This guy is so infuriating. Why do I have the overwhelming urge to punch him hard on the head?
Uzumaki Kushina thought silently to herself.
While the rest of the class was diligently taking notes, Naruto tilted his head slightly and glanced at Kushina's abdomen.
He sensed a familiar presence—chakra far stronger than his own.
Perhaps due to the connection he shared with Kurama, the Nine-Tails, he could also feel its emotions:
Rage. Hunger. Devour. Destruction.
A whirlwind of emotions swirled in Naruto's mind, pushing his body to act, urging him to devour the Kushina in front of him.
His blue eyes began to glow with a tinge of crimson, the six whisker marks on his face bristling fiercely.
Clatter—
The Zanpakutō resting in the cabinet began to tremble uneasily within its sheath.
"Snap out of it, Naruto! Don't let your instincts take over!"
Within Naruto's mental realm, Kurama struck him on the forehead, shouting sternly.
"Ow, that hurt!"
Was that... a resonance?
Thankfully, Kurama's intervention brought him back to his senses. Otherwise, if he had lost control here, things would have escalated.
Reflecting on it, was it Kushina's Nine-Tails that triggered the one within him?
Although it seemed like a long time had passed, it had only been a few seconds.
Kushina shivered slightly, feeling an inexplicable chill down her spine.
---
After an hour-long lecture, Morino announced, "Class dismissed. Take a break."
The moment Morino stepped out of the classroom, the previously drowsy students sprang to life. The once-quiet classroom erupted into a flurry of activity.
A group of mischievous kids, known troublemakers, immediately swarmed towards Kushina at the back of the room.
Catching her off guard, they encircled her, making the rear of the classroom lively for the first time.
A trace of panic flashed across Kushina's face—it was her first time encountering something like this.
A boy with a rooster-tail hairstyle pointed at Kushina's red hair, sneering mockingly, "It's just like a tomato, isn't it?"
"Look, everyone! Her round face and bright red hair—doesn't she look just like a tomato?"
"Haha, she's practically a walking tomato! Disgusting!"
"Yeah, disgusting. I throw out tomatoes every time they show up in my meals."
"A tomato freak that everyone hates—how could she ever dream of becoming the village's first female Hokage? What a joke."
Their jeers grew louder, and the group of kids surrounding Kushina burst into a hearty laughter
Annoyance.
Naruto, sitting in the back row, frowned deeply. The emotions he had just managed to calm started to surge again due to the noisy commotion.
Meanwhile, Kushina, hearing their ridicule, lowered her head.
Her pale cheeks turned beet red, and with her vibrant red hair, she did indeed resemble a round tomato at first glance.
"Wow, look, everyone! The tomato freak's getting even redder! Let's pick it and play with it!"
As they spoke, one of the boys reached out, aiming to tug at Kushina's hair.
Kushina caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and thought, Oh no, there's no way to dodge.
Resigned to her fate, she closed her eyes tightly.
Smack—
Naruto grabbed the boy's hand just before it could reach Kushina's hair.
A few moments passed, and Kushina's tightly shut eyes twitched slightly. The pain she expected never came.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Naruto, clad in black, standing in front of her. His gaze was icy, and his right hand firmly gripped the boy's arm.
In the front row, Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Mikoto immediately noticed the commotion in the back of the classroom.
Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing, turning their attention to the scene unfolding at the back.
Feeling the stares from his classmates, the boy restrained by Naruto's grip couldn't hold back his frustration and snapped, "Uzumaki, you're meddling in other people's business again! Let me go!"
Crack—
Ignoring the boy's protests, Naruto calmly tightened his grip, snapping the boy's wrist.
The crisp sound of breaking bones echoed through the now-silent classroom.
"AAAAAH!"
The boy's scream shattered the stillness, snapping everyone out of their daze.
"Are you okay, Tetsu?"
"Uzumaki, that was way out of line! He's your classmate, for crying out loud!"
"What? Not happy? If you're not, feel free to come at me. All of you, if you want—I don't mind taking you on together."
"Damn bastard…"
The other kids exchanged nervous glances but only dared to mumble curses under their breath. Fear was evident in their eyes.
Who would dare go up against a monster like him?
Minato's eyes flickered with surprise. That guy actually lost control for once.
Mikoto covered her mouth with her hands, worry evident in her expression. She feared Naruto might face punishment.
"Instead of wasting time here, why don't you hurry up and take him to the infirmary? Spare him the pain," Naruto said indifferently, shaking his hand as if dismissing the incident, then returned to his seat as though nothing had happened.
Without hesitation, the others lifted Tetsu and bolted out of the classroom, unwilling to stay a moment longer.
Kushina let out a breath of relief but then glanced at Naruto with a complicated expression.
His actions clearly showed he wasn't a kind person... and yet, she didn't feel scared of him at all.
Uzumaki... Naruto...
=================
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