Chapter 41: Avoiding Kushina Uzumaki

The presence of Kushina, guarded by Anbu, along with the special attention from Root and Danzo, made Kushina feel like a fire that should not be touched. Even the Hokage himself always kept an eye on Kushina's movements. Therefore, Aoki chose to keep his distance.

Minato, on the other hand, offered a different kind of warmth. Minato's gentle smile and approachable character made Aoki feel at ease.

In a world of ninjas filled with tension and scrutiny, Minato was one of the few people Aoki could trust. Every time he met Minato, Aoki felt as if he were talking to an old friend, even though their relationship was still relatively new.

Aoki knew that a friendship with Minato was safer than dealing with Kushina. Nevertheless, Aoki remained vigilant, aware that the ninja world was a place full of traps, where anyone could become an enemy at any moment.

A month had passed since Aoki began his training with extraordinary intensity. The relentless training had left Aoki's body covered in wounds and bruises.

However, Aoki didn't care much. Every injury he sustained was just part of the process—a price worth paying for the strength he sought.

Interestingly, after absorbing a significant amount of Natural Energy, Aoki began to feel drastic changes in his body.

The small wounds Aoki had previously taken weeks to heal now recovered in just a matter of days, even hours. This natural healing ability made Aoki increasingly fearless in facing pain.

...

...

...

Time continued to pass. Now, five months had gone by since Aoki trained in swordsmanship, and four months since Aoki truly began more serious training with Sakumo Hatake.

During this period, Aoki not only practiced sword techniques but also absorbed and controlled Natural Energy while deepening his mastery of Mizu no Kokyu, the water breathing technique that was key to Aoki's strength.

This training made Aoki look like a madman. Every day, Aoki would train tirelessly, the strong drive from within him never waning.

Sakumo often had to leave the village for important missions, but Sakumo's absence actually gave Aoki more time to delve into Mizu no Kokyu.

During this time, Aoki's relationship with Sakumo, Kakashi, Rin, Obito, and Minato grew closer. They were not just friends but also like a new family to Aoki.

However, there was one person Aoki deliberately avoided—Kushina Uzumaki. Although Kushina was one of the most respected ninjas in the village, Aoki felt that getting too close to her would attract unwanted attention.

Especially since Kushina was close to Hiruzen, a central figure in Konoha. Relationships with important people like them could be very troublesome, and Aoki did not want to create unnecessary problems.

Many might wonder why Aoki remained friends with Obito, someone who would fall into darkness in the future. The answer is simple.

At this moment, Obito was just a cheerful and dream-filled child, still untainted by the dark side of fate. For Aoki, as long as Obito remained like that, he was worthy of being a friend.

During these four months, Aoki also met other interesting people. One day, while Aoki was walking into the forest to train, he encountered Duy and his son, Guy.

The meeting was unplanned, but from that moment on, Aoki began to interact with them more often. Guy, with his burning spirit and unmatched determination, became one of the figures who inspired Aoki to keep moving forward.

Not only Duy and Guy, but Aoki also began to get to know several other ninjas, such as Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Ebisu, Shiranui Genma, and Iruka Umino.

[Note: 95+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead, 

Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following, 

Just become a patron on Patreon:

Patreon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]