Chapter 46: Step by Step, Encroaching on Kushina
"Your eyesight is that good?" Kushina Uzumaki muttered under her breath. Even she was barely able to see the road ahead.
"If you're scared, just follow me," Seiji offered calmly, motioning for Kushina to walk behind him.
Konoha's technology was quite advanced—refrigerators, display screens, and other modern conveniences were commonplace. Still, a broken streetlight wasn't surprising. Seiji hadn't seen any renovations around here; most of the buildings were quite old.
"Alright," Kushina agreed and followed behind him. This was different from her usual scenery. A broken streetlight—it was a rare kind of experience for her. She glanced into the darkness off to one side, her eyes dimming slightly.
Seiji happened to glance back and caught the subtle shift in her expression out of the corner of his eye. In the shinobi world, regardless of the village, jinchūriki—"sacrificial vessels"—were heavily discriminated against. Being a jinchūriki meant sealing a tailed beast within yourself and coexisting with it, offering up your body as a living sacrifice. But this so-called heroic sacrifice rarely earned admiration.
In the vast Hidden Leaf Village, Kushina's freedom was limited to a circular barrier centered on the Uzumaki clan's shrine. In other words, she couldn't even explore all of Konoha. She saw the same repeating scenery every day, trapped in a whirlpool of the era—unable to escape, again and again...
And all the while, two ANBU agents monitored her constantly.
"I'm Uchiha Seiji. What's your name?" After walking a few steps, Seiji feigned curiosity.
"I..." Kushina glanced at him, hesitating as if unsure whether to reveal her name. Then, something clicked. That name... it sounded familiar. She thought for a moment before her eyes lit up with recognition.
"I've heard of you from Minato. You're that outsider from the Land of Lightning, right?" Her rosy lips parted slightly in surprise.
"Yeah," Seiji replied with a touch of loneliness in his tone. "I only came to Konoha a few months ago. I've gotten used to it, but there are still many places I'm unfamiliar with."
The passive trait [Art of Speech – White] made his words feel even more sincere and heartfelt. Still, the greater the gap in status between him and his listener, the weaker the effect.
"Me too. I'm Uzumaki Kushina." Behind him, Kushina patted her chest with enthusiasm—her youthful energy causing a noticeable bounce. "I came from outside too. But I've been here a few years longer than you."
This was the first time she'd met someone with a similar experience. After the destruction of Uzushiogakure, she alone came to Konoha as the last heir of the Uzumaki clan. Any surviving clansmen scattered across the shinobi world, hiding their identities and abandoning the Uzumaki name.
Excited, Kushina began asking Seiji about his time in Konoha. Seiji deliberately slowed his pace to chat with her. In his dark eyes, the reflection of Kushina's vibrant red hair and delicate face shimmered. His eye power stirred. There was no denying it—as Naruto's mother, Kushina was captivating.
Seiji suppressed the flicker of emotion. The ANBU were still watching, after all. Today's goal was simply to establish a connection with Kushina. The rest could develop over time—a slow, step-by-step approach. By doing so, his eye power would grow. And maybe—just maybe—Kushina wouldn't suffer the tragic fate that awaited her in the original timeline. A brighter future... for both of them.
After a while, they emerged from the alley, and the light from a distant streetlamp gradually grew stronger, casting its glow over the two of them. But under that shifting light and shadow, the darkness on Seiji's face only deepened.
Konoha Street.
Hyuga Natsu had waited in line for quite a while before finally buying her sweets. She then hurried toward the Hyuga Clan compound.
"You're back late," Hyuga Ginka, who had just returned from a walk, happened to run into her.
"Lady Ginka, I was held up on the way," Natsu said respectfully, lowering her head and recounting everything that had happened on the road.
"An Uchiha?" A flicker of thought passed through Ginka's eyes. It reminded her that there was indeed a new Uchiha in the village recently. The clan head had even warned all Hyuga members not to expose their Byakugan and had ordered a re-inspection of the Caged Bird Seal on the branch family members.
"The Uchiha are an inherently evil clan. Keep your distance from them," Ginka stated coldly.
"...Understood." Natsu couldn't argue—after all, it was an order from Ginka. Though she didn't really understand why people said the Uchiha were inherently evil.
The two left the street and walked off into the distance.
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"People really do love judging others with prejudice, huh?" Kushina, walking out of an alley with Seiji, had overheard Ginka's comment about the Uchiha being born evil. She had been bullied before because of her red hair, so her heart naturally sided with the misunderstood.
"It's fine," Seiji said, shaking his head. Born evil, huh? That was what they said about the Uchiha. But Seiji's unique way of awakening his Sharingan meant that he would never be the "kind-hearted" type of Uchiha. Whether it was Kushina, that Hyuga girl Natsu, or even the main family—they would all become nourishment for his growth.
"Well then, until next time." Seiji waved goodbye. Kushina returned the gesture.
As soon as Seiji left, a blond man appeared and approached Kushina.
"Sorry, I was out on a mission today and got back late," the man said with a warm, apologetic smile.
"Just don't make a habit of it, Minato," Kushina replied, forgiving Namikaze Minato's tardiness. As they were about to leave together, she suddenly recalled Seiji—an Uchiha who had a similar outsider's experience as her—and realized… he hadn't reacted strangely to her red hair at all.
"What's wrong?" Minato asked, still catching his breath from running, worried Kushina might be upset even if she said she wasn't.
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. Minato scratched his head in confusion, unable to make sense of it.
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A month later.
Seiji had finally memorized all the foundational theory. The academy had issued textbooks to him, including older materials he had missed. It wasn't a huge workload—after all, ninja academy students were just kids. That's why it was a six-year curriculum, tailored to a child's memory and focus. But Seiji had the mind of an adult, so he learned everything quickly. The Uchiha clan had also given him extra materials—basic education that any ordinary Uchiha ninja would receive in advance. Seiji mastered them all on his own through self-study.
"Eh? Seiji, you're applying for early graduation?" Yūhi Kurenai, who had just started getting used to reviewing with Seiji, was shaken by the news. Even though her father, Yūhi Shinku, taught her genjutsu and knew more than Seiji, learning with someone her age was still much more comfortable than facing her strict father.
"Yeah, I submitted the request yesterday," Seiji replied.
"Then… I'll apply for early graduation too," Kurenai said after a moment of thought. Much of what the academy taught, her father had already taught her at home. Only true civilians needed to learn everything step-by-step. Students from shinobi families with resources were often able to graduate early. Of course, even early graduation had tiers—like Kakashi's, which was considered top-level.
"Are you sure?" Seiji asked, looking at Kurenai. Her cheeks were still a little chubby, making her look soft and baby-faced. But now, her little face was all tense—completely serious.
"Yeah." She nodded firmly.
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