Published at 24th of September 2024 8:28 am

Chapter 164 The Red Whirl Girl: 2 The Fiery Whirlpool

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Kushina’s first few days in Konoha were nothing short of chaotic. While she was eager to prove herself as a kunoichi, it quickly became clear that adapting to a new life in the village was going to be a challenge. The academy was tougher than she had anticipated, and her classmates weren’t exactly warm toward her. The whispers about her being an outsider from Uzushio, the “new Jinchuriki,” followed her everywhere she went.

Still, Kushina didn’t back down. Each day was an opportunity to sharpen her skills, and she refused to be underestimated. She spent every spare moment training, her determination fueling her to keep pushing harder.

One afternoon, after a particularly intense sparring session, Kushina found herself back at the training grounds, drenched in sweat. Her fists were sore from striking practice logs, and her chakra reserves were nearly depleted. She didn’t care—this was the price of becoming stronger.

“I’ve got to be better,” she muttered, glaring at the log in front of her. “I’ll show them I’m not just some girl from Uzushio.”

“Still training? You never stop, do you?”

Kushina turned to see Minato walking toward her, his usual bright smile plastered across his face. He carried two bottles of water, tossing one to her. Kushina caught it and gulped it down, her throat parched from hours of exertion.

“What do you want?” she asked, trying to sound annoyed, though she was secretly grateful for the water. Minato had this irritating habit of showing up whenever she was in the middle of something important.

Minato chuckled, taking a seat on the grass nearby. “Just thought I’d check on you. You’ve been training harder than anyone lately.”

Kushina scowled. “Of course, I am. I have to prove myself.”

Minato’s smile softened, his eyes turning serious for a moment. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, you know. You’re already strong.”

Kushina looked at him, her annoyance fading slightly. It wasn’t often that someone spoke to her like that—without judgment, without expectation. But she wasn’t about to let herself be swayed so easily.

“I need to be stronger,” she insisted, her voice firm. “I can’t just be ‘the new Jinchuriki.’ I won’t let that define me.”

Minato watched her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he stood up and stretched, his arms reaching toward the sky. “Well, if you’re going to be training this hard, you might as well have someone to spar with.”

Before Kushina could protest, Minato was standing in front of her, grinning as he assumed a fighting stance. “Come on. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Kushina’s eyes narrowed, her competitive spirit flaring. “You think you can keep up with me, huh?”

Minato’s grin widened. “I’ll try.”

---

The sparring session started off fast. Kushina launched herself at Minato, her fists flying in quick, precise strikes. She was no stranger to hand-to-hand combat, and her speed had always been one of her greatest assets. But Minato was faster. He dodged her punches effortlessly, weaving out of the way with a grace that seemed almost unnatural.

Kushina growled in frustration, pushing herself harder. She threw a kunai, followed by a barrage of chakra-enhanced kicks. But no matter how fast she moved, Minato was always one step ahead, his movements fluid and controlled.

“You’re quick,” Minato said, ducking under another one of her kicks. “But you rely too much on brute force.”

“Shut up!” Kushina snapped, her temper flaring. She hated being lectured, especially in the middle of a fight. “I’ll show you brute force!”

With a surge of chakra, she charged at Minato again, aiming a powerful punch at his chest. This time, she put everything she had into the attack, determined to land a hit.

But Minato vanished in an instant, his body flickering out of sight before reappearing behind her. Before Kushina could react, he tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

“You’re too predictable,” he said, his voice annoyingly calm.

Kushina whipped around, panting from the effort of the fight. Her frustration boiled over. She had never been outmatched like this before, not back in Uzushio. She was strong—stronger than any of the kids back home, and definitely stronger than most of the shinobi in her class.

So why couldn’t she land a single hit on him?

Minato, noticing her frustration, held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Hey, don’t be mad. You’re really strong, Kushina. It’s just… strength isn’t always enough. You’ve got to think strategically, too.”

Kushina glared at him, but she knew he was right. As much as she hated to admit it, Minato was on a different level. His movements were calculated, his attacks deliberate. He wasn’t just reacting—he was reading her every move before she even made it.

“Fine,” she muttered, brushing her hair out of her face. “Maybe I’ll start thinking about strategy… tomorrow.”

Minato laughed, a warm, genuine sound that somehow made Kushina’s irritation melt away. “That’s the spirit.”

---

Later that evening, as Kushina walked back to her assigned quarters, she replayed the sparring match in her head. Minato was good—really good. But what bothered her most wasn’t that she had lost. It was that for the first time in a long time, she felt like she had met someone who truly challenged her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed a group of kids gathered near the entrance to her building. They were all whispering, and as she approached, the whispers grew louder.

“Look, it’s her…”

“The Jinchuriki…”

Kushina’s blood ran cold. She had always known that people would talk about her, but hearing them say it so blatantly made her stomach churn.

“Yeah, that’s her,” one of the boys sneered. “She’s the one with the Nine-Tails.”

“Freak.”

The word hit Kushina like a punch to the gut. Without thinking, she turned toward the group, her fists clenched. “What did you just say?”

The boy smirked, not backing down. “You heard me. You’re just a freak, like the other Jinchuriki. We don’t need people like you in Konoha.”

Kushina’s vision blurred with anger. She had been called a lot of things in her life, but this—this was different. These kids weren’t just teasing her. They were afraid of her, and that fear turned into hatred.

Before she could react, before she could give in to the urge to punch the boy in the face, a calm voice cut through the tension.

“That’s enough.”

Kushina turned to see Minato standing behind her, his expression serious. He stepped forward, placing himself between her and the group of kids.

“You don’t know anything about her,” Minato said, his voice cold and sharp. “And you have no right to judge her for something she can’t control.”

The kids shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, and after a tense moment, they scattered, muttering under their breath as they disappeared down the street.

Kushina stood frozen, her heart still pounding from the encounter. She looked up at Minato, not sure what to say. She wasn’t used to people standing up for her—especially not someone like him.

Minato turned to her, his expression softening. “Don’t let them get to you, Kushina. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Kushina swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump in her throat. “I don’t care what they think.”

Minato smiled gently. “Good. Because you’re a lot more than just a Jinchuriki.”

For the first time that day, Kushina felt a sense of relief wash over her. She wasn’t alone—not completely.

And maybe, just maybe, she was starting to find a place where she truly belonged.

---

To Be Continued...

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