The entire classroom had gone dead silent. Every student stared in shock at the boy who usually wore a warm, sunny smile. But now, his bright blue eyes were fierce—like a wild beast sizing up its prey.
That look alone made a few timid boys and many girls instinctively back away.
Was this really the same Namikaze Minato they knew?
His sudden transformation left Akasaka Yu's lackeys frozen in place. Even Kushina's expression was one of complete astonishment. And deep in her crimson eyes, a flicker of joy quietly bloomed.
Perhaps even she didn't notice it herself.
Mikoto, too, was stunned. But seeing that Minato was unharmed and had protected Kushina, she let out a breath of relief. Still, there was a flash of surprise in her gaze.
That move Minato just pulled off—it was far too fast. Faster than anyone in the Academy had a right to be.
In fact, from what she'd seen, even some genin in her clan couldn't move like that.
Those genin were all older than ten and trained directly by elite chunin and jonin. Minato, on the other hand, had no family, no clan. Aside from the Academy, he had no one to guide him.
How in the world had he gotten so strong?
She never realized Minato had this kind of ability.
"Cough… cough…"
The frozen atmosphere broke with a sharp bout of coughing. Akasaka Yu, who had been kicked clear across the room, spat out a mouthful of blood. Luckily, he was built tougher than most kids his age and didn't immediately pass out.
Even so, he was now slumped against the hallway wall, unable to stand.
A few steps away, some students had stopped in the hallway, startled by the sudden commotion.
Most of them looked panicked. Only one boy—surrounded by a small group of others—frowned slightly, his gaze cool and assessing.
Whoosh!
Just as that boy took a step toward the classroom to investigate, a figure appeared beside Akasaka Yu in a blur too fast to follow. Kneeling down, eyes sharp with concern—it was their homeroom teacher, Shirota Moto.
"Akasaka Yu, are you alright?"
Shirota asked as he helped him up. Yu winced in pain, letting out a sharp cry—but the teacher's attention had already shifted to the wall behind him.
A faint crack ran through the spot where Akasaka Yu had slammed into it.
That kick packed a serious punch.
Shirota frowned. Who in his class had that kind of strength? His gaze flicked toward the back of the room, where he spotted Minato, Kushina, and Akasaka Yu's crew.
Minato's eyes caught his attention instantly. Beneath the wild intensity… there was something else. A flicker of killing intent, too subtle for the other kids to notice.
But he noticed.
These were just Academy students. Most of them had never even been in a real fight. And yet, that look—coming from the famously kind and gentle Minato—was unmistakable.
There was no need to ask. He already knew who was responsible.
"Okamoto Sa, Nakaya Kaze. Get Akasaka Yu to the infirmary."
Shirota's calm voice snapped two dazed boys out of their stupor. They rushed over, picked up the barely-conscious Yu, and carried him away down the hall.
"Everyone else, it's lunch break. Go on, nothing more to see."
Shirota turned to the onlookers in the corridor and waved them off. The boy from earlier glanced uneasily at the cracked wall, then quietly left.
Back in the classroom, Minato's fierce expression finally began to fade.
He knew that now that Shirota had arrived, no one would dare bother Kushina again—at least not today.
"Minato, what exactly happened here?" the teacher asked as he approached. His voice wasn't accusing—he knew Minato wouldn't attack someone without a reason.
But Minato just lowered his head, silent.
That silence made Shirota's face darken. Seeing this, Mikoto hurried forward.
"Sensei, it was Akasaka Yu and his friends! They were picking on Kushina. Minato was just protecting her!"
Shirota narrowed his eyes.
"Is that true?" he asked, looking toward Kushina.
She seemed… shy. Uncharacteristically so. As if she was embarrassed to speak.
That reaction was enough to confirm it for him. He gently took Mikoto by the hand and led her out of the classroom to hear the full story.
Once they were gone, Minato slowly lifted his head.
All around the classroom, the classmates who had always treated him warmly were now looking at him differently. There was awe in their eyes—but also a trace of fear.
And just like that, what he had feared most came to pass.
Minato had always hidden his true strength because he didn't want to stand out. He didn't want to be seen as some prodigy or genius. He just wanted to be part of the group.
His strength wasn't for glory—it was to protect the people of the village.
But if that strength only made others feel distant from him... afraid of him... then what was the point?
He sighed inwardly, then turned through the stares to look at Kushina.
His usual gentle smile returned.
"Kushina, are you alright?"
She nodded without thinking. Her eyes, though, had changed—there was something new in them now.
A moment later, she bowed to him.
"I'm sorry... about earlier."
Minato blinked, caught off guard.
Why was she apologizing?
What he didn't know was that Kushina used to think he was kind of a pushover—too delicate, not someone to rely on. His gentle looks didn't help either. If someone didn't know him, they might've thought he was flaky or unserious.
But what he'd just done completely shattered that impression.
Someone had stood up for her, risked trouble for her, just because he wanted to protect her. That had never happened before.
Kushina felt something stir in her chest. Something warm. Something unfamiliar.
Minato noticed it, too, in her eyes.
"Thank you!"
She blurted it out suddenly—her usual quirky way of speaking slipping in at the end—and her baby-fat cheeks flushed red.
Then, before he could react, she spun around and bolted out the back door.
Right as Shirota and Mikoto returned through the front.