Chapter 0073 Unexpected Promotion: The Youngest Jonin!
Why… why do I have to do something this outrageous in the middle of a heartwarming reunion? My heart clenched painfully as I forced out an apology, "I'm so sorry, you two..."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Why that face all of a sudden?"
They both rushed forward, concerned.
"Because... I'm about to do something terrible. Forgive me!"
Without giving them a chance to react, I wrapped my arms around Shizune's waist and kissed her straight on the lips.
Shizune was completely frozen, her mind seemingly unable to process what was happening. Even my sister, Kurenai, stood there, wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Y-You two…"
Before she could finish her sentence, I released Shizune and turned my attention to Kurenai, repeating the exact same action on her.
After finally pulling back, I looked up at the sky and yelled dramatically, "I regret nothing! My life is complete!"
This blatant shamelessness only fueled their growing fury.
"You're worse than sick! You need serious treatment!"
"Hiroto-kun, you're a pervert!"
Kunai and shuriken rained down on me instantly.
[Congratulations, host, for completing the choice! You've earned ten days of cultivation and one year of dragon growth.]
Dodging left and right, I barely had time to process the system's notification. "Wait, listen to me!" I shouted while avoiding their attacks. "I swear, I didn't want to kiss you both! It wasn't my choice!"
"Shut up!"
"You're so dead!"
To them, my words only sounded like sarcastic excuses. "Didn't want to kiss us?" Yeah, right. They were ready to beat me senseless.
In their rage, they started using jutsu. Fireballs erupted at my feet, forcing me to leap out of the way, followed by wind blades slicing through the air near my head. I couldn't help but be impressed by how much their abilities had improved in just two months. They were really coming into their own.
Of course, to me, this was all just child's play. But to avoid pushing them further, I feigned shock, dodging wildly and eventually making a run for it.
"Get back here!"
"We won't let you escape!"
They weren't about to let me off easily. Their voices echoed behind me as they gave chase, turning the entire camp into a chaotic scene, drawing the attention of nearby shinobi.
"What's with that kid? Running around like that is so unprofessional! I'll go stop them."
"Hold up, those are Lady Tsunade's disciples."
"Oh… never mind then."
"Heh, but you have to admit, it's a fun sight to watch, right?"
"Yeah, it's like reliving the good ol' days."
"I doubt you ever had cute girls like those chasing after you as a kid."
"Man, that was uncalled for."
Ignoring the conversations around me, I was actually starting to enjoy the situation. Every now and then, I'd turn back to make a goofy face, teasing them, leaving Kurenai and Shizune torn between wanting to strangle me and laughing at how ridiculous I was acting.
But, as they say, all good things come to an end. In my moment of carefree running, I forgot one crucial rule: Don't let your guard down.
Before I knew it, I ran face-first into something soft. I hit it so hard that my entire face practically sunk into it.
"Having fun?"
That voice… That terrifyingly familiar voice sent a chill down my spine. Slowly, I turned my head up and saw Tsunade-sensei glaring down at me.
"Ts-Tsunade-sensei?!" I stammered, dread washing over me.
It's over. I'm done for. I had just recovered from one embarrassing situation, and now I ran right into the most dangerous person in the camp.
Kurenai and Shizune stopped dead in their tracks, their expressions shifting to match my nervousness. They stared at Tsunade with growing apprehension.
"I see you're all having a lot of fun," Tsunade said, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Should I join in?"
"I-I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" I quickly bowed my head, owning up to everything before she decided to squish me like a bug.
"Oh? You're not running away this time?" Tsunade grinned, grabbing both of my ears and twisting them playfully—but painfully. "You're usually fast enough to earn a nickname like 'White Flash,' huh?"
"Don't—don't say that! Minato-senpai would object! Ow, ow, ow! Sensei, that hurts!"
"Hmph." She released my ears but still stared at me like I wasn't off the hook just yet. "Come with me. There's a new assignment for you all."
Wait… what?
Blinking in confusion, I followed Tsunade, gesturing for my sister and Shizune to come along as well. What was going on? Wasn't I supposed to be punished for what just happened?
We entered the main tent, where Tsunade casually tossed a document onto her desk in front of me.
"This is for you," she said coolly. "From now on, they'll be accompanying you on missions."
I hesitated for a moment before picking up the paper and unfolding it. My eyes widened as I read through its contents.
It was an official appointment letter, signed by none other than the Third Hokage himself. The document was filled with all sorts of formal language, but the main point was clear:
Due to Hiroto's outstanding contributions in battle, and upon Lady Tsunade's recommendation, he is hereby promoted to the rank of Jonin—without the need for further testing.
I was officially the youngest Jonin in Konoha.