Strength That Can Carry a Cauldron, and Elementary School Textbooks

When the Konoha forward camp was suddenly attacked and chaos erupted, Yuhara didn't panic and do anything. Instead, he remained vigilant and stayed honestly in his tent.

It had to be said that this was the correct judgment. If he had run around in a panic at this time, firstly, he might have been casually killed by a powerful enemy passing by; secondly, as an unreliable "Konoha Ninja," he might also have been casually killed by a passing Konoha Ninja.

Not causing trouble was equivalent to helping, Yuhara was completely thinking of Konoha.

Fortunately, his tent was located in a secluded corner of the Konoha camp. The attacking enemies had clear primary targets. A surprise attack had to achieve its predetermined objectives within a limited time, so operational efficiency was crucial.

No one would specifically come to deal with someone like Yuhara.

Simply put, he wasn't worth it.

So the attack tonight was a close call for Yuhara. However, when the next day dawned, he still received some bad news.

After a single strike, Kumogakure retreated. The next morning, the entire Konoha camp was filled with the smell of burning and blood. Some Konoha Ninja were cleaning up the battlefield, collecting and rescuing their comrades, and quickly assessing the losses from the previous night.

When Yuhara, Tigo, and Jian Dong arrived at the Konoha forward hospital again, they saw Xinliang's body.

Xinliang didn't die in a dangerous mission. Instead, he died after returning to the relatively safe Konoha camp. While it might sound condescending to say so, Yuhara felt that this kind of encounter, where one actively gave up their own power to protect themselves and was then suddenly killed by an enemy, was somewhat ironic.

He just didn't know if Xinliang had felt any regret last night when facing the attacking enemies but was unable to form hand seals to fight. Or perhaps, before he could regret it, he was already killed.

In a sense, Xinliang's death was a suicide.

Having seen life and death, experienced countless dangers, and then started to yearn for a peaceful life – Yuhara could understand this feeling. However, in such a dangerous world, one should never give up the ability to protect themselves.

Because when it mattered most, only you could protect yourself... Regarding Xinliang's fate, Yuhara could only express his deep regret.

However, the death of his teammate also made him practically recognize a fact: staying in Konoha was no safer than staying by Orochimaru's side. Similarly, leaving Konoha was no safer than staying in Konoha.

If one wanted to gain the ability to protect themselves, perhaps hiding in Konoha and developing secretly was the best option. Moreover, the Ninja World War was already nearing its end anyway. If they could just hold on for a little longer, the world might very well usher in peace.

Xinliang's death was disheartening, but his death would not affect the team's future arrangements.

Since the Konoha camp had been attacked by Kumogakure, it was only natural that Konoha would launch an equivalent retaliation. In this situation, the already broken-up rookie squad had no need to stay on the front lines.

Three days later, the remaining five members of Squad Z left the battered front-line camp and began their return to Konoha.

Yuhara finally figured out the current time: Konoha Year 47. Everything that was supposed to happen seemed to have already happened.

Not long from now, Minato Namikaze would succeed as the Fourth Hokage. Considering it was already nearing the end of the year, perhaps the "Child of Prophecy," Naruto, had already begun to develop.

Several days later, the group of five leisurely arrived at Konoha Village.

The two people Yuhara was not very familiar with went directly to the camp outside the village, while he himself was momentarily unsure of where to go.

"Yuhara, come with me." Fortunately, Jian Dong called out to him at this time.

So, without much hesitation, Yuhara followed behind her with Tigo... He was temporarily taken in by Jian Dong.

The three then arrived at her home, an old, two-story wooden house located on the outskirts of Konoha. And unlike Yuhara, who had just arrived, Tigo seemed to have lived there for a while.

After being imprisoned in Orochimaru's dungeon as a test subject, and then suddenly thrown onto the battlefield, after being in this world for so long, Yuhara finally had a chance to relax a little.

He took a proper bath, changed into the old clothes Jian Dong provided, ate a decent meal, and then... he fell asleep without a word.

He slept from the afternoon until the evening. When it reached two o'clock in the night, Yuhara woke up feeling very energetic and couldn't fall back asleep.

He opened the window by the bedside, rested one hand on the windowsill, and looked up at the sky outside.

The weather was very good today; the moon and starry sky were visible.

It was quiet at night. Yuhara seemed to faintly hear a soft whimpering sound... Once people relax, escape danger, and return to their most familiar environment, all their suppressed emotions will erupt.

After all, Jian Dong's brother died on the battlefield. Ninja, in the final analysis, are human, not actual killing machines.

At this moment, all he needed to do was remain quiet and not disturb her.

Since he couldn't sleep, Yuhara began to consider what he should do tomorrow...

In any case, before he left Konoha again, he had to possess a certain level of combat power.

The next day.

The ninja woke up very early, not to mention that Yuhara hadn't slept at all. He asked Jian Dong for a few destinations and then leisurely left the house.

Compared to the tragic scene on the front lines, Konoha Village was indeed prosperous and lively. Yuhara casually found a place to eat breakfast and then headed straight for a certain location...

The first thing he needed to do was shop, so he appeared at a ninja tool shop.

Yuhara was not short of money; he currently had 200,000 ryo in mission funds.

"Shopkeeper, is the shopkeeper in?"

It was a bit early for customers, and after Yuhara called out a few times, a middle-aged man appeared in the shop.

"Welcome, customer."

The shopkeeper, wiping his hands with an apron, greeted Yuhara warmly.

"I'd like to commission two special ninja tools. I wonder if it's possible." As he spoke, Yuhara took out a diagram from his pocket.

"Of course, no matter what kind of ninja tool, our shop..."

The shopkeeper took the diagram and began to praise himself habitually, but when he saw what was drawn on it, he immediately shut up.

"Customer, this is considered... a ninja tool?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Of course there wasn't a problem, but Yuhara didn't need to buy this item from a ninja tool shop. It would have been more suitable for him to go directly to a blacksmith.

Yuhara had commissioned two "sword crates," each measuring 10x20x120. One was specified to be solid pure steel, while the other was to be cast iron on the outside with mercury filling the inside.

"Customer, I must remind you that the combined weight of these two items is just over half a ton..."

Therefore, this weight made it impossible for them to be usable ninja tools; they were too heavy.

"Just assume I'm buying them to press my pickles... So, will you do the business?"

"...Yes!"

Although the rough items Yuhara had ordered felt like a slight insult to the store owner, he had absolutely no habit of turning away business.

After paying the deposit, both parties agreed to pick up the items the next day. Just as Yuhara was about to step out the door, he suddenly stopped again.

"Customer, do you need anything else?" the store owner asked again, worried that this customer might commission some other bizarre item.

Yuhara hesitated, then stammered, "Um, do you sell elementary textbooks from the Ninja Academy here?"

Store owner: "..."