Time is everflowing, and before Kushina knew it, half a year flew by.
It was now the height of summer in Konoha, year 37.
The fourth year of the Ninja Academy hadn't begun yet, and she was on vacation. Despite mastering the three academy jutsu months ago, that old man still wouldn't let her graduate early. Nor would he allow her to participate in the war. She didn't particularly want to fight for Konoha, but real combat experience was invaluable, and she would like to have some before she goes rogue.
Currently, she was sparring against Sakumo Hatake in the open training field behind the Hatake estate. The air shimmered with summer heat, and cicadas buzzed in the background.
Sakumo was a tall and athletic man, his spiky silver hair tied in a loose ponytail, his movements fluid and sharp. He was in his early twenties and already considered Kage-level. This was Kushina's new taijutsu teacher, and their sparring matches were intense and unforgiving.
The clash of fists and blade echoed through the trees. Sakumo swung his sword down at Kushina with practiced precision. She sidestepped, letting the blade slice through empty air, though it still managed to trim a few strands of her hair.
She retaliated with a fierce punch toward his ribs, but Sakumo tilted his body and slipped away like a wisp of smoke.
The exchange continued in a blur of movement. Kushina's breath came in steady bursts, her chakra flaring subtly through her limbs. She'd improved significantly. Her punches were stronger, her footwork faster, and her instincts sharper. Still, she was at a clear disadvantage.
Although she could beat some average jonin with just her Taijutsu, Sakumo was on a whole other level. Kushina was proud of her taijutsu, but her fists alone weren't enough against his sharp sword.
In a flash, Sakumo accelerated and delivered a diagonal slash toward her neck. Her eyes widened as she realized she couldn't dodge in time. But the blade stopped just before touching her skin.
"You're getting better and better, Kushina," Sakumo said, his tone kind but measured.
She sighed and stepped back. "Yeah, yeah," she muttered, annoyed at herself. At eleven years old, she could already match some jonin, but it still wasn't enough. Not for the path she has chosen.
"If you want my advice," Sakumo said, sheathing his sword, "you should consider using a weapon. Your fists are solid, but against someone like me, you're always going to be at a disadvantage unless you're significantly stronger or faster."
Kushina frowned slightly, thinking. Kurama had told her something similar during their training sessions in the seal. Although he also fights with his hands and claws alone, that's more because there are no weapons in the seal.
The issue was that good weapons, real weapons worthy of a kunoichi like her, were incredibly expensive. Ones made of chakra-conductive material were out of her reach.
Sakumo seemed to read her thoughts. "If you want," he said, "you can pick something from the Hatake clan armory."
Kushina's head jerked up, stunned. "You'd really let me do that?" Usually, outsiders were never allowed to use weapons from a clan's armory.
Sakumo smiled, amused by her disbelief. "You've been my student for months now. You're talented, and more importantly, you're determined. I trust you. Besides, it's just me, Hana, and little Kakashi now. The Hatake clan isn't what it used to be."
"Thank you!" Kushina beamed. Her chest ached slightly with a bittersweet feeling. She respected Sakumo deeply. He was honest, kind, and loyal to the village to a fault. But she was walking a different path, one that would lead her away from Konoha. Maybe one day, they'd meet as enemies. That uncertainty was kind of painful.
They walked together through the shaded pathways of the Hatake compound. It was smaller than the Hyuga or Uchiha estates but still far too spacious for just three people.
Waiting for them at the entrance was a beautiful woman with pale blonde hair and soft gray eyes, Hana Hatake, Sakumo's wife. She was a jonin in her own right and carried their infant son, Kakashi, in her arms. Kushina had been here many times in the past couple of months as Sakumo's student. So, they were familiar with each other.
Hana smiled as they approached. "How was training?"
Kushina shrugged. "It was alright. Sakumo-sensei beat me again." Her tone was a bit gloomy, but then she grinned. "But I'm gonna crush him one day, dattebane!"
Sakumo laughed, and Hana chuckled warmly. He explained their purpose, "We're going to the armory to find Kushina a weapon."
Hana nodded. Like Sakumo, she cared for Kushina and didn't mind giving her a weapon from the clan armory.
"Good," she said, then turned to Kushina with a twinkle in her eye. "Maybe one day you can teach Kakashi a thing or two."
Kushina laughed awkwardly. "Yeah... maybe."
They arrived at a large room, reinforced with seals. Sakumo unlocked it with a combination of hand signs, and the heavy doors swung open.
"Here's the armory. Just pick one and you can keep it," Sakumo said.
Inside was a treasure trove. Weapons of all shapes and sizes lined the walls. Katanas, nodachis, tantos, bo staves, kusarigama, and more. The room even had a space for testing balance and movement.
Kushina's eyes sparkled as she looked at the large variety of cool weapons.
She tried out several weapons: a lightweight katana, a pair of twin daggers, and a long staff. She even did a few mock spars with Sakumo to test the feel. But none of them felt quite right. Since Sakumo-sensei was giving her this chance, she wanted to pick a weapon she could use for a long time.
She continued trying out weapons that felt a little off to her, until, her eyes landed on a scythe.
It wasn't flashy. Its handle was long and slightly crooked, made of a warm wood that shimmered faintly under the light. The blade curved menacingly, forged from a dark silver metal that hummed faintly with stored chakra.
Kushina approached it reverently. The moment she wrapped her fingers around the handle, she felt that it was right. It was too big for her frame now, but not unwieldy.
"You have your eyes on that one, huh?" Sakumo looked somewhat surprised.
"That one's new, actually. Compared to most of the others here. The handle was crafted by Lord Hashirama himself, using his Wood Release. He strengthened it using some technique that even I don't understand. The blade is high-grade chakra metal. It was a gift from the First Hokage to the Hatake clan."
"Can I use this one?" She asked.
Sakumo hesitated for a moment. This scythe was a gift from Hashirama to the Hatake clan upon the founding of Konoha. To give it away doesn't feel exactly right. But he saw how compatible she was with the scythe and how her eyes lit up while using it, and decided.
He nodded slowly. "Alright. It's better that it's used than gathering dust. Get used to it today, and we can resume training tomorrow."
Kushina grinned. "Thank you! With this, I'll definitely beat you!"
----
Inside the seal space, Kushina nearly skipped toward Kurama's chamber, her new scythe slung across her back. He had been saying she should get a weapon for a long time, and now she finally has. And such a cool one too!
Kurama, in his human form, sat with his back against the stone wall, eyes closed in rest. But the moment she entered, his red eyes snapped open and focused on the handle of the scythe.
"What's that?" He said.
Kushina puffed her chest out. "This is my new scythe, dattebane! Sakumo-sensei let me pick a weapon from the Hatake clan's armory. Pretty cool, right?"
She performed a few twirls, spins, and mock strikes to show it off. Kurama didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on the wooden handle.
Kushina paused. "Umm, Kurama? What's up? You're spacing out."
He blinked and shook his head, then asked, "How was it made?"
"The First Hokage made the handle using his Wood Release and some special technique to make it stronger. The blade is top-quality chakra metal."
Kurama scowled internally. Of course it was that damn Senju… But he had to admit, it was a fine weapon. The craftsmanship was exceptional.
He reached out and placed his hand on the handle. A pulse of his chakra flowed into it, and the scythe responded instantly. Its absorption rate and chakra efficiency were phenomenal. Even Kurama, who's been around for nearly a thousand years and has seen many different types of weapons, including the Kusanagi swords, was impressed.
"This is a good weapon," he said finally. "Better than I expected from humans. It should serve you well for the next few years."
Kushina beamed. "Told you it was cool!"
He smirked. "Now let's see if you can actually use it properly, brat."
She raised the scythe and struck a pose. "Bring it on, fox. I'm gonna carve my name into history with this thing, dattebane!"