Tsunade and Uchiha Ran quickly approached the group of people that had appeared within view.
There were quite a few of them, and among them stood out a little girl around seven years old—that was the young Uzumaki Kushina.
Kushina was very cute, her long crimson hair particularly eye-catching.
Two ninjas from the Uzumaki clan followed behind her, and several Konoha shinobi flanked them on either side.
There were many similarities between the Uzumaki and Uchiha clans.
Gifted by nature, slightly arrogant, strikingly beautiful.
Both families were bound for tragic ends—envied for their talents, and ultimately destroyed because of them.
Of course, none of that had happened yet.
But the harbingers of the Whirlpool Country's downfall had already begun to appear.
A year ago, rumors had begun to spread across the ninja world, claiming that the Uzumaki clan of the Land of Whirlpools possessed powerful sealing techniques—techniques supposedly capable of sealing tailed beasts without risk.
No one knew who had started the rumors, but they had swept through the ninja world in record time.
Soon, new claims began to circulate: that the Uzumaki clan possessed bodies close to that of the Sage, granting them exceptional longevity and vast reserves of chakra.
It was also said they were hot-tempered and difficult to get along with.
The conclusion seemed obvious: if the Uzumaki clan continued to grow, no one would be able to stop them—they would become a threat to the entire ninja world.
Any reasonable person could tell the rumors were deliberately exaggerated, and the intent behind their spread was all too clear.
But something astonishing happened.
Almost every hidden village chose to believe the rumors and joined in the campaign to discredit the Uzumaki.
Even if the Uzumaki were a proud people, they couldn't ignore the growing sense of unease—it felt like a storm was approaching.
They tried to explain themselves to the outside world, but no one cared anymore.
Those who slander you always know better than you just how slandered you are.
With no other choice, the Uzumaki clan sent Kushina to Konoha and arranged a meeting between their elders, Uzumaki Mito, and Sarutobi Hiruzen.
They hoped that, should the Land of Whirlpools face a true crisis, Konoha would remember their long-standing alliance and come to their aid.
"Tsunade-sister!" Kushina immediately bowed politely when she saw Tsunade approaching.
They barely knew each other—having only met once in passing—so Kushina looked a bit tense.
"Kushina, it's been a while," Tsunade stepped forward, hugged her warmly, and smiled, instantly easing the girl's nerves.
"Kushina, nice to meet you!" Uchiha Ran also perked up upon seeing his future sister-in-law for the first time. "I'm Uchiha Ran!"
"Nice to meet you, big brother!" Kushina blinked her big, watery eyes and curiously asked, "Are you Tsunade-sister's boyfriend?"
Tsunade shot Ran a reproachful look, blushed, and tried to keep calm as she answered:
"We're… just good friends."
To be a couple, both parties had to agree.
Tsunade wouldn't have minded, but since Ran didn't acknowledge their relationship, she didn't dare claim otherwise.
"Yes, we're very good friends," Ran added with a smile.
"Ooh!" Kushina's innocent expression made both Ran and Tsunade laugh.
Together, they all headed toward Konoha.
Along the way, Uchiha Ran kept talking non-stop about the delicious food, drinks, and fun things in Konoha, peppering the conversation with funny stories to cheer up Kushina and help her relax—so much so that even Tsunade barely got a word in.
Seeing how patient and considerate Ran was with Kushina, Tsunade felt a wave of mixed emotions.
This man respected Uzumaki Mito, cared for Nawaki, and was sincerely kind to Kushina, whom he'd just met.
He had even let go of his hostility toward her grandfather, Senju Tobirama.
Everyone connected to Tsunade saw Ran's warmest side, and that deeply moved her.
Everyone—except her.
With her, he remained cold and distant, showing only polite indifference.
Upon returning to Konoha, Tsunade immediately brought Kushina and the two other Uzumaki clan members to meet Uzumaki Mito.
Ran didn't go with them. Instead, he headed home to wait for Namikaze Minato—he had a few things to discuss with the boy.
He wasn't sure whether the Cloud Village would still try to kidnap Kushina, but either way, there was no way he'd let this future bride be taken.
In the ninja world… you've got to fall in love as early as possible!
Three days later, after Kushina had settled into her new home, Tsunade personally escorted her to a spot about a hundred meters from the Academy gates on the fourth morning.
She did this deliberately to avoid putting pressure on other students by associating them too directly with Kushina, and she'd already asked the girl to keep her identity hidden.
Just as they were parting ways, Uchiha Ran showed up with Namikaze Minato in tow, holding the boy's hand—and looked mildly annoyed.
"Couldn't you have walked her all the way to the gates?" he thought to himself.
The Ninja Academy wasn't a simple place for studying. It trained ruthless fighters.
The students were full of energy, always competing and brawling.
A new student was bound to be a target—and at times like that, a loud, powerful name could go a long way toward scaring people off and earning some peace.
Only after that could Tsunade step aside.
Just thinking about Kushina being bullied every day despite her status made Ran shake his head. Tsunade really did have a kind heart.
Good thing I, Uchiha Ran, already have everything planned.
"Tsunade, Kushina, good morning!" Ran approached the sisters, holding Minato by the hand.
"Eh? Do you usually walk Minato to the Academy? What's the occasion?" Tsunade asked, surprised.
"This kid usually gets along just fine with his classmates, so I don't interfere," Ran chuckled, ruffling Minato's hair. "But today's different."
"Minato," Ran crouched down and asked seriously, "Do you remember everything I told you over the past few days?"
"I remember!" Minato replied earnestly.
He then stepped up to Kushina and politely greeted her:
"Hi, Kushina! I'm Namikaze Minato."
"My brother said that it might be hard for you at first to get used to the new school. If you ever need help, don't be shy—just ask me."
"If anyone dares to bully you, I'll protect you!" Minato shook his little fist fiercely.
But his adorable face and small frame made the "threat" completely harmless, drawing amused smiles from both Tsunade and Ran.
Kushina's eyes lit up. She looked Minato up and down, then glanced at Ran and gave a firm nod.
She suddenly realized that this boy—whom she hadn't liked much at first—wasn't at all what she had imagined.
Though Tsunade and Uzumaki Mito had both treated her kindly these past few days, the briefness of their interactions still made Kushina feel like an outsider.
Being sent to the Academy so suddenly only added to her worries.
But Ran's words and Minato's promise were what truly gave her peace of mind.
A few simple sentences, and her heart settled. She even felt a faint spark of hope.
She wanted to see for herself whether Minato would really keep his word if anyone tried to hurt her.
"Hey, wait!" Tsunade stepped forward in confusion. "Ran, what exactly are you trying to pull?"
"Helping Kushina adjust!" Ran replied nonchalantly.
"Are you sure you're not up to something shady?" Tsunade began to panic.
"Oh, please," Ran waved her off. "Sure, I love stirring things up, but I'm not about to go bully a bunch of kids. Relax—just trust me!"
Once inside the Academy, Minato and Kushina went their separate ways.
Minato headed straight to class, while Kushina, as instructed by Tsunade, went to the faculty office.
At the Academy gates—
"Ran, are you sure everything will go smoothly? I've got a bad feeling about this…" Tsunade asked worriedly.
"Relax. My little brother's got this!" Ran replied confidently.
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
Are we even talking about the same thing here?
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