Chapter 13: The First Reanimated Shinobi

“Let me see how you did on today’s problems.”

While eating the rice balls Naruto had made, Kotono began flipping through his exercise book.

Naruto instantly held his breath, nervously watching Kotono, afraid she might frown while grading.

Because that usually meant he had made some ridiculous mistake.

Why so nervous? Well—the teacher’s corrections were terrifying!

Even someone as adorable as Kotono looked quite intimidating when she took on the role of a teacher.

Ninjas didn’t really have exercise books. After class, students usually relied on self-study or family teachings.

Though the Second Hokage had pioneered the historically significant policy of establishing ninja schools, the educational infrastructure hadn’t quite caught up.

If parents were ninjas or even jonin, it was manageable. But for civilian ninjas… It was purely a matter of talent and luck.

After graduating from the ninja academy, if one happened to find a compatible jonin instructor, there might be a path forward.

If not, one would have to toil through missions and exchange services for jutsu from the village.

In general, given Naruto’s current abilities and background, he was destined never to become Hokage in this lifetime.

But who could blame him when he had a genius childhood friend like Kotono?

She worked part-time while studying; Naruto couldn’t tag along and didn’t want to be left alone, so Kotono simply prepared exercises in advance, letting Naruto practice at home and prepare their meals.

After Naruto delivered the food, they would sit in a corner of the library, eating and discussing.

Thanks to this, Kotono discovered there was a tenacious side to Naruto’s character.

She had previously thought Naruto’s declaration of wanting to be Hokage was just childish enthusiasm and pride.

Though Naruto’s academic talent was mediocre, once he promised to do something, he put in the effort.

Regardless of whether he got the answers right, he would at least try to neatly fill in all the blanks as she instructed.

If he really didn’t know, he would neatly write “solution:” as a placeholder.

Because this was Kotono’s secret technique: “If your attitude is right, the teacher might just give you an extra point.”

And indeed, Iruka-sensei was the kind of forgiving teacher who would award an extra point for Naruto’s earnest attitude, even if he got the answer wrong.

In short, Naruto never let her down.

In the kitchen, Naruto also tried his best to cater to her tastes.

She disliked fish, so Naruto wrapped rice balls with meat floss and salad dressing, using his own living expenses to buy the vegetables and fruits she liked.

—even though Naruto himself hated vegetables the most.

Mr. Sagawa even told her that two days ago, Naruto secretly bought a cookbook from the library.

His intentions were clear.

Hardworking, considerate.

This was Sakura—the person she loved most in this world and wanted to protect above all else.

…

Great, Kotono finally finished grading. Her expression had remained good—he had safely passed!

Naruto let out a small cheer inside and casually said, “It feels like the problems you gave me are different from the teachers’.”

“Of course, I summarized the key points from the Chunin theory exam for you, so it’ll help you in the future,” Kotono replied.

She quickly finished the rice ball, clapped her hands, and said, “I’m done grading; now I’ll tell you where you went wrong.”

Huh?

He thought he hadn’t gotten a single one wrong.

But then again… he wouldn’t dare dream his answers were all correct.

“Let’s look at this question first.”

“Please read Material One and, based on what you’ve learned, explain what philosophy of the Second Hokage is reflected in the policy of establishing ninja schools and ensuring ninjas study thoroughly, and how it reflects the social phenomena of Konoha during that period.”

Kotono pointed at the test paper with her pen.

“Firstly, this question has three parts—but you only answered two.”

Naruto nodded painfully.

“Your problem-solving approach wasn’t in the standard format I’ve repeatedly emphasized.”

“You should first explain the policy’s content, then relate it to the Second Hokage’s corresponding philosophy, and finally summarize from political, economic, cultural, and military perspectives.”

“Only by following this template can you hit the scoring points.”

Naruto stifled a yawn, forcing his eyes wide open to focus on the paper.

Help!

Kotono’s voice was so pleasant that he never tired of hearing it—but why did talking about answering techniques make him so sleepy?

Actually, he knew Kotono was helping him become Hokage.

Every day she had to practice high jump, study, and work weekends.

Despite the hardship, she stayed up late making exercises tailored to his weak points, all to improve his theoretical knowledge.

Smack!

Kotono turned in surprise, only to see Naruto slapping his own cheeks.

Even though his face instantly flushed red, he didn’t care.

He declared loudly, almost through gritted teeth, “I’ll learn every problem today, no matter what!”

“Don’t rush. If you don’t understand, I’ll explain slowly, or shorten the time and repeat it more often.”

The girl smiled helplessly, her voice gentle: “As long as Naruto is willing to learn, I’ll always have patience.”

What she feared most was teaching someone who refused to learn—a pure waste of effort.

Kotono knew that for a ninja student like Naruto, without any foundation, these theory questions were indeed a bit advanced.

But she had thoroughly read the chronicles of all the Hokages.

To become Hokage, if you can’t even solve questions like these, unless Naruto became as strong as the First Hokage, it was impossible.

The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, was absurdly powerful; even the Nine-Tails was just a toy for his Wood Release.

So what use was it that Naruto was a suspected Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?

Compared to surpassing the God of Shinobi, Kotono thought it was more realistic to teach this guy to grind through problems and improve his literary skills.

*

7:30 p.m.

The painful yet joyful tutoring session with Kotono finally ended.

“Off work, off work!” The little blond boy announced loudly, his voice echoing through the library.

“Mr. Sagawa…” Kotono smiled a bit shyly.

“It’s fine, it gets dark early in winter. Better head home,” Sagawa said kindly.

Accepting Naruto’s existence wasn’t as difficult as imagined.

Both children were very sensible, huddled together in the break room studying quietly. Naruto didn’t even dare come out for water or bathroom breaks.

It made Sagawa feel a bit awkward, considering whether to bring them a small table.

But…

Satou and Satoshi glanced up, catching the smile on Minato Namikaze’s poster, and couldn’t help but smile back.

At least this time, he could face the gaze of the Fourth Hokage with a clear conscience.

“Let’s go home.” Naruto took Kotono’s hand.

His favorite moment was picking her up on Saturdays.

It felt like the most relaxed time of the day—no school the next day, and all the problems were finished.

He always wished the way home was longer, so he and Kotono would have endless things to talk about.

“Your hands are so cold,” Naruto immediately noticed, then touched her cheek. “Your face is cold too.”

Kotono rubbed her arms. “It’s warm inside the shop, and it’s easier to move light when carrying books.”

Without hesitation, Naruto took off his red scarf and wrapped it around her.

The scarf still carried the boy’s warm body heat, and wrapped around her neck, it was indeed much warmer.

Curious, Kotono examined the stitches. “When did you buy this scarf?”

“I found it today while cleaning under the bed. It looked nice and warm, so I put it on.”

Naruto replied casually, “Just the right time to use it.”

“Feels handmade.” Kotono stared at the stitches. “It even has a surname woven in—Uzu…”

“Hey, what are you two doing!” Naruto suddenly shouted indignantly and hurried over.

Kotono looked up in surprise.

At the shadowed corner ahead, three boys were loudly mocking and pushing a small black-haired girl, forcing her to kneel and apologize.

That girl was their classmate, Hinata Hyuga.

How could the Hyuga heiress be cornered and bullied by three boys?

Kotono scanned the surroundings for adults.

She thought finding an adult was the most efficient way to solve this.

The Hyuga family had much more standing than two orphans like them; probably the father would come and settle this with the little brats.

But no one was around.

This street was a back alley; the streetlights were all broken, and the nearest shop was a rundown tavern at the edge of the street.

Only Kotono and Naruto, as orphans, took this remote route home.

These brats obviously knew the neighborhood well enough to dare to bully Hinata here.

“Let go of Hinata!”

Despite facing three boys taller and stronger than him, Naruto showed no fear. He charged forward, yanking one away and pulling Hinata up from the ground.

Hinata was covered in dust, tears in her eyes. “Naruto-kun…”

“Huh? What little brat dares to meddle?” The leader rolled up his sleeves. “Do you know I’m a soon-to-graduate genin?”

Soon-to-be genin?

Naruto was startled but quickly felt a surge of courage.

He recalled the day at the bookstore when the clerk pushed and humiliated him, and the surrounding people mocked him, and he almost gave up.

But Kotono had fearlessly fought that genin and won.

“Bullying girls is wrong!” Naruto formed hand seals. “Watch my Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

A puff of white smoke appeared.

Before everyone’s eyes stood a small Naruto clone, not even knee-high.

The clone didn’t realize its size was off, and pointed at them, shouting angrily, “Don’t bully Hinata!”

“Ha ha ha.”

“Such a lame clone, and you dare show off?”

The leader tilted his head. “So what if you fight? I’m going to beat you and your clone!”

He stepped forward and threw a powerful punch at Naruto.

Naruto tried to dodge but was too slow. Just as he was about to close his eyes and endure the blow—

Smack.

Kotono effortlessly caught the bully’s wrist.

Looking at the slender girl, the much bigger boy couldn’t land a single punch.

His face reddened with frustration.

“You—bastard!”

Kotono’s expression was cold. “Pathetic.”

With the boy’s arm in her grasp, she flipped him over her shoulder with force.

At the same time, she lightly pressed her toe against the back of his head to prevent him from hitting the ground hard.

“So weak. How dare you bully others?”

“Ah, Aken!?”

Before the other two boys could react, the red-haired girl charged at them.

At a speed they couldn’t counter and with fiercer force than when attacking Naruto and Hinata, she delivered two punches to their stomachs.

“Ugh!” “So fast!”

The two boys hunched over, clutching their bellies, but Kotono was not satisfied.

She kicked them down, and all three lay neatly on the ground.

[Chakra limit +3 points.]

*

“Kotono is so cool!” Naruto jumped up and cheered loudly.

Afterward, he dashed over to Kotono, eager to join in, not minding giving the three brats an extra kick.

Suddenly, a slurred, deep male voice echoed from the alley entrance.

“Aken, what are you causing a ruckus for?”

“Dad!” The biggest boy burst into tears, as if seeing a savior. “This girl bullied us! She kicked me and punched our stomachs!”

The drunken man ignored the white-eyed girl cowering by the wall, focusing solely on Kotono and Naruto.

“My dad is a special jonin!” Aken said confidently.

“I was just drinking with friends and heard your screaming,” the man said irritably, scratching his head. “A soon-to-graduate ninja and still this weak?”

“Dad, this girl is a monster—”

“Enough, I’m too lazy to argue.” The special jonin grabbed Kotono. “Kneel and apologize, and this matter is over.”

[Name: ???]

[Total chakra: 34,592 points]

And she had only two thousand six hundred.

Kotono’s expression darkened.

Why did every combat encounter have to pit her against overwhelmingly powerful enemies?

Just as Kotono hesitated whether to reload the save, Naruto’s voice trembled but was resolute:

“Kotono, take Hinata and leave first. I’ll hold him off.”

Kotono immediately rejected the idea: “No, that drunk will—”

In a real fight, enemies wouldn’t give you a chance to chat and build feelings.

The special jonin, eager to return to drinking with his comrades, used a shunshin no jutsu so swift Kotono couldn’t see it.

He grabbed her collar and punched her squarely in the chest, sending her flying.

Kotono was injured; Naruto’s eyes instantly reddened.

“Kotono!” Naruto shouted, trying to rush forward to help her, but the jonin grabbed his collar and punched him hard in the abdomen.

“Like bullying, huh? You think Aken can’t beat you?”

Naruto nearly vomited. He struggled desperately, wanting to save Kotono.

“Kotono!”

The alcohol numbed the man, but the child’s innocent, desperate cries triggered something dark deep inside.

The special jonin abandoned the idea of leaving after one punch and going back to drink.

He had retired from the frontline due to the atrocities of war, slaughtering women and children.

Speaking of which, the feeling of slicing a kid’s throat with a kunai was silky smooth.

Involuntarily, he reached toward the ninja tool pouch at his waist…

Of course, he didn’t notice that as his murderous intent stirred, Naruto’s pupils instinctively elongated, revealing a faint beast-like gleam.

“Ahem!” Kotono felt blood surge in her throat but held back.

Hearing Naruto’s struggles and cries, the girl painfully pushed herself up.

Luckily, Naruto’s red scarf cushioned her face, preventing injury.

But that no longer mattered because when she looked up, she saw the jonin about to kill Naruto with a kunai.

Kotono’s pupils constricted sharply.

No!

Her hand gripping the red scarf stiffened; her entire body’s blood seemed to freeze.

Kotono forgot this was just a game. All she could see was Naruto’s face, flushed from choking, and the gleaming kunai.

A voice inside screamed: Save Naruto! You must save him!

At that moment, a skill she had long kept dormant suddenly unlocked in response to her intense will, shining brilliantly!

[Heroic Spirit Summon: Impure World Reincarnation.]

Without hesitation, Kotono activated it.

She clasped her hands, formed seals, and deducted two thousand chakra.

The red scarf in her hand fluttered as if moved by the wind.

“Bloodline Limit: Impure World Reincarnation Technique!”

In the next instant,

A crimson light erupted around her, dazzling and illuminating the entire dark alley!

A chakra storm rose from the ground, brewing into a tempest.

Broken windows on both sides of the alley rattled, nearly torn off by the fierce wind.

The violent chakra blast shattered glass with a humming noise, toppled streetlamps with a loud crash, and the terrified screams of the boys mixed into the dreadful flood.

Even the special jonin was thrown by the storm!

And amidst this apocalyptic tempest, a lively female voice rang out.

No—she was the mastermind who had stirred this storm.

“Servant Rider, Uzumaki Kushina, summoned. Are you my Master?”

“—Ah, that’s how the line goes, right? Hope I remembered it right.”