Asahi naturally had no idea about the conversation taking place in that cramped underground chamber between Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
However, the events that followed proved that his earlier caution was not unfounded.
After consoling Nagato and returning to the small wooden house, Asahi noticed that Konan had already woken up. She was standing by the door, keeping an eye on Yahiko, occasionally glancing toward the entrance with curiosity about where Asahi and Nagato had gone.
It was clear that she was eager to know where they had been, but she refrained from asking aloud, as she didn't want to disturb Yahiko. Her adorable demeanor melted Asahi's heart a little.
It was as if, for this man in his early thirties, Asahi was experiencing the feelings of a protective father. Daughters truly were their fathers' little cotton jackets. While Konan wasn't Asahi's biological daughter, she was his disciple and had become like a daughter to him.
Before Asahi could fully embrace this newfound paternal feeling and cherish the experience of caring for a daughter, Nagato rushed inside, looking flustered. His hurried entrance shifted Konan's attention from Asahi to him.
Normally, Nagato wasn't one to act rashly, so this abrupt entrance surprised Konan even more. Due to his rapid pace, Nagato's hair, which usually covered his eyes, was blown aside by the wind, revealing his eyes, which were swollen and red from crying.
In truth, Konan had known Nagato for many years and had never seen him cry before, so his current state was quite shocking. But when she realized that he was about to burst into tears, she was even more surprised.
Nagato's panicked appearance made Konan's attention shift from Yahiko to him.
Because he had run so fast, Nagato's hair, which usually covered his eyes, was blown away, revealing his now-red eyes that he couldn't hide any longer.
Seeing Nagato like this, Konan was genuinely astonished.
Nagato quickly realized the situation and his embarrassment made his face turn even redder. He tried to cover it up by using his hands to readjust his hair to hide his eyes again, pretending that nothing had happened. But the redness of his face couldn't be concealed.
Asahi, witnessing Nagato's attempt to save face, couldn't help but burst into laughter. He playfully ruffled Nagato's hair, messing it up again.
"You little rascal, you clearly have friends to confide in, yet you insisted on keeping it all to yourself!"
"Sensei!!" Nagato squirmed and tried to break free from Asahi's grasp, but he couldn't resist the laughter.
Konan, seeing Nagato's disheveled appearance and Asahi's teasing, couldn't contain her laughter either. Her laughter only added to Nagato's embarrassment.
Nagato's awkwardness didn't last too long, thanks to Yahiko.
"Hahaha! I'm number one! I truly am a genius; I refined my chakra in such a short time!" Yahiko exclaimed with his eyes still closed, throwing his head back in hearty laughter.
Asahi didn't interrupt him, simply watching Yahiko. As for Nagato and Konan, they both had suppressed smiles, feeling embarrassed on Yahiko's behalf.
Once Yahiko had laughed enough, he finally opened his eyes and looked ahead.
As a result, Yahiko's smile, while staring at his awakened companions, froze in an instant.
"Um, Sensei, and Nagato, Konan. You guys... you've all refined your chakra and woken up, huh... Hehe."
Seeing Yahiko's forced smile and his feeble attempt to salvage the situation, Asahi decisively didn't give him any hope.
"Yeah, Nagato woke up first, just over ten minutes after refining his chakra. As for Konan, she took a little longer, but not much."
Asahi's words had Yahiko instantly sporting a mournful expression. He lowered his head, and it felt as though a black cloud passed overhead.
So embarrassing!!! Argh!
Yahiko wasn't disheartened; he just felt humiliated in front of his comrades.
Nagato and Konan, seeing Yahiko's dejected demeanor, exchanged a glance and wanted to offer some words of comfort.
"Yahiko, actually..."
"Yoooosh!!!!"
Before they could speak, Yahiko's thunderous shout interrupted them.
"Great! I'm proud to have you guys as my partners! I've decided—I'll work even harder from now on and surpass all of you!"
Seeing Yahiko's high-spirited expression, the words they had wanted to say were forgotten.
Squinting his eyes, wearing a big grin, Konan gently encouraged Yahiko, "Yahiko, I believe you'll succeed!"
Nagato nodded in agreement, silently supporting Yahiko.
Touched by their comrades' encouragement, Yahiko extended his hand to them.
"So, from now on, let's all give it our best!"
Nagato and Konan placed their palms on Yahiko's hand and chorused, "Yes, let's do our best!"
Asahi wore a gentle smile on his face as he watched these three hopeful children. At this moment, he felt that his life had just begun to have real meaning.
"All right, enough with the sentimentality here. Remember, hard work isn't just about talking; it's about action."
"Of course, let's start our training!" The three of them shouted in unison at Asahi, their voices filled with hope.
Asahi smiled and didn't stop them but advised, "Training is good, but remember to take care of your bodies. You're still growing, and your nutrition needs to catch up. Be mindful not to strain yourselves."
"Don't worry, Sensei, we'll train!" The three of them replied, determined.
With that said, they each returned to their rooms to refine their chakra.
As for Asahi, after a day filled with various activities, including battling Hanzo, taking on disciples, and building the small wooden house, he felt a bit weary. It was worth noting that he had only been in this world for one day.
However, he had no intention of resting. Instead, he walked outside the house.
Staring at the wooden house in front of him, Asahi formed hand seals, and his chakra rapidly surged within him.
"Senpo: Hidden Seal Formation!"
In an instant, numerous black runes flowed out from Asahi's palms, seeming almost alive as they quickly covered the entire small wooden house before disappearing from view.
After casting one ninjutsu, Asahi didn't stop; he continued to form hand seals.
"Senpo: Protective Barrier!"
Once again, countless runes emerged from his palms. Unlike the previous ones, these runes didn't hide within the house but formed a shield, enveloping the wooden structure.
Under the substantial chakra supply from Asahi, the runes turned semi-transparent before slowly blending into the air.
"Hoo! Hoo!"
Having consecutively performed two sealing jutsu, especially both being barrier types, even someone with Asahi's immense chakra comparable to a Jinchuriki couldn't help but pant heavily.
The consumption was significant, but the effects were undoubtedly noticeable. If an ordinary person were to pass by from the outside, they wouldn't see a thing due to the presence of the hidden seal formation. Even a typical Chunin would only vaguely sense that something was amiss.
As for a Jounin, even if they noticed, the protective barrier on the outside could stall them for a while. Despite Asahi currently being just a Chunin, it was a Chunin well-versed in Sage Arts and equipped with sealing jutsu – a formidable combination.
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