Rin, Do You Like Miyoshi-kun?

Before dawn

Specks of moonlight scattered across the earth, as though draping it in a layer of pure silver radiance.

By the campfire, wisps of sparks rose into the air while the firewood crackled and popped.

Yet in the cold night, the firelight warmed everyone, illuminating two delicate, adorable little girls in its glow.

In the middle of the night, Miyoshi and Teacher Shuomo had gone to sleep, leaving the girls to keep watch.

"Rin."

Beneath the night sky, Yan suddenly called out while looking up at the heavens.

"Mm?"

Rin turned toward Yan in confusion, not knowing what she wanted.

"Rin-chan, the moon is so round tonight."

"Mm."

"Rin-chan, this water is so cold. It's freezing my feet."

"Mm."

"Rin-chan, do you like Miyoshi-kun?"

"Mm."

"Mm?"

Rin, who had been responding mechanically, seemed to freeze for an instant. Like a rusty gear, she slowly turned her head toward Yan.

Yan was as gentle as ever today, but that smile of hers looked a little unsettling to Rin.

Still, Rin feared nothing. At a time like this, all she had to do was act normal.

Rin put on a blank expression again and stared dazedly at Yan.

"I was just teasing you. Hehe."

Yan's face was full of amusement, as though she was delighted to see Rin at a loss like this.

But Rin was not angry. She merely watched Yan's face for a moment before withdrawing her gaze.

She was not angry, nor would she be, because Yan was right.

And her behavior did seem a little unfair to Yan. No, the best defense was a good offense.

They were only friends, perhaps a little closer than ordinary friends. There was nothing wrong with that.

Rin's way of thinking was simple and efficient. Once she confirmed that the result could not be changed, she no longer cared what others thought.

The two girls both gazed at the moon with the purest of eyes, just as their hearts desired.

"Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy."

Miyoshi stretched lazily. Seeing that Shuomo had already gotten up and prepared the ingredients, he could not help but marvel that he truly was a legendary Ninja.

Even getting out of bed, he was this early.

"A wild boar. Considering Rin's appetite, I figured she didn't eat enough yesterday, so I specifically hunted one today."

Shuomo said honestly.

He had always treated others sincerely. At the very least, he could not let his own students go hungry.

Rin felt as though she had been subtly mocked, but after seeing Teacher Shuomo's sincere expression, she ultimately said nothing.

Skinning, gutting, chopping, lighting the fire, setting up the rack.

The boar was rich with fat, and the sizzling sound of oil constantly dripping filled the air. Before long, the chunks of pork were grilled crisp on the outside and tender within, glowing with a golden color.

Miyoshi thought for a moment, then suddenly understood and took seasonings out of a scroll.

With the seasonings added, the pork immediately became something else entirely.

Everyone ate to their hearts' content, and before long, the whole boar had been divided up and eaten.

"Now that we're full, let's set out and continue clearing the Iwagakure Ninja from the forest."

After seeing that everyone had eaten their fill, Shuomo immediately extinguished the campfire and erased all traces of their presence.

Just as Miyoshi had expected, Sunagakure Ninja really were present in the forest.

They had disguised themselves as Iwagakure Ninja, but Shuomo's sharp eyes still saw through them.

People from the desert were different from those who lived in highland regions.

But they still did not know that Rin's Byakugan had already exposed them completely.

"Attack!"

At Shuomo's command, Rin took the lead, catching them off guard and personally slaying a Chunin with her Chakra Sword.

Then Shuomo cut down two of their Chunins with a single slash.

Yan and Miyoshi would deal with their Jonin.

This was a typical four-man squad. They looked like another team carrying out a mission, most likely here to discuss an alliance with Iwagakure.

"Damn Konoha Ninja!"

Almost instantly, the squad had been wiped out, leaving only him alive.

The moment he saw that flash of silver-white light, he knew it was the Konoha White Fang.

To Sunagakure, the Konoha White Fang was like a demon. The danger he represented could be seen in the fact that anyone who encountered him could abandon their mission without punishment.

The Sunagakure Jonin also knew there was no escaping this disaster. He had already prepared to kill himself and destroy his own brain to prevent any secrets from leaking.

But unexpectedly, the White Fang did not continue attacking. Instead, two brats surrounded him.

"I've become a whetstone."

The Sunagakure Jonin immediately understood, but that also showed him an opportunity.

To drag one of the brats down with him.

Konoha was a cradle for geniuses, and these were brats who followed the White Fang on missions. They would surely become strong people on the battlefield in the future.

If he could take one with him, then his death would not be in vain for the village.

With that thought, the Sunagakure Jonin's gaze toward Miyoshi sharpened.

"I'll take the front and strike first. Yan will assassinate from the side."

Miyoshi quickly explained his tactics to Yan.

He was a Senju and possessed monstrous strength, so it was only natural for him to handle the frontal clash.

Yan, on the other hand, specialized in assassination. It was not that she could not take the initiative, but doing so would cost her advantage.

"Understood."

Yan nodded, then slipped directly into the darkness.

"Brat, die here."

The Sunagakure Jonin noticed Yan's movement and instantly threw two Kunai. Sensing something wrong, Miyoshi drew his sword and blocked both Kunai.

But when he saw the Kunai handles, Miyoshi's pupils contracted. He immediately retreated at high speed as Wind Element Chakra surged forth, his hands rapidly forming seals.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A violent gale surged straight toward the Sunagakure Jonin. Even the explosive aftershocks along its path were blasted apart by the Great Breakthrough, which Miyoshi had poured nearly half his Chakra into.

"That amount of Chakra..."

The Sunagakure Jonin was shocked.

Just how much Chakra had this brat used to strengthen Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to such an extent?

The Sunagakure Jonin immediately began retreating. He could not take this Great Breakthrough head-on.

But then, a pair of blood-red eyes abruptly appeared in the darkness. Two black Tomoe stared directly into his own.

"Sharingan..."

The Sunagakure Jonin clutched his slit throat and mouthed the word soundlessly.

"Nicely done, Yan."

"Of course. Miyoshi did well too."

Shuomo emerged from the forest at that moment and looked with satisfaction at the dead Sunagakure Jonin.

"It was only an intelligence advantage. He didn't know about my Sharingan.

"And if it weren't for Miyoshi-kun, I wouldn't have been able to kill him so easily."

Yan said modestly.

"No matter what methods you use, even despicable ones, you must secure victory. That is the original definition of a ninja.

"And an intelligence advantage is itself a display of strength."

Shuomo spoke as he searched the Sunagakure Jonin's corpse.

A battle between ninjas was, by nature, a war of intelligence.

If the enemy knew all your information and countered you accordingly, then even a Jonin could be defeated by someone weaker.

Of course, some ninjas could not be countered even if their information was known, because there was simply no way to counter them.

Like Shuomo. His White Fang name came from his absolute speed and strength.

He could defeat an enemy with a single strike. Unless the opponent was at the Same level, there was simply no way to counter him.

"Rin, stay alert at all times. We're not at the point where we can relax yet."

Shuomo seemed to find something in the Sunagakure Jonin's ninja pouch, and his expression turned grave.

"Enemies are approaching."

Rin opened her Byakugan, her expression equally serious.

Thanks to Smile for the votes.

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