Before long, Hao Shuai and the other two arrived at his house.
They didn't go inside. Naruto called out from the gate, "Yakumo, we're going for barbecue!"
"I'm coming. Just a moment," a gentle female voice answered from inside.
A short while later, the gate opened, and a petite, adorable girl with a wistful look in her eyes stepped out.
"Brother Hao~" The moment she saw Hao Shuai, the girl happily rushed over and hugged his arm.
Hao Shuai habitually patted her head and smiled. "Today's the day Naruto and Sasuke graduate from the Ninja Academy. I'm treating you all to barbecue!"
"Have you both graduated, Naruto?" The girl looked at the forehead protectors Naruto and Sasuke were wearing, and her mood suddenly sank.
Seeing her expression, Hao Shuai realized he'd said the wrong thing.
He knew she was upset because she couldn't become a ninja.
The girl was Yakumo Kurama, the young lady of the Kurama Clan.
As one of the oldest ninja clans since Konoha was founded, the Kurama Clan's genjutsu abilities could rival those of the Uchiha Clan.
However, fewer and fewer members could inherit its bloodline limit, and by now, this once-powerful clan had fallen into decline.
Fortunately, every few generations, someone with exceptional abilities appeared among the Kurama.
In Yakumo Kurama's generation, the clan leader's daughter was discovered to possess the bloodline limit, and the clan placed great hopes in her.
Yakumo Kurama worked hard at her training to fulfill her clan's expectations.
Unfortunately, Yakumo Kurama had been frail since childhood and became exhausted after training for only a short while.
So her parents stopped her from attending the Ninja Academy and brought her home instead. They hired Special Jonin Kurenai Yuhi, one of Konoha's foremost genjutsu ninja, to tutor her privately.
After meeting Yakumo