Naruto: Starting With Three Tomoe Sharingan, Girlfriend Kushina

Early the next morning.

Uchiha Ryun ran all the way in the dark, arriving early at the Senju clan's territory to pick up a certain red-haired little girl who had just woken up.

The two spent half an hour running to the Hokage Rock, then sat bickering for another half hour before watching the sunrise for yet another half hour.

Ryun's legs started itching, and he suggested continuing their morning run. Upon hearing this, Kushina immediately protested loudly.

She had been looking forward to this romantic date all night, struggled to get out of bed, ran until she was exhausted like a dog, and now it was ending after just half an hour???

In the end, after watching for another half hour and seeing Ryun constantly scratching his calves, Kushina reluctantly agreed to join him for another round of morning running.

However, since she wasn't used to running in the morning, she quickly became exhausted and had to stop.

"You're way too weak, huh?"

Ryun laughed, using the same words she had once mocked him with to tease her back.

"I'm a girl, of course my stamina isn't as good as a boy's!" Kushina argued stubbornly.

"..."

Ryun was speechless. If someone from the Uzumaki clan had poor stamina, then there probably wasn't anyone in the ninja world with good stamina...

"How about I carry you while running?"

Ryun suggested in a low voice, making Kushina blush slightly in embarrassment.

But before she could respond, Ryun's next words turned her face from red to black:

"It'll be good extra weight training..."

"You..."

Kushina realized this damn bastard really didn't know how to talk properly...

Stamping her foot angrily, Kushina turned and strode straight back toward the Senju clan's territory.

"Where are you going? Big bro will treat you to breakfast!" Ryun quickly caught up to her.

"Get lost!!!"

"???"

'We were talking just fine, why did she suddenly explode again???'

In the afternoon.

Under the pretense of visiting his teacher, Ryun entered Orochimaru's private residence.

"Hehe... To think Ryun would actually come to visit me. Do you have any doubts about your training?" Orochimaru gave him a teasing smile.

"Hahaha, no doubts really. I just happened to pass by Orochimaru-sensei's place and wondered if you were home..."

Since he had already mastered the two jutsu Orochimaru taught him, if he didn't visit his "good teacher," where else would he get new techniques?

"You came at just the right time. I was just about to leave... A few minutes later and you might have missed me." Orochimaru smiled.

"Orochimaru-sensei, are you going to..."

Before Ryun could finish, a loud voice drowned him out.

"Sensei... I'm here!"

Nawaki jumped directly over the wall.

"As you guessed, we're heading to the Hokage Building to pick up a new mission!"

Orochimaru first explained, then let out a hoarse laugh:

"Since you don't seem to have anything else going on right now, why not come with us?"

"..."

Ryun fell silent.

Was Orochimaru planning to make him a corpse carrier again...

'Whatever, fine... At least there's money to be made...'

Thinking this, Ryun nodded with a smile.

Though he wasn't short on money, Orochimaru had asked him directly. Given that Orochimaru had rewarded him with two jutsu last time, he couldn't just refuse outright...

"Good. First, go home and inform your parents. Tell them we'll be leaving the village for a mission, and the duration is uncertain..."

"After notifying them, head straight to the village gates and wait for us. Nawaki and I need to find a suitable mission..."

On the way home, Ryun lowered his head, deep in thought. He sensed hidden meanings in Orochimaru's words, and there were even some contradictions.

Orochimaru clearly stated it was an out-of-village mission with an uncertain duration, meaning it could take a long time.

But his second statement said they still needed to find a suitable mission... If they hadn't even accepted a mission yet, how could Orochimaru be so sure it would take a long time?

Ryun guessed Orochimaru already had a mission in hand, one that would definitely take a while outside the village.

Bringing Nawaki to the Hokage Building to pick up another mission might mean they intended to complete two at once.

Ninjas prioritized efficiency in everything, and someone like Orochimaru, who believed life was short, was especially meticulous about it.

Thinking about this, Ryun immediately created a shadow clone.

The real body went home to inform his mother, Asuka, about the trip and prepare the necessary supplies.

The clone went to the Senju territory to explain the situation to Kushina and told her to practice "tree-walking" on a wall by herself.

Someone with stronger bloodline power than the Uzumaki princess (evident from her even redder hair) wouldn't get hurt even after falling a thousand times. Her earlier complaints about her butt hurting from falls were just excuses...

Being caught after falling from a tall tree was a "game" Kushina could play all day without getting bored.

An hour later.

Orochimaru and his students arrived at the village gates. The poor Nawaki was carrying a bunch of luggage, while Orochimaru had nothing on him, looking relaxed and carefree...

"Orochimaru-sensei..."

"Let's move out!"

Orochimaru waved his hand and led the way out of the village. The two quickly followed.

Three days later.

In a small village on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waterfalls, within Fire Country territory.

Orochimaru and the two boys had been lying in ambush in the village for an entire day.

After leaving the village, Orochimaru ordered a forced march. The three of them reached the border in just two days.

Their mission was ranked A-level. The objective was to eliminate a small group of rogue ninja from the Land of Waterfalls.

These rogue ninja had recently raided several small villages within Fire Country's borders. The Land of Fire took this very seriously and ordered Konoha to eliminate all intruders.

In reality, Orochimaru was the main executor of this mission, as one of the rogue ninja was a jonin.

The mission was highly dangerous and originally unsuitable for genin and academy students. But Orochimaru, confident in his skills and bold by nature, believed it would be good for his students to witness real high-level combat.

Thus, he overruled objections, ignored the Hokage's advisors, and brought the two boys along again.

"A large group of strangers is approaching. Likely the mission targets. Both of you, stay hidden. Do not reveal yourselves or act without orders."

Orochimaru had already detected the enemies' movements through his summoned snakes spread outside.

"Follow all commands. Only reveal yourselves when I give the signal."

"Yes!!"

Nawaki and Ryun each hid in a tree, nodding solemnly.

This mission was high-risk, so they had to remain fully alert.