Chapter 26: Passing the Test—Konoha's Adamantine Sealing Chains
The academy rooftop was spacious—a popular lunch spot for many students.
To provide a good dining environment, the rooftop featured numerous benches and rows of small trees.
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
After bringing Kushina to sit on a bench, Yoru continued treating her eyelids while asking gently.
"No."
Kushina shook her head, eyes fixed on her lap, not daring to meet Yoru's gaze.
Yoru raised his other hand and smoothed Kushina's disheveled hair, smiling. "You've written your troubles across your forehead. You think I'll believe that?"
Hearing this, Kushina's nose stung, and tears flowed even harder.
This time, she looked directly at Yoru, her voice choking: "Yoru, if... if one day I turn into a monster, will you hate me?"
"This is what troubled you all night?"
Yoru finally couldn't help cupping Kushina's small face. His thumbs wiped her tears as he stared into her eyes, smiling. "You're so afraid I'll hate you and distance myself that fear kept you awake all night, making you overthink everything, right?"
"...Yes!"
This was the first time Kushina had seen Yoru make such an intimate gesture with such gentle eyes. Her brain went completely blank, momentarily forgetting to cry.
But she still instinctively responded.
"Though I don't know what you mean by 'turning into a monster,' but..."
Yoru's lips curved into an arc, revealing a disdainful smile as he spoke slowly: "You're not even afraid of becoming a monster, yet you fear me hating you and distancing myself. Why would I fear you becoming a monster? Tomato-na, you really underestimate Gojo Yoru, don't you?"
Pinching Kushina's adorable round face with one hand, Yoru leaned close to her, speaking fiercely: "To prevent you from overthinking again in the future, I'll answer you right now! Unless after you become a monster your memories, personality, and soul die permanently—you're no longer the Kushina Uzumaki I know—otherwise I will never hate you."
Yoru raised his fist and waved it before Kushina's eyes, continuing: "If you just become a monster temporarily losing your reason, I'll beat you conscious like usual, then heal you afterward."
At this point, Yoru couldn't help grinning with that signature Gojo Satoru smile, speaking the classic line: "I'm the strongest, after all!"
Kushina stared blankly at Yoru. The morning sunlight at eight o'clock happened to shine through the leaves onto the back of his head, making it seem—in Kushina's eyes—as though Yoru currently radiated dazzling light, dispelling the darkness and fear in her heart.
"Yoru, waaah..."
Kushina—who'd stayed awake all night—could no longer control herself. She threw herself into Yoru's embrace and began crying aloud.
"That's more like it. If you're going to cry, you should wail like this." Yoru held Kushina, smiling as he gently stroked the girl's delicate back.
"How mean. Are you saying I'm not ladylike enough?"
"Ow... lighter! You monster-strength girl, don't you know your own power?"
Kushina punched Yoru's chest once, making him grimace in pain.
"Didn't you say you'd beat me back to normal? How can you do that if you can't take hits?"
"Can I take back what I said before?"
"Too late. I've already memorized it. Even if I become a monster, I'll instinctively seek you out."
"Then I'm doomed. Sounds scarier than nightmares."
"Hehe... scared now?"
After some playful banter, the naturally cheerful and optimistic Kushina instantly returned to her normal self.
Just as Yoru had said—what troubled the girl all night wasn't actually becoming the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, but worry that after becoming a monster, Yoru would fear her and distance himself.
Besides Mito Uzumaki, Tsunade, and Nawaki, Kushina only knew Yoru in all of Konoha.
Moreover, compared to Mito's household, she felt more affection toward Yoru and felt more comfortable at his house.
Since Yoru wasn't afraid, she wasn't afraid anymore either.
Yoru wrapped an arm around Kushina's shoulders, asking: "Now can you tell me about this monster business?"
"Lady Mito told me the shinobi world contains nine powerful beasts like natural disasters..."
Leaning against Yoru's chest, Kushina relayed all the tailed beast knowledge Mito had taught her.
This scene left the ANBU operative hiding in the shadows thoroughly conflicted.
If someone removed this ANBU's mask, Kushina would discover this person was actually the shinobi who'd escorted her from Uzushiogakure to Konoha.
Jinchuriki status was Konoha's highest classified information.
Besides Mito Uzumaki and Konoha's leadership, only this ANBU operative knew Kushina Uzumaki would become the next Nine-Tails jinchuriki.
Even the future Legendary Sannin—currently still elite jonin—didn't know Kushina was the next jinchuriki.
And now, Kushina had revealed this top secret to Yoru.
If this were anyone else, the ANBU would have already intervened and taken Yoru away.
Currently, he could only watch helplessly, not daring to act independently.
"I see."
After hearing Kushina's explanation, Yoru feigned sudden understanding: "The world outside the village is truly incredible. Even things like tailed beasts exist."
"Yes." Kushina nodded, then looked up at Yoru, still asking somewhat anxiously: "Yoru, are you really not afraid?"
"Daijoubu (It's fine), I'm the strongest, after all!"
Yoru couldn't help saying that line again, smiling arrogantly: "You can't beat me now. Even if you become a monster, you definitely won't be my match."
"Hehe... such big talk. Who just nearly got winded from one of my punches?"
"Tch... You can't catch me even with a brain. As a mindless monster, it'd be even more impossible. I'd walk you like a dog!"
"Who are you calling a dog?"
"Whoever bares their teeth all the time."
"Foul-Mouth Yoru, take my punch!"
"You'll never hit me, Tomato-na."
"Aaah... don't run if you're so tough! One punch and I'll send you to the medical room!"
A boy and girl chased each other across the rooftop, forming a stark contrast with the serious exam atmosphere in the classrooms below.
Watching the two people who gave no quarter verbally yet had smiles plastered across their faces, Hiruzen Sarutobi—observing them through his Telescope Technique—also revealed a gratified smile. Full of admiration for Mito Uzumaki's methods, he murmured: "Use love to fill and bind the vessel? Truly worthy of Lady Mito. Such accurate judgment of character!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had never dared interfere in the relationship between Yoru and Kushina precisely because Mito Uzumaki—that great Buddha—sat above him.
The Land of Whirlpools incident, where Konoha failed to react in time, had already wronged this elder tremendously.
While Mito Uzumaki still lived, if the village dared make moves on her last clan member, it might trigger a chain reaction leading to the Nine-Tails transfer failing or even losing the Nine-Tails entirely.
Moreover, Hiruzen Sarutobi deeply trusted the judgment of Mito Uzumaki—the First Hokage's wife.
Because Tobirama-sensei had said his sister-in-law's sensory abilities matched his own, and she possessed the ability to sense good and evil, seeing through inner darkness at a glance.
If Yoru had problems, Mito Uzumaki could see through him at home without needing anyone sent to investigate.
These past several years, Mito hadn't prevented Kushina from interacting with Yoru, and had even allowed Kushina to tell Yoru about the jinchuriki—clearly confirming Yoru's character, knowing this boy wouldn't abandon Kushina.
Or perhaps—Mito having Kushina tell Yoru about the jinchuriki was the final test.
Now, Yoru had undoubtedly passed that test.
Having confirmed this, Hiruzen Sarutobi made his decision.
He would nurture this civilian genius!
For no other reason than stabilizing the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, he needed to raise Yoru's strength to a level where he could handle—or at least escape and survive—a tailed beast transformation.
He would become the chains binding the Nine-Tails jinchuriki—Konoha's "Adamantine Sealing Chains"!