"What is it?"
Chiba took a small breath, forcibly suppressing the sudden heaviness in his heart as he spoke with strained calm.
Nothing better have happened! Across from him, Kakashi's expression had also turned grave as the same heavy thought crossed his mind.
Perhaps because they had just been discussing security, both of them had unconsciously jumped to that conclusion.
"Someone wants to see you. They're being held outside the camp right now."
Hearing Chiba's question, Teacher Yamada hurriedly spoke.
"Someone wants to see me? Who?"
Chiba was briefly taken aback, then asked again.
So it isn't a security issue?
Someone's just looking for me?
What kind of person could make Teacher Yamada rush over here like this to notify me? His heart was filled with confusion.
Teacher Yamada was one of the teachers Chiba had interacted with most often, so Chiba understood him quite well.
Though he was a teacher, and Chiba did not know about the other villages, in Konoha, those who became academy teachers were not necessarily exceptional individuals. Most belonged to the ordinary ninja class. They possessed some talent for teaching and nurturing students, but not much talent as ninja. They were the ordinary sort of ninja, with rather middling strength and combat ability, basically ninja like Teacher Iruka.
Though it might not be entirely appropriate to put it this way, those who became teachers were generally unqualified as combat ninja.
Of course, they might not excel at fighting, but no one could question their ideals when it came to teaching and raising the next generation.
Teacher Yamada, however, was different from ordinary academy teachers.
It was evident from his usual conduct that he possessed a composure ordinary teachers lacked. He remained very calm when problems arose, and his ability to handle affairs was exceptionally good.