Most of the freshman curriculum was focused on theory. After all, the human body needed time to grow, and chakra had to be built on a solid foundation. At this stage of development, the amount of chakra these kids could extract was pitifully small.
In fact, in Minato's class alone, there were still five or six students who couldn't even properly form chakra yet.
"That's all for this morning! Make sure to eat a good lunch, everyone!"
As soon as Mr. Shirotamon announced the end of class, the previously quiet classroom instantly erupted into chatter and movement. He gave a wry smile and shook his head, casting a subtle glance toward Minato.
He'd been watching the boy all morning. Usually attentive and well-behaved, Minato hadn't listened to a single word of the lecture. Instead, his gaze had remained fixed on the newly transferred girl—Uzumaki Kushina.
"Ugh… what even is this… I seriously don't get it at all…" Kushina muttered, grabbing her vibrant red hair in frustration. Her eyes were locked on the Ninja Handbook spread open on her desk. As she grumbled, her words trailed off with a strange little verbal tic.
She had resolved to treat this place as the starting point of her dreams, but after just one morning of class, a harsh truth had hit her—
She was terrible at this stuff!
Mr. Shirotamon's lecture had mostly covered the fundamentals of chakra: where it came from, its nature, and how to refine it. Kushina had tried her best to pay attention, but everything went straight over her head. Some people just weren't built for theory—and she clearly wasn't.
Sitting beside her, Uchiha Mikoto watched with a soft smile. For her, this kind of class was a breeze. Coming from the Uchiha clan, she'd already received basic training before ever stepping foot in the academy.
Mr. Shirotamon gave a quiet chuckle as he watched his class full of wildly different personalities, gathered up his materials, and walked out of the room.
During lunch break, most students stayed on campus. Their lunches were brought from home, packed in bento boxes.
Kushina, however, remained glued to her Ninja Handbook, eyes unblinking. The classroom had become noisy and lively again, but none of it seemed to register with her.
"Alright, enough thinking for now. Wanna eat lunch together?"
A gentle voice snapped Kushina out of her daze. Mikoto had tilted her head slightly, her dark eyes filled with hopeful warmth.
She really was beautiful—graceful, kind, with a serene air that made it impossible to dislike her.
Caught off guard, Kushina blinked. A faint blush crept across her slightly chubby cheeks.
"Pfft."
Mikoto giggled at the sight, unable to hold back. She pulled out a small bag and set it on the desk.
"I made some onigiri. Help yourself!"
She gestured invitingly. Kushina looked from her to the neatly wrapped rice balls in the bag. After a moment of hesitation under Mikoto's expectant gaze, she slowly reached out her small hand.
Then, a harsh voice cut through the air.
"Hey, new girl. Who said you could just take Mikoto's stuff like that?"
The girls turned their heads toward the voice. A boy was standing by the desk, arms crossed.
Kushina blinked in confusion. Mikoto frowned and spoke up at once.
"Akasaka Yu, what's it to you? I offered it to her!"
Akasaka Yu—one of the more troublesome kids in the class—ignored her and waved over two or three other boys, his usual gang of mischief-makers.
"What kind of hair even is that?" one boy sneered as he walked up to Kushina, eyeing her vivid red locks. "Looks like a bunch of strings or something."
Kushina's young face twisted in annoyance, but she turned away, tossing back a retort. "What's it to you?"
Unfortunately, the two other boys quickly blocked her path. Akasaka Yu took his eyes off Mikoto and smirked.
"Feisty, huh, new girl?"
The four boys herded Kushina toward the edge of the classroom. Mikoto's expression grew anxious. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on Minato.
He was already looking in their direction—but instead of stepping in, he had one arm propped on his desk, the other hand brushing aside his bangs, eyes distant and strange.
"Minato…"
It was the first time Mikoto had ever seen him like this. She was startled, but more than that—she was worried for Kushina and unsure what to do.
In Minato's mind, the image of the red-haired girl reappeared—clearer this time. He saw her face contorted in pain.
A dim room.
She was curled up on a bed, her long red hair in disarray, her bright eyes brimming with tears. She bit her lip, barely stifling sobs.
The vision shook him to his core. He couldn't stop it, couldn't block it out. His whole body trembled. He didn't know who she was… but he knew one thing—
He never wanted to see her like that again.
He'd do anything to prevent it.
Whatever the cost—even his life.
"Red hair like string… and that chubby little face. From now on, let's call you Tomato," one boy mocked.
"I hate tomatoes. Always the first thing I throw out of a bento."
The jeering voices pierced the air. Minato's breath caught in his chest. He looked up.
Akasaka Yu and his cronies had surrounded Kushina, laughing and pointing at her. She stood there, face flushed with shame and fury, her small fists clenched tight, trembling.
Akasaka stepped closer and grabbed a strand of her hair, chuckling.
"What a weird color…"
Mikoto flinched at the sight, her dark eyes narrowing. She was about to intervene—when a sharp, furious voice sliced through the room like lightning.
"No one is allowed to bully her!"
In the next instant, to the stunned eyes of every student present, Minato was suddenly standing right in front of Akasaka.
Like a ghost.
No one saw how he moved.
Then—bam!
With a clean, brutal kick, Minato sent Akasaka flying straight through the classroom's back door. He crashed hard into the hallway wall with a dull thud.
Silence.
The entire room froze. Dozens of wide-eyed gazes turned toward him.
The usually mild-mannered, polite Minato Namikaze…
Had exploded in fury—for the sake of a girl who had just transferred in that morning.
Both Mikoto and Kushina stood frozen, stunned.
Minato now stood protectively in front of Kushina, his sky-blue eyes blazing with anger.