Morning.
In the meeting room of the Hokage Tower.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in the center, with Akihara Kagura by his side, and the two Hokage advisors, the elders, seated on either side of them. This was the current leadership of the Konoha Village.
"A student in the class, Karin, wants to apply for early graduation."
Umino Iruka stood in front of them, reporting on the situation of the outstanding students in the class: "According to our assessment, Karin has self-taught the Triple Technique and has achieved excellent grades. There are no teachers in the school who can further her knowledge."
"That child..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, with a pipe in his mouth, looked at the documents in his hands, which included a photo of a red-haired girl with glasses, and slowly nodded: "Actually, I had other plans, but since she doesn't want to stay in the ninja school, it would indeed be a waste of her talent to keep her there. What do you think?"
Actually...
Sarutobi Hiruzen had already considered arrangements for Karin.
He wanted to eventually assign Karin to the team of Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of the village, to teach her unique techniques used by the Uzumaki clan to subdue the Nine-Tails. In the event of Naruto's rampage, Karin could subdue him.
However...
Karin seemed reluctant.
Uzumaki Naruto's behavior towards Karin was peculiar, perhaps because of their overly familiar relationship. He did not appear particularly keen on sticking with Karin but rather showed interest in a girl with pink hair in the class.
This puzzled Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He was somewhat baffled as to why Uzumaki Naruto did not share his father's preference for red-haired girls.
Nevertheless.
Regardless, having Karin graduate early was a good thing.
Since she could not learn more in the ninja school, letting her graduate early to study the Uzumaki clan's secret techniques was beneficial. They would think of other plans for her later...
Koharu Utatane had no objections, nodding: "Let Karin graduate with the others next year then. We're aware of her background; her significance to the Konoha is profound..."
"Let her graduate and leave directly."
Akihara Kagura offered his opinion, continuing: "I was the one who rescued Karin. Her scouting abilities are outstanding. The Root is currently short on personnel, so let's hand Karin over to me. I can also teach her the Uzumaki clan's secret techniques..."
"I have no objections."
Homura Mitokado nodded in agreement.
"I also have no objections."
Koharu Utatane hesitated for a moment but did not voice any concerns.
Although Akihara Kagura was not Shimura Danzo, his words were similar to Danzo's, so handing Karin over to Kagura was acceptable.
"Let's do that then."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had no objections either.
Because he had already familiarized himself with Karin's story and knew she would highly depend on Akihara Kagura. Besides Root, she probably wouldn't want to go anywhere else.
"By the way."
Umino Iruka added somewhat apologetically: "There's another student in the class named Sai who also wants to apply for early graduation. He has already mastered many jutsu and even some unique secret techniques. The school can no longer teach him anything new..."
"Oh?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen became curious, looking at Akihara Kagura: "I remember this child is an orphan, right?"
"Should be."
Akihara Kagura shook his head, not particularly interested in Sai: "Other than providing funds to maintain the orphanage, I haven't visited the orphanage in a while."
"I see…"
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought about the relationship between Akihara Kagura and the orphanage, and couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at Akihara Kagura: "However, I guess this child also wants to go to the root, right?"
"Let him go to Anbu."
Akihara Kagura, not greedy at all, took the initiative to say, "I have not heard that Yakushi Kabuto and the head of Yakushi Nono specifically mentioned him. If he is not outstanding, just mastering a bit of secret techniques, letting this child graduate normally is also okay…"
"Then do as you say."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
As long as Akihara Kagura is not like Shimura Danzo, who wants to recruit people into his own ranks whenever there is a shortage of manpower, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't mind these.
However...
Sarutobi Hiruzen was happy too soon.
"There's also…"
"Uchiha Sasuke also wants to graduate early…"
Umino Iruka looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen and Akihara Kagura, and cautiously continued, "Uchiha Sasuke's physical skills and shuriken throwing techniques are quite excellent…"
"This child can be handed over to me."
Akihara Kagura immediately became interested, spreading his palms and saying, "I have been wanting him to come to the root for a long time. I'll find an opportunity to send him to reunite with his clan…"
"Huh?"
Umino Iruka was startled.
"Rejected."
Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his pipe on the table, and ordered with an unpleasant face, "Let Uchiha Sasuke continue to attend school as usual."
Umino Iruka saw Sarutobi Hiruzen's face not looking good, and quickly swallowed the rest of his words. In fact, another child in the class named Uzumaki Naruto also wanted to graduate, but that child's grades were far from meeting the standards for early graduation application.
"Let it be."
Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand to signal Umino Iruka to leave, and started lecturing Akihara Kagura beside him, "Kagura, Uchiha Sasuke is innocent. You must treat all the children in the village equally, not because he is Uchiha Itachi's brother…"
"I understand."
Akihara Kagura leaned back in his chair, sharing his thoughts: "Then I'll train him well, and let him take revenge on Uchiha Itachi, is that okay?"
"Just let him attend school and live a peaceful life!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head, once again rejecting Akihara Kagura's proposal to allow Uchiha Sasuke to graduate early and join the root.
The meeting ended quickly.
In the evening.
Hatake Kakashi and Akihara Kagura went to the Ninja School to pick up Karin and Uzumaki Naruto, and then went to the Konoha barbecue restaurant, where Mitarashi Anko was waiting for them.
"I knew Karin would pass!"
Mitarashi Anko slapped Karin on the shoulder, turned her head to look at Akihara Kagura, and said, "I kept my promise to give Karin extra lessons!"
"Why didn't I pass…"
Uzumaki Naruto, eating barbecue, still muttered somewhat dissatisfied.
"Because you even use the Transformation Technique incorrectly!"
Mitarashi Anko slapped Uzumaki Naruto's head, giggling and saying, "Karin graduated, so I don't have to give you extra lessons anymore!"
"Eh? No more tutoring?"
Uzumaki Naruto looked at Mitarashi Anko somewhat surprised.
"Of course!"
Mitarashi Anko nodded, incessantly eating sweets: "Actually, I accepted the invitation just to teach Karin, who joined the class late. It just so happened to include you, a little devil with poor academic performance."
"I see…"
Uzumaki Naruto's chopsticks suddenly paused, and his eyes immediately filled with a hint of gloom, like a little beast that had been abandoned.
In fact, Uzumaki Naruto had guessed this day would come.
When Naruto spoke about having a home tutor who could give them extra lessons, the other children in the class looked at him with either envy or sympathy.
However, his friend Shikamaru felt Naruto was very lucky. Shikamaru was very aware of the expensive price of a home tutor, which Naruto could not afford with his living expenses.
Everything that happened in these years...
For Uzumaki Naruto, it all seemed like a dream.
Even though he nearly died from an assassination attempt by Uchiha Obito, his life turned out to be fortunate as he met many people who did not discriminate against him, his classmates and neighbors like Karin, as well as Hatake Kakashi, Akihara Kagura, and Mitarashi Anko.
Sometimes...
Uzumaki Naruto felt like they were all a family.
Uzumaki Naruto felt he and Karin were like siblings.
They often had arguments and disputes. Karin, the sister, would indulge him, teach him not to waste money, and even take him out to eat when he had no money...
Hatake Kakashi was like a head of the family who couldn't earn money outside, often showing a poor appearance, liking to let his colleague Tenzo pay for meals.
Akihara Kagura was an outstanding elder brother, rarely able to return home, always busy outside, always appearing as the pride of heaven, and the villagers referred to Akihara Kagura as a hero.
Mitarashi Anko was the family's most temperamental elder sister, extremely irritable, but sometimes very kind to them.
All of this...
Truly seemed like a dream.
Now...
This dream had ended.
But, indeed...
This was always a beautiful dream that was bound to end eventually.
All of this had nothing to do with him. What he had received was already enough; he still had to live well even if he was left alone in the future!
Uzumaki Naruto immediately picked up his positive spirit again, grabbed his chopsticks, quickly picked up some grilled meat, and stuffed it into his mouth!
However...
Someone noticed.
Akihara Kagura glanced at Mitarashi Anko.
Mitarashi Anko quickly noticed something was off with Uzumaki Naruto, even though Naruto recovered quickly, the sense of abandonment and loneliness was still visible to her.
That loneliness and solitude...
Wasn't this the same feeling when she was abandoned by Orochimaru?
"I can continue to tutor you," she said.
Mitarashi Anko picked up her chopsticks and tapped Naruto's chopsticks, revealing a cruel smile, "After you graduate, you'll have to use the money you earn from missions to pay off the tutoring fees you owe me over the years!"
"No problem!"
Uzumaki Naruto became excited once again.
Even though Naruto knew the tutoring fees might be expensive, for him, who aspired to become the Hokage, paying off these tutoring fees would definitely be manageable!
"What a naïve kid..."
Hatake Kakashi sighed softly.
"Captain Kakashi."
Akihara Kagura placed a piece of grilled meat on Hatake Kakashi's plate.
This action set off alarm bells in Hatake Kakashi's heart, his heart began to beat rapidly, fearing that Akihara Kagura would pose another difficult question to him!
"If you have something to say, just say it, no need to be so polite..."
Hatake Kakashi looked at the grilled meat on his plate, swallowing his saliva, not because he was craving it, but because he knew this piece of meat must be very expensive.
Since getting to know Akihara Kagura, Hatake Kakashi had come to understand his character well; once he starts being polite, it surely means trouble...
For example...
The first time Akihara Kagura was polite to him in a ramen shop, calling him "Kakashi-senpai," he almost messed up the Chunin Exam by impersonating his identity...
And later on.
Akihara Kagura started calling him "Captain," and began to kidnap the Mizukage and the Tsuchikage, making his heart as a Captain tense enough to be rushed to the emergency room...
Now...
He even offered him a piece of grilled meat.
"It's nothing much."
Akihara Kagura poured a cup of pear juice for Hatake Kakashi and took the initiative to say, "I plan to ask you to help me practice Taijutsu..."
"Your Taijutsu is already very good."
Hatake Kakashi was ready to refuse immediately, knowing how much stamina Akihara Kagura had, he couldn't withstand battling with his all day.
"However."
Hatake Kakashi thought of a good friend who had returned to the village from a mission yesterday and offered a suggestion, "I can introduce someone to you, that guy is probably the most diligent in practicing Taijutsu in Konoha..."
Night fell.
The streets of Konoha village.
A man dressed in green tights and a Konoha Village green vest was walking on the street with his hands, utterly indifferent to the strange looks from passersby, nor caring about the sweat on his forehead, simply counting numbers to himself.
"Only thirteen more laps to complete five hundred laps. If it's not possible with both hands, then I'll walk five hundred laps around the Konoha Village with one hand..."
"Crazy..."
"Why walk like that..."
"Is this guy really a ninja from the village?"
Amid the pointing and whispering of a group of villagers, the man in tights continued to walk on his hands unwaveringly, gasping for breath from exhaustion but still not giving up.
"The proud azure beast of the Konoha, never gives up!"
After clenching his fist, the man in tights punched the ground hard, and his speed immediately increased by a lot!
Until late at night, the man in tights finally completed his training. Gasping for breath and planning to rest against the wall at the edge of the village, he saw four figures leaping into the Konoha Village, immediately realizing they might be enemies infiltrating the village.
Despite his own physical exhaustion, the man in tights still managed to muster the strength and will to fight, following the four figures as he jumped in!
However...
When the man in the green tights jumped in, he was immediately surrounded by the four individuals, and he also saw the four masked people, their eyes were the crimson red of the Sharingan!
"It's people from the Uchiha clan..."
The man in green tights breathed a sigh of relief internally, remembering that the people from the Uchiha clan were companions in the village: "Sorry, I thought you were..."
The next moment...
The man in green tights remembered something, and cold sweat began to drip down his face: "Wait, if my memory serves me right, didn't all the people from the Uchiha clan die a few months ago? Are you spirits coming for revenge?"
"..."
The four masked individuals looked at each other and nodded in confirmation that it was indeed the man in green tights, then charged directly at him!
Wooden spikes appeared in their palms, and the four masked individuals swung the wooden spikes in their hands, stabbing at the man in green tights!
"Don't blame us..."
"If there's anyone to blame, it's you for seeing something you shouldn't have!"
~~~
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