"So you're saying Minato didn't do it on purpose?"
"Of course not!"
Kushina pointed towards the ward. "Minato was going out to Cultivate with Sister Tsunade today. His Clone didn't have much Chakra to begin with. If they hadn't come looking for trouble, this wouldn't have happened!"
Iruka Umino nodded. "Shinnosuke, please make a trip and inform Hokage-sama of this matter."
"Okay!"
Shinnosuke left quickly.
Konoha Hospital was right below the Hokage Rock, not far from the Hokage Building.
Soon, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived.
"Hokage-sama."
Iruka Umino looked ashamed. "I am very sorry, it's all because of my negligence..."
"Shinnosuke has already told me what happened. It has nothing to do with you, so don't take it to heart."
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, signaling the other to stay calm.
The incident happened after school and outside the academy grounds; no one could have predicted such a thing.
At most, Iruka Umino could be blamed for not educating his students well, but he had no direct connection to the event.
"Kōta! My Kōta!"
While Iruka Umino was silent, not knowing what to say, the parents of the trio also arrived at the hospital.
"Hokage-sama, what exactly happened? How are our children?"
The fat woman leading them asked with red-rimmed eyes, her face full of urgency upon seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Please stay calm, they are not in any life-threatening danger."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned solemn. "However, due to the nature of their injuries, I'm afraid they can no longer remain at the Ninja Academy."
"How can that be..."
Hearing this, the fat woman immediately burst into tears. "Who did this?!"
"The incident started because Kōta and the other two cornered and attacked another student on the way home after a verbal dispute."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said indifferently, "As a parent, you must understand that regardless of who did it, I will not allow you to cause trouble for that child."
"How can you say that? Our children are seriously injured in bed, and even their futures are ruined. Hokage-sama, how can you be so biased towards the culprit?"
The fat woman immediately protested, and the other parents also voiced their dissatisfaction.
"Exactly! Yukio has always been very well-behaved. I don't believe he would do such a thing to a classmate!"
"That's right! No matter what, a classmate shouldn't have been so heavy-handed, right?"
The group caused a commotion in the hallway, and Iruka Umino quickly tried to stop them.
"Everyone, please be quiet, this is a hospital!"
"Then we must be given an explanation for this!" the fat woman cried out excitedly.
"An explanation? What explanation?"
A cold, sharp voice reached everyone's ears as Tsunade strode over with Minato.
Her high golden ponytail swayed gallantly with her movements as Tsunade walked up to the ward, her gaze piercing as she looked at the group of parents.
"Are you saying that your children ganged up on my Disciple and ambushed him on the way home from school, and now I have to give you an explanation?"
Tsunade's brow was full of Evil Qi as she asked in a freezing tone.
"Lady... Lady Tsunade?"
Seeing Tsunade, the group's expressions immediately froze.
"Minato!"
Seeing the two arrive, the previously anxious Kushina finally found her pillar of support and quickly stepped forward to grab Minato's arm.
Seeing Kushina's well-behaved appearance, Minato couldn't help but raise his hand to gently rub her small head, soothing her emotions.
"Speak up, didn't you want an explanation?"
Seeing them acting so timidly, Tsunade snorted coldly, yet still no one dared to speak.
The reason was simple: this was Konoha Hospital, Tsunade's territory.
Their children's lives were in her hands... and who in all of Konoha didn't know that Tsunade was the Sandaime's Disciple?
Especially since two of the parents were Chunin of the Village; they were even more afraid to speak at this moment.
Feeling somewhat aggrieved, the fat woman sobbed, "It was just a dispute between children, why was it necessary to be so heavy-handed?"
As those words fell, Tsunade's beautiful eyes widened as she prepared to give them a piece of her mind, but her hand was gently held by Minato.
"Hmm?"
Feeling the warmth from her palm, Tsunade instinctively looked down and saw Minato gently holding her hand, a subtle feeling inexplicably rising in her heart.
Minato didn't know Tsunade's thoughts. He was happy that Tsunade was willing to support him unconditionally, but he didn't want her to gain a reputation for being overbearing because of this.
"Sorry, everyone, we came in a hurry and don't know the specifics of what happened yet."
Minato said gently, "Although it was a Clone, it was still an extension of my will after all. From what I know of myself, I wouldn't have done such a thing intentionally."
"It wasn't your fault to begin with, Minato."
Kushina waved her small fist. "Those guys were knocked down in a single exchange. Minato was about to leave, but they wouldn't let go and clung to him, which led to this result!"
Shinnosuke nodded. "That's right. And before it happened, your Clone had already warned them, but they didn't listen."
"Then I understand what happened."
Minato realized immediately upon hearing this and patiently explained, "When their Chakra was nearly exhausted, they must have triggered the Wood Clone's defensive instinct, causing it to unconsciously activate its Strangulation ability."
The fat woman seemed to want to say more, but her husband pulled her back.
Seeing her husband's somber face and the way he shook his head at her, the fat woman ultimately said nothing.
She didn't know what a Wood Clone was, but as a Ninja, her husband knew all too well!
That was Wood Release!
The Wood Release that founded Konoha!
What else could anyone say?
Who would dare say anything?
To pick a fight with a Wood Release Bloodline Limit... it was only because the Sandaime had a good temper. If it were anyone else, their whole family might have been taken to the Interrogation Department for a tour to strengthen their education on the will of fire.
"That should be it."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Alright everyone, you all know the details now. Are there any other questions?"
"No... none."
The group already didn't dare provoke Tsunade, and seeing the atmosphere was wrong, they all fell silent.
"Hmph, don't worry, I will do my best to treat those three brats."
Tsunade snorted coldly. Although she was annoyed with these people, she still had her professional ethics as a doctor.
She gestured and led several people into the ward to check on the patients' conditions.
Minato looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and bowed slightly. "Sorry for causing trouble for Hokage-sama."
"Haha, it's nothing, but in the future when using Clones, you should still pay more attention."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said cheerfully, showing his closeness to Minato without any reservation.
Seeing this, Shinnosuke quickly pointed to himself. "And me! I testified for you!"
Minato gave a light laugh. "Thank you as well, Shinnosuke."
"Then how about having a match with me?"
Shinnosuke said eagerly, "I didn't expect you to have a Bloodline Limit. Can you let me see your Wood Release?"
"Definitely next time."
"..."