Chapter 63: achievement

________________________________________

Yuuki Yuichi was a bit speechless as Uzumaki Kushina clenched her fist, smiling at him with a hint of threat. It was clear that if he said something wrong, he'd be in trouble. Seeing her intimidating stance, Yuuki Yuichi swallowed hard. He had almost forgotten something important—this was the same Uzumaki Kushina known as the "Blood-Red Pepper."

If he wasn't careful with his words, he might not survive her temper. He glanced at his skill panel, checking the level of his Nintaijutsu Defense.

[Nintaijutsu·Defense lv2: Passively reduces incoming damage by 20%. Can be activated for 1 second to double the effect. Cooldown: 1 day.]

But even with this ability, could it handle a punch from Uzumaki Kushina? Looking at her fist, which was the size of a small sandbag, he decided it was better to be cautious.

"I was just looking for Kurenai," Yuuki Yuichi quickly diverted. "I didn't expect to meet such a kind, beautiful, and cultured sister like Kushina here."

As he spoke, Yuuki Yuichi adopted a sincere expression. "And you even treated me to ramen! I'm so touched!"

"You have good taste!" Uzumaki Kushina grinned, patting his shoulder. "Even Minato doesn't always see these qualities in me, but you do. I like you, kid!"

Just then, the chef placed their bowls of ramen in front of them, smiling as he remarked, "You two seem close, like siblings. It reminds me of my youth."

The red hair on both of them made their relation undeniable, so the chef didn't question it. "Of course!" Uzumaki Kushina laughed heartily, her hands on her hips. "I'm a great sister!"

Yuuki Yuichi fell silent. He didn't expect her to feel so genuinely happy from such a simple compliment. The pure joy on her face was almost contagious. Tilting his head slightly, Yuuki Yuichi was reminded of the events from Naruto and the tragic fate that awaited her. He couldn't let that happen.

He had no grand dreams or ambitions, but seeing how well Uzumaki Kushina treated him made him realize something. She genuinely cared for him, treating him like family. And for that, he couldn't be indifferent.

[Achievement: The Beginning of Protection] [Reward: Ninjutsu·Defense]

Yuuki Yuichi was stunned. He hadn't expected to trigger an achievement from just this thought. The reward was an upgrade to his defense ability.

[Nintaijutsu·Defense lv3: Passive 20% damage reduction. Active for 2 seconds with doubled effect. Cooldown: 23 hours.]

The upgrades were significant, and Yuuki Yuichi couldn't help but feel excited. This could potentially become a permanent skill one day, greatly increasing his defense. Maybe this secret scroll wasn't so useless after all.

Once they finished eating, Uzumaki Kushina looked at the clock and reminded him, "Shouldn't you go pick up Kurenai? School's almost over."

"Yeah, no rush," Yuuki Yuichi replied calmly. "I'll be there in time."

Then, Uzumaki Kushina raised an eyebrow, "But you haven't told me why you took the afternoon off yet."

"Uh…" Yuuki Yuichi scratched his head and confessed, "I used the Shadow Clone technique and suffered backlash, so I took the day off."

"Backlash? How many clones did you make?" she asked, surprised. "Five?"

"Less," Yuuki Yuichi gestured with his hand. "I made eight."

"Eight?! You're trying to kill yourself!" Uzumaki Kushina yelled, clearly frustrated. "Even if our Uzumaki clan has a special chakra, creating eight shadow clones at once is reckless!"

Yuuki Yuichi shrank back, unsure how to explain. He couldn't exactly say it was advice from his future child, could he? He decided to save this grudge for the future—when Naruto was born, he'd tease the kid endlessly as payback!

Eventually, Kushina calmed down and gave him some practical advice about using shadow clones in moderation. "Just create two in the morning and dispel them at night. It'll be uncomfortable, but you'll recover after a good night's sleep."

She also reminded him about practicing chakra control and mastering their clan's powerful sealing techniques. With all her tips, Yuuki Yuichi knew she genuinely wanted to help him grow stronger.

As they finished their conversation, he glanced at the clock. It was time to pick up Kurenai.

________________________________________