At the crossroads, Uchiha Hayashi waited patiently in the shadow of a tree.
The morning sun had already begun to blaze down on the earth, its heat heavy even in the early hour. Hayashi had been waiting for almost twenty minutes. Kushina had promised to meet him for tutoring, but she still hadn't arrived.
He tapped his foot and sighed. So the rumors are true. Girls really do take forever to get ready.
A small smile tugged at his lips. Maybe next time, I should show up twenty minutes late instead. Would save me the trouble of waiting.
Still, concern nagged at him. I hope nothing happened… He couldn't shake the memory of Kushina's abduction at the hands of the Hidden Cloud in the original timeline. It wasn't impossible for something similar to happen here.
Hayashi was just about to head toward Nawaki's house to check when he heard hurried footsteps approaching.
Looking up, he saw Kushina rushing toward him. Her bright red hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and she wore a simple black ninja outfit. Despite the sweat on her brow, her face lit up with a radiant smile as soon as she saw him.
"Sorry, Hayashi! I'm late. Tsunade-san wouldn't let me leave until she finished giving me a long list of precautions."
"Precautions?" Hayashi raised a brow. "About training?"
He couldn't help but chuckle. Even the famously lazy Tsunade could act responsible at times.
Kushina shook her head quickly. "No… she was warning me about perverts."
Hayashi blinked, then gave a small nod. "Right…" He knew Tsunade hadn't meant him, though the thought briefly amused him. He had enough self-awareness to know better.
"In short," Hayashi said, "come on, let's get going."
"Okay!" Kushina's smile returned in full force.
---
The summer streets of Konoha were alive with energy. The two walked side by side down the bustling commercial street, surrounded by vendors calling out to customers and shinobi families running errands.
"Wow, there are so many people here," Kushina whispered, eyes wide with wonder.
Hayashi glanced at her and smirked. "Don't tell me you've barely explored Konoha?"
Kushina's expression softened. She looked both envious and wistful as she nodded. "Yeah… I've been spending most of my time with Grandma Mito. She's been teaching me really difficult sealing techniques, so I haven't had the chance to go out and enjoy myself."
"Figures," Hayashi muttered. So Mito is already passing on sealing knowledge to her…
"Then how did you manage to get out today?" he asked.
Kushina grinned. "I asked Grandma yesterday if I could train outside today. She actually agreed and told me to have fun."
Hayashi gave a small smile of his own. He didn't bother checking, but he was certain there were at least a few Anbu lurking nearby, keeping watch over Kushina. It was best to pretend he didn't notice.
They stopped at a small food stall.
"Uncle Chanan, two ice creams please," Hayashi said casually.
"Of course, Hayashi-kun. Off to train again?" the stall owner replied warmly.
"Yeah." Hayashi paid and handed one of the treats to Kushina.
Kushina's eyes widened as she took a bite. "Mmm! This is so good! I've never eaten anything like this before." Her face lit up with genuine joy, her words muffled as she devoured the ice cream.
Hayashi sighed quietly, watching her. War had robbed her of so many simple joys. Uzushiogakure's destruction had forced her into a childhood filled with conflict and loneliness. Something as small as ice cream was enough to make her eyes sparkle.
War… it was always the same. It stole laughter from the loudest voices, dulled the patience of the strongest hearts, and silenced those who should never have had to be silent.
But Hayashi pushed those thoughts aside. Smiling faintly, he said, "If you like this, how about I take you to eat something even better once we're done with training?"
"Really?" Kushina's eyes lit up again. "Deal!"
Her excitement was contagious.
---
Leaving the busy streets behind, the two sprinted toward the small forest behind the Hokage Rock. Hayashi deliberately slowed his pace to make it easier for Kushina, but even so, she was left panting by the time they arrived.
"Huff… huff…" Kushina bent forward, hands on her knees, her breathing uneven.
Hayashi, by contrast, was perfectly calm. For him, that pace was routine. He leaned against the shade of a tree, letting the breeze wash over him. The forest was peaceful, filled with rustling leaves and birdsong.
Kushina's stamina was impressive, though. She recovered quickly, brushing her sweat-damp red hair back. In the sunlight, her hair seemed to glow, adding a striking beauty to her appearance.
After a short rest, Hayashi finally asked, "So, Kushina, what exactly do you want to train today?"
Kushina hesitated, scratching her head. "Um… could you teach me how to throw kunai like you did last time?"
Hayashi considered her seriously before nodding. "That's fine."
His eyes scanned her briefly, thoughtful. Kushina quickly noticed and flustered, her cheeks reddening.
"W-What are you staring at?" she stammered, fidgeting with her ponytail.
"Just checking if your chakra control is strong enough," Hayashi said calmly.
"You can tell that just by looking?" she asked in disbelief.
"No," Hayashi admitted with a straight face. "I just said it to tease you."
Kushina gaped at him, then groaned. "…Seriously?"
Suppressing a chuckle, Hayashi continued, "Listen, your kunai throwing technique is weak. That's something you'll need to work on yourself. But kunai techniques become truly dangerous when combined with the Sharingan. For you, as long as you practice enough, you'll reach an average level. Don't waste time chasing mastery there."
Kushina's expression fell slightly, but he pressed on.
"Everyone needs to understand their strengths. Yours doesn't lie in precision. It's in your chakra reserves."
Kushina blinked. "My… chakra?"
Hayashi nodded firmly. "Your chakra amount already surpasses Nishimura-sensei's, and he's a Chunin. That's incredible. With that kind of chakra, you could learn powerful techniques like super-enhanced strength or even more advanced ninjutsu. But there's one requirement you can't skip: chakra control."
He grew serious as he spoke. "Control is the foundation of everything—ninjutsu, genjutsu, even taijutsu enhancements. Without it, your chakra is just raw power, wasted potential. You don't need perfect control, but you do need to understand the basics."
To demonstrate, Hayashi walked calmly to the base of a tall tree. Placing one foot on the trunk, he focused his chakra and began walking upward as though it were level ground. Step by step, he ascended until he reached a branch, then leapt down lightly.
Landing in front of her, he said, "By gathering chakra at the soles of your feet and maintaining steady output, you can create the suction needed to walk on vertical surfaces. This exercise will train your control. Once you can do it consistently, I'll teach you the next step."
Kushina's eyes widened, awe and determination sparking within them.
---
Sorry for the short hiatus.