Naruto: Starting With Three Tomoe Sharingan, Girlfriend Kushina

"Haha, why stop pretending now? That surprised look on your face totally gave you away!" Kushina couldn't help but burst into laughter.

While they were chatting animatedly, the playground suddenly erupted with even louder cheers and applause than before.

Minato, just like Ryun, had thrown three shuriken at once. Two hit the bullseye, and one was very close. He became the first and only one in the class to score full marks.

The other students couldn't help but compare him to Ryun. They all thought Minato was much better than Ryun, and even the girls felt the same way.

Except for Kushina...

In fact, Kushina didn't even glance at Minato. Right now, her mind was completely occupied by how clever she thought she was...

Unmasking Ryun's act gave her a huge sense of accomplishment.

From the initial "self-doubt," to "self-denial," and finally to someone's "true colors being revealed"...

When it came to combat skills, she ranked high in the class, but academically, she was near the bottom.

Being able to see through Ryun's disguise based on small clues proved she wasn't the "dumb girl who only knows how to fight" that others called her.

Winning in terms of brains felt much more rewarding than winning in terms of brawn.

Her own brain was praising her for being smart, and with that kind of validation, how could Kushina not feel proud?

Usually, her brain only complimented her for being physically strong and good at fighting... all her victories were built on brute force.

But now, she had "won" twice in terms of intelligence!

Ryun had no idea about Kushina's complicated thoughts. Now, it was his turn to doubt himself...

"Anyway, this is just my score. Believe it or not..."

In the end, Ryun stubbornly pursed his lips.

Even if Kushina saw through it, it wasn't a big deal. Even if she told others, no one would believe or acknowledge it. And even if it were true, it wouldn't prove much.

90 and 100 were both excellent scores—there wasn't much difference.

"Alright, alright, I won't expose you in front of others..." Kushina giggled and waved her hand.

"..."

Hearing this, Ryun suddenly felt inexplicably annoyed... though he hadn't felt that way before.

Soon, as the outdoor class ended, the students returned to the classroom.

This was the last lesson of the day, taught by their homeroom teacher, Instructor Koda.

During class, Ryun multitasked—listening to Koda's lecture while keeping his hands under the desk, rapidly forming hand seals.

In battles between shinobi, the speed of hand seals could sometimes determine the outcome.

Moreover, to copy jutsu with the Three Tomoe Sharingan, fast hand speed was essential, since every second on the battlefield could influence victory or defeat.

Kushina kept sneaking glances at Ryun. Eventually, as if struck by an idea, she secretly tossed a small paper ball at him.

Behind them, Namikaze Minato stared blankly at Kushina's back.

He saw it—this time, it was Kushina who initiated contact...

"Hey, can you teach me shurikenjutsu?" That was what the note said.

She thought Ryun's throwing skills must be excellent. If he was willing to teach her, she could definitely score higher in the next test.

Seeing this, Ryun was visibly stunned.

Kushina felt nervous and uneasy. The moment she threw the note, she regretted it, afraid Ryun would reject her.

She wanted to see Ryun's expression but was also scared of being caught, so she kept stealing glances until her eyes ached.

Ryun fell into deep thought, remaining silent for a long time. His hands stopped forming seals, and his index finger tapped lightly on the desk.

Kushina couldn't resist turning to look at him. Her impatient nature couldn't stand the silence—she needed an answer, whether it was a yes or no.

But Ryun remained unhurried, as calm as if he were fishing. Occasionally, he even met her gaze, his eyes giving nothing away.

Seeing him take so long to respond, Kushina assumed he was refusing her request, and a deep sense of disappointment settled in her heart.

She had thought someone was finally willing to be friends with her, an "outsider," but it seemed the distance remained...

She didn't even have the energy to observe Ryun's reaction anymore, nor could she focus on what Instructor Koda was saying.

Just as she was drowning in sadness, a small paper ball accurately hit her head.

Kushina quickly glanced at Ryun, her heart pounding uncontrollably again.

Pretending to be calm, she waited a while before picking up the paper ball, as if this small delay could somehow "get back" at him—though in reality, she was dying to see what was written inside...

Finally, with slightly trembling hands, she unfolded the note:

"You teach me sealing jutsu, and I'll teach you shurikenjutsu."

Those words made Kushina's ears turn red again, and the corners of her lips curled up in an unstoppable smile.

The moment he saw Kushina's expression, Ryun knew his goal was achieved.

In this emotional tug-of-war, the little girl had ultimately failed to hold her ground... He felt like he had Kushina under his thumb, and that was indeed the case.

Right now, Kushina hadn't even noticed a critical issue—how did Ryun know she understood sealing jutsu?

Well, it wasn't like she was an expert, but she had learned quite a bit of the basics.

She had never used sealing jutsu at the Ninja Academy, yet Ryun knew she had knowledge in this area... It was a terrifying realization, but Kushina wasn't thinking about it at all right now.

The "intelligence and wisdom" she had displayed earlier now seemed like nothing more than an illusion.

Her brain had quietly changed shape!

Kushina quickly scribbled a reply on the paper and then tossed it, deliberately aiming for Ryun's head...

Ryun picked up the note with his toes and unfolded it to see a single word: "Deal."

Soon, the bell rang, and Instructor Koda announced the end of class. The students cheered in delight.

Just as Ryun was packing his bag to leave, Koda called out, "Ryun and Kushina, stay behind."

A few students, led by Satō, smirked mischievously.

"Instructor Koda, what's the matter?" Ryun asked softly, lowering his head.

"Did you slap Kameda this afternoon?" Instructor Koda asked sternly.

Uchiha Ryun was usually meek, never fighting back or talking back. Why had he suddenly hit someone? Kameda's tooth had almost been knocked out...

If Koda hadn't had urgent matters to attend to, he would've dragged Ryun to his office for a scolding much earlier.

"Instructor Koda, listen to me—"

"Quiet. I'm not asking you right now. Let Ryun explain first." Koda cut Kushina off, glaring at her.

"He called me a brat and pulled my hair..." Ryun answered truthfully.

"Is that true?" Koda turned to Kameda.

"I just barely touched him..." Kameda quickly defended himself.

Both sides stuck to their stories, so Koda looked at Kushina and signaled for her to speak.

"Kameda pulled it, and he pulled hard. I saw it with my own eyes," Kushina declared with absolute certainty.

Truthfully, she hadn't seen anything—she'd been too busy blushing to notice whether Kameda had pulled Ryun's hair...

She only knew because Ryun had mentioned it, but that didn't stop her from taking his side!

Lying through her teeth not only annoyed these troublemakers but also protected her little desk mate. Why not?