Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his chair, humming a tune and reading a small orange book. He occasionally giggled and taking a puff. The paperwork, which used to cover his desk all day, was still there, but taking a small break was fine every once a while.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
A fair-skinned woman of slender build with unique red eyes entered the Hokage’s office.
“Jōnin, Kurenai Yūhi, reporting for duty.” Kurenai walked in and reported with a slight bow.
“Rest easy, Kurenai. Have you recovered? I heard that you had quite an accident.” Hiruzen asked with a concerned expression.
“Hai, Hokage-sama, I have perfectly recovered. A week in hospital, and anyone will do their best to recover faster.” Kurenai smiled, adding a bit of humor.
The hospital food is nutritious, no doubt but it was so bland at the same time that it would make anyone staying there leave as fast as possible.
“Today I have a couple of missions for you.” Hiruzen pointed at the scrolls on the desk.
“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Kurenai grabbed the scroll and started reading it.
“First, you will be having a special class to the graduating batch, where you will tell them about the challenges of being a Kunoichi, which… may or may not help them free themselves of this… fangirlism. Use Genjutsu to make a point. They should know what can happen in the future.” Hiruzen said with all seriousness. “I hope this will help them.”
“Hokage-sama…”
“Kurenai, you had to go through the same thing when you were younger.” Hiruzen raised his brows. “Don’t pity them, just pity their future.”
Kurenai sighed. She just pocketed the scroll, waiting for her next order.
Hiruzen sighed, “Second, you are selected for the Jōnin instructor position. So, observe the students for the Genin team you want at the end of the year exception made; Raito, Naruto, Hinata, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Try to find students who you have an easier time developing.”
A flash of excitement briefly appeared but vanished just as quickly. Gathering her courage, Kurenai spoke up, “I was thinking about forming a scouting and tracking team with the clan students. Specifically, I was looking for Hyūga Hinata to be on my team, Hokage-sama.”
Hiruzen looked at Kurenai, a small smile forming on his aged face. He was aware of Kurenai's past with Hinata, but this matter was now beyond his control.
Hiruzen sighed and turned around, “Her team placement was already decided early this morning. The recommendation for her grouping was personally sent by Hyūga Hiashi, her father and clan leader of Hyūga clan. I am afraid it isn’t possible.”
Kurenai sighed in defeat. No matter her rank or potential, she couldn't contend with a clan leader.
With a sigh, Kurenai made a small bow and left the office, heading towards the academy.
At the academy
Shikamaru, Chōji, Hinata, Naruto, and Raito were walking towards the ground.
“Bah, how would I know how it starts raining or how salt is made?” Naruto complained.
“These teachers don’t know how to teach anything. We should be learning some cool Ninjutsu, like an awesome fire technique…” Naruto continued talking, but the others just ignored him.
Raito slowed down and walked next to Shikamaru. After some thought, Raito finally asked, “Oi, Shika, do you know anything about yang chakra?”
“Huh! Why?”
“Just asking, I found some books on them and wanted to know more.” Raito gave him a random excuse.
“Not much about the details. Chōji’s clan uses yang chakra in their jutsu like for ‘Body Expansion Jutsu’ and all, nothing more than that.” Shikamaru answered after some thinking.
“You know even less than me,” Raito laughed.
“Shika, Raito, walk faster. I am hungry.” Chōji shouted as his stomach rumbled.
“Chōji, you just ate chips. How can you be so hungry?” Raito shouted back, hurrying forward.
“I can eat anytime. Looking at those bento boxes is making me hungry. All I can think right now is how good they are.” Chōji swallowed and looked at the basket in Hinata’s hand.
“You should think more about how to defeat me this Saturday than those bento boxes.” Raito smiled and then whistled.
Chōji paled for a second then replied.
“This time… I will definitely win,” Chōji said seriously. Raito and others took it as means for fun but Chōji took it as a matter of life.
“Haha, everything will be decided this Saturday.” Raito laughed. Thinking about food, Raito also felt his hunger rising.
“Oi, you guys how can you be so slow? Walk faster.” Naruto shouted. He couldn’t believe that his friends would deliberately slow down leaving him and Hinata in the front.
Everyone reached the clearing and sat under the tree. Hinata was sitting beside Naruto with faint blush on her face. Chōji and Raito also took out their food, starting a heated debate.
“How did you learn hat Ninjutsu?” Shikamaru asked all of a sudden.
“What?” Confused by the abrupt question, Raito looked at Shikamaru.
Shikamaru asked with interest when Raito showed his inventory again. “Space-time Ninjutsu, how did you learn it? I don’t think I have seen any ninja do it and the only Ninjutsu which are known as space-time Ninjutsu is fourth Hokage’s Flying Thunder God Technique-”
“It’s from the family.” Raito shrugged and continued, interrupting whatever Shikamaru was going to say. “Well, if you’d like to know more about it, then all I can say is you’ll learn more on Saturday.”
“I also want to take you all to somewhere… so be prepared.” That lame topic turner was not able to change the interest of Shikamaru but there was always someone who will be interested.
“Where?” Hinata asked innocently and quickly, but found that only she was interested. Redness immediately burned her cheeks as she tried to hide with her shoulders.
“That creepy place …” Naruto shivered but as soon as he spoke up, a kunai was lodged by his side.
“Naruto, what did I tell you?” Raito gave Naruto an annoyed look.
Chōji came between them and said, “Don’t fight! If you want to, do it after eating.”
Shikamaru stretched and then looked at Raito, who was looking uncomfortably in a particular direction.
Shikamaru patted Raito’s shoulder and asked in an extremely low voice so that only Raito was able to hear, “Someone?”
Raito nodded slightly.
“Women, one, using Genjutsu,” Raito whispered as his neck shrank down to his collar.
“Thank you for the food.” Chōji and Naruto clapped their hands then separated the chopsticks.
‘She is Yūhi Kurenai, the new Jōnin Anko-nee was talking about, specializing in Genjutsu. Better be careful….’ Raito retracted his Chakra Sense then focused back on the food.
“Oi, you two leave me some.” Raito immediately took the chopsticks, looking for his share.
“Here, Raito-san for you.” Hinata handed Raito a bento box.
“Thanks… Hinata.” Raito thanked Hinata then turned around.
Hinata just smiled sweetly.
“Oh~ Chicken, I love you so much.” Raito sniffed and smiled. The smell was so intoxicating that it was making him drunk. Taking a bite from the chicken, a smile started forming on Raito’s face.
Out of nowhere, a shadow jumped towards Raito and grabbed his bento.
“Eh, what the heck… Ino?” Raito pointed his remaining chopstick at Ino, who was eating his chicken.
“You ate my chicken. That’s my chicken!” Raito shouted as he grabbed his bento box.
Ino did not say anything but smiled while licking her fingers.
Raito looked at her with anger then turned to look at Hinata, who had control over the distribution. She hesitated for a bit looking at Raito, who looked a little crazy right now, before shaking her head in negative.
“Damn it. It’s chicken day.”
“Mhm, mhm.”
Hearing the noise behind him, Raito turned to the three boys, who were eating.
Shikamaru was eating when he felt Raito looking at him, “No way.” then started devouring chicken at increasing speed.
Chōji made a face that seem to say, ‘If you touch it, I’m going to kill you.’
Naruto was already patting his bulging stomach, “Ah, soo good.”
Ino looked at panicked Raito and couldn’t help but let out a small smile, which quickly vanished as Raito turned to her. “It’s just food; how can you be so petty? Here, you can have this.”
Ino handed Raito a bento box covered with a purple cloth. Raito raised his brows in question but Ino just pushed the box towards him.
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As Raito opened the box, a delicious aroma wafted out. Shikamaru and Chōji immediately turned around, giving Ino weird looks, and then their gazes turned to Raito, becoming even weirder.
[Bento Box of Hundred Herbs]
Type: Consumable
Contains fried egg, fried sausage, pickled carrots, and rice
Status effect: + Poison, Faint
Not Recommended for Consumption
[A bento made by Yamanaka Ino waking four in the morning practiced with her mother, getting several cuts on the finger.
$If you don’t eat it you make the girl cry and if you eat it you are going to cry.]
‘What should I do?’ Raito glance at Ino then her finger, which had medical plasters all over. It showed that she was a novice, but the food inside said different. Plump sausages, egg rolls, oil covered rice and some vegetables.
“If you don’t want to, you should give it back,” Ino said stretching her hand out.
Gritting his teeth Raito ate everything in one go. The taste was tolerable, neither good nor bad, but something compelled him to vomit.
“Chōji, be ready.” Shikamaru sighed, then turning to face Naruto, he whispered, “Naruto, go and bring Mari-sensei.”
[Status: Fainting in 3…2…1]
[Recovery in 1 hour]
Then everything went black for Raito.
“Chōji, let’s go!” Shikamaru shouted grabbing Raito’s shoulder.
“…” Ino froze, seeing Raito faint eating her food. “Did I do that?”
A hand touched Ino’s shoulders, offering support. Ino turned back, looking at Hinata and tried to explain, “I didn’t mean to…”
Hinata hugged Ino, didn’t know where the courage to do such came from but the face Ino made forced her, and said, “Ino-san, you used hundred herb mixture. That’s why…”
Ino touched her forehead and weakly nodded.
Hinata smiled brightly and said, “Nothing will happen to Raito-san.”
“But, Ino-san, this mixture… you should know about it. This mixture will help Raito-san get immunity from most of the poison in Konoha.”
Ino looked at Hinata, awkwardness on her face, “Really?”
Hinata nodded, “Yes.”
Ino stood up, ready to go. “We should also go to the infirmary, then. I need to ask him…”
“Ino-san… there is a compulsory class, which would be starting soon. We should go now.” Hinata looked at the classroom and then back at Ino. “Why don’t we go to the infirmary after class?”
Ino nodded then paused for a while before looking at Hinata and gave her thumbs up, “Hinata you didn’t shutter, not even once. Good job.”
“T-Thanks, I am t-trying my best.” Hinata smiled shyly.
At the infirmary
Ding
[Skill Obtained: Poison Resistance Lvl 5 (Passive)]
[Due to medicinal cleansing, gain STR+2, VIT+1]
“I heard from the Nara boy that you ate a hundred herb mixture.” Mari pinched Raito nose forcing him to wake up.
“What ‘hundred herbs’, it’s more like ‘hundred poisons’. I thought I was going to die.” Raito slapped Mari’s hand then patted several places on his body. Raito exclaimed, swatting Mari's hand away and patting several places on his body.
“Excuse me, but I would like to check on my patient.” A boy with the onyx eye, ash-gray hair, wearing purple clothes walked in with a clipboard in his hand.
“No need. I’ve already performed a ‘Diagnostic Jutsu’ and everything is fine.” Mari grabbed Raito’s hand trying to pull him.
“Um senpai, I feel fine. Don’t worry about not being able to do things. I’ll bring someone to fill this bed for you.” Raito said with a big fake smile as he stood up and used [Observe] on the medic ninja.
[Yakushi Kabuto Lvl ?]
???
Description:??
“It’s Kabuto, and as a medic ninja, I cannot allow you to leave until I clarify that you are well.” Kabuto took out a needle and looked at Raito and Mari.
Raito knitted his eyebrows in annoyance and gave double tap with his elbow to Mari.
“Stand down, Genin Kabuto. Student Raito falls under my responsibility. Mari ordered then added, “I am also someone with a license so-”
“I don’t give consent to any medical services by you.” Raito said, his face showing a slight frown and frequent glances at the door, making him appear like an impatient and irritated kid wanting to leave the infirmary.
“I’m leaving.” Wearing his shoes, Raito hurried out, giving a side-glance.
Mari followed out but before leaving, she asked, “Aren’t you on a team? What are you doing here?”
Kabuto closed the files on the clipboard before answering, “It’s work experience.”
“Oh,” Mari just made a noise in acknowledgment then walked out. “Work smart.”
When Raito walked out, he was tackled by Naruto and Chōji.
“Now, you wanna try killing me by smothering?” Raito pushed Naruto and Chōji.
“You and your damn mouth.” Naruto playfully punched Raito then turned to Shikamaru in anger, “You knew about it, didn’t you? That poison thing?”
“Shut up all of you! You boys were supposed to be in your class, attending the special class.” Mari shouted as she glared at the boys.
“Special class?” Four boys groaned and lazily walked towards the classroom.
Mari walked behind the four with her hand massaging her forehead, “We better not say some embarrassing thing.”
“So, anyone gonna tell me what this hundred thing is?” Raito asked, recalling the bento.
“Raito, the ‘hundred herbs mixture’ is a blend of poison and their antidote, made up of hundred different herbs. It is made by my clan and is used to strengthen our body and gain immunity from most of the herbs found in ‘our’ village.” Chōji answered with a rare look of seriousness.
Shikamaru added, “It is a kind of tradition in the clans when they become Chūnin.”
“That’s some weird tradition where you have to get knocked out.” Naruto looked weirdly at Chōji and Shikamaru.
“But why did she-” Raito couldn’t say anymore because he found something odd at the classroom
The silence was quite eerie as all the boys were quietly looking down and the girls were looking pale, and some even had tears marks indicating that they had cried.
Raito looked weirdly at the class and murmured, “Did someone die or something?”
A few who heard Raito, turned their heads and looked at him angrily.
“What?” Raito turned his head ignoring the glare of the students.
“Kurenai, already?” Mari walked forward, looking at the Jōnin in front of the room.
Kurenai nodded, a sad smile forming on her face. Then she looked at the four behind Mari, before focusing on Raito. “He is Raito?”
“Yeah, the biggest pain in the academy.” Mari slapped Raito’s back as she let out a loud laugh.
Dissatisfied, Raito pushed her hand away, “That’s Naruto, not me.”
“Hey!” Naruto pushed.
“Oi,” Raito glared back.
“These four… skipped the special class for a reason.” Mari looked at the register.
Mari nodded before looking at Iruka, who had a complicated expression on his face, and said, “Iruka-sensei, we will be in the next class. Let this get absorbed in their head.”
Iruka nodded and watched them go helplessly.
The next room was the same as class 1-A, but empty.
“Well. brats, take a sit and let Kurenai-sensei do her job.” Mari patted Kurenai shoulder and looked at the four.
Shikamaru and Raito shrugged. Raito even yawned, looking at Kurenai.
“I have a bad feeling about this.” Naruto said as he clenched his hands. The one thing that he was the worst was Genjutsu. Naruto could neither sense Genjutsu nor destroy them.
Kurenai activated her chakra and made quickly made hand seals.
Snake → Rat
“Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique”
At the same time, Raito activated ‘[Chakra Sense]’ and made an invisible sphere of chakra, around him. Activating ‘[Remote Viewing]’, Raito waited for things to happen. He saw himself sitting on the seat then a small seed of bluish chakra entered inside the brain. “Heh… this skill got upgraded by gamer powers.”
[Foreign Chakra detected.]
[Motor pathway depressed.]
[Sensory pathway altered.]
[Foreign Chakra sending information to the brain.]
[Creating video from the information.]
[Saving video...ERROR]
[Creating a new feature called “Files” for saving important documents, videos and picture.]
[Saving video…. Video file named “Kunoichi’s Dangerous Life”]
Reading all the notification one by one, Raito did not realized that small tendrils of white light from the ‘Lucky Star’ were getting absorbed into his body.
Just as he was about to cancel the skill, his head fell and hit the table.
Mari ran forward and lightly tapped Raito. Not getting any response, she shook him violently then lightly patted his face.
“His breathing is normal but the pulse has slow down. Pupil is not responding to light. There is no pain sensation. Kurenai use ‘Diagnosis Jutsu’, you have more control than me,” Mari shouted looking at Kurenai.
“Diagnosis jutsu.” Kurenai immediately appeared in front of Raito and used her jutsu.
“Nothing is wrong with his body,” Kurenai said with a little bit of confusion.
“Will he be fine?” Mari asked with worry on her face.
Kurenai hesitated but nodded.
They waited for a while but Raito was not waking up. Even though Mari decided to wait for a while, her body showed several reaction of irritation.
“Perhaps we should take him to the infirmary.” Kurenai voiced out.
“No!” Mari narrowed her eyes, patting Raito’s head. Then her eyes moved to the ‘Lucky star’, which had spots of light.
Raito’s Mindscape
Four black, blurry figures stood around Raito. Two men, two women, standing in pairs and facing Raito.
One couple stepped forwards and gave Raito a small bow.
“You are our only hope. Please help us.” The woman bowed.
The man scratched his head and looked at Raito then gave a bow. “I am sorry but please.”
After saying this, the two disappeared in smoke.
The two standing behind, walked in front of Raito and crouched down. When Raito saw them, he was shocked.
“You have grown so big.” The woman was gentle as she grabbed his face and started tracing.
The man looked around and sighed. He pulled the woman back then looked at Raito. Before disappearing in black smoke, he gave Raito thumbs up and said. “Son… We hope you like our gift.”
“Do your best.”
After everyone disappeared, Raito felt a heavy feeling appearing out of nowhere, making his head pound.
“Uh… I just want to leave.” Clutching his head, Raito wished to leave.
Snapping open his eyes, Raito jumped back, pulled his kunai and shuriken on each of his hand then threw all of them at Kurenai.
Taking out a kunai, Kurenai blocked the shuriken, which flew back to hit the kunai.
“Calm down, Raito. Everything is fine. That was just a Genjutsu, nothing was real.” Mari said as she appeared in front of Raito.
Opening his eyelids, Raito had red eyes. He glared at Kurenai and yelled, “What the heck was that for? Wasn’t that supposed to be… argh!”
“That was a simple Genjutsu. It is not supposed to cause you pain.” Kurenai explained, frown appearing on her face.
“No pain? I have a splitting headache. For Kami’s sake, can I get any kind of treatment?” Raito shouted, clutching his head.
“Come here.” Mari sat beside Raito and a green chakra covered her hand.
“Mystic palm technique.” Raito said. “Basics of the basic.”
“This jutsu is the most fundamental medical jutsu which allows the user to accelerate the body’s natural healing process by sending chakra from their hands into a wound or afflicted body part. This allows the...” Mari lectured as she continued healing.
“I know about it already, at least, the theory.” Raito closed his eyes and let out a breath.
“That’s good then. And why didn’t you use that jutsu?”
“I did but… it was not about kunoichi. I-” Raito hesitated for a couple of second but decided to answer truthfully. “Mari-nee, I saw mom and dad,” at least half.
“I mean like real, like real-real.” His hands gestured wildly. “Mom even said how much I grew and dad was like-”
Mari suddenly hugged Raito and said, “They loved you, they loved you so much.” her embrace tightening as she thought of them.
[Gamer's mind activated]
Raito pushed Mari and stood up. “Mari-nee… Ahem, I mean Mari-sensei. I am fine, like really.”
Kurenai walked up to the three and slammed her hand on the table, canceling the Genjutsu. “Attention student Akimichi, Nara, and Uzumaki. What you saw just now…” Kurenai continued counseling them.
“Party time! I found a peeping tom.” Anko walked in the room with Iruka, dragged behind.
“Anko!” Mari and Kurenai shouted as they saw Anko throwing a body forward.
“Anko-nee.” Raito waved his hand.
“Iruka-sensei!” Naruto shouted and dashed towards Iruka, ignoring Anko.
Naruto turned around glaring and pointing at Anko but immediately after his face turned pale and his fingers trembled, “You...why….A-Anko m-ma’am.”
“Blondie, you remember me.” Anko appeared behind Naruto and hugged. “How long has it been? Half a year? Man, I am sad that you didn’t come visit me.”
Drawing her kunai out, she made a small cut on Naruto’s cheek, letting the blood trickle down.
“Such rich blood, I missed it. Why don’t you come with me tonight and enjoy several new poison concoctions I have?” Anko blew in Naruto’s ear and licked the blood.
“No! NO! NOO!” Naruto struggled and broke free from Anko's hold. He rushed toward the window, trying to escape.
A shadow came between Naruto and window, and held him by his jacket. Mari smiled and comforted, “Naruto, don’t worry. I will not let anything happen to you. You know I am stronger than Anko, right?”
“As long as you stop pranking, Anko will be off of you.”
“Let me go, let me go, LET ME GO!” Naruto roared in despair.
“I don’t want to be near that crazy snake lady.” Naruto struggled once again but in vain. He was surrounded by Konoha’s top two sadistic women.
“What the heck is going on?” Shikamaru asked and Chōji nodded.
Raito laughed and sat on Naruto’s previous seat, leaning back towards Shikamaru and Chōji. “Anko-nee frequently comes to visit me, and one day, like a fated encounter, those two met and argued about which food is the better. Naruto said ramen, and the Anko-nee said dango. Anko-nee got irritated so, she used her snakes to bite Naruto. When she didn’t see any reaction from him, she used even more lethal poison.”
“…Crazy.”
“Is that safe?” Chōji asked in worry.
“Thing is, Naruto doesn’t get affected from poison like everyone else and Anko-nee likes to try new kinds of poison. So, whenever Naruto sees Anko, he just does this…. even though he knows there is no escape.” Raito dropped a tear for his friend and ate chips while watching the scene.
“Immune to all poison. Is that possible?” Shikamaru asked.
“He is not dead,” Raito shrugged. “… and Anko-nee knows to hold back… probably.”
“Oi, oi, isn’t it dangerous?” Shikamaru felt shivers down his spine as he looked towards Anko and Naruto.
“Yup,” Raito nodded, then paused. Looking at Shikamaru, he added, “If you wanna tell her, then do so.”
With a wave, Raito pulled out another packet of potato chips and started eating it, watching the bickering of his seniors.
“Want some?” He asked Shikamaru and Chōji, pushing the packet forward. Both nodded and started eating. Join in the spectacle of the greatest prankster being toyed.
Kurenai rolled her eyes and coughed to get attention, “Iruka-sensei, you came here at the right time… if you could explain today’s topic to them, please.”
“Actually, I already went through about this at the clan,” Shikamaru replied lazily. Hopefully, they understand that he doesn’t need any more of the talking.
Chōji nodded, “Me too.”
Raito pointed at Anko and said, “Anko-nee’s version was much more detailed than this one.” To which Naruto also nodded. He did try out the new feature. ‘It was less graphic.’
Iruka’s eyebrow twitched hearing Naruto and Raito speak. He faced Anko and shouted, “What the hell are you teaching my students?”
Anko replied in a blank face, “What they needed to know.”
Iruka immediately stood up banging the table near him. “You should know that you can’t teach-”
“What did I teach?” Anko let Naruto go, then focused on the one irritating her.
“I haven’t taught them Genjutsu, Ninjutsu or anything like that.” Anko shrugged looking away in annoyance. “Teaching about life and preparing them is different matter.”
“But even so you can’t do things-”
“The shinobi code of conduct doesn’t say that.” Raito interrupted, felling a little red when Iruka he saw Iruka wanting to say something but couldn’t. “The code doesn’t allow the active duty bound shinobi to not pass their teachings in the shinobi academy to the outsiders; specified to anyone outside the-”
“Raito!” Iruka shouted, feeling all eyes on him, he continued. “I just wanted to-.”
“Huh? You wanted to what!?” Anko flared up.
“Chūnin Iruka! Special Jōnin Anko! Stand down!” Mari shouted, a stern aura exploding from her. “Lesson finished.”
“Brats, back to the class.”
“Kurenai, back to the tower.”
"Iruka and Anko, come with me to the office," Mari said with a devilish smile, cracking her knuckles. "There are some matters I want to discuss with both of you."
In the Hokage’s office
Evening, 5 pm
The sun was setting, casting a warm, crimson glow across the sky, while the gentle evening breeze whispered through the trees, carrying with it a handful of golden leaves on their journey to the ground.
Hiruzen signed the scroll, tied it and locked it in the drawer. Then taking a puff, he turned to the window. “Kakashi, come in. The wind is a bit chilly now.”
Kakashi appeared in the office and gave a small bow. “Hokage-sama.”
“Kakashi, this time you have a team, again” Hiruzen announced after which there was a long silence. “Let’s not repeat the last semester’s incidence once again.”
“Uchiha, Uzumaki and someone?” Kakashi asked opening his orange little pleasure.
“Uzumaki, Yoshizawa, and Hyūga,” Hiruzen corrected.
“Well, that’s surprising. What happened to the elders of civilian council? They were demanding for Sasuke to be under me.” Kakashi asked, a glint of curiosity in his eye.
“Something happened, and we found that the civilian council was causing trouble for a ninja family. Hence, they are facing some charges. In addition, our elders from Konoha council have found news of their grandson was training with someone and they weren’t pleased with that news.”
“I guess they were quite shocked when they learned of this?”
“Danzō is being Danzō, hiding in his small nest, waiting for the storm to blow over.” Hiruzen replied neither fast nor slow enjoying his smoke.
The smoke lingered in the room as Hiruzen relaxed his tense shoulders.
“What will happen to Sasuke?” Kakashi asked.
“You can take him as an apprentice, if he awakens his Sharingan. If not, it’s your choice.” Hiruzen looked out the window, at the bustling streets of Konoha.
“Years have passed, and the two founding clans have been reduced to their current state, what will happen in the future? What will become of the shinobi? This village… I cannot help but worry.” Hiruzen sighed, a mix of sorrow and concern in his voice.
Taking another puff he continued, “The Daimyō of the Fire Country need us and we need him to balance this frail status quo.”
“Hokage-sama,” Kakashi called out weakly. This kind of Intel… sharing this was equal to admitting something.
“Ah, Kakashi, please take that scroll. It contains information about your future Genins. You'll need to keep an eye on Yoshizawa,” Hiruzen said, sitting on his chair, looking at the silver-haired Jōnin.
“So I have to make sure that Yoshizawa doesn’t kill the Hyūga?” Kakashi asked as he looked through the files.
“I don’t think you will have to. He’s a smart kid and he knows how to handle himself.” Hiruzen replied.
“If something like that had happened to me then I wouldn’t know if I could forgive them.” Kakashi sighed. ‘Maybe I still haven’t forgotten… or forgiven.’
Hiruzen waved his hand and turned around, “Now, you should leave And if you see Gai, then tell him to stop training in the street. I don’t want to see any more complaints about him.”
“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Kakashi bowed then disappeared in a puff of smoke.