Clear skies stretched across the village. Kushina looked calm now, the tension she carried yesterday gone from her face as she greeted them with genuine warmth.
"Good morning, Grandma Mito! Good morning, Uncle!"
"Good morning, little Kushina. Come over and have breakfast. I'll introduce you to some new friends later," Mito said softly.
"Okay!"
While handing her food, Akira spoke casually beside her.
"When you're in school, try to spend time with your classmates. If you find a girl you like, bring her home. Boys are fine too…"
His tone didn't shift, even as he added, "Just don't cause trouble-but don't be afraid of it either. If someone talks shit to you or bullies you... then you go ahead and fucking smash him."
Kushina's eyes started bright with curiosity but started to narrow as his words went on. She clearly hadn't expected the talk to take that turn.
Even Mito cracked under the absurdity and sighed with half-laughter. "Stop that nonsense-how are you teaching kids with that mouth?"
"If I don't say this, what's she supposed to do? Take it? Our Kushina wouldn't start anything. And if she did, it's that punk's honor to get decked by her."
Mito set her cup down with force. "Where are there parents like you?"
"There are now."
Akira grinned, unbothered. "Besides-Kushina wouldn't bully anyone for no reason… right?"
Caught between their exchange, Kushina looked down and nodded with a small smile tucked behind her lips.
"Mhm!"
"See? She agrees."
Mito rolled her eyes. "Tch… I'm done trying to argue with you."
"You could try-but you'd always lose," Akira fired back without turning his head.
Their back-and-forth continued through breakfast. There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about it-no grand declarations or profound feelings-but Kushina watched them in silence the whole time and held onto it. She hadn't seen adults argue without screaming or crying in so long that it felt strange… comfortable even.
When breakfast was done, Akira took her toward the Ninja Academy. The building rose in the distance, and the closer they came to the gates, the slower they walked.
Access was simple after clearing identity checks. Akira walked her through the halls until they reached one of the smaller offices next to the classrooms. The man waiting inside stood tall with heavy shoulders-his presence naturally intimidating-but his expression turned friendly fast.
"Ahahaha-so this is you, Kushina? Don't be scared by my looks! I'm actually super nice," Morino Shun said as his smile widened.
Without waiting for her to move, he crouched to eye level and stretched out his hand.
Kushina hesitated for barely two seconds before her fingers touched his palm-and her grip tightened quickly after.
"Let's go," he said warmly.
"Wait."
Akira's word was curt. It stopped them both from moving another step forward.
"I want to tag along," he said plainly.
"Huh?"
Morino hesitated. That wasn't part of the protocol-they usually discouraged family members hovering around students too much.
"Well… Lord Akira-it would be difficult if every adult started coming in here like that…"
Akira narrowed his eyes without another word.
"...Oh?"
There was no smoke or hand seal delay-one smooth transformation left behind his adult form and called up the image of himself at six years old-right beside Kushina in size and height now.
"Whoa…"
Kushina walked toward him immediately and lined up their shoulders to compare heights. Her giggles faded fast when she met Akira's gaze-not angry, but focused on Morino Shun again.
"That good enough?"
Morino Shun didn't even try objecting now. Orders from above might've said one thing-but power this direct made arguments meaningless. He nodded quickly instead.
"Y-yes, Lord Akira-it's fine."
-
No class bell had rung just then, but the classroom was loud anyway-dozens of voices talking over each other about one thing:
"There's someone transferring today!"
"I hope it's some pretty girl…"
"Why not a hot guy?"
"I bet it's gonna be some girl."
"Betting already again?"
When Morino entered with both of them following behind him, the room shut up fast.
It wasn't just Kushina standing there next to him-it was another kid too.
"Wait-two transfer students?"
Some of them whispered but didn't say anything out loud. The moment most of them laid eyes on Kushina, they suddenly remembered what their families had warned them about at dinner tables and family meetings the night before-and they locked into silence again.
Morino raised his hand firmly over them.
"These two are new here starting today-don't pick fights or throw insults around, or I'll deal with it myself."
He turned toward Kushina next and gestured gently for her to step forward.
"Kushina-san… introduce yourself."
Kushina looked at him first-then at Akira. Her hands were tense in their fists until she closed her eyes briefly and stepped forward once without hesitation.
"My name is Uzumaki Kushina! My dream is to become strong-and protect the things I want to protect…!"
Her words were clear-even louder than expected from someone so new-but Akira caught the familiar strain underneath it. It was just like what he remembered-her trying too hard just to fit in with everyone else.
"Hahahaha-you? A ninja? You'd snap just trying to climb shit!"
"What kind of body even is that…"
"Red hair freak!"
Some students jeered instantly-as if they'd been waiting for just that moment to start. The voices weren't loud-but they echoed anyway. Most of them came from clan kids who hadn't grown out of their egos-or were too well-trained by their households' rumors about Uzumaki bloodlines.
Akira noticed two clans push back gently-Senju and even Uchiha-but there were too few of them for the defense to matter much right away.
One particular student stood out-a blond boy near the back who whispered once in Kushina's defense before looking down again-
Akira clocked him instantly-but didn't call out anything just then.
Kushina's arms stayed tense at her sides-but her eyes were wet now, and her head dropped low enough that she looked straight at the floor instead of anyone else in that room anymore.
She glanced sideways once-and found Akira staring straight at her without flinching. He didn't look angry or heartbroken-not even sad.
He stepped forward beside her-one hand rising gently to brush across her head again as he spoke low enough for only her to hear-
"You remember what I told you this morning?"
Her lips moved slowly as she recalled it-
"Don't cause trouble… but don't be afraid of it either…"
"What else?"
Her pulse kicked harder-she could feel it even in her chest now-his fingers resting against her scalp lightly as his grin returned once again beside her ear-
"What do I do if someone bullies me…"
Her words came out hesitant-
"...beat him?"
"Exactly," Akira said clearly now as he stepped back one pace and crossed his arms behind her-
"You fucking break him apart-and I'll handle everything after."
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