Chapter 2

Uchiha clan territory, clan training grounds.

I've been enrolled for a while now, and the lower grades' courses are basically simple basic ninjutsu, taijutsu, and theoretical knowledge.

Because Yuki's taijutsu skills were not ideal, she specifically asked her cousin, Uchiha Fugaku, to give her extra training.

Uchiha Yuki gripped the kunai tightly in her hand, its sharp edge gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Looking at Fugaku Uchiha standing a dozen steps away, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and slowly gathered chakra in her feet. Just then, a leaf drifted down, and in that instant, Uchiha Yuki suddenly exerted force with her feet, lunging forward like an arrow. Her movements were swift and fierce, aiming the gleaming sharpness of her kunai directly at Fugaku's vital points.

Fugaku Uchiha narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp as he precisely observed Yuki Uchiha's every move. Just as the kunai was about to fall, he swiftly reached out and firmly grasped Yuki's wrist.

The difference in strength was insurmountable. Using the hand that was being held, Uchiha Yuki gritted her teeth, suddenly turned to the side, and kicked Fugaku hard in the head.

Fugaku chuckled lightly, his laughter carrying a hint of ease and confidence. He swiftly reached out with his other hand and firmly grasped Yuki's foot. From beginning to end, Uchiha Fugaku stood firmly in place, without moving an inch.

This was an absolutely overwhelming and complete annihilation! Uchiha Yuki was furious, her face flushed red like a ripe apple. She knew in her heart that this guy was just toying with her. Although she was already inferior in skill, being suppressed so easily still made her feel extremely frustrated.

The boy lifted the girl by one hand and one foot, lifting her away from the ground. The girl struggled slightly in the air, but the boy was a little embarrassed by her glare, and her ears turned slightly red. He obediently put her down on the ground.

After finishing her kunai, Yuki stood still, glanced sideways at Fugaku, and said angrily, "Fugaku-nii is bullying a child. I'm going to tell Mikoto-nee and Namikaze-senpai." Her voice carried a hint of coquetry and threat.

"Eh, eh!?" Fugaku Uchiha looked puzzled, his eyes wide, and hurriedly said, "Wasn't Yuki supposed to spar with me? And why is Namikaze called 'senpai'?"

Uchiha Yuki crossed her arms, raised her chin slightly, snorted, and said, "I don't care, Fugaku-nii has to treat me to three-colored dumplings. Otherwise, I won't like Fugaku-nii anymore."

Uchiha Yuki inwardly cursed herself for not feeling any shame at all when she pretended to be a child.

If the body is like a child's, has the mind also become assimilated?

However… Uchiha Yuki secretly glanced at Fugaku out of the corner of her eye, pondering to herself. Fugaku didn't seem like the stern and serious figure Sasuke remembered from the original story. In the original, Fugaku always had a stern face, rarely smiled, and was intimidating. But the current Uchiha Fugaku, apart from those barely noticeable tear troughs, was completely like a slightly repressed, fun-loving young man of his age—he laughed, joked, and even got embarrassed by her own antics.

"Then we have no choice but to ask Yuki for help." Fugaku Uchiha looked at Yuki Uchiha, who had turned to the side, puffed out her cheeks, and pretended to be angry. He couldn't help but laugh and ruffled Yuki's hair with one hand.

"Fugaku-nii! You've messed up my hair!"

-

The Uchiha clan compound in the heart of Konoha Village was tranquil and peaceful, while the adjacent Konoha commercial street was bustling with activity, its hustle and bustle and the calls of vendors blending into a vibrant symphony of everyday life. Fugaku and Yuki walked side by side through the crowd, each holding a string of three-colored dumplings, and simultaneously took a bite.

Fugaku Uchiha, chewing on a dumpling, suddenly spoke up: "Hey, Yuki, a new student transferred to the school yesterday. Did you hear Mikoto and Namikaze mention it?"

New classmate?

Uchiha Yuki's heart skipped a beat, and a name instantly flashed into her mind—Uzumaki Kushina. She took a bite of the dumpling coated in soybean powder and brown sugar syrup, the sweet, chewy flavor spreading in her mouth, making her involuntarily squint her eyes. As she chewed, she pondered. Objectively speaking, she only knew the general plot. The stories, coming and going, were nothing more than Naruto Uzumaki's legendary journey of leveling up after birth, winning back his best friend with his witty remarks, and writing a tale of friendship in Konoha. She was completely clueless about the details, especially those concerning his parents' generation.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Yuki asked with some curiosity, "Is she a girl?"

Fugaku Uchiha nodded and said, "Yes, I heard that she is the last remaining member of the Uzumaki clan in the Land of Whirlpools, and she is in Minato and Mikoto's class. I only saw her from afar, and she seemed to have long, fiery red hair, which was particularly eye-catching."

"Fugaku!"

Just then, a vibrant voice suddenly rang out. Uchiha Yuki looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man walking towards them with a broad smile. This young man had a face that was remarkably similar to Naruto Uzumaki, so much so that Uchiha Yuki couldn't help but pause for a moment when she saw him. Those similar features seemed to carry a familiar yet strange sense of intimacy.

"This child is so beautiful! Fugaku! What's her name?"

The boy's smile was bright and cheerful, like the warm sunshine of spring. He crouched down to meet Uchiha Yuki's gaze, his brown eyes fixed on her like a large, curious brown dog, making one instantly fond of him.

Seeing this, Fugaku Uchiha quickly shielded the girl behind him, and Yuki Uchiha also instinctively grabbed his clothes, hiding her small body slightly behind him, only revealing half of her face, curiously looking at the boy in front of her.

“This is my cousin, Uchiha Yuki.” Fugaku turned around, smiled gently at the girl, and introduced her, then turned to the boy, “This is Senju Nawaki, she’s in the same class as my brother.”

Uchiha Yuki peeked out slightly and said softly, "Hello... My name is Uchiha Yuki."

"Snow? What a beautiful name! My name is Senju Nawaki!"

In the original work, Senju Nawaki only appeared briefly in Tsunade's memories, and Uchiha Yuki knew very little about him. She only knew that he had fought against the Sand Village ninja in a battle... Thinking of this, she was silent for a moment, then took the hand that Senju Nawaki had extended to her; that hand was warm and strong.

"Hello, Rope Tree Bro."

-

After school at the ninja academy, Uchiha Yuki didn't rush home like her classmates. Instead, she took a long detour to the riverbank and casually sat down on a patch of grass. Her feelings after encountering Senju Nawaki were as complex and unpredictable as the clouds swirling in the evening sky.

She didn't know whether she should interfere in other people's destinies. Even if she wanted to, could she really change the predetermined outcome?

Xue sat on the lawn, hugging her knees, looking lost in thought.

She looked up when she felt a cool touch on her face. Before her was the backlit figure of Minato Namikaze in the twilight. The sun was slowly setting, its last rays casting a honey-like glow on his face and illuminating his golden hair. His beautiful eyes, clear and bright, resembled the pristine blue sky after a storm, radiating a gentle yet resolute light.

Minato Namikaze spotted Yuki's small figure from afar, sitting alone on the lawn. He had bought a drink at a shop and returned, only to find her still there, which relieved him. As he walked over to greet her, he saw Yuki raise her head, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears, as if they might fall at any moment.

He panicked instantly, inwardly regretting that he might have frightened her. Before he could even say "sorry," Uchiha Yuki quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve, revealing a smile that was neither familiar nor polite.

"It's Namikaze-senpai, good afternoon."

In Minato Namikaze's memory, Uchiha Yuki was a very polite and beautiful child. So seeing her sitting alone by the river, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, and took the liberty of going over and sitting down beside her.

Is something on Xiaoxue's mind?

Minato Namikaze's voice was gentle, as if it possessed some kind of magical power, always making others involuntarily open their hearts to him.

Uchiha Yuki remained silent for a moment, hesitating whether she should seek his help. After all, he was destined to become the Fourth Hokage; a ninja who could become the Fourth Hokage must possess some extraordinary abilities.

Moreover, he's the father of the protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, and it's fair to say the entire original story revolves around the protagonist. Perhaps this father of the protagonist can come up with some solution. That's what Yuki thought.

She hesitated for a long time, hugging her knees, resting her head on her arm, turning her face slightly towards Minato Namikaze, her eyes fixed on him, and slowly said, "Namiikaze-senpai, I read a novel. In the novel, a friend she knew died in the past, and coincidentally, she traveled back in time. But she's unsure whether to save this friend, or whether even if she intervenes, she still can't change this friend's fate. So what should she do?"

Uchiha Yuki stared intently at Minato Namikaze's every expression, afraid of missing even the slightest change. Minato first furrowed his delicate brows slightly, his eyes seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he looked at Yuki, his blue eyes shining brightly, and said firmly, "Then do it, regardless of whether you can save them or not. Just do it, and don't let yourself think too much."

This seems to be a question that wouldn't stump Minato Namikaze.

“But…” Uchiha Yuki was about to speak when she was interrupted by Namikaze Minato.

"But if you do nothing, you'll regret it even more, Yuki." Minato Namikaze stared intently at Yuki, his upright and stern gaze leaving her nowhere to hide. She lowered her gaze to the calm, still stream.

Just then, a pair of large hands landed on her head, and Yuki looked up slightly. Before she knew it, Minato Namikaze had stood up. His figure was much taller than five-year-old Yuki, like a majestic small mountain, giving her a sense of security.

"Xiaoxue, don't think too much. No matter what happens, or what Xiaoxue knows but doesn't do anything about, no one will blame you." Minato Namikaze's voice was gentle, like a spring breeze, lightly brushing against Uchiha Xue's heart, making her subconsciously feel a desire to rely on him.

Uchiha Yuki couldn't help but wonder, was Namikaze Minato like this to everyone?

"Why is Namikaze-senpai taking such good care of me? Senpai is just a classmate of Mikoto-nee."

"Because you are my junior, shouldn't becoming Hokage mean protecting everyone in the village?" Although it was a question, Minato Namikaze said it with absolute certainty, his firm tone leaving no room for doubt.

Uchiha Yuki was stunned for a moment. If that were the case...

If Minato Namikaze had survived, perhaps the Uchiha clan wouldn't have suffered such a devastating massacre...

A gentle summer breeze stirred, lifting Minato Namikaze's golden hair, his azure eyes particularly striking in the sunset's glow. His already handsome features, even at such a young age, were made even more striking by the setting sun. The atmosphere was so quiet they seemed to hear each other's heartbeats; Yuki could almost hear her own heart pounding.

"I..." A few red clouds floated up on Uchiha Yuki's face: "I will also become stronger to protect Namikaze-senpai and Mikoto-nee!"

This was the first time Minato Namikaze had been told by a girl younger than him that she wanted to protect him. He was taken aback for a moment, then bent down slightly and smiled at Yuki: "Okay, Yuki will protect me when she grows up. For now, let me protect Yuki, okay?"

Uchiha Yuki replied softly, "Okay..."

"What kind of novel is it? It sounds quite interesting." Then, Minato Namikaze looked curious. "Speaking of novels, Jiraiya-sama's novels are also very good!"

His smile was as dazzling as a golden flash. Yuki turned her face away, her ears slightly red, and muttered, "Mikoto-neechan was right when she said Namikaze-senpai was a bookworm..."

It was as if a connection had begun to form between hearts.