Tsunade struggled a bit, but couldn't break free from his embrace. Her tone was still stiff, "You two are talking about something I can't understand right in front of me. What do you take me for?"
The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt. Even the tip of her nose turned slightly red.
"I worked hard in the kitchen all morning making food for you two, and what do you do? Huddle together talk about strange stuff I can't understand, and even secretly laugh at me..."
"It's my fault."
Arisu hugged Tsunade tighter.
"Mom, I'm wrong too."
Yukio's small body stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Tsunade's waist.
Seeing how much the father and son cared about her, Tsunade felt much better. Then she puffed her lips.
"I forgive you."
After the small incident, Tsunade looked up at Arisu.
"By the way, the next round of Ninja Academy admissions is about to begin."
"I heard Naruto from Minato's family and the children of the major clans who are old enough have all signed up. Are you really not planning to let Yukio enroll?"
Arisu's fingertips paused slightly, and he shook his head.
"I'd rather teach him myself."
Could those Ninja Academy teachers compare to teaching him personally?
Deep down, Arisu didn't want his son receiving Konoha's standardized ninja education.
He had something better.
A more complete educational system that had never belonged to this ninja world.
"But children can't just learn skills."
"What about friends and bonds? Yukio has grown up this much and has barely had any contact with children his age. He doesn't even have a playmate."
Tsunade frowned, her tone opposed.
Those words hit the key point.
Their home was in a remote area. Arisu himself disliked socializing and had never had the habit of visiting relatives or friends. It was always Minato and the others who came to visit on their own.
Usually, Yukio either stayed by himself or followed around him and Tsunade. He really didn't have many friends.
Arisu's expression became hesitant.
What he feared most was his son being brainwashed by Konoha's Will of Fire.
Although there wasn't much wrong with the Will of Fire itself.
But Yukio was his son. There was no way he would sacrifice himself for the village.
The ideas he had built up himself had originally been used to win over ordinary people.
If even his own son believed them, that would be troublesome.
At that moment, Yukio, who had been sitting quietly beside them, tugged at his clothes. His voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, carrying careful hope.
"Dad, I want friends too..."
"You..."
Arisu's heart softened, and all his persistence instantly collapsed.
Arisu silently sighed and reached out to rub his son's hair.
"Alright, Dad respects your choice."
"Yay! Dad's the best!"
"Dad, I love you!"
Yukio's eyes immediately lit up. He threw himself forward and tightly hugged Arisu's neck.
Watching the father and son, Tsunade also revealed a gratified smile.
She had seen too many parents who stubbornly insisted on their own views. Someone like Arisu, willing to lower himself and truly listen to his child's feelings, was really rare.
Arisu called Sarutobi Shinnosuke to his home.
"Teacher, why did you call me here?"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke asked respectfully.
Now Shinnosuke had become the principal of Konoha's Ninja Academy.
"Shinnosuke, are there still enrollment spots available at the Ninja Academy? My son wants to enroll too.", Arisu slowly spoke.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke quickly replied, "Teacher, of course there are!"
Then he smiled.
"I thought you would teach Yukio personally."
Arisu shook his head.
"There are things like bonds and friends that I can't teach..."
"Hehe, your son was born?" Arisu chatted.
A happy expression appeared on Sarutobi Shinnosuke's face.
"Yes, it's a boy. I named him Sarutobi Konohamaru!"
"Konoha...maru. Good name."
Arisu clapped his hands and laughed.
———
On the day of enrollment at Konoha's Ninja Academy, the entrance was packed so tightly that not even water could pass through.
Tsunade and Arisu personally came to send off their son.
Arisu held Yukio's hand.
They didn't need to follow the crowd and line up under the blazing sun. Instead, they walked straight through the special passage.
"So many people..."
Yukio grabbed his father's clothes tightly. Looking at the sea of moving heads, his little face was full of unease.
Arisu immediately noticed his son's nervousness.
It was understandable. Yukio had been carefully protected since childhood and rarely saw such a big scene.
Arisu squatted down and lowered his voice beside his son's ear.
"Don't be nervous. They're not people, they're just NPCs."
Confusion appeared on Yukio's childish face.
"What's an NPC?"
Arisu smiled strangely, "It means they exist only for the sake of the two of us..."
Yukio became even more confused and couldn't help asking, "Then is Mom an NPC too?"
Arisu's smile faded slightly, then he said, "Mom isn't."
At that moment, Tsunade also walked over.
"What are you father and son talking about again? I just finished registering Yukio. Let's go inside."
Tsunade rubbed her son's hair and smiled.
The three entered and happened to run into Minato Namikaze's family.
"Teacher!"
Minato Namikaze and Kushina greeted in unison.
Arisu slightly nodded and looked at the blond child beside them.
"Naruto, you've grown pretty fast."
Minato Namikaze patted Naruto.
"Hurry and greet Grandpa."
"Hello, Grandpa."
Naruto couldn't quite understand. This Arisu looked younger than his own father, so why was he calling him Grandpa?
Arisu laughed awkwardly twice.
Yukio knew Minato and Kushina. The two had come over during New Year's visits before.
"Uncle Minato, Aunt Kushina, hello.", Yukio spoke.
"My! Little Yukio is so cute. He looks exactly like Teacher and Princess Tsunade."
Kushina said as she pinched Yukio's cheek.
"I didn't expect you to use your privileges too."
Arisu teased.
Minato Namikaze showed a helpless smile.
"If I appeared, it would attract attention. There are already a lot of people. It wouldn't be good if things got chaotic. Besides, I still have to prepare for the Will of Fire speech later."
Arisu nodded.
"How about letting Naruto and Yukio go in together? It would also let the two of them get familiar with each other.", Tsunade said.
Kushina nodded in agreement.
After that, Yukio and Naruto walked into the Ninja Academy together.
"Hello, my name is Naruto Namikaze. I'm the son of the Seventh Hokage!"
Naruto introduced himself with a smile.
His words were full of pride in his father being Hokage.
This Naruto grew up in a normal family. With a different background, he was naturally more confident.
And with Minato Namikaze not dying, he was truly the son of the Hokage.
His name naturally changed as well.
There was no need to use Uzumaki.
He was directly called Naruto Namikaze.
"Yukio, my name is Yukio. My father... my father doesn't seem to have any official position..."
Yukio introduced himself too.
Naruto immediately acted familiar and threw an arm over Yukio's shoulder, speaking carelessly.
"Don't worry. At the Ninja Academy, I'll look after you. My dad is the Hokage."