Uchiha Tatsumi stood under the shade of a tree, arms crossed over his chest.
"You have to climb it," he said coolly.
A small breeze stirred the leaves—Tatsumi used a Wind Release technique to make the moment a little more comfortable.
"...What if I can't climb it?" Kushina asked, frowning slightly.
"If you can't, I'll have to cancel that dinner invitation," Tatsumi replied with a regretful look.
"..."
Gather chakra on the soles of the feet, and then walk up step by step once the adhesion takes hold...
Kushina recalled the method Tatsumi had just explained and cautiously placed a foot on the tree trunk.
Alright, the first step is stable. That's a good sign.
She placed her other foot, concentrating. The chakra flow felt consistent and balanced.
This is easier than I thought...
But just as she raised her second foot—
Her balance shifted. Her eyes widened.
And then—
She fell flat in a perfect "faceplant goose dive" pose, legs in the air.
"..." Uchiha Tatsumi blinked.
"Ow..." Kushina winced, rubbing her backside, her face flushing red.
"So embarrassing..."
Tatsumi barely suppressed his laughter. But when she turned toward him with an eerily calm smile, a chill ran down his spine.
If I laugh now, I'll die. Definitely die.
"Ahem..." Tatsumi cleared his throat. "Kushina, focus."
Kushina shot him a glare but said nothing.
Tatsumi pointed at the tree, his tone turning instructional.
"When your first foot adheres with chakra, your center of gravity is still under your control. But the moment you lift your second foot, your weight shifts."
"If you don't increase your chakra output at that moment, you'll lose adhesion and fall—just like you did."
"Tree-walking may look simple, but maintaining a constant chakra flow and adjusting it with your movement and weight is the real technique."
Kushina pouted. "Wow, you really know your stuff... You sure you're not the pervert Tsunade-sensei said peeked at the women's bathhouse?"
Tatsumi nearly choked. "Don't put Jiraiya's crimes on me! That's his mess!"
Brushing the dirt off her clothes, Kushina went back to practicing.
Meanwhile, Tatsumi lay under the tree, drowsy.
Too many mosquitoes last night… barely slept.
Time passed quickly. He couldn't help noticing—girls seemed to have better chakra control than boys. Mikoto, Kushina, and even other girls in the Academy had better chakra finesse.
The contrast between Tsunade and her brother, Nawaki, proved that. Sometimes Tatsumi half-joked to himself that Tsunade inherited all the brains, and Nawaki… well, got stuck with the leftover walnuts.
Within a few hours, Kushina was already climbing near the top of the tree. She turned around, grinning.
"It's so beautiful!" she shouted.
Her voice startled a flock of birds from the branches.
She stood tall, gazing at the horizon. The sky above was vivid, like watercolor spread across a canvas. Despite being close to Konoha and the Hokage Rock, this peaceful spot felt worlds apart.
For Kushina—who had grown up with war and the fall of the Uzumaki Clan—it was like stepping into a dream.
Suddenly, she leapt down from the tree and landed beside Tatsumi.
"I've completed this step. Now, teach me an awesome ninjutsu!"
She pulled a leaf off his face and stared at him, her eyes wide with a mischievous sparkle.
Ugh, stop acting cute, Kushina. That's not even your style. Tatsumi thought, curling his lips.
"If you want to learn powerful ninjutsu… isn't it because you want to shut up the people who mock you?" he asked.
"Of course! They're the worst! Especially the jerks who put me on some stupid 'top ten girls to date' list!" she huffed. "Tsunade-sensei said that's the kind of thing that deserves a bone or two broken!"
"...Tsunade-sensei is seriously a bad influence sometimes," Tatsumi muttered, sweatdropping.
"But if I show them some incredible jutsu and blow their socks off, they'll all recognize me!" Kushina declared.
Tatsumi nodded, understanding the feeling.
He placed a hand on her head. "Kushina, one of my most respected juniors once said something. He said, 'It's not that you'll be recognized just because you become Hokage. It's the ones who are recognized by everyone that become Hokage.'"
"So if you want recognition, it's not just about flashy jutsu."
Kushina blinked, thoughtful. Then, tilting her head, she asked, "Who was that junior? Sounds amazing."
Tatsumi gave a wry smile. "Maybe... he's not in this world anymore."
"..."
Before she could press further, Tatsumi spoke again.
"When it comes to kunai throwing, I can't help much right now. I can show you the proper form, but you'll have to build up your own accuracy through practice."
"But if you want to get strong, that's not your only path."
"Even the best shuriken techniques have limits. But your advantage doesn't lie in skill alone."
Kushina's eyes lit up. "Chakra capacity?"
Tatsumi nodded. "Exactly. If your control isn't great yet, don't take the finesse route. Rely on what you have—overwhelming chakra."
"And this jutsu I'm about to teach you was developed by the Second Hokage himself—specifically for someone with great chakra potential like you."
"I'm not excited.
I'm not surprised.
I'm just… completely shocked."
"..."