11 Chapter 11 - First Year 02.

[Chapter Size: 1500 Words.]

Third Person POV

Ninja Academy, Konoha, Year 32.

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Sitting at the back of the room, Minato found himself once again in the company of Tsuna and Mikoto. The atmosphere among the trio was mixed, alternating between conversations and a subtle rivalry between the two girls, while Minato wished to be anywhere but in the middle of these two troublemakers, as he classified them. Suddenly, Mikoto broke the silence with a sharp observation.

"I noticed he didn't run away from you this time... Did you threaten him?" She inquired, casting a perceptive glance toward Tsuna.

"He never ran away from me! My mother said that's just how boys are," Tsuna quickly responded, crossing her arms defensively, a hint of pride tinting her words.

"What kind of talk is this, you're only 6 years old, you should be talking about dolls, not these more adult things..." Minato murmured, a bit exasperated with the direction the conversation was taking. He was more comfortable discussing techniques and training than navigating the complexities of his female peers' interactions with the opposite sex.

"Spoken like the 6-year-old boy who's learning to be an assassin..." Mikoto retorted with a sarcastic look toward Minato.

"I guess that's fair..." He admitted, recognizing the irony of the situation.

"You're hurt, your hands are also quite worn, this means you weren't in a fight, but in training..." Mikoto continued speaking after Minato's remark, her analytical eyes observing the signs of wear on Minato.

"It's true I was training. I want to improve my control and my skills with kunais, so I'm training after school," Minato openly admitted, seeing no reason to hide his efforts and dedication.

"What kind of training is it that you come all bruised..." Tsuna questioned, a tone of concern mixed with mockery in her voice.

"I don't have a large clan behind me. I have to make do with what I have; I train in the public fields..." Minato confessed. He didn't have the luxury of resources or private training that many of his classmates had, but that didn't diminish his determination.

"I see... It must be good, since there's no one watching you all the time and criticizing every mistake..." Mikoto commented, a glimpse of envy in her voice. She never liked the constant pressure and high expectations her father and the Uchiha clan placed on her, especially regarding training. It was a weight she carried every day, and the idea of training freely, away from judgmental eyes, seemed appealing to her.

"But having some guidance is good..." Minato pondered aloud, recognizing the advantages of having a mentor or someone experienced to guide and correct mistakes. While he valued his independence, he knew that proper guidance could speed up his progress and help him avoid common pitfalls on the path of a ninja.

"Minato, do you train chakra control and kunais?" Tsuna asked, curious about the details of Minato's training.

"Yes, but I use wooden kunais. I need to earn some money to buy better equipment. I have a plan to have an income, but I want to learn Fuuinjutsu... Maybe I can make some money in the future if I can get a master to create some seals," Minato commented quietly, sharing his goals and the limitations he faced due to a lack of resources.

"Fuuinjutsu... so boring..." Mikoto grimaced, expressing her personal opinion on that particular area. She preferred more direct and impactful methods of combat.

"I have to admit that it's kind of boring, but my mother is forcing me to learn some seals, especially the one she uses as her main weapon..." Tsuna shared, a bit of resentment in her voice.

"I envy you, Tsuna. You can have contact with Mito-sama. What I wouldn't give to become her apprentice..." Minato expressed his deep desire to learn from the best, especially in the field of Fuuinjutsu. Mito Uzumaki was known for her proficiency in that area, but Minato knew that accessing her as a master was beyond his current possibilities.

"Yes, great-grandmother is the best, there's no one more powerful in the world than her, even among the Uzumakis in Uzu!" Tsuna spoke with pride, her eyes shining as she spoke of her famous great-grandmother.

"I imagine..." Minato lay back in his arms while murmuring.

"If you want, I can talk to great-grandmother, she always listens to me!" Tsuna continued, the pride in her voice clearly evident. Her offer was sincere and reflected the closeness and respect she had for the powerful matriarch of her family.

"I would appreciate it..." Minato replied quietly, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and skepticism. He knew that despite Tsuna's generous offer, the chances of being accepted as an apprentice to Mito Uzumaki were slim. He had a feeling that fate would lead him to learn from Mito through Kushina, not directly through Tsuna.

As they talked, the class was suddenly interrupted by the teacher, who brought up a new fascinating topic for the rest. "Did you know that you can master all the elements of chakra?" he asked, immediately capturing everyone's attention, which left aside the conversation with the girls to focus on the class.

"Really, can we learn all 5 elements?" a student asked, clearly excited by the possibility.

"It's true, but it requires dedication. The Hokage-Sama is a man who mastered all of them, that's why he is considered the greatest Hokage!" the teacher explained with pride in his voice.

"Greatest Hokage... He wouldn't last 5 minutes with Hashirama in his prime..." Minato murmured to himself, unable to resist mocking the statement. In his opinion, the Third Hokage was far from being the most powerful, especially when compared to the legendary figure of Hashirama Senju.

"Anyway, we're going to have a lunch break. This afternoon we're going to the training track to do some exercises, so get ready for the workout." the teacher announced, to the delight of many children in the room who were eager for a change of activity at last.

Minato picked up the food container that Madame Gorete had prepared for him and headed to a quiet spot under a tree. As he ate his lunch, his thoughts wandered about what he had learned and the possibilities the future might bring. Meanwhile, 3 shadows dimmed the sun in front of Minato.

"Hey, are you Minato Namikaze? The civilian who hangs out with Tsuna Senju and Mikoto Uchiha?" Said a slightly older boy with a disdainful air as he approached Minato. His posture was challenging, and he looked at Minato as if expecting the mere fact of being a year older to give him some authority.

"That's my name. What can I do for you, brat?" Minato responded without hesitation, an eyebrow arched in challenge. He was not willing to be intimidated or looked down upon just because someone had decided to confront him.

"Brat? What did you call me?" The boy immediately shouted, his voice full of indignation and anger. Minato, on the other hand, shrugged while opening his food, clearly uninterested in a pointless quarrel.

"My name is Kai Inuzuka! You better stay away from those girls, civilian! Hm?" He said, trying to threaten Minato, but he just continued eating, enjoying the meal Madame Gorete had prepared.

"Madame Gorete always knows how to make great food..." Minato praised, more interested in his meal than in the growing frustration of the Inuzuka.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" The Inuzuka shouted, trying to capture Minato's attention, who looked at him with an interrogative gaze, clearly indifferent to the supposed threat.

"Sorry, I didn't hear. Who are you again?" Minato asked, scratching his head, genuinely confused about what that boy wanted from him at such a delicate time as lunch.

"I said I am...!"

"Get out of the way!" A new voice interrupted with a punch to the Inuzuka boy's head, sending him flying to the side as he fell knocked out.

"Mr. Inuzuka!" His classmates quickly ran to where he fell, concerned about the sudden attack.

"Tsuna?" Minato was surprised by the sudden appearance of the blonde girl, who approached him with her hair swinging in the wind.

"I saw you here alone and it looked like you were in trouble," Tsuna said, crossing her arms while staring at Minato with a concerned look, but at the same time strong and determined.

"I didn't need help, I could handle some brats," Minato responded with a shrug.

"Tsk. You're also a brat, Minato." Mikoto appeared right behind Tsuna.

"What are you doing here too?" Tsuna looked at her suspiciously, clearly not expecting Mikoto to join them.

"I wanted to see how the fight would unfold, but you protected your boyfriend so quickly..." Mikoto said calmly, provoking Tsuna with a comment she knew would irritate her.

"Who's my boyfriend!? And you didn't answer why you're here. You should be with your clan," Tsuna retorted, frustration and anger growing within her.

"I'm not. They're so boring and arrogant, so I came here with you," Mikoto replied with a small smile.

"She calls them arrogant..." both Tsuna and Minato murmured about the girl who is arrogant herself.

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