Shin-chan: Chakra Nearly Depleted

The next day, meeting time.

Maruboshi Kosuke arrived on time, carrying the blame, only to find that Kakashi and Uchiha Toru.

One is missing.

Maruboshi Kosuke looked around. "Where's Shin-chan?"

The two of them sighed simultaneously.

Maruboshi Kosuke paused for a moment, then asked, "What's wrong?"

"He must be late," Kakashi said.

Maruboshi Kosuke waited for about five minutes, but still no one appeared. He couldn't help but ask, "How late is he usually?"

Uchiha Toru thought for a moment, "Not necessarily."

"What's the longest one?"

"I haven't calculated it." Uchiha Toru, then added, "It's also possible he doesn't know the meeting point."

Maruboshi Kosuke waited a while longer, then finally sighed, "Let's go, let's go look for it."

Ninja Academy, Class A.

Teacher Ibuki was standing on the podium, holding chalk in her hand, writing something on the blackboard. The students below sat neatly, each looking up at the teacher.

Uchiha Toru peeked out the door but didn't see Shin-chan.

Hokage Building.

There were people accepting tasks, turning in tasks, delivering messages, and moving things; it was bustling with activity.

Kakashi looked around but couldn't find Shin-chan.

Konoha Training Ground.

Maruboshi Kosuke went to the place where Yuhi Shinku often trained her Genin.

Several Genin were doing physical training, running around, while Yuhi Shinku stood in the center of the field, arms crossed, with a serious expression.

But Shin-chan wasn't there.

The three of them finally met by the roadside and fell silent.

Where else could he go?

Kakashi suggested, "Why don't we go check on him? He's probably still sleeping."

Uchiha Toru thought for a moment and nodded.

Shin-chan.

Miya was hanging clothes to dry in the yard when she saw Maruboshi Kosuke walking over with Kakashi and Uchiha Toru, and she was somewhat surprised.

Is Shin-chan- chan home?

Miya shook her head. "He left very early."

"Shin-chan didn't come to the assembly."

Miya was taken aback. "Didn't go? He left very early, he was so eager to go."

Kakashi and Uchiha Toru exchanged a glance.

Miya thought for a moment, then continued, "She kept muttering something as if she were using Earth Release or something when she left."

"Grandma Tanaka's house." Kakashi realized immediately.

Maruboshi Kosuke nodded as well. "Let's go."

Grandma Tanaka's house.

Before they even reached the door, the three of them heard the sound of water.

They went around the courtyard wall and walked to the Behind the House, where a new irrigation ditch had appeared beside the vegetable garden.

The irrigation ditch stretches from the riverbank in the distance all the way to the edge of the vegetable garden. The earthen walls on both sides are neat and tidy, as if they were cut out with a knife.

The vegetable garden has been watered.

The water droplets on the vegetable leaves glistened in the sunlight, looking vibrant and healthy.

Shin-chan sat there, swinging his legs back and forth, holding a snack in his hand, eating it with relish.

There was a tray next to him with several pastries and a cup of tea on it.

Grandma Tanaka sat next to him, watching him eat with a smile, and occasionally reaching out to wipe the corner of his mouth.

"Grandma, this Anko cake is delicious," Shin-chan said, his mouth full, his words muffled.

"Eat more if you like it." Grandma Tanaka handed him another piece. "Thank you for your hard work today, coming to help Grandma so early in the morning."

"It's no trouble at all." Shin-chan took the Anko cake and took a big bite. "I learned the Earth Release last night, so I'll test it out to see if it works."

"It's so useful, so useful!" Grandma Tanaka beamed from ear to ear. "It'll be so much easier for Grandma to water the plants now."

Maruboshi Kosuke and two others emerged from behind the courtyard wall.

Shin-chan's eyes lit up when he saw them. He held up the Anko cake in his hand and waved it, saying, "Why are you so late? Grandma Tanaka's Anko cake is so delicious, come and try some!"

Maruboshi Kosuke stood on the edge of the field, looking at the irrigation ditch, and remained silent for a long time.

Did you do this?

"Hmm." Shin-chan -chan nodded. "I used Earth Release."

"One person?"

"Yeah, I'm almost out of chakra." Chakra- Shin-chan took another bite of Anko cake.

Maruboshi Kosuke remained silent for a moment.

Diverting water from the riverbank is such a long distance that even an adult Ninja might not have enough Chakra to do it.

Shin-chan said, "I'm almost out," which means that he has enough Chakra before he finishes doing all of this.

Maruboshi Kosuke had seen many geniuses, but the amount of Chakra in this five-year-old child was really a bit off.

"Did you take Military Rations Pill?"

Shin-chan blinked. "Military Rations Pill? What are those? Are they tasty?"

"It's a pill that can restore Chakra."

"Oh." Shin-chan shook his head, holding up the Anko cake in his hand. "This is what I'm eating. It'll give me energy."

Can Anko cake restore Chakra?

Maruboshi Kosuke shook his head, banishing the thought from his mind, and changed the subject. "What kind of Earth Release did you use?"

"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core." Shin-chan- chan was still eating.

Maruboshi Kosuke's brow twitched. The Earth Release: Moving Earth Core technique requires extremely high control over Chakra, and it is very difficult for ordinary Genin to learn.

How many times have you used the Earth Release: Moving Earth Core?

Shin-chan thought for a moment and said, "I don't know."

"About?"

"We just kept using it, from the riverbank all the way here." Shin-chan gestured. "After that, we were almost out of Chakra."

Maruboshi Kosuke glanced at the water channel; its width and height were remarkably consistent, indicating that the caster had astonishing control over this Ninjutsu and Chakra.

The little devil in front of me, with his mouth full of crumbs from eating Anko cake, can no longer be described as a "genius".

But none of that matters; what matters is his "heart".

No one asked him to come, and no one paid him, but he still dug an irrigation ditch for Grandma Tanaka.

Even though all he got were a few pieces of Anko cake, he was very satisfied.

Sitting here, swinging his legs, his face covered in crumbs from eating, he's laughing like it's Chinese New Year.

Maruboshi Kosuke lowered his head, recalling something from a long time ago.

He was young then, and he was determined to become stronger, to be promoted to Chunin, and to prove himself.

Then what?

Driven by the desire for the title of a Chunin, he rashly accepted a mission beyond his capabilities.

Ignoring advice and stubbornly going his own way.

The mission failed, and his teammate died right in front of him.

But the person who deserved to die the most survived.

Maruboshi Kosuke's hands clenched slightly. He had been too selfish back then, only thinking of himself. If only he had considered others more, he wouldn't have...

"Uncle, what's wrong?" Shin-chan's voice came from the side.

Maruboshi Kosuke lowered his head.

Shin-chan stood in front of him, tilting his head to look at him, holding half Anko cake in his hand.

"It's nothing," said Maruboshi Kosuke. "Let's go, let's go pick up today's mission."

"Oh." Shin-chan stuffed the remaining half of the Anko cake into his mouth. "Let's go then."

He took a couple of steps, then turned back and waved to Grandma Tanaka: "Grandma, I'm leaving now. Come back for Anko cakes next time."

"Okay, okay, take care." Grandma Tanaka waved with a smile.

Shin-chan ran a few steps and caught up with Kakashi and Uchiha Toru.

Maruboshi Kosuke walked at the very back.

He remembered a quote from the Third Hokage.

"Ninja's strength is not determined by how many Ninjutsu he knows, but by what he is protecting."