Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Fireproof, Theft-Proof, Waterproof Gate

The next day, life at the Ninja Academy remained as dull as ever.

Hyuga Wuye and Kushina had enrolled at the same time last year. Over the past year, aside from a mishmash of theoretical knowledge and political indoctrination, they'd only been taught chakra extraction and the basic Three Fundamental Techniques.

Before analyzing Kushina's Substitution Jutsu, Hyuga Wuye couldn't even extract chakra, let alone learn the Three Techniques.

Good thing the first year didn't involve ninja sparring, or he'd have been the undisputed class dunce.

This body seemed utterly incompatible with the ninja profession. Except for taijutsu, he couldn't master anything—his ninja tool throwing was an absolute disaster.

While others might miss the target with their shuriken practice, he could somehow bounce them back and stab himself… It was genuinely tough!

"**Wuye, what's going on between you and Kushina?**"

After class, Hyuga Wuye silently watched Kushina's back as she left the school alone.

At that moment, a blond boy appeared beside him, sporting a naturally warm smile.

"**Nothing, same as always.**"

Hyuga Wuye glanced at Namikaze Minato.

The three of them were desk mates in class. Originally, Kushina sat in the middle, but Wuye had insisted on switching places with her.

*Keep your friends close and your rivals closer—fireproof, theft-proof, waterproof gate.*

This guy was Kushina's ultra-popular canon match, after all…

But he and Minato hadn't developed any romantic rivalry. Instead, thanks to Minato's superhuman charm, they'd become best buddies.

In the end, Wuye saw Minato as a love rival, and Kushina saw Minato as a love rival too…

"**Don't lie to me. You two haven't spoken a word all day,**" Minato said, pushing up imaginary glasses like Conan Edogawa. "**Normally, you'd be whispering to each other and getting called out by the teacher to stand as punishment—that's your routine.**"

Hyuga Wuye kept a straight face. "**We talked too much yesterday, so we're taking a break today.**"

"**And another thing,**" Minato added, "**ever since you complimented her red hair, she stopped caring when people called her 'Tomato' or 'Blood-Red Pepper.' But today, she beat up a kid who said it…**"

"**Girls have a few days every month when they're in a bad mood,**" Wuye said, rolling up his sleeves and spouting nonsense.

"**Nonsense! Kushina's only a kid—she hasn't started that yet!**" Minato retorted, exasperated.

Wuye turned to him in surprise. "**Minato, you know a lot about this, huh!**"

"**'A lot'?**"

Minato playfully punched him. "**Don't change the subject. What's really going on with you and Kushina? You clearly like each other—don't hurt her.**"

Wuye fell silent, tilting his head slightly to gaze at the sunset clouds on the horizon.

He murmured softly, "**Maybe being with me isn't such a good choice for her…**"

A relationship doomed to end from the start—even if they got back together, it'd turn into a multi-sided battlefield of emotions. With someone like him, stuck with a scumbag script, her future didn't look bright no matter how you sliced it.

"**Why not?**" Minato grinned, his eyes squinting warmly. "**Sure, you say weird stuff sometimes, but you're gentler than I am!**"

"**Enough about that—let's go fencing!**" Wuye said, slinging an arm around Minato's shoulders.

"**Fencing? It's shuriken throwing, not fencing. Why does your face look so weird when you say that…**"

Minato let himself be dragged off, leaving the school behind.

That evening's shuriken practice ended, as expected, with Wuye's total defeat…

---

The following day, a bright and sunny morning.

Kushina stood at the bustling entrance of Konoha's market street, wearing a knee-length orange-red dress, looking lively and charming.

A cool breeze lifted strands of her hair, carrying a faint fragrance.

"**Tap, tap…**"

Hurried footsteps approached from behind, as if someone was drawing near.

But Kushina didn't turn around. Instead, she stepped aside to let them pass.

She knew Wuye's footsteps too well—he wouldn't make such a chaotic rhythm.

"**Big brother! She's the one who beat me up yesterday!**"

A boy's shrill voice rang out, sounding vaguely familiar to Kushina.

She turned and saw a pig-faced boy she recognized.

"**You?**"

Her brow arched. She remembered thrashing this classmate yesterday.

"**So you're the one who hit my little brother?**"

A sturdy boy, a head taller than her, stepped forward, casting a shadow over her.

Kushina looked up, annoyed. "**He insulted me first. He deserved it. I've got stuff to do today—I don't want to fight.**"

But her eyes inadvertently landed on his forehead, and she froze.

There was a Leaf Village symbol etched onto his headband.

"**See that? My brother's already graduated and become a genin!**" the younger boy gloated, glaring at Kushina. "**Kneel and apologize, or my brother will beat you up!**"

The older brother smirked, pulling out a kunai and twirling it in front of Kushina. "**See this? Only ninja can use these. Believe me, I'll carve a few lines on your face.**"

If Kushina hadn't seen Wuye casually toss out a kunai before, she might've bought it.

The so-called "ninja-only" rule was just for civilians.

"**Ninja aren't allowed to attack civilians at will. Do you want to get hauled in by the Uchiha Police Force?**"

If this were some secluded spot, Kushina might've been worried. But in a busy market like this, no ninja would dare cross the police force.

"**Good point,**" the older brother said, smirking as he removed his headband and pocketed it. "**Without the headband, those arrogant Uchiha won't care about a couple of kids fighting.**"

"**You! Shameless!**"

Kushina didn't want Wuye to see her looking pathetic, so she turned to run.

"**Trying to escape?!**"

The brother sneered, lunging forward and grabbing her long red hair.

"**Ow!**"

Halfway through her escape, the tug on her hair stopped her cold, tears of pain welling up.

This was why, in the Naruto world, people with long hair were usually strong—the longer the hair, the stronger they were. Think Uchiha Madara or Kaguya Otsutsuki.

Otherwise, long hair just got you yanked like this…

"**Let go of my hair!**"

Ignoring the pain in her scalp, she desperately tried to free her precious locks.

She knew Wuye loved her red hair the most. She'd washed it that morning until it smelled amazing—how could she let someone ruin it?

"**I won't. What are you gonna do about it?**"

The more frantic Kushina got, the more excited the boy became, gripping even tighter.

"**Hm?**"

Seeing Kushina spin around and throw a punch at his face without hesitation, the sturdy boy's eyes narrowed.

He tilted his head to dodge the fist, stepping back while yanking her hair harder, making her cry out in pain.

Then he aimed a kick at the back of her knee, trying to force her down.

"**You'll never make me kneel!**"

Eyes blazing with fury, Kushina braced herself to take the hit.

"**Thud!**"

But at that moment, a figure darted between them.

The genin boy felt like his kick had hit a pillar. At the same time, a pale hand gripped the wrist holding Kushina's hair.

"**Let go.**"

The voice wasn't loud, but its icy chill made both brothers shudder.

"**Wuye!**"

Kushina cried out in delight.

"**Hm.**"

Hyuga Wuye acknowledged her, his gaze locked coldly on the boy and the hand clutching her hair.

The older brother, seeing Wuye was shorter than him, relaxed his tension and flared up in anger. "**Who do you think you are, ordering me around?!**"

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