When he woke, it seemed he could still feel yesterday's soft, warm touch on his lips. Tsunade's flustered, bashful expression surfaced in his mind.
Naturally, the two of them had stopped at that kiss and hadn't gone any further. After all, Namikaze Yoru was still young.
Though Namikaze Yoru hadn't pressed his advantage, his heated gaze had said everything.
Even Tsunade, who was always so domineering, had seemed flustered under the effects of alcohol. The way she'd shut the door behind her had almost looked like a hasty retreat.
Namikaze Yoru didn't lose himself in those bittersweet memories. He knew that strength was the foundation of everything. After washing up, he headed to the Training Ground to limber up his body, which had grown stiff after lying around for months.
On the way, he considered whether he should go pick up a Chunin uniform. Then he thought better of it. Since he'd already completed the registration, a vest wasn't necessary.
After all, aside from symbolizing a Chunin's rank, that green vest wasn't particularly attractive.
In fact, if he had enough experience, with strength like his, he could already serve as a team leader.
Especially since Konoha probably wouldn't assign him another Jonin mentor. Even Konoha couldn't afford to have two team leaders "die" in a row under his watch.
Jonin were considered top-tier forces in any ninja village. They couldn't be treated as expendable like that.
"Osu, my dear friend!" Might Duy suddenly appeared from around a street corner, though his steps seemed a little unsteady.
Having trained alongside Might Duy for a long time, Namikaze Yoru immediately sensed something was wrong. He asked hesitantly,
"Duy, what happened?"
"I hurt my lower back a little during a mission." Might Duy clutched his waist and smiled wryly.
"Did you go to Konoha Hospital?"
"I did. They said I just need to rest. It's a minor problem! Even the burning flame of youth needs to stop for maintenance now and then!"
He still gave his trademark thumbs-up and flashed his bright white teeth, as optimistic as ever.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and saying goodbye to Might Duy, Namikaze Yoru continued toward the Training Ground.
As soon as he started warming up, he keenly noticed something amiss. He called coldly toward the distant shadows,
"Who's there? Come out."
The person concealed in the shadows didn't show himself. He remained completely still, ignoring Namikaze Yoru's demand.
He sensed no hostility from the other party, so Namikaze Yoru couldn't force him to leave. He had no choice but to move to another training area.
But the man followed like a shadow, keeping close and watching from the darkness.
Being watched made Namikaze Yoru extremely uncomfortable. He walked straight toward the man, and only when he could no longer stand it and swung a punch did the other party retreat and reveal himself.
When Namikaze Yoru saw who it was, his anger flared even more. The man was a Root ninja.
"What does Root want?"
"I'm carrying out a Root security assignment," the ninja replied coolly.
They were both shinobi of the same village, and with the man putting it that way, Namikaze Yoru didn't know what to say. It wasn't as if he could really drive him off by force.
But Namikaze Yoru knew that the so-called security assignment was complete nonsense. It was just an excuse. Shimura Danzō still held a grudge over his refusal.
Seeing that the man was determined to stay, Namikaze Yoru could only make the best of it. He simply settled down and focused on training.
To make matters worse, the man even took out a notebook and recorded his every move. Whether he was trying to analyze Namikaze Yoru's training routine or simply annoy him, he'd crossed the line.
Damn Shimura Danzō! he sneered inwardly, keeping his face expressionless.
But sometimes, the worst thing was getting stuck with a persistent pest like Shimura Danzō—and this particular pest had both authority and plenty of time.
Watching the ninja across from him go out of his way to make things unpleasant, Namikaze Yoru's eyes shifted as an idea came to him. If he handled it right, he might even make Shimura Danzō pay dearly.
After training for the day, the Root ninja who had been "watching from the shadows" finally slipped away.
Namikaze Yoru didn't head straight home. Instead, he strolled through the streets, keenly scanning his surroundings and making note of things.
For several days running, the Root ninja appeared at the Training Ground right on time, like a silent shadow.
Namikaze Yoru pretended not to notice, while secretly looking for a way to turn the tables.
That day, he "happened" to run into Uchiha Yashiro at a dango shop while Yashiro was buying Three-Colored Dango.
The Jonin of the Uchiha Clan had a stern expression, and while on duty, he was rather brusque with everyone.
As someone from a civilian background, Namikaze Yoru understood the Uchiha Clan's temperament. Their pride ran deep in their bones, and they looked down equally on every ninja who wasn't an Uchiha.
But if you went along with them, you might be surprised by what you gained.
Putting on an admiring expression, he took the initiative to strike up a conversation. A few words about Taijutsu training were enough to get them talking. When the topic turned to the bottleneck he'd recently encountered in training, Namikaze Yoru sighed as if without thinking.
"Whenever I train, I feel like I can't quite get the hang of it. If only I had an ocular kekkei genkai like the Uchiha or Hyuga."
At that, Uchiha Yashiro replied proudly, "The Hyuga? When it comes to ocular kekkei genkai, my Uchiha Clan takes second place. No one dares claim first!"
Namikaze Yoru took the opportunity to invite him, "I've long heard that the Uchiha Clan excels at Taijutsu. Could I ask you to give me some pointers, Senior Yashiro?"
Perhaps it was Namikaze Yoru's earnest attitude, or perhaps Uchiha Yashiro was a little curious about the young ninja whose reputation had recently been on the rise. After a brief moment's thought, he agreed.
The two went to the Training Ground together. As soon as they had warmed up, a hint of crimson flashed through Uchiha Yashiro's eyes. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated, and out of habit, he swept his gaze over the surroundings, relying on its powers of observation.
Suddenly, Uchiha Yashiro's gaze sharpened. He fixed his eyes on an apparently empty corner nearby and shouted,
"Show yourself, you skulking rat!"
Namikaze Yoru laughed inwardly but feigned surprise. Under the Sharingan's scrutiny, the Root ninja had nowhere to hide and was forced to reveal himself.
"Root?" Uchiha Yashiro frowned, his tone laced with the Uchiha's characteristic arrogance and displeasure.
"Since when has Root's reach grown so long? How dare you spy on a Konoha ninja's ordinary training at the Training Ground?"
Namikaze Yoru spoke at just the right moment, his voice carrying a helplessness that made him sound almost coy. "Senior Yashiro, this man... says he's carrying out a 'security assignment.'"
"A security assignment? At a public training ground inside Konoha, keeping watch over a Chunin who just distinguished himself and was promoted?"
Uchiha Yashiro's voice turned cold. His Sharingan fixed sharply on the Root ninja.
"I'll have to ask Elder Danzō what kind of security assignment this is!"
Under the pressure of a Jonin from the Uchiha Clan and the direct gaze of the Sharingan, the Root ninja stood frozen, unable to answer.
Standing behind Uchiha Yashiro and watching the scene unfold just as he'd expected, Namikaze Yoru knew that the "borrowed blade" had struck straight at Danzō's scheme.
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