"This is quite peculiar. Rice is going for 25 ryo per half a kilo. Luckily, the vegetable prices haven't skyrocketed; otherwise, we'd be tightening our belts when it comes to food expenses."
In the midst of summer break, Minato, now a tad taller, lugged two bags of rice with a hint of concern on his face. Tatsuma, by his side, nodded in understanding. A number of others in their vicinity seemed to share the sentiment, having also amassed a stash of provisions.
This unexpected announcement from the rice merchant, explaining the irregular adjustment of grain prices due to rising logistics costs, had cast a shadow of uncertainty. Furthermore, judging from the prevailing trend, the prices were unlikely to drop in the short term and might even continue their upward trajectory.
When it came to vegetables, meat, poultry, and eggs, there was indeed a slight price hike, but it wasn't as pronounced as the increases seen in rice and flour. This discrepancy could be attributed to the ample supply of these items in both Konoha and its surrounding areas.
Tatsuma let out a sigh and remarked, "Jiraiya-sama and the others only returned once last year. It makes me wonder if the situation beyond the village is no longer as peaceful as it used to be."
Upon processing this information, Minato, who had harbored a faint premonition since two years ago, abruptly inquired, "Tatsuma, do you believe there's a looming war? Similar to the one over a decade ago?"
Minato was referencing what eventually became known as the First Great Ninja War. Tatsuma, devoid of his usual iconic smile today, nodded with sincerity and responded:
"War is inevitable. In truth, since the conclusion of the last major conflict, the ninja world has never truly enjoyed sustained peace. Sooner or later, a second war will sweep across the entire ninja realm, and perhaps even a third or beyond. Each war essentially serves as a continuation of the preceding one. Considering the current circumstances, it's evident that the tensions between villages and nations have escalated. It's plausible that, after some time, the onset of war is imminent."
While Tatsuma acknowledged the inevitability of a Second Great Ninja War and a Third Great Ninja War, having resolved to adopt a determined mindset to become a strong ninja beforethat happened, as the looming conflict approached, he found himself overwhelmed with anxiety.
He had not personally experienced war, and compared to Minato, his capacity to accept the reality of war was even lower..
Observing the weight on Tatsuma's countenance, Minato shook his head and remarked, "Perhaps we're letting our thoughts run wild? We haven't ventured beyond the village, so how can we truly grasp the realities of the ninja world? Jiraiya-sama and the others might return soon with news that war won't erupt after all."
Minato, as he spoke, appeared somewhat uncertain himself. Tatsuma chose not to dispute Minato's thoughts. Instead, he simply shrugged and remarked, "Alternatively, if the prices of meat, poultry, and eggs keep climbing, we might find ourselves resorting to fishing and foraging for vegetables."
The village subsidies, once ample, had become inadequate in the face of the soaring prices. Even for their recent significant purchases, they had to dip into their savings.
"I've heard there are training grounds with plenty of wildlife. Maybe we should go explore them," Minato suggested.
Nevertheless, Tatsuma shook his head and responded, "The animals placed in training grounds are specifically chosen to enhance ninja training, meaning they tend to be dangerous."
Putting aside whether they can effectively hunt, many of these creatures are omnivores, carnivores, or even scavengers, making them generally unsuitable for consumption."
"Why is that?"
Intrigued by Tatsuma's explanation, Minato inquired. Tatsuma pondered for a moment and succinctly clarified, "The more pure and straightforward the nutrients in a species, the more suitable it is for human consumption. For instance, animals like cows and sheep that feed on certain plants are suitable for us to eat, as well as simpler options like vegetables and fruits."
Minato nodded, seemingly grasping the explanation, and Tatsuma chose not to delve into the intricacies of the food chain with him. Unless absolutely essential, he had no intention of consuming the meat of dangerous animals.
As they continued walking, they would soon approach the fork in the road where their paths diverged. Unexpectedly, Minato posed a question, "Tatsuma-kun, if a war truly erupts and the village calls on us, would you opt for an early graduation?"
Taken aback by Minato's inquiry, Tatsuma responded in turn, "Is early graduation something you're considering?"
Following the question, Tatsuma furrowed his brow. Considering the original storyline where Minato graduated from the Academy at the age of ten, Tatsuma couldn't help but wonder if his early training had accelerated Minato's development, prompting such thoughts on his part.
Minato nodded in confirmation, stating, "Sensei Atoma commented on our strength before. In reality, we've already surpassed the Academy's graduation standards and are close to meeting the requirements for Chunin. Not to mention, if you didn't catch on, Atoma-sensei has been subtly encouraging us to graduate early. He even hinted that Hokage-sama might assign excellent Jonin to lead our teams."
Tatsuma took a moment before responding. After the end-of-term exams in the early part of the holiday, Sarutobi Atoma had a conversation with the two of them. However, at that time, Tatsuma casually brushed it off with a smile.
Observing Tatsuma's reluctance to delve into the sensei topic, Minato opted not to pry and feigned ignorance at that time too.
Nevertheless, in this private exchange between the two, Minato sensed no necessity to conceal anything, and Tatsuma's silence wasn't born out of a fear of graduation but rather a thoughtful contemplation.
If both he and Minato chose not to graduate, Tatsuma could continue to employ this gradual and secure approach to leverage Minato's abilities, thereby elevating his own potential. However, if Minato opted for early graduation, leaving Tatsuma alone in the Academy, the pace at which his own capabilities would improve might suddenly decelerate. After all, there was no one else in the class who could rival Minato's exceptional attributes and character.
The class boasted numerous gifted individuals, including Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Inuzuka Tsume, Uchiha Tenko, Hyuga Sento, and even a unique insect user. Their talents were noteworthy, and there was also Kushina, a Jinchuriki candidate whose potential might be on par with Minato's.
However, attempting to derive benefits from these individuals would prove to be quite a challenge. Shikaku was solely engrossed in Shogi, and any other game would be met with a flat-out refusal. Choza's passion revolved around food, and when it came to Inoichi, Tatsuma remained clueless about the types of games that piqued his interest.
Concerning the Uchiha and Hyuga, while there hadn't been significant conflicts over the past two years, the relationships weren't particularly close, especially with Uchiha Tenko, who had been defeated by Tatsuma in four consecutive matches.
It remained uncertain whether Sarutobi Atoma orchestrated it intentionally, but over the four semesters of practical assessments, Tatsuma faced off against Uchiha Tenko four times, emerging victorious in each match. Simultaneously, Minato engaged with Hyuga Sento four times, also securing success in every encounter.
After facing defeat in the initial two encounters, Uchiha Tenko, who used to confidently assert his victory in the next match, had now fallen silent, even actively avoiding Tatsuma whenever their paths crossed.
Hyuga Sento displayed a similar demeanor. Furthermore, these two promptly returned to their clan grounds after class, rendering any attempts at extra practice impractical. Trying to derive benefits from these individuals seemed increasingly challenging.
Regarding Inuzuka Tsume, their relationship was notably shallow, with minimal interaction between them. Aburame Shibi was even more distant, with Tatsuma often regarding him more as a distant classmate due to his low profile and entirely different interests.
Kushina appeared to have recently embraced a more low-key lifestyle, seldom spotted outside of class hours.
As a result, if Minato chose to graduate early, Tatsuma found himself without a compelling reason to remain in school. Early graduation held its advantages, especially the prospect of both of them being assigned to the same team.
Even if they didn't end up on the same team, it wouldn't be a significant issue. Drawing from Tatsuma's year of experimentation with the system, any scenario involving combat, even if not explicitly agreed upon but praised, would invariably default to initiating a match.
Upon becoming ninjas, they would inevitably face adversaries during mission execution. Though the occurrence might not match the frequency of their current training sessions, it provided a practical alternative without the necessity of contriving situations for matches.
Nevertheless, Tatsuma cast a glance at Minato and inquired, "Excluding me, are there no people in the class that you're reluctant to leave?"
The moment the words left his mouth, an awkward atmosphere enveloped them. Tatsuma's query had a peculiar ring to it. Swiftly, they averted their gazes, and Minato earnestly delved into contemplation.
Were there individuals he hesitated to part ways with? Undoubtedly, there were.
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