New Shishu

Our return to the village went smoothly. We even encountered two Konoha ANBU squads on our way back. Many of them seemed to know Sensei. Although I couldn’t identify their true identities, I made sure to memorize their distinct chakra signatures. It comes naturally to me now. Thanks to meditation and chakra exercises, aided by my improved chakra control, I can differentiate individual chakra signatures easily. It’s like recognizing faces—just as every person has a unique face and personality, their chakras are just as distinct.

Genma and Raido watched the ANBU squads with starry eyes. Then it struck me—they would eventually join the Hokage’s personal platoon if things unfolded according to canon.

We reached the village in five days, collected our paychecks, and went our separate ways. My mission with Team Choza was complete, and I was satisfied with the outcome. I earned a bigger paycheck and, more importantly, avoided a hospital stay this time.

Three days later, Hiro Sensei approached me. He had returned from his mission late the previous night.

We met at a small restaurant, waiting for our meal. Sensei seemed happy as he recounted his successful mission. Then he asked about mine. I told him how the mission escalated from C-rank to B-rank but that I was fine and had strategized in advance, just as he had taught me.

He looked pleased and said, “Sen, you’re doing great, and I’m proud of how you’re progressing. I know you want to become a master of fuinjutsu, but unfortunately, I don’t have the advanced knowledge to help you further. However, I was approached by Kushina Uzumaki last night. She was impressed by your skills—apparently, you left quite an impression during your stay with her. This is a big opportunity. What do you think?”

I was stunned. I hadn’t expected her to have the time—or interest—to take me as an apprentice.

Without hesitation, I replied, “I’d be honored if she accepted me as her student.”

Sensei was visibly pleased and explained, “This means I’ll have to officially transfer you to Kushina as her apprentice, as a shinobi can’t have two official senseis. Don’t worry—I’ll still support you unofficially. This is a big step toward your goal.”

I promised him that I’d still bother him occasionally, and we both laughed. He told me Kushina would meet us at her residence tomorrow to discuss the matter further since she had some free time over the next couple of weeks.

After finishing our meal, we went our separate ways. I was overjoyed and chose to walk home instead of hopping across rooftops. The weather was beautiful, signaling the start of summer. It felt good to admire the village I was fighting to protect. On the way, I detoured to the Naka River. Though not entirely secluded, I found a peaceful spot by my favorite tree.

I had a book in my hands, but I couldn’t focus on reading. My life was about to take a new turn—I might secure an apprenticeship with an Uzumaki! While I had always experimented with seals on my own, having an Uzumaki mentor was a priceless advantage.

It was a day well spent, and I couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

The next day, I met Sensei outside the Nara compound, and we made our way to Kushina’s house. She and Minato lived together, though I wasn’t sure if they were married. If they were, it was likely a secret for security reasons.

Sensei knocked on the door, and Kushina opened it after a couple of seconds. She greeted us warmly. “Hello, Sen! I’m glad you’re here. Come inside, both of you, please.”

Do my surprise, Minato was there too. It had been two weeks since the Kannabi Bridge mission, and while he looked fine, I didn’t know how the rest of his team was doing.

We exchanged greetings and took our seats in the living room. Kushina offered us tea and snacks before starting the conversation.

“Sen,” she began, “I’ve noticed your talent in fuinjutsu and your eagerness to learn. Would you like to take an apprenticeship with me?”

“Yes!” I answered without hesitation.

She smiled. “That’s good because I’ve wanted to take on a student for a while.”

Curious, I asked, “Why haven’t you taken one before? Like Sensei or Minato?”

Her smile didn’t falter. “I’ve always had a tighter schedule than most,” she explained. “As the last Uzumaki here, I’ve had other responsibilities. But now that I’ll be staying in the village more often, I finally have the time. Your Sensei told me about your interest in learning advanced fuinjutsu and how you’ve been experimenting with seals.”

Minato chimed in, “Sen, what kinds of seals have you been working on?”

I replied, “I can make paper bombs, silencing seals, and some C-rank lightning containment seals. I’ve also created my own storage seals, which come in handy. However, I’m struggling to extend their lifespan.”

Minato seemed impressed. “Not many shinobi focus solely on fuinjutsu these days. Most use it as a supplementary skill. There aren’t many masters left—aside from Jiraiya-sama, Kushina, and myself, along with a few Senju. Others have some expertise, but not at the master level.”

Kushina assured me that she would teach me everything she could as long as I showed potential. However, she mentioned that she wouldn’t be able to teach me Uzumaki taijutsu, which was deeply intertwined with their unique fuinjutsu. I agreed without hesitation, happy with the opportunity. I also mentioned that I was working on creating my own style of sealing. Both Kushina and Minato seemed pleased by my ambition.

Kushina and I filled out the necessary forms, and she took care of the official paperwork. Within a few days, I started my training with her. We would meet every day at 10 PM in her backyard. First, she assessed my progress so far. Then, she devised a plan and a timetable for my training. I would also continue my other training sessions with Hiro Sensei whenever he was available.

Today, I told Kushina about an idea I had: creating a seal that could store medical chakra. The idea was that if I ever ran out of chakra, I could use the stored chakra to heal myself. It sounded promising in theory. We discussed it at length and decided to test it on small animals first.

So far, I haven’t made any progress, but I’m determined to keep trying. After our discussion, Kushina gave me some homework and mentioned she was heading to the hospital to visit Obito. Curious, I asked how they were doing. She explained that Kakashi was adjusting to the fact that Obito had given him his Sharingan. It was now widely known throughout the village. However, the Uchiha clan wasn’t happy about the situation and was demanding the eye be returned. Obito, still recovering, had refused to take back the gift, which created a rift between him and his clan.

I didn’t know Obito and Rin personally, but I remembered how they, along with most others, had avoided me because of the bullying incident. Still, it was good to hear that Obito was on the mend. Kushina mentioned that Obito would take months to recover fully, and Kakashi had already resumed training with Minato. Rin, meanwhile, was spending more and more time at the hospital.

Her words reminded me of the second kidnapping attempt on Rin, which I knew was coming in a couple of months. I decided I would warn Kushina and Minato about it again. I couldn’t bear the thought of her becoming a jinchuriki. A lot had changed in this timeline, but some canon events were still happening.

Obito wasn’t in Madara’s hands, but would that prevent him from attacking during Naruto’s birth? Then it hit me—Kushina must already be pregnant. If my math was correct, Naruto would be born on October 10th, and it was currently April. Holy crap...she was definitely pregnant. That’s probably why she was staying in the village instead of going on missions.

I resolved to write down everything I knew about what might happen to Rin. She was a direct target, and Minato and Kushina needed to know. If I remembered correctly, Minato became Hokage shortly after Rin’s death, and Kakashi was sent to the ANBU. My thoughts were interrupted when Kushina told me not to worry.

Then she asked, “You’re twelve, right? That means you were in Kakashi’s graduating class, weren’t you?”

Her question hit a sore spot. Memories of Anko’s bullying and my classmates’ rejection came flooding back. Those years were lonely, and I didn’t have a single friend. I could have formed strong bonds with my peers or even become friends with Kurenai, but things turned out differently.

“Yes, I was in their batch,” I replied. “But I wasn’t their friend.”

Kushina didn’t press further, and I was relieved. Still, I could tell she hadn’t entirely let go of the topic. She left shortly after, and I made my way home.

This week has been a whirlwind. I didn’t see much of Kushina because Rin’s kidnapping happened. I don’t understand why she was sent on that mission, especially when we knew what was likely to happen. Maybe the decision wasn’t in Minato’s hands—Sarutobi was still the Third Hokage, so Minato couldn’t intervene.

Fortunately, both Rin and Kakashi returned to the village safe and sound. Kushina didn’t tell me much about what happened, only that Rin was injured and recovering in the hospital. I don’t know if she became a jinchuriki or not.

My head hurts from trying to piece everything together, but the outcome was better than expected. Kakashi wasn’t hurt badly, and Minato was set to become Hokage this Sunday. Kushina was thrilled and told me to attend the ceremony.

She also confided in me about her pregnancy, confirming my suspicions. She said she would be staying in the village indefinitely. As expected, she was constantly under the watchful eyes of ANBU guards stationed nearby. I could sense them but pretended not to notice—it wasn’t my place to acknowledge their presence.

Today, Minato officially became the Yondaime Hokage. The ceremony was grand, and almost everyone I could remember from my academy class was present. I stood with Kushina in the front row, as she was considered family. She brought me along, along with Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.

It was awkward standing next to Kakashi. He didn’t even glance my way, which, honestly, I was fine with. Obito and Rin stood on the other side of him, chatting quietly. I noticed how much closer the three of them had become, likely due to the trauma they shared during the Kanabi Bridge mission. They were a tightly-knit team now, bound by shared pain and survival.

After the ceremony, Kushina invited us to her house for dinner. “It’ll be simple,” she said, “but Minato will join us after his meetings. In the meantime, we’ll prepare together.”

Kushina’s homemade ramen was on the menu. I genuinely liked her ramen—she had a talent for it, a blend of warmth and care in every bite. We all helped her with the preparations: chopping vegetables, setting the table, and fetching ingredients. Obito and Rin kept the atmosphere light, chatting as they worked, with Kakashi occasionally contributing a dry comment.

At one point, Obito turned to Kakashi with a teasing grin. “Soon, I’ll start training again and kick your ass. Don’t think I’ve forgotten how smug you get.”

Rin laughed and added, “Go easy on him, Kakashi. Obito’s still recovering.”

“Don’t need anyone going easy on me,” Obito shot back. “I need to get back in shape and start taking missions again.”

Kushina, always quick to keep the conversation lively, said, “Sen can join Kakashi and Obito. Rin’s going to be a full-time medic at the hospital soon.”

Her words brought the room to an abrupt silence. Kakashi and Obito exchanged unreadable looks, and the air grew tense. Kushina noticed and seemed about to address it when, suddenly, Minato appeared in the room with his signature Hiraishin.

It was my first time seeing him use the jutsu up close, and I was in awe. He greeted everyone with a warm smile, kissed Kushina on the forehead, and helped us set the table. I sat next to Kushina, while Kakashi sat directly across from me.

As we started eating, Kushina asked Minato about his first day. “How was it? Do you like the office?”

Minato sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The real work starts tomorrow. Today was mostly introductions to the staff and council. It’s...a lot to take in.”

Kushina seemed to sense his tension but didn’t press him further. Instead, she encouraged everyone to start eating.

Minato addressed Obito after a while. “We’ll ease you into training when you’re ready. Rin will oversee all spars to ensure no one overdoes it. No sparring without a medic present.”

Kushina added, “And if Rin’s not available, Sen can step in. She’s good at healing too.”

Kakashi snorted at that, barely masking his disdain. “Rin’s far better at medical ninjutsu than her.”

The room froze. His tone wasn’t just dismissive—it stung. I could feel my face heat up, and the ramen in my bowl suddenly looked unappetizing. Kushina, ever the protective presence, stopped eating and turned to Kakashi.

“Do you not like Sen, Kakashi?” she asked sharply, her voice calm but pointed.

I knew where this was headed, and my stomach churned. Obito and Rin said nothing, looking uncomfortable. Minato put down his chopsticks, his expression unreadable. “Kakashi,” he said, his tone firmer than Kushina’s. “If you have something to say, say it clearly.”

Kakashi met Minato’s gaze, then looked at me. “I don’t like her because she bullied Raido’s sister, Rei, when we were in the academy.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Kushina’s brows furrowed, her eyes darting between Kakashi and me. Minato leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable.

Enough was enough. Years of pent-up hurt and anger surged to the surface. I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. My voice shook as I asked, “How do you even know that’s true?”

Kakashi’s tone remained cold. “Raido and Genma told me. Rei was there too.”

Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “And did any of you bother to investigate? Did anyone think to ask for my side of the story?”

He said nothing. His silence was louder than any argument.

I took a deep breath and continued, my voice trembling with emotion. “It all started because, on the first day of the academy, I refused to join Hotaru and Yuki’s group. They wanted to gang up on clan-born shinobi, and I said no. So they spread a rumor that I was body-shaming Rei. I didn’t even know who Rei was! I didn’t even know Raido had a twin sister in our class!”

The tears I’d been holding back finally spilled over. My voice cracked as I yelled, “Their lies had consequences! Because of them, I was outcast and ostracized. I spent years alone, with no friends, no support. All because no one cared enough to ask if the rumors were true!”

I turned to Kakashi, anger and hurt blazing in my eyes. “And you—you just assumed I was guilty. How dare you? How would you feel if I spread nasty rumors about you? If I turned everyone against you?”

He didn’t respond. He didn’t even flinch. He just sat there, staring at me with that same unreadable expression.

I was shaking by now, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions. Kushina stood, her hand reaching out to me, but I stepped back. “Dinner was nice,” I said hoarsely, “but I need to go. Please, Don’t invite me again if they’re here. I don’t want to feel this suffocated. Not anymore.”

Without waiting for a response, I left the house. As I shunshined away, I could faintly hear Kushina and Minato’s raised voices, likely scolding Kakashi and the others. I didn’t stop until I reached the safety of my room.

Once inside, I activated a silencing seal, dropped to my knees, and broke down completely. Years of loneliness, pain, and anger poured out of me, and I cried until I was too exhausted to stay awake.

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Finally Sen lost her patience which was evident for the story. 

You will see different POV in the next chapter ;)

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