Uchiha Hayato fed the injured Chimchar some medicine and watched its breathing gradually stabilize, letting out a sigh of relief.
Pokémon are incredibly resilient; as long as it's not a strange illness or instant death, they will recover slowly. Despite being struck by Uchiha Setsuna's serious attack, Chimchar was only temporarily weakened.
A wave of lingering fear washed over Hayato's heart. When that elder got serious, the killing intent he exuded instantly made Hayato break out in a cold sweat, freezing him in place. That moment allowed Chimchar to take the hit for him.
The street remained peaceful and calm, with no sign of the Konoha Police Force approaching. Hayato let out a long breath before beginning to inspect his system.
[Mission Completed: Pokémon Hunter's Request]
[Rewards Obtained: Soothe Bell, Low-level Fire Energy Card]
Hayato's mind churned as he thought about it—someone trying to take Chimchar against his will could only be described as the behavior of a Pokémon Hunter.
The [Soothe Bell] could increase friendship with Pokémon, but given his close bond with Chimchar, it wasn't needed for now. However, it would definitely come in handy in the future if he acquired Pokémon like Togepi.
The energy card, on the other hand, was a delightful surprise. It was similar to a soldier pill, granting substantial energy when consumed. If the card were of higher quality, they could even provide additional benefits.
He glanced at his attribute panel and noticed some changes.
[Name: Uchiha Hayato]
[Egg Group: Human-like, Field]
[Ability: Blaze]
[Attributes: Fire, Lightning, Water, Shadow]
[Skills: Body Replacement Technique, Concealment Technique, Escape Technique, Sharingan]
With the awakening of his Kekkei Genkai, Hayato's chakra levels had significantly increased. He took a deep breath, feeling the icy sensation flowing through his brain and into his eyes.
Everything before him became vividly clear—he could see each strand of Chimchar's fur swaying in the air.
No wonder the Uchiha Clan was so proud; the Sharingan was their greatest source of pride.
Yet Hayato felt that while this cold sensation made him stronger, it suppressed other emotions within him, as if it existed solely for battle.
He deactivated the Sharingan and heard a voice calling from outside.
"Hello, is Uchiha Hayato home?"
A few moments earlier, Namikaze Minato had been looking helplessly at the red-haired girl before him.
"Kushina-san, why are you staring at me?"
At that moment, Minato's face was mostly healed, but the lingering marks still made him look a bit comical.
"Minato-kun, could you tell me where Uchiha Hayato lives?" Kushina asked with a grin.
"Sure, but why are you looking for him?" Minato asked curiously.
"I want to thank him. He was the first to say something kind about me today." Kushina's smile turned shy, but her expression quickly grew fierce. "Of course, even without him, I wouldn't have let those boys off the hook for calling me 'Tomato'!"
Minato's smile stiffened. Watching Kushina's red hair lift slightly with her rising anger, he swallowed nervously.
"Women are scary. It's best not to provoke her," he thought, nodding repeatedly to avoid her wrath. "I know where he lives. I'll take you there now."
On their way, Kushina bombarded Minato with questions.
"Minato-kun, what's your relationship with Hayato?"
"How long have you known him? What kind of person was he before?"
Minato, always sunny and gentle, revealed a nostalgic expression at her inquiries.
"Hayato? I guess you could call us friends..."
"When I first entered the academy, no one believed I could become Hokage one day. He was the only one who approached me after class and told me to believe in myself."
Minato's face lit up with a smile. "He's an interesting person. Sometimes, he feels more like an ordinary villager than a shinobi. Although he occasionally mentions wanting to become Hokage, I get the sense that he really just wants a peaceful, simple life."
"A peculiar Uchiha, huh?" Kushina murmured. As they neared the Uchiha clan's area, Minato tactfully changed the subject. "Maybe it's precisely because he's a little unusual that I became friends with him."
Kushina nodded thoughtfully. A strange person, huh? Perfect—her hair had always been treated as strange, too. Oddballs should stick together.
Glancing at Minato's face, she silently compared him to Hayato. Although Minato looked nice, he seemed a bit too delicate. Somehow, Hayato felt more appealing.
"Is this the place, Minato-kun?"
The two stopped outside Hayato's house. Minato nodded, and Kushina immediately walked up to the door and called out loudly.
"Hello, is Uchiha Hayato home?"
Returning to the present, Minato explained Kushina's purpose for coming. He spread his hands with a helpless expression.
"Kushina, you don't need to thank me. Honestly, I've been annoyed with those guys for a long time. I'm sure you didn't need my help to handle them." Hayato spoke earnestly.
He wasn't lying. His desire to help Kushina was only part of it; the rest was about completing a mission and testing his own strength.
"Of course! Anyone who underestimates me just because I'm a girl will regret it," Kushina declared, clenching her small fists. Suddenly realizing how fierce she sounded, her cheeks flushed. "Still, I want to thank you for speaking up for me. It made me feel less alone."
Hayato looked at Kushina's blushing face, then at Minato's expression as if he were watching a drama unfold. Realization struck him.
This world had already become completely different because of his arrival. Moving forward, he couldn't rely on the original storyline's logic. Acting with a superior attitude as a mere spectator would only lead to his downfall.
As for Kushina, he wouldn't reject a girl's goodwill. But if it came to making a deeper commitment, that would have to wait until he became stronger.
As for Uchiha Setsuna, who wanted Chimchar, Hayato realized he was still too weak to confront such a powerful opponent alone. However, if he could involve others, the elder wouldn't dare act recklessly. After all, Konoha belonged to everyone. The fact that the Uchiha Clan had never dared to stage a coup was evidence enough.
The Nara Clan raised deer for generations, but what if they raised Pokémon like Deerling or Sawsbuck? Similarly, the Akimichi Clan specialized in expansion techniques—pairing those with leader-class Pokémon or Gigantamax Pokémon could have staggering implications.
[Ding! Main Quest Released: Make Pokémon Great Again!]