"Five hundred and thirty-one, five hundred and thirty-two…"
When Shun returned to his usual training spot, the spirited Guy was still working hard.
On the other side, Kakashi was also diligently practicing his family's sword techniques.
Although something seemed to have happened between them, judging by the bruises on Guy's face and the injuries on his body, it appeared the destined best friends had been fighting.
At that moment, Shun didn't rush into intense training but instead sat by the river, chatting with them.
It turned out Kakashi had realized he went too far before, and with his father's guidance, he decided to apologize to Guy. Guy challenged him but unfortunately lost again.
"Don't worry, but once you learn Rasengan, you'll definitely defeat Kakashi!"
"Yes! When I master it, I'll beat you for sure, Kakashi~~!"
Guy immediately ignited with passion. He turned from crashing into trees to carrying a large rock on his back and hopping like a frog, disappearing three to five hundred meters away.
"Ohhhh, the flames of youth are burning again!"
Hearing the enthusiastic shout from afar, Kakashi clutched his forehead with a headache. If he knew he would get entangled, he wouldn't have wanted this!
But…
"Is it real?"
Kakashi could only look at Shun with curiosity. If it was true, then a ninjutsu without hand seals would be terrifying.
"I'm just curious. It's okay if you don't tell me." Kakashi realized he had been impolite and quickly added, knowing that spying on others' ninjutsu was taboo.
"What do you mean, could I really deceive my friend?"
Saying this, Shun demonstrated the Rasengan to Kakashi.
Seeing his usually expressionless face show disbelief, Shun knew his useful companion had taken the bait!
"So, how is it? Interested? Want to learn?"
Kakashi examined the light blue Rasengan closely and subconsciously nodded at Shun's words.
But Kakashi quickly caught himself, looking wary.
"But I don't have any ninjutsu I can trade for it."
"It doesn't matter. I just hope that you'll accept Guy's challenges in the future. Also... if anyone gets inspired by this ninjutsu and develops one that changes chakra nature, you can share it with me. How about that?"
"Is that all?"
Kakashi felt a bit strange no matter how he thought about it, but nothing seemed wrong.
"Mm, that's all. I can teach it to you first. That way, you won't lose anything."
"Okay! I promise with the honor of the Hatake clan that if a new ninjutsu is developed as a result, I'll teach it to you too!"
Shun couldn't help but laugh at Kakashi's assurance.
"Let's start, let me explain the three stages of Rasengan..."
❀❀❀
As the shadows of the setting sun dipped into the mountain curves, dusk finally melted into the sky.
Life in Konoha was naturally peaceful. As night slowly fell, street lanterns lit up like a long parade. Streets that were somewhat quiet before now bustled with activity.
The aroma from each home wafted far, and the lively atmosphere brought endless enjoyment to Shun.
In this scene, the two girls on either side of Shun had very different moods.
Anko felt reassured and relieved after hearing Shun say, "Orochimaru-sensei will handle it."
However, Kurenai knew that the storm surrounding the end-of-month assessment was more terrifying than she had imagined.
Recalling her father's serious questions when she returned home, she felt a little down despite being out shopping together.
"Don't worry…" Shun leaned over and whispered into Kurenai's ear, "The reason I've revealed so much is because I'm already prepared."
"I know, you might not believe me now. In two days, when you hear something big happening in Konoha, check the two letters in the drawer of my study. Then, you'll understand better."
Kurenai's eyes searched his, wanting to know the truth in his words.
"Mm, I understand."
Kurenai returned to her usual state, while Anko, oblivious, grabbed Shun's hand and skipped into the barbecue restaurant.
Looking at the lively scene of people eating and drinking, and the rich smell of barbecue, the three couldn't help but swallow.
When they were seated, Anko showed a delighted smile like a food lover as the food arrived.
Currently, she was eating freshly served dango, savoring it and squinting her eyes in joy.
"Wow… The three-colored dango here is so good!"
Seeing Anko and Kurenai awkwardly yet harmoniously sharing a meal, Shun sighed internally at the farewell and hurriedly handed various dishes to the two of them.
"Try this, this takoyaki is delicious."
When Shun handed the takoyaki to Anko, the silly girl didn't catch it; instead, she bent forward and gently bit it from his hand, showing a look of squirrel-like satisfaction.
"Hmm… so tasty!"
At the same time, Shun felt a gaze from the other side. He quickly extended his other hand, lifting some food to Kurenai's mouth, "Kurenai, you try it too…"
Kurenai's face flushed a little as she hesitated, "I…I…"
In front of her friend Anko, Kurenai felt shy about being fed this way.
"Hurry up, if you don't want it, I'll give it to Anko."
Shun smiled at the corner of his mouth, then glanced at Anko, whose eyes sparkled. Feeling flustered, Kurenai quickly opened her lips, gently biting and slowly eating the food.
"Hmm…" Even without looking in a mirror, she felt her cheeks warming up, and she didn't dare to lift her head, saying, "It's... really good."
The first time was followed by the second. Under Shun's feeding and the delicious dishes, the two girls had a great time.
The night, good wine, delicious food, the bustling restaurant...
The smoky night market, the warm breeze by the window, and the soft murmurs of the young man beside her made Kurenai's eyes a bit dreamy, wishing time would stay here.
Suddenly, a strange touch on her lips brought her back.
When she looked again, Anko was immersed in her barbecue, and Shun grinned at her.