Chapter 33: One Year

"What are you pulling?" Kushina finally came to her senses and muttered those words, watching Uchiha Homura's retreating figure.

The last time she forcefully stepped in to challenge Uchiha Homura, she felt the gap between him, Minato, and herself. This wasn't because her talent was lacking, but rather because Kushina had joined the Ninja Academy much more recently compared to those two.

Her recent growth rate even surpassed Mikoto's in the past, even shocking Minato.

"Good morning, Kushina!" As she entered the classroom, she was greeted by Minato's gentle smiling face. 

The little face that originally had a grudge instantly turned red, but Kushina, whose relationship with Minato and Mikoto had gradually become more familiar lately, was no longer as shy as before.

"Yeah, good morning to you too," Kushina responded.

Minato still smiled and asked, "You came really early today."

It had been almost a year since the start of the school year, and Minato was always the first one to arrive at the classroom, which had become normal for him. The second was usually Mikoto.

However, due to his training, he came much earlier than usual. Uchiha Homura might have come so early to wait for him, but Kushina was surprisingly early too.

The reason he considered these things was because he saw an unusual delight in Kushina's eyes, beneath which loneliness was hidden.

Originally, he had planned to ask Kushina how her vacation went, but then realized that with the ANBU following her, she wasn't truly free. This made it understandable why Kushina came to the Ninja Academy so early after the vacation - she wanted to get away from being alone as soon as possible.

"Hehe." Kushina responded with what she thought was a perfect smile.

But what she didn't know was that the boy in front of her had already seen through the loneliness in her eyes.

And she would never know that he had secretly decided to help her get rid of this monitored state.

Regardless of Kushina's status, Minato only knew that her happiness was his happiness.

Minato didn't continue this topic. Kushina returned to her seat, occasionally glancing at Minato out of the corner of her eye, with an adorable blush on her childish face.

Until a familiar voice broke this atmosphere.

"You two came really early." 

Mikoto was the third to enter the classroom, and after seeing Minato and Kushina at their seats, she said with a smile.

The two greeted her, and Mikoto went to her own seat and started chatting casually with Kushina.

Girl talk didn't need any specific topic.

After a day of classes, Minato saw Mikoto and Kushina off, put his bag back home, and then started the remaining portion of today's training.

In the dim evening light, he moved swiftly through the streets on the outskirts of Konoha, vigilantly watching his surroundings, because Master Jiraiya had said he would occasionally create obstacles for him.

When he completed twenty laps today, night had already fallen.

After a short rest, Minato returned home and, following Jiraiya's instructions, simply made dinner for himself.

Living alone, he naturally knew some cooking skills, although not particularly good ones.

After eating dinner, with time still early, Minato didn't plan to rest yet.

He cleaned up the dishes and returned to his room to practice hand seals.

In the following days, Minato continued this seemingly simple practice.

Master Jiraiya did as he said and occasionally caused Minato some trouble, no longer limited to just kunai and shuriken, sometimes even summoning larger summon animals to block Minato's path.

Those summoned animals had remarkable strength, only slightly lacking in agility, which was Jiraiya's intention - to create obstacles for Minato, yet allow him opportunities to complete his training.

Under various obstructions, Minato's training became smoother, and his adaptation speed often amazed Jiraiya, especially the growth of his reflexes.

Even so, a year passed.

Swish!

On the outskirts of Konoha's streets, Minato's figure swiftly moved past, only leaving a blurred trail if observed with the eyes alone.

Swish swish!

As Minato turned into the next street, several black shadows came at him, aiming for his vital points.

Ordinary people would be unable to react or evade such an attack. But on Minato's face, now more handsome after a year, a slight smile appeared.

He took out a few real kunai from somewhere, not the practice ones from the Ninja Academy, which he had "recovered" from Master Jiraiya.

Clang clang!

Minato threw those kunai, perfectly deflecting the ones coming at him. Without slowing, he charged forward.

"Good kid." The secretly watching Jiraiya praised. He had not taught Minato any kunai techniques - what he used were skills from the Uchiha clan that he learned when fighting Uchiha Homura.

Although it wasn't the entirety of the Uchiha kunai techniques, Jiraiya hadn't expected that within this one year, Minato would make such great progress with kunai as well.

As for his speed, ordinary chunin were already incomparable, and even Jiraiya found it not as easy to secretly follow him as before.

This kid's rate of improvement was simply astonishing!

Within a year, Jiraiya had only asked him to train his basic physical abilities and hadn't taught him a single ninja technique besides the Summoning Jutsu.

As expected, Minato brought his naturally strong speed to the extremes.

Despite continuously obstructing him, Minato managed to avoid or counter-attack against everything.

Minato's current strength had already surpassed the teachers at the Ninja Academy, he just hadn't revealed it.

Jiraiya wondered what people like Kunio Shindo would think if they knew an eight-year-old kid had surpassed them.

Training Ground Seven in Konoha.

Today was a rest day, and after completing his training, Minato came here.

Jiraiya was already waiting at the training ground with his shadow clone.

But Minato knew it was only a shadow clone, not Jiraiya's real body.

"Master, today I'll definitely defeat your shadow clone!" Minato bowed first, then when he raised his eyes, the azure pupils burned with a fighting spirit unlike his usual gentle demeanor.

Swish!

In the next moment, Minato's form became a golden flash as he took the offensive!

(End of chapter)