Tsunade and Shin quickly approached the crowd in sight.
There were quite a few people who had arrived, among them a girl about six or seven years old, it was Kushina. She was very cute, especially her eye-catching long red hair.
Behind her were two ninjas from the Uzumaki clan, accompanied by several Konoha ninjas.
The Uzumaki clan and the Uchiha clan shared many similarities: They were highly gifted, a bit prideful, and very attractive. Both clans also shared a tragic fate, envied for their talents and ultimately driven to the brink of extinction.
Of course, none of that had happened yet.
However, the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools had already begun to show signs. Starting about a year ago, rumors began spreading throughout the shinobi world that the Uzumaki clan of the Land of Whirlpools had mastered various powerful sealing techniques, even ones capable of sealing tailed beasts without risk.
No one knew who leaked the information, but the rumor quickly swept across the entire shinobi world.
Soon after, there were even more rumors claiming that the Uzumaki clan might possess Sage Bodies, making them naturally long-lived and blessed with vast reserves of chakra.
At the same time, this clan was said to be very hot-tempered and difficult to get along with. The conclusion being spread was: If the Uzumaki clan continued to grow stronger, no one would be able to stop them, and they would become a threat to the entire shinobi world. Anyone with a brain could see this was a deliberate smear campaign, and the motive was obvious. Yet something strange happened.
Almost all the ninja villages chose to believe the rumors and joined in spreading the narrative of the Uzumaki threat. Even with all their pride, the Uzumaki clan couldn't help but grow deeply anxious in the face of the coming storm.
They tried to clarify things to the outside world, but no one cared. Those falsely accusing you always seem to know exactly how wronged you are. With no other choice, the Uzumaki clan sent Kushina to Konoha and arranged for some high-ranking clan members to meet with Mito and Hiruzen.
They hoped that if the Land of Whirlpools ever truly faced danger, Konoha would step in to help, given their many years of alliance.
"Tsunade-neechan!" Kushina spotted the approaching Tsunade and immediately stepped forward to greet her. They weren't very familiar, only having met once before, so she appeared a little reserved.
"It's been a while." Tsunade walked over and scooped her up, her gentle smile quickly easing Kushina's nervousness.
"Hi, Kushina!" Shin greeted her warmly. "I'm Shin!"
"Hello! Are you Tsunade-neechan's boyfriend?" Kushina asked curiously, blinking her big, sparkly eyes.
Tsunade gave Shin a resentful glance and, blushing, tried to stay composed as she replied, "We're… just good friends!"
A romantic relationship takes mutual acknowledgment. She didn't mind, but since Shin hadn't admitted it, she didn't feel she had the right to say anything.
"Yes, very good friends!" Shin added with a smile.
"Ohh!" Kushina responded innocently, making both Shin and Tsunade laugh.
And so, the group made their way toward Konoha.
Along the way, Shin kept telling Kushina all about Konoha's delicious food, fun places, and interesting things, even throwing in some jokes to keep her entertained and ease her nerves, leaving Tsunade with barely a chance to speak.
Watching him treat Kushina so patiently and gently, Tsunade felt a mix of emotions. This guy had always been respectful to Mito, kind to Nawaki, and now extremely warm toward Kushina, whom he had just met. Even his resentment toward her granduncle had faded. Anyone related to her brought out his best side, and that touched her deeply.
Yet when it came to her… his attitude was always lukewarm, just keeping up appearances.
After returning to Konoha, she immediately took Kushina and the two other Uzumaki clan members to see Mito.
Shin didn't follow; instead, he returned home to wait for Minato, planning to give him some specific instructions. He didn't know if the incident where Kumo attempted to kidnap Kushina would still happen, but regardless, he couldn't let her slip through the cracks.
---
After Kushina spent three days getting used to her new home, on the fourth morning, Tsunade personally walked her to within a hundred meters of the school gate. She did this to avoid putting pressure on the other students when interacting with Kushina, so she had instructed Kushina to hide her true identity.
Shin, who conveniently arrived with Minato at that moment, was speechless.
Would it kill you to walk her all the way to the gate?
The Ninja Academy wasn't some place for learning academic knowledge, it was a place to train emotionless warriors. Every student here was energetic, competitive, and loved to fight.
A transfer student was already an easy target; what she needed was to use her background to establish dominance from the beginning. Only then could she blend in and get along with the others later.
Tsunade could play the hands-off guardian role after that.
Just thinking about how someone with Kushina's status might end up being bullied every day at the academy made Shin feel that Tsunade was way too relaxed about things.
Luckily, he had already planned ahead.
"Good morning!" Shin walked over holding Minato's hand, just as the two girls were about to part.
"Uh... I remember you rarely walk Minato to school, right? What's going on today?" Tsunade asked in confusion.
"He is naturally outgoing and usually goes to and from school with his classmates, so I don't bother much," Shin said, patting Minato's head with a smile. "But today is different."
"Minato!" He squatted down and asked seriously, "Do you remember everything I've told you these past few days?"
"Yes!" Minato replied earnestly. Then he walked over to Kushina and greeted her, "Hi, I'm Minato. My brother said that since you're new to the school, there might be things you're not used to. If you ever need help, just tell me, don't be shy. If anyone dares to bully you, I'll help you out!"
He raised his little fist, trying to look fierce. But with his naturally gentle appearance, small stature, and overall cuteness, his attempt to look threatening only made Tsunade and Shin laugh.
Kushina's eyes lit up. She looked at Minato, then at Shin, and finally gave Minato a firm nod. She suddenly realized that this guy, who initially gave her a bad impression at first glance, might not be what she imagined.
Over the past few days, although Tsunade and Mito had treated her well, the time spent together was too short to truly form a bond. Being suddenly sent to ninja school was undeniably nerve-wracking.
It was Shin's arrangement and Minato's promise that gave her real reassurance at that moment. Just a few simple words had calmed her heart, and even sparked a bit of anticipation. She wanted to see, if someone really did try to bully her, whether Minato would keep his word.
"Wait a minute!" Tsunade, a bit dazed, stepped forward quickly and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Helping Kushina adjust to the new environment," Shin said casually.
"Are you sure you're not here to stir things up?" Tsunade asked, clearly anxious.
"Oh come on. Just trust me on this!"
After entering the school, Minato and Kushina went their separate ways. Minato headed straight to class, while Kushina went to the teacher's office as Tsunade had instructed.
Outside the school gates, Tsunade asked nervously. "Are you sure this plan of yours is okay? I feel like something's about to go wrong."
"Relax, Minato is strong."
Tsunade was speechless. Were the two of them even talking about the same thing?