indianbanksassociation Chapter 296 The Road from When Konoha Village Came Here
Chapter 296 The Road from When Konoha Village Came Here
Minato looked at her, his blue eyes full of sincerity.
A surge of heat rushed up from the base of my neck to my cheeks.
Kushina could clearly feel her face burning. She wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she couldn't utter a single word.
This guy... his smile is so handsome...
No way! Kushina Uzumaki! You're destined to be Hokage! How can you be fooled by a boy's smile!
The girl abruptly turned her head, avoiding Minato's gaze, and crossed her arms over her chest, striking a nonchalant pose.
"Hmph! Of course, of course! Just you better not hold me back!"
Her voice was loud, but the slight redness of her ears betrayed her inner turmoil.
Minato Namikaze looked at her haughty appearance, but his smile only deepened.
……
In the classroom of Class 7, Grade 1.
Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato sat up straight and began their first lesson.
On the platform in front of them stood an elderly woman with a dignified and elegant demeanor.
"Hello students, I am Mito Uzumaki, the homeroom teacher of Class 7, Grade 1."
The teacher's voice was loud and clear. She looked around and her gaze lingered on each young face.
"Welcome to the Konoha Ninja Academy."
"From today onwards, this will be your second home."
The lesson she taught today was "The History of Konoha".
"Long, long ago, there were no villages on this continent, only countless families bound by blood."
Mito Uzumaki's voice was calm and resonant, possessing a power that could instantly soothe the soul. "It was an era of war and chaos, where children were born and sent to the battlefield, their lives as fragile as candles in the wind."
Yahiko stood ramrod straight, listening intently. The words "war raging" reminded him of the endless rain and cold corpses in the mud of the Land of Rain.
Konan quietly watched Ms. Mito, sensing a gentleness and resilience honed by the passage of time emanating from the elderly woman.
Nagato held the small doll in her arms and listened quietly.
Although he was young, his innate keen perception allowed him to capture the heavy sorrow behind that period of history from Mito-sensei's plain narration.
"Until two of the most powerful families grew tired of the endless war."
Mito's gaze swept over the children below the stage. "They are from the Senju and Uchiha clans."
"Under the leadership of the two clan leaders at the time, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, they decided to put aside their hatred, join hands, and create a home where children could grow up in peace."
"And so, this land beneath our feet came to be—Konoha Village."
Mito paused at this point, giving the children time to process the information.
Yahiko's fists clenched involuntarily, his heart churning with turmoil.
Put aside hatred and join hands to create peace! Isn't this exactly what he's been dreaming of?
It turns out that someone had already accomplished this before he was born! And they even created such a wonderful village as Konoha!
He was so excited that his body trembled slightly. It turned out that the dream was not a vague fantasy, but a real and proven great path!
Looking at the profile of Ms. Mito on the podium, Xiao Nan felt as if she were seeing a historical image.
Two families that were once mortal enemies joined hands for a common belief. This requires an incredibly broad mind and an unwavering will.
She recalled the days when she and Yahiko depended on each other for survival during the war, and gained a deeper understanding of the word "homeland".
Nagato looked down at his hands.
Small and fair-skinned.
He always believed that strength was for fighting, for determining victory or defeat.
But today is the first time I've heard that the most powerful forces can be used to create and to protect.
It turns out that building a village is far greater than destroying one.
In the depths of his heart, a seed quietly sprouted.
The school bell rang melodiously, announcing the end of the first day of school life.
The entrance to the ninja academy was bustling with activity, as children poured out like birds returning to their nests, chattering excitedly.
Kushina, carrying a brand-new schoolbag, blended into the crowd.
She had a very happy day, made new friends, and learned a lot of new and interesting things.
Although that guy named Minato Namikaze is a bit strange, overall... Konoha is a hundred times more interesting than she imagined!
She hummed an off-key song and walked briskly home.
The members of the Whirlpool Clan were temporarily relocated to a newly built residential area on the east side of the village, not too far from the school.
As she rounded a corner, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure not far ahead.
With his short, golden hair and tall, upright figure, isn't that Minato Namikaze?
Kushina subconsciously slowed her pace.
Does he live around here too?
The girl was a little confused. Should she walk faster to overtake him, or should she simply slow down and move further away from him?
Just as she was struggling with her decision, Minato stopped at a fork in the road.
When he turned around, he saw Kushina and waved to her as a greeting.
Kushina had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward.
"You...you're going this way too?"
She asked, trying to make conversation.
"Yes, my house is just ahead." Minato pointed in the direction not far away.
And so, the two walked side by side down the street bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
The noise of the surrounding classmates gradually faded away, leaving only the light and heavy footsteps of the two of them, and the chirping of birds returning home in the evening on both sides of the street.
The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
Kushina felt extremely uncomfortable. She secretly glanced at Minato beside her. He was still as calm and collected as ever, walking quietly, his profile appearing particularly soft in the sunset.
No, it's too quiet, this is so awkward!
Say something, Kushina Uzumaki! Aren't you the most talkative one?
Her mind was racing, searching for a topic that could break the silence.
Should I ask him if he understood today's lesson? No, that would make it seem like I didn't understand.
Was she asking him what he wanted for dinner? That's so strange!
still is……
Just as Kushina was struggling with her inner turmoil, an untimely voice echoed throughout the quiet path.
"Gurgle—gurgle—"
The sound was loud and long, with an extremely clear source.
Kushina's steps froze instantly, as if she had been frozen in place.
She could feel that Minato beside her had also stopped walking.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
Kushina's face turned bright red at a visible speed, and it was even starting to turn the color of her hair.
My stomach growled at the worst possible time.
Oh no, the company is dead, but Ichiraku Ramen is really delicious!
The sound was crystal clear, echoing through the street, long and easily mistaken.
Glug—glug glug—
Kushina Uzumaki froze instantly.