutsu expiring at ten o'clock tonight.

The Sharingan's genjutsu worked by transmitting an invisible force akin to electromagnetic waves at the speed of light, emitted from my pupils. This allowed me to apply genjutsu even to myself.

Of course, doing so wasn't easy. Only someone proficient in genjutsu could pull it off, and the cost far outweighed the benefits. Genjutsu manipulated the chakra flow in the target's brain by injecting one's chakra into their mind. However, when used on oneself, the similar chakra frequencies caused significant resistance, weakening the effect.

This difficulty explained why few people used genjutsu for self-hypnosis. If it were simple, every Uchiha would hypnotize themselves to awaken their Sharingan effortlessly.

In truth, such self-hypnosis was fraught with risks. The Sharingan was merely an external manifestation, with the real cause being the brain's production of special chakra. Genjutsu interfered with brain activity, and any imbalance could lead to dire consequences.

Historical records of the Uchiha clan noted instances of self-proclaimed geniuses attempting this, only to die from chaotic chakra flow in the brain.

Whistling softly, I summoned a white pigeon that trailed me from a distance. After locking the door behind me, I set off to meet Mikoto.

Hyuga Clan.

Hyuga Tokuma held up a mirror, inspecting his swollen face.

Despite his rigorous training in Gentle Fist, Shimizu had easily seen through his moves during the Chunin exams, overpowering him in a one-sided beatdown.

Every time he recalled the event, Tokuma couldn't help but clench his fists, yearning for revenge. But he knew he was no match for Shimizu.

"Failed to make Chunin this time. Guess I'll try again next year," Tokuma sighed, putting down the mirror.

That damned Shimizu was just too strong.

He had shown his full repertoire of Gentle Fist techniques during their match, holding out for a long time before abruptly losing in one decisive moment.

From a hundred meters away, Tokumagazed into the courtyard, where a classical garden flowed with serene beauty. A bamboo water fountain tipped over periodically, its hollow thud punctuating the tranquility.

In the courtyard stood Hyuga Natsu, clad in a black and purple robe with a white apron over it, exuding a maid-like elegance. She meticulously watered the flowers and plants, carefully tending to the garden cultivated by Hyuga Ginka. Damaging even one plant could result in punishment for the caretakers from the branch family.

"Natsu's looking better and better," Tokuma muttered, captivated by her graceful figure.

Even though he had failed to defeat Uchiha Shimizu, Natsu hadn't gone looking for Shimizu again, bringing Tokuma a faint sense of relief.

"Her birthday's coming up soon. I'll plan a special surprise for her," he resolved quietly.

Time passed quickly. The scorching sun softened as clouds obscured its brilliance, leaving cool shadows on the ground.

Inside Ichiraku Ramen, there were only two customers: Uchiha Mikoto and Uzumaki Kushina.

Perhaps it wasn't meal time yet, as no one else had entered.

"Finally, you're here."

As Kushina sat, bored and regretting her decision to come, the curtain lifted, revealing a tall figure with sharp features.

It was Uchiha Shimizu.

Kushina's eyes lit up.

Shimizu's black hair, cut into uneven layers, danced in the breeze as he moved, exuding a sense of wildness. His long Uchiha robe had a high collar that covered his neck, and his tall frame made him appear even more imposing than others his age.

"Hey! Minato told me you knocked out the Sand shinobi in the Chunin exams with just three punches and two kicks!" Kushina exclaimed, mimicking a boxing stance with her fists.

Her vibrant red hair swayed like flames at her waist, catching Shimizu's gaze.

Noticing his prolonged stare, Kushina shifted uncomfortably. Though she'd grown to like her red hair, she still felt uneasy under such scrutiny, recalling how it had once been a source of ridicule.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped, her blunt personality shining through.

"Your red hair. You're the last descendant of the Uzumaki clan, right?" Shimizu replied, nodding briefly at Mikoto before focusing on Kushina.

In the simulated future, he remembered being tasked with massaging Kushina to build rapport. But instead of following that path, he had opted to accelerate his training.

As a result, their relationship remained distant.

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