This time, Minato didn't purposely get suspended just to join his best friend. One week of freeloading at Kadoya's place had been more than enough—especially when "freeloading" meant being turned into a human punching bag.
Still, a whole week without Kadoya?
Both Minato and Saiguu felt bored out of their minds. So after school, they made their way to Training Ground #7, where they inevitably reunited with Kadoya.
Time passed, and soon, Kadoya finally returned to the Ninja Academy.
"Kadoya, you are strictly prohibited from using that jutsu again," Ms. Mayabi said with a deadpan expression, arms crossed. Kadoya's gaze immediately flicked to the pair of sunglasses now hanging from her hip.
Kadoya: "..."
He fought back a chuckle. Clearly, Ms. Mayabi didn't trust him enough to follow the rule, so she came prepared for the inevitable day he ignored it.
"That said…" She sighed, rubbing her temples. "I have to admit, your ability to weaponize sunlight is… impressive. Your creativity is admirable. Just give me a warning before you pull something like that again."
Although she was still annoyed—after all, over half the class, including herself, had to be hospitalized to have their vision healed from Kadoya's Bubble Lenses—she couldn't deny the sheer ingenuity behind it. No one else would have even thought of using simple sunlight as a blinding weapon.
"However," she continued, her tone turning matter-of-fact, "this is an order from the principal. Effective immediately, you are now limited to only one sparring match per class, unlike your classmates who get three."
She said it so casually, like she was commenting on the weather.
Kadoya: "..."
He suddenly felt like his most efficient point farming method had just been patched.
How was he supposed to rack up Ninja Points and Evil Points if he couldn't keep beating his classmates into the hospital?!
With a sigh, Kadoya leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, watching his classmates spar. His fight has ended with his opponent giving up just after finishing making the Seal of Reconciliation.
Though some fights were worth a glance—particularly those involving students from the major ninja clans or Minato—the rest barely held his interest. The civilian children, while improving, still weren't skilled enough to make their matches engaging.
At least they were actually fighting now, unlike in their first year when they hesitated to even land a hit.
Closing his eyes, Kadoya shifted his focus inward, recalling the numerous jutsu he had practiced. His progress with the Rasengan was… frustrating. He could almost recreate it, but only with the assistance of two Shadow Clones. That, to him, was inefficient and a waste of energy.
The Rasengan was a devastating, hand-seal-less technique, but relying on clones made the process too slow. He needed to refine his control—master it one-handed, without external assistance.
Muttering under his breath, he formed a series of rapid hand seals.
"Flower Style: Illusion Clone Replacement Jutsu."
A few white petals drifted through the air. It was subtle—barely enough to draw attention. Some students glanced his way, but when they saw Kadoya still sitting in place, their curiosity faded, and they returned to their sparring.
Meanwhile, the real Kadoya was already slipping into the academy's library.
His Flower Style: Illusion Clone Replacement Jutsu was a technique born from the combination of his Flower Style, Genjutsu, and Shadow Clone Jutsu. By creating flower petals and using them as a medium, he momentarily seized attention before weaving an illusion—making those who saw the petals subconsciously forget about him, like how a magician would misdirected the audience's attention with they preform their act.
In that brief window, he seamlessly swapped places with a Clone or a Shadow Clone, depending on the situation.
It was an escape trick, nothing more—but an effective one. The inspiration came from his White Doves Disappearing Jutsu, where a flock of birds distracted his opponents just long enough for him to reposition.
This new variation, however, didn't just divert attention—it erased his presence from their minds, if only for a few moments.
Unless someone caught him shouting Flower Style, most would assume it was simply a Genjutsu using flower petals as a visual trigger.
"Now then… where can I find anything on Fūinjutsu?" Kadoya muttered to himself as he scanned the shelves of the Ninja School's library.
The chances of finding anything useful here were slim to none, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.
Sealing Jutsu was powerful—so powerful that the Uzumaki Clan, renowned for their mastery of it, had been hunted to near extinction. That alone was enough reason for Kadoya to want to learn it. If he could just get a foundation, even the bare minimum, he could build upon it and develop his own Sealing Jutsu over time.
He didn't know whether the current world, the Uzumaki Clan, had been destroyed or not.
So he wanted to learn Fūinjutsu and integrate it with his other skill set.
Just like how he had used Bubble Creation as the base for his other bubble-based techniques.
"What's a little boy like you doing here all alone?"
A calm, gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.
Without looking up, Kadoya absently replied, still focused on the bookshelves. "Trying to find a way to learn Fūinjutsu."
Then, after a brief pause, something clicked.
Wait. He had skipped class. No one else was supposed to be in the library.
His body tensed as he turned around—only to find himself face-to-face with an elderly woman.
She had dark red hair, arranged in buns with hairpins and three clips in the front. A rhombus mark rested on her forehead, and she wore a white kimono, exuding an air of quiet elegance.
Kadoya narrowed his eyes. She seemed familiar, yet he couldn't place where he had seen her before. Still, she didn't seem like a threat. If anything, she felt like someone who belonged in this place, though he knew the Ninja School had no elderly instructors.
"Fūinjutsu…" the old woman murmured with a smile, her dark eyes locking onto his. "I do know a bit about it. Would you like to learn?"
Kadoya's eyes widened. Seriously? He hadn't expected a random encounter to actually lead him to someone knowledgeable about Fūinjutsu.
"Really?" he asked, barely able to mask his surprise and excitement.
The woman simply smiled and began teaching him.
Much to her amusement—and slight astonishment—Kadoya picked it up fast.
With his Sharingan activated, he committed every word she spoke to memory. Any time he made a mistake, he meticulously retraced his steps, recalling exactly what she had said, refining his technique with each correction.
The old woman watched with interest, a pleased smile on her lips as he threw himself into learning.
Time passed quickly. By the time they parted ways, Kadoya had learned more than he ever expected in a single session. With his Fūinjutsu already at a Student Level 2, he doesn't struggle much and could easily pick up on the basics that others would take time struggling with.
That evening, as usual, he made his way to Training Ground #7. Before anything else, he dispelled the Shadow Clone he had left behind to take his place in class.
Ugh… Kadoya grimaced as his clone's memories flooded his mind.
Nothing special had happened—just another dull day of Ms. Mayabi's lectures on basic ninja knowledge, most of which he already knew.
With his usual method of farming points patched, Kadoya found himself skipping class more and more, sneaking into the library instead.
And to his surprise, the old woman kept coming back.
Day after day, week after week, she continued teaching him, guiding him through the intricacies of Sealing Jutsu.
This went on for months.
Then, finally, at the end of the second month—
"By the way, grandma, what's your name?" Kadoya asked casually.
The woman chuckled. "Mito. Mito Uzumaki."
Kadoya blinked.
…
…
That's right. His social skills were so high that it had only taken him two months to ask.
"See ya tomorrow, Grandma Mito." Kadoya waved as he left the Ninja School, his tone casual, almost lazy.
Mito Uzumaki smiled, watching the young Uchiha disappear into the distance before turning on her heel.
As a member of the Uzumaki Clan, her ability to sense chakra extended for kilometers. She could distinguish not just the number of chakra signatures but also their nature—their essence.
And Kadoya Uchiha's chakra…
It was bright. Warm, like sunlight. It almost fooled her the first time they met—if not for the Uchiha emblem on his back, she would have mistaken him for a Senju.
That warmth reminded her of him.
Of Hashirama.
Of course, she wasn't blind to the coldness beneath it, the sharp edge characteristic of his clan. But unlike most Uchiha, that coldness wasn't born from hatred or festering emotions. No… after reading through his profile and watching him over the past months, Mito had drawn her own conclusions.
Kadoya's coldness came from his mind—from the way he thought, analyzed, and schemed. A genius with a streak of mischief, a troublemaker with an undeniable creativity that set him apart.
And yet, despite that sharp intellect, there was something undeniably lively about him.
Mito chuckled softly to herself. 'That boy… he really reminds me of you. And of him.'
Her gaze lifted toward the Hokage Monument, settling on the face of the First Hokage.
"You'd probably like him too, Hashirama."
With that, she turned, making her way back toward the Senju Compound.
Unseen to most, a group of ANBU silently followed from a distance—watching, waiting. But Mito paid them no mind.
She had lived long enough to know when to care.
And when to simply smile.
...
Hokage's Office
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, frowned as he read the latest ANBU report.
Two months ago, Lady Mito had personally visited the Ninja Academy to inspect the learning environment—preparing for the day her adopted granddaughter, Kushina Uzumaki, would enroll.
Hiruzen knew the truth.
Mito was furious with him.
After his failure to send reinforcements to Uzushiogakure.
Despite that, she remained silent, content that the village had at least managed to retrieve one survivor—Kushina—as well as a substantial collection of sealing scrolls.
Mito had been personally mentoring Kushina in the ways of Fūinjutsu, though Hiruzen noted with some concern that the girl's learning pace was… slower than expected.
Still, Mito was patient. She was grooming Kushina to inherit the Uzumaki legacy, preparing her for the inevitable role she would play as the next Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and the new head of the Uzumaki Clan.
But then…
Mito met Kadoya Uchiha.
And in an unexpected twist, the young Uchiha not only learned sealing techniques with astonishing speed—he excelled at them.
Now, according to this report…
Mito was considering making Kadoya the heir to the Uzumaki Clan.
Although she didn't outright say it, her action said it all.
Hiruzen exhaled deeply, rubbing his temple. Before he could dwell on it further—
SLAM!
The office door swung open, and a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Hiruzen!"
Danzo Shimura stepped in without knocking.
Hiruzen sighed, placing the report down. Of course.
"Danzo, knock next time."
Danzo ignored the remark. "It's about Kagami's son. Lady Mito is spending too much time around that boy."
Hiruzen didn't even blink. "I'm already aware."
"Then you understand the problem." Danzo stepped forward, his single eye sharp and calculating. "That boy is an Uchiha. If left unchecked—"
"I already spoke to Lady Mito," Hiruzen interrupted, his tone firm. "She warned me not to interfere with Kadoya."
Danzo's face darkened, his fingers twitching slightly at his side.
"So whatever plans you had for him—" Hiruzen continued, "drop them. Mito has already made her decision."
Disappointment flickered across Danzo's features.
They both had plans for Kadoya.
Hiruzen had considered grooming the boy for ANBU. Danzo, naturally, wanted him for Root.
Now?
Now, both of their ambitions had been overruled.
By Mito Uzumaki.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.
No matter their grievances, neither he nor Danzo could defy her.
Not Mito Uzumaki.
Not the wife of Hashirama Senju.
And so, for now…
They could only accept it.
...
Congratulations! Hidden Quest Complete: "Heir to the Uzumaki Clan: Act 1"
Reward: +3 Fūinjutsu Level + 3 Chakra Level
"Heh!?" Kadoya was confused. He had been learning Fūinjutsu for months already, and now this finally showed up?
"Is something wrong Kadoya?" Natsumi asks, seeing her brother suddenly stare at the ceiling.
"No, nothing, sis. Just some random thoughts." He calmly explained before returning to eating while looking at his system scene.
Sharingan Level 4 (502/2000)
Chakra Level 10 (14/5000)
Taijutsu Level 5 (2362/2500)
Throwing Level 4 (62/2000)
Hand Seals Level 5 (422/2500)
Ninjutsu Level 6 (2425/3000)
Genjutsu Level 4 (102/2000)
Hamon Level 6 (1714/3000)
Fūinjutsu Level 7 (42/3500)
Wind Attribute Level 0 (0/100)
Fire Attribute Level 1 (17/500)
Lightning Attribute Level 3 (117/1500)
Water Attribute Level 6 (1333/3000)
Earth Attribute Level 0 (0/100)
Yang Attribute Level 4 (0/2000)
Yin Attribute Level 4 (0/2000)
Ice Attribute Level 3 (468/1500)
Flower Attribute Level 3 (153/1500)
Looking at his stats, Kadoya is now starting to believe he is slowly becoming Tobirama Uchiha or Kadoya Senju.