Chapter 10 – New Cheat

Sarutobi Hiruzen was sitting on his chair, humming a tune and reading a small orange book. Sometimes giggling and sometimes taking a puff, while his shadow clones were furiously doing his work. The paperwork which used to cover his desk all day was no more, instead, there were two scrolls on the table ready for him to handout.

KNOCK! KNOCK!!

A fair-skinned woman of slender build with unique red eyes entered the Hokage office.

“Jōnin, Kurenai Yuhi, reporting for duty.” Kurenai walked in and reported with a slight bow.

“Rest easy Kurenai. Have you recovered fully? I heard that you had quite an accident.” Hiruzen asked, his face full of concern.

“Hai, Hokage-sama, I have perfectly recovered. A week in hospital and anyone will do their best to recover faster.” Kurenai smiled. The food in hospitals was so bland that it would make anyone staying there, leave as fast as possible.

“Today I have a few 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 an afternoon, only girls classes to the graduating class, where you will tell them about the horrors of being a Kunoichi, which may or may not help them free themselves of fangirlism. Use Genjutsu to make a point. They should know what can happen in the future.” Said Hiruzen pointing on the first scroll.

“Hokage-sama…”

“Kurenai, you had to go through the same thing when you were younger.” Hiruzen raised his brows.

Kurenai sighed. She just pocketed the scroll, waiting for her next order.

Hiruzen sighed, “Second you are to observe the students for the Genin team you want at the end of the year exception made Yoshizawa Raito, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hyuga Hinata. Try to find students who you have an easier time developing.”

A flash of excitement appeared but as soon as it appeared, it disappeared. Gathering her courage, Kurenai spoke up, “I was thinking about making a scouting/tracking with the clan students, especially I was looking for Hyuga Hinata to be on my team, Hokage-sama.”

Hiruzen looked at Kurenai, a small smile forming on his aged face. He knew about Kurenai caring for Hinata from very little since Hitomi died. But this matter was something out of his hands now.

Hiruzen sighed and turned around, “Her team placement was already decided early this morning. The recommendation for her grouping was personally sent by Hyuga Hiashi, her father, the clan leader of Hyūga clan. I am afraid it isn’t possible.”

Kurenai sighed in defeat. However high her rank was or would be, she was not able to contend against a clan.

“Before I leave I would like to know who the team leader is, Hokage-sama?” Kurenai asked. Maybe she could talk to that person and make special training sessions in the future.

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.

“Those teachers don’t know how to teach anything. And why do we need to learn this math and all? We should be learning some cool Ninjutsu, like an awesome fire technique…” Naruto continued talking whereas 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 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.

“Shika, Raito, walk faster. I am hungry.” Chōji shouted as his stomach made a rumbling noise.

“Chōji, you just ate chips. How can you be so hungry?” Raito shouted back, hurrying forward.

“I can eat anytime. Looking at the bento boxes Hinata is carrying is making me really hungry. All I can think right now is how good they are.” Chōji swallowed and looked at the basket at Hinata’s hand.

“You should think more about how to defeat me this Saturday than those bento boxes.” Raito smiled then whistled.

Chōji paled for a second then replied.

“This time I will definitely win,” Chōji replied 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 and patting his stomach. 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 how slow everyone was walking.

Everyone reached the clearing, sitting under the tree. Hinata was sitting beside Naruto with faint redness on her face. Chōji and Raito also took out their food, going on a fierce debate.

“How did you learn this Ninjutsu?” Shikamaru asked all of a sudden.

“What?” confused by the question Raito looked at Shikamaru.

“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.” Shikamaru asked with interest.

“Well…..eh….umm.” Raito cursed a million times in his mind but his expression remained the same outside.

“Well if you like to know about it then all I can say is that it was an accident. Let’s not talk about it anymore and also this Saturday I want to take you all to somewhere so be prepared.” That lame topic turner was not able to change the interest of Shikamaru.

“Where?” Hinata quickly asked 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, do it after eating.”

Shikamaru stretched then looked at Raito who was looking uncomfortably in a 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, using Genjutsu, northwest,” 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.

“Oi, you two leave me some.” Raito immediately took the chopsticks looking for his share.

“Here Raito-san for you.” Said Hinata as she handed Raito a box.

“Thank you… Hinata-san.” Raito thanked Hinata then turned around.

Hinata just smiled sweetly.

“Oh Chicken. I love it.” Raito door a whiff and exhaled hot air. 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… the hell… Ino?” Raito pointed at Ino who was eating his chicken.

“Oi! That’s my chicken.” Raito shouted who was eating the chicken with her fingers.

“Huh, so what? You should feel honored that this lady is eating your food.” Ino replied proudly, even pointing herself with five fingers.

“Honored? Honored my ass. You just ate my chicken. That’s my chicken!” Raito shouted

Hearing the sound behind him, Raito looked back at the three boys who were eating.

Shikamaru was eating when he felt someone staring his food, “No way.” He used his hands and grabbed the chicken increasing his speed.

Chōji made a face saying: ‘If you touch it, I am going to kill you.’

And Naruto was already patting his bulged stomach, “Ah soo good.”

“It’s just food how can you be so petty? Here, you can have this.” Ino handed Raito a bento box covered by a purple cloth.

After Raito opened the box, a delicious smell came out. Shikamaru and Chōji immediately turned around, looking at Ino weirdly. 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

Recommended not to eat

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 the hell!? I don’t have a choice.’ Then Raito glance at Ino then her finger which had bandages all over.

“If you don’t want to, you should give it back,” Ino said hiding her hands behind.

Gritting his teeth Raito ate everything in 30 seconds.

“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 blacked out for Raito.

“Chōji, let’s go!” Shikamaru shouted grabbing Raito’s shoulder.

“…” Ino fell to her knees, tears dropping from her eyes.

A hand touched grabbed Ino’s shoulders, trying to give her support. Ino turned back, looking at Hinata and tried to explain, “I-I didn’t m-mean to do….”

Hinata hugged Ino and said, “Ino-san, you used ‘Hundred herb’ mixture for food?”

Ino 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 poison.”

Ino looked at Hinata, awkwardness on her face, “Really?”

Hinata nodded, “You have made him even stronger. So, you should feel happy.”

“We should also go to the infirmary, then.” Ino stood up, ready to go.

“Ino-san… there is a compulsory class for girls only, which would be starting soon. We should go now.” Hinata smiled.

“Why don’t we go to the infirmary after class?” Hinata’s smile grew even more as she held Ino’s hand.

Ino nodded then looked 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.

Gamer’s world – Earth

“How can this happen!? How? How? How? Damn it”

“Haaaaaaa!!!!!”

Aura released out visible to the naked eyes, covering him and expanding, destroying everything it touched. Jee-han pulled his arm then hit the ground below him, destroying it.

Rumble! Rumble!

“Sigh.” Sang-ah sighed. Her breath contained magic as the ground restored into the original state.

“You shouldn’t watch TV if it makes you this emotional.” Sang-ah closed the screens of the dead peoples.

“All died but one. It is only been a week, how the hell one dies so easily?” argued Han-Jee Han. He looked at the screen in front of him, anger bubbling inside.

“You did say one survived.” Sang-ah moved her fingers, calling a screen forward.

“Even if I get a recipe I cannot do anything with it,” Han-Jee Han massaged his temples looking at the screen.

“So, has he been chosen?” Sang-ah asked.

“Comparing, he really is the weakest and that world has the lowest energy concentration. He is just too lucky.”

“Lucky?” Sang-ah waved her hand a blue screen appeared, showing Raito’s base stat. Then she covered her small mouth holding back her giggles.

“Ah.” Dumfounded Han-Jee Han scratched his head in shame.

“How is he even alive?” asked Han-Jee Han. The unluckiest person will also have a minimum of ‘1’ point in luck.

“It is because of that artifact, I guess.” Answered Sang-ah as she looked at the pendant in Raito’s equipment list.

“But how long will he last?” sorrow appeared in Han-Jee Han’s eye. Almost all the people that were randomly chosen by the constructs were dead. And while one was alive, the chances of actually getting something was very little.

Sang-ah sighed. On her thought, a blue screen appeared in front of her.

She grabbed Jee Han’s and said softly. “Let’s support him to the fullest.”

“…”

“Sang-ah.” Jee Han grabbed her hand and said with heads lowered. “There is something that I have been planning to do for a long time.”

“Jee Han?”

“Gaia… I want to pray, pray to her.” His eyes shone brightly. In these past seven years, he had grown much. From a nobody high-schooler to one of the strongest. He had done a lot with magic and manipulated energy to his wishes but what he never did was pray. He never once did pray to Gaia even after knowing her existence.

“Let’s pray together then.” Sang-ah smiled as she looked lovingly at Jee Han.

At the infirmary

Ding

[Skill Obtained: Poison Resistance Lv 5 (Passive)]

[Due to medicinal cleansing gain STR+2]

“Kid, if you are awake than get up, we don’t have all day to waste. Heard from the Nara boy that you ate a hundred herb mixture, you were knocked out for a whole hour.” Mari pinched Raito nose forcing him to wake up.

“What ‘hundred herbs’, it’s more like a hundred poison. I thought I was gonna die there. Seriously!” Raito slapped Mari’s hand then patted several places on his body.

“Excuse me but I would like to check my patient.” Said a boy with the onyx eye with ash-gray hair wearing purple clothes and bandages on his arms.

“No need. I have run a ‘Diagnostic Jutsu’ and everything is fine.” Mari grabbed Raito’s hand trying to pull him.

“Eh… um senpai, I feel fine. Don’t worry, I will bring someone to fill this bed for you, sometime later.” Raito said with a big fake smile as he stood up and used [Observe] on the medic ninja.

Yakushi Kabuto Lv??

???

Description: ??

“It’s Kabuto and as a medic ninja, I cannot allow you to leave I clarify that you are perfectly well. And… I ask you not to harm anyone outside of the practice field.” Kabuto took a stance as he saw Raito moving.

Raito knitted his eyebrows in annoyance.

“Stand down Genin Kabuto. Student Raito falls under my responsibility. And Raito, you too will do no such thing.” Mari ordered.

“Hai Mari-sensei.” Kabuto relaxed, giving Raito an equally fake smile.

As soon as Raito exited the infirmary, he was tackled by Naruto.

“Now you wanna try killing me by hugging?” Raito pushed Naruto and rolled his eyes.

“You and your damn mouth. Because of it you nearly died today? And you Shikamaru you knew about it, didn’t you? That poison thing?” Naruto pointed in anger.

“Shut up all of you! You boys were supposed to be at your class, studying. So go to your class and waste some time now.” Mari shouted as she glared at the boys.

Four boys groaned and lazily walked towards the classroom.

“So anyone gonna tell me what this hundred thing is?” Naruto asked.

“Naruto, hundred herbs mixture is a mixture of poison and antidote made up of hundred different herbs, made by my clan and is used to strengthen our body and gain immunity from most of the poisons found in our village,” Chōji answered with a rare look of seriousness.

“It is a kind of tradition in the clans when they become Chūnin, they have to drink this mixture,” Shikamaru added.

“That’s some weird tradition where you have to get knocked out.” Naruto looked weirdly at Chōji and Shikamaru, stars glittering in his eyes.

All of them reached the class and found that the ever noisy class had turned. 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, “Oi, did someone die or something?”

How would he know what everyone was thinking?

Everyone turned their heads and looked at Raito angrily.

“What?” Raito turned his head ignoring the glare of the students.

Chōji and Shikamaru forcefully made Raito bow then Shikamaru said, “Sorry, he is just out of infirmary so the drugs must be screwing with his brain?”

“Kurenai?” Mari looked through the door at the Jōnin in front of the room.

“Mari.” Kurenai looked at Mari, a smile forming on her face.

“Why are you here?” Kurenai walked towards Mari and asked in a low voice.

“Don’t say anything right now but it is all because of this brat.” Mari ruffled Raito’s hair and answered her.

“So he is Raito?” asked Kurenai as she pointed finger at Raito.

Mari frowned looking at the boys in the class. Then, she looked at the four with her and questioned Kurenai, “Wasn’t this supposed to be a girls-only class?”

“… I believe that…”

“Don’t.” Mari waved her hands then looked around.

After finding Iruka who was looking at his students, Mari called him and said, “Iruka-sensei, we will be in the next class. Let this get absorbed in their head and since I was with them, I will be taking these brats.”

Iruka nodded at the statement and watched them go helplessly.

The next room was the same as class 1-A bit empty.

“Well, brats, take a seat and let Kurenai-sensei do her job.” Mari-sensei patted Kurenai's shoulder and looked at the four.

Shikamaru and Raito shrugged. Raito even gave a yawn, looking at Kurenai.

“I have got a bad feeling about this,” Naruto said as he clenched his hands. The one thing that he was the worst at was Genjutsu. Naruto could neither sense Genjutsu nor destroy them.

Kurenai activated her chakra and made hand seals.

Snake → Rat

“Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique”

At the same time, Raito ‘Chakra Sense’ activated by itself and made an invisible sphere of chakra. He saw himself sitting on the seat then a small seed of bluish chakra entered inside the brain.

[Foreign Chakra detected]

[Motor pathway disabled]

[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 named “Kunoichi’s dangerous life”]

[Foreign Chakra trapped…Dissecting Foreign Chakra...Gathering useful information]

[Organizing information…Jutsus categorized...Jutsus stored in the library]

[Use Merit points for exchange]

[‘???’ Disabled]

Raito read all the notification one by one, not realizing that small tendrils of white light from the lucky star were getting absorbed into his body.

Raito turned around facing Mari and Anko, seemingly about to say something but just as he was about to open his mouth, his head fell and hit the table.

Mari came forward and lightly tapped Raito. Not getting any response, she shook him violently then lightly patted his face.

“His breathing is long and the pulse is weak. Pupil not responding to light, 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?” asked Mari traces of worry could be seen on her face.

Kurenai silently nodded.

They waited for a while but Raito was not waking up. Even though Mari decided to wait for a while tears gathered in her eyes.

“Perhaps we should take him to the infirmary.” Kurenai voiced out.

“No! The boy gives me an odd feeling.” Mari narrowed her eyes patting Raito’s head.

Raito’s Mindscape

Four black blurry figures stood around Raito. Two men and two women, standing in pairs.

One couple stepped forwards and gave Raito a small bow.

“You are our only hope. Please help us.” The woman bowed even deeper.

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.

“Son… We hope you like our gift.” The woman was gentle as she grabbed his face and started tracing his face.

The man looked around and sighed. He pulled the woman back then looked at Raito. Before disappearing in black smoke, he gave Raito a thumbs up. “Do your best.”

After everyone disappeared, Raito felt a heavy feeling appearing out of nowhere, making him hard to breathe and head pound.

“Uhhh… I just want to leave.” Clutching his head Raito wished for his 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.

Dodging the shuriken on her left then at right by swaying, she jumped only to face a kunai near her face.

Tink!

“Calm down Raito everything is fine. That was just a Genjutsu, nothing was real.” Mari as she stood in front of Kurenai with a Dwarf Battle Blade.

“If you do that again, I am going to make you experience the same pain.” Said Raito as he pocketed his weapons and clutched his head.

“That was a simple Genjutsu. It is not supposed to cause you pain.” Explained Kurenai, a 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 sitting on the chair, clutching his head.

“Come here.” Mari sat beside Raito and a green chakra covered her hand.

“[Mystic palm technique]”

“This jutsu is the most basic medical jutsu which allows the user to speed up the body's natural healing process by sending chakra from their hands into a wound or afflicted body part. This allows the...” lectured Mari-sensei.

“I know about it already, at least theory.” Raito cut Mari and closed his eyes.

“That’s good then, and what the hell brat? I wanted to boast about how Genjutsu will not affect you and some more but you went blank. It looked like you more training.” Mari smiled with a devious smile forming on her face.

“Hmph, I was not affected by that Genjutsu, I was analyzing it, you know I have not been affected by any kind of Genjutsu since I learned ‘Chakra Sense’.” Said Raito proudly puffing his chest.

“Oh analyzing my jutsu? Then tell me how it works?” Kurenai narrowed her eyes looking at Raito.

“Come on, Kurenai. You know the boy doesn’t mean it. Even though this brat is good, he is not that good.” Said Mari.

“Isn’t it just some Genjutsu, you are making it-”

Raito was cut off by the three coughing boys.

Kurenai walked up to the three and slammed her hand on the table, “Attention students.

Akimichi, Nara, and Uzumaki, what you saw just now…” Kurenai continued counseling them.

“Mari-nee, I saw mom and dad,” Raito said with tears dripping down his face.

Mari hugged Raito and said, “They loved you, they loved you so much.”

Thinking about them her hug becoming even tighter.

[Gamers mind activated]

Raito pushed Mari and stood up. Facing her and Raito asked, “Mari-nee…..Ahem I mean Mari-sensei, why don’t you give me your Dwarf Battle blade and I will forgive Kurenai-sensei.”

“Wait! What!? What does you hating Kurenai have anything to do with me?” harrumphed Mari.

“What!? But she is your friend?” questioned Raito as he looked Mari with shock.

“So, what!? This here is my baby.” Said Mari as she pulled the sword and embracing and rubbing her face on the sheath.

“No way, it means that this sword came from there?” asked Raito showing confused face.

“YOU BRAT!!” Mari punched Raito throwing him to the wall.

“Party time! I found a peeping tom.” A woman’s voice reverberated in the room. A tall woman with a slender frame with light brown, pupil-less eyes with short, spiky purple hair walked in the room with Iruka, who was being dragged.

““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 and fingers fell, “You...why….A-Anko m-ma’am.”

“Blondie you remember me, huh? How long has it been? Umm…half a year and you didn’t come to visit me.” Anko appeared behind Naruto and hugged. Drawing her kunai out, she made a small cut on Naruto’s cheek, letting the blood trail down.

“Such rich blood, I have missed it? Why don’t you come with me tonight and enjoy several new poison concoctions I have made in these past few months.” Anko blew in Naruto’s ear and licked the blood.

“No! NO!! NOO!!!” roared Naruto as he took steps back and tried jumping through the window.

A shadow came between Naruto and the window and hold him by his jacket then smiled and said, “Naruto, don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you. You know I am stronger than Anko, right? I will never let anything happen to you until you are in this room.”

The words were fully domineering but as the last part came by chuckles and laughter were heard.

“Let me go, let me go, LET ME GO!” roared Naruto.

“I don’t want to be near that crazy snake lady.” Struggled Naruto.

“What the hell is going on?” Shikamaru asked and Chōji nodded.

Raito laughed and sat on Naruto’s 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 die from poison 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.

“Completely immune to all poison?” asked Shikamaru.

“Till now,” Raito answered.

“Oi, oi isn’t it too dangerous?” Shikamaru felt shivers down his spine as he looked towards Anko and Naruto.

“Yeah” Shrugged Raito “If you wanna tell her then do so.”

Then with a wave Raito pulled out a 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.

Kurenai rolled her eyes and coughed to get attention, “Iruka-sensei you came here at the right time…if you would explain today’s topic to them please.”

“I already learned about it at the clan,” Shikamaru replied lazily.

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.

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-”

“I haven’t taught them Genjutsu, Ninjutsu or anything like that.” Anko shrugged looking away in annoyance.

“But even so you can't do things-”

“Chunin Iruka! Special Jōnin Anko! Stand down!” Mari shouted, a stern aura exploding from her

“If I have to pull outranks, to stop quarrels and baby fights then I should start punching.” Mumbled Mari, dark aura covering her.

Anko, Kurenai, and Raito immediately went next to Mari trying to calm her.

Seeing all the strange things today made Shikamaru sigh endlessly. He faced towards the four and said, “Do I even need to ask?”

“Well, let’s just say that Mari-nee gets a bit violent whenever she is angry, drunk and emotional,” Naruto answered with a smile on his face.

At Hokage office

Evening, 5 pm, the sun is going down painting the horizon red and darkness descends, wind blowing, taking leaves with it.

Hiruzen signed the scroll, tied it and locked it in the drawer. Then taking a puff, he turned around facing the window and said, “Kakashi, come in. The wind is a bit chilly now.”

Kakashi appeared inside the office and gave a small bow. “Hokage-sama.”

“Kakashi this time you have a team,” Hiruzen announced after which there was a long silence.

“Uchiha, Uzumaki and someone?” Kakashi asked opening his orange little pleasure.

“Uzumaki, Yoshizawa, and Hyuga,” Hiruzen replied slowly.

“Well, that came as a shock, what happened to the elders of Konoha council and civilian council?” Kakashi asked with interest appearing in his eye.

“Something happened and we found that the civilian council was making trouble for a ninja family. Hence, they are facing some charges. And our elders from Konoha council have found news of their grandsons' training with someone and they were not quite happy to hear the news. And Danzo is being Danzo, hiding in his nest, waiting for the storm to calm down.” Hiruzen replied neither fast nor slow enjoying his smoke.

“What will happen to Sasuke?” Kakashi asked.

“You can take him as an apprentice, if he awakens his Sharingan, if not then it is your choice.” Hiruzen looked out the window, at the busy streets of Konoha.

“Years passed and the two founding clans are reduced to the state they are now, what will happen in the future? What will happen to shinobi? This village, I cannot help but worry.” Hiruzen sighed with a mixture of sorrow and worry.

Taking a puff he continued, “Daimyo of the fire country need us and we need him, we should 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 students. Have a look at it,” said Hiruzen sitting on his chair looking at the silver-haired Jōnin.

“So I have to make sure that Yoshizawa doesn’t kill the Hyūga or something?” Kakashi asked as he looked through the files.

“I don’t think you will have to. He seems to be accepting Hyuga very well.” Hiruzen replied.

“If something like that had happened to me then I wouldn’t know if I could forgive them.” Kakashi sighed.

Hiruzen waved his hand and turned around, “Now, you should leave. And if you see Gai then, do tell him to stop training on the street. I don’t want to see complaints regarding him anymore.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Kakashi bowed then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.