"Hey, I heard you made breakfast for Yugao and Anko today?"
"Didn't you say you didn't like going into the kitchen in the morning?"
Yūhi Kurenai pouted, displeasure written all over her pretty face.
Cangwu looked up at the clear blue sky.
"What could I do? I couldn't exactly go against the wishes of my big sisters, could I?"
"Hmph." Yūhi Kurenai let out a cold laugh.
But soon her eyes shifted as she thought of something.
Then she changed the subject:
"Come to think of it, Kakashi was supposed to be Team 7's Jonin Instructor."
"I only heard today that Kakashi seems to have come down with some strange illness..."
"Could I come along tomorrow too...?"
"Hinata from my squad seems to be getting a lot of help from you."
Yūhi Kurenai smiled, but a dangerous glint appeared in her beautiful eyes.
All these years, and honestly, this guy... He had three pieces of meat right in front of him and wouldn't touch them, yet he went looking for fresh meat that hadn't even been cooked.
"Hinata?"
"That little girl has a big appetite, but she's too embarrassed to let people see it and doesn't want to go hungry."
"So she came to me, her kind and helpful teacher."
"Cute girls can be pretty lethal."
"Is that so?" Suspicion filled Yūhi Kurenai's eyes.
"Hinata just graduated, so don't get yourself arrested."
"What did you need me for?" Cangwu asked with a smile.
Yūhi Kurenai rolled her eyes at him. "You never would've dared talk to Big Sis Kurenai like that before."
"Your wings have grown in... Forget it. I came mainly to warn you to be careful of the Nine-Tails inside Naruto."
As she spoke, Yūhi Kurenai's pretty face grew more serious.
The memories stirred something in her, and a faint sadness surfaced deep in her eyes.
But she clearly wasn't one of those easily swayed villagers.
She wouldn't resent an innocent Jinchuriki.
Besides, having been in the same year as Kakashi, she naturally knew about "Eternal Maiden," the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze.
It didn't take much thought to figure out Naruto's identity.
"I know. That old geezer, the Third Hokage, gave me a few scrolls to help suppress the seal."
"Third Hokage... old geezer?!" Yūhi Kurenai's eyes widened, as if she were seeing Cangwu for the first time.
Lately, she had been busy preparing to become a Jonin Instructor.
She wasn't like Anko, who had nothing to do and liked to hang around Cangwu's house.
Nor was she like her "rival," Uzuki Yugao, who just happened to be on vacation.
Yūhi Kurenai looked at Cangwu and suddenly felt that this version of him seemed more like himself.
And yet, it left her feeling a little unsettled.
"Anyway, be careful."
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Cangwu caught the little hand that was kneading his face.
"Seriously? Now you won't even let me touch your face?" Yūhi Kurenai's lips curled up slightly.
He hadn't resisted. That alone showed his attitude had changed.
"All right, Team 7 seems to have recovered."
"Eighth Squad has already finished its assessment. I'm planning to take them for barbecue in a bit and help everyone get closer as a team."
As she spoke, Yūhi Kurenai tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Want to come?"
Cangwu sat up. "Then you'd better watch your wallet."
"Looks like you still underestimate cute little Hinata."
"If she lets loose... the two of our squads together might not be able to match her."
Yūhi Kurenai froze for a moment.
Then she pulled out her pink little wallet.
She looked at it for a while, then turned her gaze to Cangwu.
"Don't look at me. Anko already extorted me yesterday."
"Who... Who was going to extort you... Tch~!"
Yūhi Kurenai's face warmed. She hadn't meant that; she'd only looked at Cangwu because she thought it was a good chance to spend some time alone with him.
She hadn't expected him to bring up extortion.
"Okay, I'll get going. Otherwise, I'll interfere with the little ones' performance."
Yūhi Kurenai looked up at Cangwu, who stood more than a head taller than she did. Her big eyes blinked, as if she were waiting for something.
Cangwu glanced at the bushes in the distance.
Those three were probably ready to work together.
When he looked back, Yūhi Kurenai still hadn't left.
"All right, all right. Big Sis Kurenai, take care."
With that, Cangwu turned his head away.
Yūhi Kurenai chuckled and finally left, satisfied.
You brat~
After Yūhi Kurenai had gone, Cangwu leaped into the air.
He stood on a branch and watched the three figures darting around below.
"Have you figured out how to work together?"
"Naruto attacks from the front, Sakura supports, and Sasuke finishes them off?"
"Keep it simple and practical."
But Cangwu soon realized he had underestimated the three little ones.
Whoosh—
A figure appeared behind Cangwu.
Swish, swish—
Sasuke came up behind Cangwu and swiftly began forming hand seals.
"You don't have enough combat experience."
"You should start forming hand seals while you're still sneaking up. Then, the moment you get behind your enemy, release the jutsu."
"And are you slacking off?"
"Your hand seals are too slow."
Cangwu glanced at Sasuke's hand seals.
Without a doubt, it was the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
He was just too slow with the hand seals.
Dodging it would be no problem.
He could even attack Sasuke and interrupt the jutsu while he was forming the seals.
Still, Cangwu held on to some hope.
After all, the three little ones had discussed things for quite a while.
Surely, they wouldn't have come up with something so simple.
As it turned out, his expectations weren't misplaced.
"Teacher Cangwu, didn't you say before..."
"You mustn't leave your back exposed to the enemy in battle."
"Hmph! This time, you definitely won't dodge!"
Drawing on his previous experience, Naruto sent all his shadow clones to attack at once.
Cangwu glanced at Sasuke below, who had finished forming his hand seals and was ready to release the Great Fireball.
"So that's the plan?"
"Use Naruto's shadow clones to restrict my movements, making sure the Great Fireball hits."
"Hm?"
"My vision blurred for a moment... Was that Sakura's Illusion Technique?"
At some point, Sakura had appeared opposite Cangwu.
Her pretty face was pale, and she held the hand seal for the Illusion Technique.
Cangwu gave a slight nod.
Even a Chunin who was prepared wouldn't be able to withstand this combo.
He hadn't expected Sasuke to lead the attack and draw his attention.
It was completely unlike him.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!!!"
Boom—
Sasuke released his Fire Style at that very moment.
As the Great Fireball rushed toward him, Cangwu flexed the arm that Naruto's shadow clones hadn't restrained.
Smack—
He slapped away a grubby hand reaching for his bells.
"Pretty convincing. You've definitely got something. I almost wanted to fall for it just to see what would happen."
With that, Cangwu shook off the Naruto shadow clones wrapped around him.
He ignored the Great Fireball rushing up from below.
Surrounded by flames, his vision was slightly obscured, but the heat didn't burn him at all.
Even Naruto's shadow clones didn't pop.
"So after Sasuke, Sakura's the decoy?"
"Let's see what you've got next."
Whoosh—
As he spoke, Cangwu sprang away.
He rushed toward Sakura, whose little face had gone pale with fright.
"Ah~!"
Sakura cried out and hurriedly backed away.
But Cangwu was too fast. She couldn't dodge him.
In the blink of an eye, Cangwu grabbed her arm.
"In battle, you're already dead."
Suddenly, Cangwu furrowed his brow.
The panicked Sakura before him suddenly sneered.
At this range, let's see you dodge!
This time, I'll definitely see what kind of strange ability you used!
A cold voice came from Sakura's mouth.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Before you continue