"Your eyesight is that good?"
Uzumaki Kushina muttered to herself.
Even she could barely make out the road ahead.
"If you're scared, just follow behind me."
Kiyoshi gestured for her to walk behind him.
Konoha's level of technology was actually quite advanced—
Refrigerators, display screens, and various modern devices were all present.
Still,
It wasn't strange for streetlights to break.
From what Kiyoshi had seen,
This area hadn't been renovated in a long time.
Most of the buildings were old.
"Alright."
Kushina agreed and followed behind him.
Well…
This was different from her usual scenery.
A broken streetlight—
For her, it was a rare kind of experience.
She glanced toward a certain direction in the darkness,
Her eyes dimming slightly.
Kiyoshi happened to turn his head,
Catching that subtle change from the corner of his vision.
In the world of ninjas,
No matter which village it was—
They all rejected Jinchūriki.
The so-called "container of sacrifice"—
A human used to seal a tailed beast,
Forced to coexist with it.
A heroic sacrifice like that—
Yet no one truly appreciated it.
In the vast Hidden Leaf Village,
The area Kushina was allowed to move in
Was limited to a circular barrier centered around the Uzumaki clan shrine.
In other words—
She couldn't even fully explore Konoha.
Every day,
She saw the same scenery,
Trapped within the "whirlpool" of her era,
Unable to escape—
Over and over again.
And at all times,
Two ANBU operatives monitored her.
"My name is Uchiha Kiyoshi. What's yours?"
After walking a few steps,
Kiyoshi asked, pretending to be curious.
"I…"
Kushina glanced at his back,
Hesitating whether to reveal her name.
Then suddenly—
The name "Uchiha Kiyoshi" felt familiar.
As if she had heard it somewhere before.
After thinking for a moment,
She finally recalled something.
"I've heard of you from Minato. You're from the Land of Lightning, right?"
Her red lips parted slightly.
"Yeah. I only came to Konoha a few months ago. I've gotten familiar with it, but there are still many places that feel unfamiliar."
Kiyoshi's tone carried a trace of loneliness.
With Art of Speech (White),
His words sounded more sincere.
Though the effect weakened
When facing someone of higher status.
"I'm the same! My name is Uzumaki Kushina!"
Behind him,
Kushina excitedly patted her chest,
The soft curve trembling slightly.
"I also came from outside, though I arrived a few years earlier than you."
This was the first time
She had met someone with a similar experience.
After the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools,
She had come here as the sole remaining descendant of the Uzumaki clan.
The few other survivors
Had scattered across the ninja world,
Hiding their identities—
No longer using the Uzumaki name.
Excited,
Kushina began asking Kiyoshi about his experiences in Konoha.
Kiyoshi deliberately stopped walking,
Chatting with her.
In his dark eyes,
Her vivid red hair and delicate face
Reflected clearly.
A faint fluctuation appeared in his ocular power.
It had to be said—
As Naruto's mother,
Kushina was incredibly charming.
Kiyoshi suppressed that fluctuation.
After all,
The ANBU were still watching.
For today,
Making contact with Kushina was enough.
Future developments—
Could be taken slowly.
Step by step,
He would "devour" her.
In this way,
His ocular power would increase,
And perhaps Kushina
Would no longer face the tragic fate of the original story.
A bright future for everyone.
After a while,
The two gradually exited the alley.
The distant streetlights grew brighter,
Casting light upon them.
Yet under the shifting shadows,
The darkness on Kiyoshi's face
Seemed even deeper.
Meanwhile…
On the streets of Konoha.
After waiting in line for quite some time,
Hyuga Natsu finally bought her desserts
And hurried back toward the Hyuga clan.
"You're late."
Hyuga Ginka,
Who had just returned from a stroll,
Ran into her.
"Lady Ginka… I was delayed on the way."
Natsu lowered her head,
Explaining what had happened.
"Uchiha?"
A flicker of thought passed through Ginka's eyes.
She recalled that a new Uchiha had arrived in the village.
The clan head had even instructed all Hyuga members
Not to let the Byakugan's secrets leak—
And had inspected the Caged Bird Seals of the branch family.
"The Uchiha are a clan born of evil. Stay away from him."
Ginka said coldly.
"…Yes."
Natsu couldn't argue.
After all,
It was an order.
Though she didn't understand
Why they were called "a clan born of evil."
The two left the street,
Walking farther away.
"They really love judging people with prejudice."
Kushina and Kiyoshi had just exited the alley
When they overheard the phrase
"a clan born of evil."
She had once been bullied
Because of her red hair.
So she felt a sense of shared resentment.
"It doesn't matter."
Kiyoshi shook his head.
A clan born of evil…
With his unique method of awakening the Sharingan,
He was destined
Not to become a "kind" Uchiha.
Kushina,
Hyuga Natsu,
Even the main family—
All of them
Would become nourishment for his growth.
"Then… see you next time."
Kiyoshi waved goodbye.
Kushina waved back.
After he left,
A blond man approached her.
"Sorry. I had a mission today and came back late."
His expression was gentle,
Carrying an apologetic smile.
"No next time, Minato."
Kushina forgave him,
Though she warned him lightly.
As she was about to leave,
She suddenly thought of Kiyoshi—
Someone with a similar past.
He hadn't shown any strange reaction
To her red hair.
"…What's wrong?"
Minato caught his breath,
Thinking she might still be upset.
"Nothing."
Kushina shook her head.
Minato scratched his head,
Confused.
A month passed.
Kiyoshi had finally memorized all the basic theoretical knowledge.
The academy had provided textbooks,
Even supplementing the older ones.
There wasn't much content—
After all,
The students were just children.
Their memory and attention span
Had to be considered.
Which was why the system was set to six years.
But Kiyoshi possessed the soul of an adult.
He learned quickly.
Later,
The Uchiha clan also provided him with additional materials—
Basic knowledge that ordinary Uchiha ninja would receive in advance.
Through self-study,
Kiyoshi mastered all of it alone.
"…Wait, Kiyoshi, you're graduating early?"
Yuhi Kurenai,
Who had just gotten used to studying with him,
Felt like the sky was collapsing upon hearing the news.
Even though her father, Yuhi Shinku,
Could teach her genjutsu—
And knew far more than Kiyoshi—
Learning with someone her own age
Was far more comfortable.
"Yeah. I submitted the application yesterday."
Kiyoshi replied.
"Then… I want to graduate early too."
Kurenai thought for a moment before speaking.
Much of what the academy taught
She had already learned from her father.
Only true civilians
Needed to follow the full structured path.
Students from ninja clans
With resources
Could often graduate early.
Of course,
There were levels to early graduation.
Someone like Kakashi—
Was in the highest tier.
"Are you sure?"
Kiyoshi looked at her.
Kurenai's face still had a hint of baby fat,
Soft and delicate.
Yet now,
Her small face was tense,
Filled with determination.
"…Yes."
She nodded firmly.
— End of Chapter —