March 20 — early morning.
Gojo Yoru had just woken up, but for some reason he felt an inexplicable irritability.
That was hard to believe for someone like him—he slept a full nine hours every day, his vitality was abundant, and his energy was always overflowing.
If it were anyone else, they might have been affected because today was the final exam.
But for Yoru, finals were just a formality. He hadn't felt pressure about them for years.
When the time reached 7:50 a.m., Yoru—who had already prepared a nutritious breakfast and was reading in the living room—finally realized something was wrong.
Normally, Uzumaki Kushina would've been banging on his front door a long time ago.
But now, school time was almost here, and she still hadn't shown up.
Kushina had kept this routine for an entire term—coming to Yoru's house for breakfast, then going to school together. There was no way she would miss for no reason, especially not on the day of finals.
Yoru narrowed his eyes slightly. "So it's today, huh?"
Because canon never specified it, Yoru didn't know which exact day Kushina became the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
But between his irritability upon waking and Kushina's absence, Yoru was one hundred percent sure: this was related to the jinchūriki.
"Of all days… don't tell me Mito can't hold on anymore?" Yoru couldn't help guessing as he sat down and ate breakfast alone.
After washing the dishes, he headed toward school.
Today was, in truth, the sixth-years' day.
In front of the sixth-year graduation exam, the other five grades' finals barely mattered.
Just like the opening day in April, the school gates were already crowded with parents early in the morning.
They brought their kids to school, then waited outside for the results.
When the sixth-years came out together, the atmosphere would surely be a storm of joy and sorrow—laughter and tears, praise and scolding, comfort and reassurance…
But none of that concerned the other five grades for now.
Yoru—who wouldn't move up to fifth year until next month—had seen this scene for years. He didn't even bother looking toward the crowd of parents, just walked through the gate.
What Yoru didn't notice was that three pairs of eyes were watching him from a distance.
"Orochimaru, is that the seedling you took a liking to?"
"…Yeah."
"This height—he was only nine last year? You've got to be kidding. He looks as tall as Tsunade. Are the academy teachers and Sarutobi-sensei blind? Why would they keep a monster like that in school wasting time and talent instead of letting him graduate early?"
"He chose to hide himself. He wanted to stay in the academy."
"Why? That height means his chakra reserves are abnormal too. Forget his own grade—even sixth-year graduates wouldn't stand a chance against him. What challenge is there in staying at school?"
"He wants to accumulate knowledge—so even in a desperate situation he'll have the strength and the wisdom to respond."
Hearing that, Jiraiya—who had been ranting a second ago—fell silent.
Tsunade, who had come today to personally see Nawaki off to the academy, watched Yoru's back with a look of admiration. Then she smiled at Orochimaru. "No wonder you like this brat so much. He's basically you as a kid—just scaled up."
Orochimaru chuckled. "He's far stronger than we were at that age."
"Oh?"
Tsunade and Jiraiya instantly grew interested. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You said he's hiding himself—so has he already mastered advanced elemental jutsu?"
"With something this abnormal, plus Sa and Mio's inheritance, it's not strange for him to have mastered high-level jutsu at this age," Tsunade said, congratulating Orochimaru. "Congrats, Orochimaru—you found an excellent student. Too bad for Nawaki. I was going to ask you to be his teacher."
"Isn't there another candidate right here?" Orochimaru immediately started "assisting" his best friend.
Jiraiya instantly began waggling his brows at Tsunade, but she rolled her eyes and mocked him without mercy. "Give me a break. If I let Jiraiya teach Nawaki, I'm afraid he'll turn my adorable little brother into a pervert. If I have to choose, I'd rather quit my hospital job and teach him myself."
Jiraiya took critical emotional damage and turned gray on the spot.
Orochimaru could only watch, powerless to help.
…
Gojo Yoru had no idea the future Konoha Sannin were paying attention to him.
The moment he walked into the classroom, he couldn't help raising an eyebrow.
Beside his seat, that familiar figure was already there.
But Kushina looked like she was trying to catch up on sleep—her head down on the desk.
The "something's obviously wrong" vibe made a certain blond loser dog—who had already given up because he saw no hope—unable to resist glancing over with worry again and again.
"I don't remember messing with you yesterday. So why are you sulking again?" Yoru walked to his seat and, under Minato's envious gaze, reached out and ruffled Kushina's "dog head."
When Kushina lifted her face, Yoru jumped in surprise. "Did you go robbing houses last night? Why do you look like a ghost?"
Kushina looked like she hadn't slept all night—or like she'd cried for hours. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her eye bags were swollen and dark.
Normally, she'd have snapped back immediately.
But now she only forced a smile at Yoru, her voice hoarse. "I'm fine. I just don't feel great, so I didn't come find you."
Yoru understood instantly.
Kushina still wasn't a jinchūriki yet, but she clearly already knew about jinchūriki and tailed beasts.
She was afraid. That was why she hadn't slept—she might have cried all night.
If today weren't finals, she probably wouldn't have come at all—she didn't want Yoru to see her at her ugliest.
Yoru shot a glare at the classmates who were sneaking looks to watch the drama, scaring them into looking away.
He dragged his chair closer to Kushina, sat down, and said nothing. Instead, he formed seals, gathered green chakra over his palm, and held it close to her face, using medical chakra to ease the swelling under her eyes.
Kushina watched him with a focused calm, just like last year after their first fight—when he'd healed her with medical ninjutsu.
She still remembered how fast her heart had pounded back then—how hot her cheeks had been.
Even now, Kushina's breath caught… and the fear filling her chest suddenly surged even stronger.
Tears she'd thought she'd already cried dry spilled out again.
Sometimes, silent crying was more contagious than loud sobbing.
Seeing that, Yoru made a decision immediately.
He lowered his hand, took Kushina by the wrist, and pulled her out of the classroom.
Watching that, Minato couldn't suppress the urge to follow—
But after thinking, he gave up, releasing a powerless sigh.
A few minutes later, he saw Yoru and Kushina return through the back door.
And Kushina's expression was no longer the same as before.
Minato blinked, then couldn't help feeling admiration for Yoru.
So fast… he already comforted her? Is that why I can't compare?
Then Minato's pupils suddenly shrank, as if he'd realized something.
Wait—something's off.
That's not Kushina… and that isn't Yoru's real body either.
That's… the Shadow Clone Technique?!
The moment Minato noticed, his first reaction wasn't amazement at Yoru's power—
It was curiosity: where had their real bodies gone?
Staring at the two calm-faced "students" waiting for the written exam to begin, Minato suddenly had a sinking feeling.
Once the real Gojo Yoru and the real Uzumaki Kushina came back…
he would truly have zero chance left.
~~~
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