Chương 113: Caught Red-Handed
As Haruto neared his apartment, he spotted Daichi standing outside, looking a bit disheveled. His hair was a mess, and his clothes were wrinkled. But that wasn't what caught Haruto's attention. No, it was the woman standing next to him—the Red-Hot Habanero herself, Kushina Uzumaki. She was glaring daggers at him, and Haruto could already feel the heat of her intensity even from a distance.
Daichi gave him a half-panicked, half-resigned look and whispered in a frantic tone, "I had no choice. Run! She knows about the seal you made me!"
Haruto blinked. Run? That actually sounded like fun. His grin widened as the thought hit him—why not?
Without a second thought, Haruto spun around and started running. His footsteps pounded against the dirt as Kushina's voice echoed behind him, "Get back here, you little punk! You're not getting away that easily!"
A wide smile spread across Haruto's face as he sprinted. Sure, he knew he couldn't outrun a Jonin like Kushina, but the thrill of the chase was too good to pass up. "Hey! I was just helping out a friend!" he called over his shoulder, laughing as he felt her chakra getting closer.
Not even a minute later, a strong hand latched onto the back of his collar, pulling him to a sudden stop. Haruto's feet skidded along the ground, his laughter still bubbling up as he was yanked backward. Kushina had him in her grasp, her fiery temper showing through as she gave him a smirk.
"You think this is funny?" she growled, dragging him back toward Daichi's apartment.
Haruto chuckled, not resisting as she hauled him along. "A little bit, yeah."
Kushina let out a groan, clearly not amused. She barged through Daichi's door and tossed Haruto onto the couch with a huff. "You think you can just make seals for Daichi and get away with it?"
Haruto shrugged, keeping his grin in place. "I was just helping a friend."
Kushina crossed her arms, glaring at both of them. Daichi tried to shrink back, but her gaze was locked on Haruto. "You're not getting off that easy, kid. If you're so good at seals, let's see what you can do. Make me one, right now."
Haruto's grin widened. This couldn't have gone better.
"Sure," he said, sitting up straight and cracking his knuckles. "What do you need?"
Kushina grabbed a blank tag and slapped it onto the table in front of him. "Basic, but show me your best."
With a brush in hand, Haruto set to work, his movements quick and fluid. Even though the seal was basic, he approached it with the same precision and skill he always did. His hands moved like clockwork, and within moments, the seal was finished.
Kushina's POV
Kushina watched closely as Haruto picked up the brush and set to work. She'd seen plenty of Genin try to dabble in fūinjutsu, most of them clumsy or hesitant, but Haruto… there was something different about him. His movements were smooth, confident, as if he had been doing this for years. It was a simple seal—nothing fancy—but the way he executed it caught her attention.
She leaned in slightly, narrowing her eyes as she watched him place the strokes with precision. Each mark was deliberate, calculated. His hands didn't shake, not even once. For a Genin, especially one so young, this kind of control was impressive. Too impressive.
Kushina crossed her arms, suppressing the urge to grin. This kid's good.
Haruto set the brush down and glanced up at her, his usual playful smirk tugging at his lips. "There you go. Simple, but effective."
Kushina's eyes flicked down to the seal he had made, inspecting it carefully. It was basic, just as she'd asked, but the structure was perfect. It wasn't just about the strokes or the shape—it was the intention behind each mark. The kid had a natural talent for this, whether he knew it or not.
Her brow furrowed slightly. "Who taught you to make seals like this?"
Haruto shrugged casually, as if what he had done was no big deal. "I taught myself."
Kushina raised an eyebrow. Taught himself?
She studied him for a moment, not quite sure if he was telling the truth. It didn't make sense. Most shinobi needed years of dedicated training under someone skilled to even begin scratching the surface of fūinjutsu, and here was this cocky Genin, claiming he'd just picked it up on his own.
Kushina leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "You taught yourself? No one showed you the basics?"
Haruto met her gaze without flinching. "Nope. I read a few scrolls, practiced, and here we are."
Kushina let out a low hum, clearly unconvinced but intrigued. He's either lying, or he's even more talented than I thought. Either way, there was potential in him. She could see it in the way his eyes sparkled when he talked about it, and the way his hands moved with ease when working with the seals.
She stood up straight, crossing her arms again as she gave him a hard look. "You got talent, kid, but don't think for a second that you can cheat your way through with Daichi. This is serious stuff. If you're going to play with fūinjutsu, you better understand what kind of power you're messing with."
Haruto nodded, the playful look still lingering in his eyes, but Kushina could tell he took her words seriously. He might be a troublemaker, but he wasn't reckless.
"Got it," Haruto said.
Kushina glanced at the seal again, feeling a strange mix of pride and irritation. Maybe I can work with this kid, she thought, though she'd never admit it aloud. She turned to Daichi, who was nervously watching the exchange from the corner. "And you," she said, pointing a finger at him. "You better start learning for real."
Daichi gave a quick nod, looking like a scolded puppy. "Y-Yes, Kushina-nee."
Kushina smirked, then turned back to Haruto. "You and I will talk more about this seal stuff later."
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked out the door, leaving Haruto and Daichi behind. As the door closed behind her, a satisfied grin crept across her face. That kid's got potential.
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