Chapter 8: Escape

Minato's teacher, Kunio Shindō, was stunned upon hearing the words of the man before him.

"Minato was able to notice the existence of the Anbu, a special force directly under the Hokage's command, that you had deployed?"

He knew that each member of the Anbu was an exceptionally skilled ninja, far superior to him, a mere Chunin instructor.

Minato was just a new student at the Ninja Academy, a mere seven-year-old child. How could he possess such abilities?

Kunio felt a sense of regret. He had only realized today that he knew nothing about the students in his class.

At least when it came to Minato, his thinking and abilities surpassed Kunio's understanding.

He lowered his head and replied to the man before him, a hint of helplessness in his words, "It is my failure. Until today, I had no idea about my own students."

The burly man chuckled lightly at this, "You needn't be so hard on yourself. This world is not lacking in prodigies. Moreover, from your conversation with him, it's evident that Minato is no ordinary Ninja Academy student."

Kunio gazed at the man before him with reverence, not questioning his words.

The man himself was an excellent example. From a young age, he had been a shining prodigy, having studied under the renowned First and Second Hokages, who were hailed as the "Gods of Shinobi." He himself was now a pinnacle of existence in the shinobi world.

Even when his students were Minato's age, they had already completed the Ninja Academy curriculum and become full-fledged ninjas. Now, they were pillars of the village, holding esteemed positions.

He should be delighted if any of his students had the potential to reach such heights.

The man before him was the greatest ninja in the village at present: the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Before Kushina's enrollment, Kunio had been informed that she was an exceptional student. However, the fact that the Third Hokage had personally dispatched the Anbu to protect and monitor her suggested that her identity was far from ordinary.

Reflecting on this, Kunio felt the weight of responsibility growing heavier. Not only did his class have an outstanding student like Minato, but it also included Mikoto from the renowned Uchiha clan and the extraordinary Kushina.

The Third Hokage gazed at the dimming sky outside. Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept through, rustling the dense leaves of the massive tree in front of the Ninja Academy, causing a few green leaves to scatter.

Turning towards Kunio, he said, "Teacher Kunio, how about I assign a special instructor for this student of yours?"

After bidding farewell to Mikoto, Minato cautiously followed Kushina, as he had noticed two figures trailing behind her and the woman she was with.

Even Minato himself was surprised at his suddenly heightened perception, as his previous abilities would never have allowed him to detect those two concealed figures.

Their skills far surpassed his own at the present.

Concerned for Kushina's safety, he wondered why those two powerful individuals were tracking her.

Throughout this process, Minato remained exceptionally vigilant, not only to avoid being detected by Kushina but also to evade the notice of the two shadowy figures.

Perhaps even he hadn't realized it, but his movements had become significantly swifter than before, without him being aware of it.

As Kushina approached an inn within the village, Minato halted in advance, as if guided by an instinctive perception.

Kushina's residence seemed to have considerable protection as well!

So, including the two concealed figures, they were all likely there to protect Kushina.

"Not good, I've been discovered!"

Before he could contemplate the situation further, Minato noticed that the eyes that had been focused on Kushina from the shadows had subtly shifted towards him.

His azure eyes scanned the ground, where he noticed a slender tree stump beneath his feet.

Kushina's residence was in a somewhat secluded area of the village, and as night approached, there were only a few pedestrians on the street.

Swish, swish!

Two agile figures appeared on the street beside Kushina's residence, landing in front of Minato.

"Kid, why have you been sneakily following us?" one of the Anbu members asked, but the child before them had a dazed expression, almost motionless.

At that moment, the other Anbu member tapped "Minato" on the shoulder.

"Poof!"

A cloud of smoke enveloped him, and the figure of Minato transformed into a slender wooden stump.

"Transformation Jutsu!"

The other Anbu member narrowed his eyes. This was one of the three basic techniques every ninja learned, but these two Anbu members never expected a child Minato's age, a mere new student at the Ninja Academy, to know the Transformation Jutsu.

They had been careless!

They looked towards the fork in the road, recalling that among the pedestrians who had passed by earlier, there didn't seem to be a young man.

Swish!

On a street not far from there, a young man-like figure moved at an incredibly swift pace, almost as if teleporting.

For the civilians of Konoha, this was not an unusual sight, as the village was home to numerous powerful shinobi.

"Poof!"

After passing through that street, Minato dispelled his Transformation Jutsu, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Minato's heart pounded with relief. Fortunately, those two had assumed he was just a Ninja Academy student and let their guard down. Otherwise, with only his basic Transformation Jutsu, he would never have been able to deceive them.

However, upon reflection, his speed seemed to have increased significantly compared to his practice the previous night.

But he had no time to dwell on that. His thoughts were consumed by questions concerning Kushina.

Although Minato hadn't seen the specific appearances of the two concealed figures, ninjas with such skills carrying out these tasks in Konoha could only be confirmed as members of the Hokage's Anbu.

Why would the Anbu be guarding Kushina?

What kind of identity did she possess to warrant such attention from the Hokage?

His mind was a jumble of confusion. Too many things had happened today – his peculiar reaction towards Kushina, the red-haired woman who repeatedly appeared in his mind, and the loss of rationality when she did so.

Who was she, and why did her presence cause him to lose control?

Unable to resolve these pressing questions, Minato swiftly headed towards the mountains behind Konoha after ensuring Kushina's safety.

Despite the approaching night, he couldn't neglect his training.

(End of chapter)