Juri Slapped Ina

A certain plaza in Konohagakure.

The moon hung in the night sky. The area was deserted.

Leaning on his cane, Diejian slowly rose from the bench.

His injuries from the battle had yet to heal, and bandages covered much of his body.

Protecting his aching leg, he began to walk with unsteady steps.

"The Second Lord's funeral is over..."

"I see..."

The voice that suddenly came from behind him in the darkness made Diejian answer without turning around.

He didn't need to turn around to know.

That clear voice belonged to Yamanaka Ina.

Since their reunion after so long apart, the sweet atmosphere they'd shared before their separation had never returned.

Diejian kept gazing at the distant sky.

Dressed in black, Ina folded her hands over her chest and lowered her eyes sadly.

She had already realized what Diejian was staring at.

"Lord Hiruzen will take office as the Third Hokage."

"That's only natural. There's no finer shinobi in Konoha right now."

At Ina's words, Diejian turned around with a wistful air.

Diejian had given Sarutobi Hiruzen credit for finding and bringing back Tobirama's body.

That credit meant nothing to Diejian.

And after learning Diejian had returned, Mito had been the first to arrive and tell him about the state of the village.

Hiruzen and Danzo had used that accomplishment to suppress the opposition, and Hiruzen's appointment as Third Hokage had been decided.

In other words, as long as Hiruzen was alive, Diejian could never become Hokage.

Diejian still longed for the Hokage Position, but not as desperately as he once had.

Hiruzen's appointment as Third Hokage had been Tobirama's final order.

And Diejian himself believed there was no finer shinobi than Hiruzen.

So he didn't have any particular feelings about the Hokage Position.

It was just—

"So there'll be another Face Rock."

Diejian spoke as he gazed at the Faces of First Senju Hashirama and Second Hokage Senju Tobirama. His words sounded like he was talking to himself.

He wasn't looking for an answer, only confirming what he already knew.

Another Face Rock meant the end of an era.

Like First Senju Hashirama, Second Hokage Senju Tobirama would become a figure of the past.

Wasn't that terribly sad?

—Children today don't know Senju Hashirama.

At least, Diejian's younger brother, Senju Nawaki, had never met Hashirama.

Even the greatest hero Diejian had ever admired would one day be forgotten.

Perhaps that was why Diejian stubbornly read Hashirama's heroic tales to his younger brother Nawaki: so people wouldn't forget that a hero named Hashirama had once lived.

But no matter how people struggled, they couldn't overcome the flood of time.

No matter how strong they became, no matter how hard they resisted death, they would eventually be swallowed by history and disappear.

And yet, people hated one another, fought, and fought over lives that were short to begin with.

Senju Hashirama had been a man who faced that very nature of humanity.

That was why people admired him.

Those who believed in the hero Senju Hashirama would probably also believe in the successor to the dream he had entrusted to him: Senju Diejian.

But the essence of the man named Senju Diejian was the very "hatred" Senju Hashirama had fought against.

Diejian had been born from a collection of resentments that longed to kill his enemies, and would cross even the boundaries of time to achieve that goal.

Who could admit that their character was built on hatred?

It was laughable to talk about the Senju protecting their comrades.

This body had been born to kill those very comrades—mocking himself, Diejian had sealed away Izuna's heart as if it didn't exist.

Diejian's anguish, after cutting away a part of his own heart, was beyond imagining.

—A life of nothing but pain was meaningless.

He hadn't volunteered to act as bait for any noble reason.

To Diejian, dying as the man who had protected the heroes would be a kind of salvation, better than continuing to live in this hell on earth.

He had wanted to die a heroic death, leave his mark on history, and sever the burden of his past.

But Diejian knew that was nothing but a child throwing a tantrum out of despair over things not going his way.

—Protect those who admire the village and trust you. And raise someone you can entrust with the next generation.

Tobirama's words shook Diejian's heart.

Who would believe those were the words of a dying shinobi?

Where was the resentment, pain, or hatred in them?

What those words held was a warm heart, worried for the children's future after he was gone and caring for those who would follow in his footsteps.

That will had illuminated Diejian, and another leaf of Konoha had sprouted.

The summit he had to reach was distant and boundless.

The hardships awaiting him would likely be beyond imagining.

Even so, the hatred rooted in Diejian's very nature would never change.

Diejian would continue to be exposed to the flickering Black Flame, always fearing the "day" he might stray from the right path.

Even if he chose to run away, surely no one could blame him, knowing the hardships that awaited him.

But Diejian had made his choice.

He wanted to inherit that way of life.

He would never let the love Senju Hashirama had left him, or the bonds Senju Tobirama had forged—the will passed down through the generations—come to an end.

He must have come to save this hopeless student of his.

Even with a fatal wound, he had still tried to protect "the village's future."

When Diejian saw Senju Tobirama's body after his heroic sacrifice, intense hatred had surged through him, just as he'd expected.

For a moment, he'd even thought of dragging his battered body back and attacking Kumogakure.

But Diejian understood the way Tobirama had lived by his shinobi code to the very end.

What Tobirama wanted to protect was the very "future" in which Diejian and the others lived.

Tasting alcohol, knowing women, raising children, and entrusting things to the next generation—these were the ordinary human pursuits that many shinobi of the past had never been able to experience.

The opponent Diejian should fight wasn't Uchiha Izuna's hatred.

Nor was it the cruel, ugly reality.

It was his own fragile heart, possessed by hatred and trying to cast itself aside.

Diejian looked at Ina, who was gazing at him with concern.

He thought he'd caused this lovely girl a lot of trouble, too.

He hadn't noticed before, but the crybaby girl had somehow grown into a woman.

He didn't mind returning her feelings, but for now—

"Hey, you didn't have to go to the funeral, did you...?"

"Ah... I've already said goodbye."

"—Diejian. Just call me 'Old Man.'"

The words they had exchanged in that forest had held all of their feelings.

They didn't need to say anything more.

"When we meet again, it'll be when I've fulfilled my mission."

Even after experiencing an extraordinary art like Reincarnation, there was no way to know if an afterlife existed.

Perhaps Tobirama was still watching over Diejian.

But Diejian felt he couldn't face Tobirama as he was now.

He wanted to wait until he truly became an adult, someone who could entrust the Will of Fire to the next generation, and then go see him in his own time.

He didn't know if he could ever surpass great forebears like Hashirama and Tobirama.

But when he could stand tall, shoulder to shoulder with those broad backs, and become a true man—

"Hehe... In that case, shouldn't you start over at the Ninja Academy? Can you recite all of Konoha's rules?"

"...What about you?"

"Of course I can. Don't tell me you can't..."

Diejian answered Ina's teasing with a stern face.

He knew he wasn't good at academic subjects, but he was a little annoyed that she thought he couldn't even remember the basic rules.

"Of course I can recite them, too."

"Honestly, I was only joking. But... yeah. It'll be lonely from now on..."

—Lonely.

His heart gave a sudden thump.

Those words filled the gaping hole in his heart left by his master's death.

As if a tightly locked door had opened, countless memories poured out like a spring, then flashed before him like a revolving lantern.

Diejian lowered his head, hiding his face so Ina wouldn't see it.

"Nin..."

Diejian's lips trembled.

Sure enough, the summit of the shinobi way was still beyond his reach.

Once, Diejian had run away with Hashirama, only to be sternly scolded by Tobirama.

He'd been punched, too.

He would never forget that demonic expression.

Those days of torment disguised as training had left a psychological scar that would never heal.

He'd been on the brink of death more times than he could count.

Always on guard for Tobirama to appear without warning, he'd come up with every sort of way to escape, only to be caught.

Everything had been so loud. Every day, he'd been put through the wringer.

He'd also played with Tobirama.

After grueling training, Tobirama had taken him to the hot springs and treated him to delicious food.

He remembered Tobirama saying the fish there were delicious. They'd cooked fish caught in Konohagakure's clear rivers and eaten around a bonfire.

Tobirama had smiled and called it their secret place. Thinking back, Diejian still found that smile a little scary.

But he would never forget the memory of them both devouring freshly grilled fish.

"—Ninja Regulations, Article Twenty-Five! A shinobi must never show emotion under any circumstances! N-no matter what happens! They must have the strength of heart not to cry easily!"

"Diejian..."

These were the Ninja Regulations of Konohagakure, laid down by the Second Hokage, renowned for his wisdom and strictness.

Konoha's shinobi were required to follow these regulations, and those who broke them were severely punished.

Diejian was no exception.

Tobirama was famous for his strictness, the very embodiment of the regulations.

As his student, Diejian had been taught every one of the Ninja Regulations.

His answer to Ina earlier hadn't been a lie. Even though he wasn't good at academic subjects, Diejian could recite the Ninja Regulations.

That was because Tobirama valued their principles even more than ninjutsu and Taijutsu.

In a world where betrayal and slaughter were commonplace, these regulations were the one thing they had to protect, even at the cost of their lives.

Therefore—in the shinobi world, those who didn't follow the rules were scorned as trash.

Tobirama had always made sure Diejian remembered that.

There had been so many painful things.

More hardships than he could count.

But those noisy days were far more precious than any of this—

—Please forgive this hopeless student, who failed to follow your teachings until the very end.

"It's raining..."

Ina gently turned away from Diejian, who pressed a hand to the corner of his eye, desperately trying to hold back his sobs as his shoulders trembled.

A hospital somewhere in Konohagakure.

Leaning on his cane and moving stiffly, Diejian walked down the empty corridor.

He stopped and looked at the nameplate on the wall.

Facing the familiar name, Diejian knocked once, then pushed open the door.

"Hey, how are you doing, Dai?"

Inside the room, a man wrapped tightly in bandages lay on the bed.

Diejian awkwardly leaned his cane against the wall, sat down in a nearby chair, and smiled at Dai.

When Diejian regained consciousness, Might Duy had been lying beside Tobirama's body, for some reason suffering injuries much like Diejian's.

Diejian had hoped Duy might know what had happened in Tobirama's final moments, but Duy, the one who'd been there, had—

"About that... I still can't remember anything. It feels like I fought something really terrifying, but it also feels like I didn't..."

Dai turned his gaze toward Diejian and answered apologetically.

His neck was held in place by a cast, so he couldn't move it.

After regaining consciousness, Dai had lost his memories of what happened.

The Eight Inner Gates had been designated a Forbidden Jutsu. It was a dangerous technique that truly took a toll on its user's body.

Perhaps it had caused memory loss or some other side effect or injury.

Diejian had hoped to learn what happened to Tobirama in the end, even if he had to hear it from someone else, but it seemed that wouldn't be so easy.

Hiding his disappointment, Diejian suggested a possibility.

"Could that terrifying thing have been Kakuzu? Maybe I failed to finish him off, and you delivered the final blow for me or something."

"Even if you say that, I don't even know who Kakuzu is..."

"Right... To put it simply, he's a ninja who controls black tentacles."

"...No, I don't know. I can't remember. It feels like Second Lord was there, but also like he wasn't. Hmm..."

"Most of your injuries were caused by your body breaking down on its own. It looks like you really did use the Eight Inner Gates... Maybe this is a side effect of the Eight Gates. Dai, I think you should have a specialist take a look at you..."

"N-no, I can't! I can't put a financial burden on my family!"

"I don't really like putting it that way, but with the Senju name, most things can be taken care of. I could look after you, too."

"How could I ask a friend to do something like that? I'll pay back the hospital fees by working after I'm discharged!"

Faced with Dai's fervent refusal, Diejian shrugged.

(I knew he was a principled, passionate guy, but I didn't realize he was this stubborn... If I interfere any more, I might hurt his pride.)

"Understood, Dai. But the Eight Inner Gates... I knew it was a dangerous technique, but I didn't realize it could damage your memory. Dai, I'm the one who taught you the technique, but don't use it too often."

"It's fine. I'll only use the Eight Inner Gates when I'm risking my life to protect my ninja way. That's my own rule."

"Your own rule, huh... I don't think you need to take it that far... But even if you do use it, it'd be safer to limit yourself to the Gate of Opening."

First: Gate of Opening.

Though it was a physical enhancement that consumed a tremendous amount of stamina, it could boost the user's bodily functions.

It could also help with injuries and damage to the body. Ever since regaining consciousness, Diejian had kept the first of the Eight Inner Gates open, continuously concentrating Chakra on healing and regenerating his body.

As a result—it seemed the Senju Clan and Uzumaki Clan bloodlines weren't just for show. The injuries all over his body were showing signs of recovery.

His arms and legs still hurt terribly whenever he moved them, but he could walk.

Once he was finally able to stand with some effort, Diejian used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Konohagakure with Dai and Tobirama's body.

He arrived at the Senju residence.

His grandmother, Mito, was there.

Mito was delighted by Diejian's return, but she also fulfilled her duties as Second Hokage's Substitute.

She summoned Hiruzen and handed over the body of the Second Hokage, Tobirama. Then, citing this achievement, she forcefully ordered him to take up the position of Third Hokage.

Hiruzen was bewildered, but he accepted the order. Thus, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was chosen.

Meanwhile, Diejian had lost consciousness again from the backlash of using such an advanced technique as the Flying Thunder God while ill. Mito arranged for him to be admitted to Konoha's main hospital.

Might Duy was admitted at the same time.

But while Diejian had recovered enough to walk, Dai was still gravely injured and had yet to regain consciousness.

Unlike Diejian, who had been placed in a regular room, Dai was taken to the emergency ward. Only recently had visitors finally been allowed to see him.

"Anyway, I'll tell Tsunade to come visit you. Unlike me, she's skilled in Medical Ninjutsu. She's still a Genin, but her techniques are far beyond those of an ordinary doctor. They should help you recover."

"Tsunade! It's been so long!"

Diejian knew nothing about Medical Ninjutsu.

Once, under Mito's guidance, he'd tried an aptitude test using a dead fish. In an instant, he'd turned the fish into mincemeat.

The thought of using it on a human body was terrifying, so everyone had unanimously put a stop to Diejian's Mystical Palm Technique training.

If Diejian used the Mystical Palm Technique on Dai, Dai's body might explode.

"Well, I should get going."

"Oh, is it that late already? Please come again!"

"Of course. Take care."

After chatting for a while, Diejian picked up the cane leaning against the wall and stood.

Since Dai couldn't move, he seemed to be trying to express his enthusiasm with words.

He was even noisier than usual, but Diejian found it rather amusing.

Not long after leaving Dai's room,

Diejian caught sight of a familiar woman through a window as he headed back to his own room.

Diejian was on the second floor.

The woman was pacing around the hospital wall, apparently unaware that Diejian was there.

"It's Juri... She's still doing strange things."

The person loitering outside the hospital was Uchiha Juri.

She was wearing a dress or something similar, an unusually rare look for her.

At first glance, she looked like a Deep Boudoir Lady, but there was nothing graceful about her movements.

If she wanted to go into the hospital, why not just go inside? What was she doing? Diejian looked puzzled.

After watching for a while, Diejian saw Juri's shoulders slump as if she'd given up. She was about to leave the hospital, looking dejected.

Diejian tilted his head. Didn't she have something she needed to do?

Just then, another familiar woman appeared in front of Juri as she was about to leave.

Her golden hair swayed as she walked. It was Yamanaka Ina.

She was dressed lightly, but more conservatively than usual.

With a basket hooked over her arm, Ina stood in front of Juri with her legs spread, as if to say, "You shall not pass."

"What are they doing...?"

Diejian frowned in confusion, his tone bemused.

Ina held up her index finger, as though lecturing Juri earnestly.

He couldn't hear what she was saying, but she looked just like a teacher scolding a Problem Child.

Judging by the basket, she had probably come to visit someone, but the two of them were standing in the hallway.

As expected, Ina didn't notice the person approaching from behind and ended up blocking the way of someone who had nothing to do with them.

When she realized, Ina hurriedly turned around and waved her hands in apology.

The passerby looked displeased at first, but Ina's excessively humble attitude softened the mood. In the end, they just smiled helplessly and walked away.

After the passerby left, Ina let out a breath of relief and wiped the sweat from her forehead with her arm.

Juri pointed at Ina and doubled over with laughter.

She was probably laughing at Ina's blunder.

That reckless girl was still the same as ever.

Looking annoyed, Ina smacked Juri on the head.

He couldn't hear the sound, but the motion was so crisp he could almost imagine how satisfying it must have been.

Juri trembled and clutched her head.

Ina seemed worried she'd gone a little too far. She bent down and said something to Juri.

But Juri suddenly slapped Ina across the face.

Ina's eyes went vacant for a moment, but she quickly recovered and slapped Juri's cheek in return.

Juri grabbed Ina's cheek, and Ina grabbed Juri's cheek, too.

They both wore beautiful smiles, but neither let go of the other's cheek.

It was as if they were tugging at each other's faces, each holding the other back to prevent them from causing any irreparable damage.

"I'll pretend I didn't see that."

They said squabbling was proof of a close relationship, but Diejian had never been able to understand the dynamic between those two.

As the saying went, mind your own business and you'd stay out of trouble.

Diejian looked away and returned to his room.

Not long after Diejian returned to his room, two familiar women came to visit him.

They were Uchiha Juri and Yamanaka Ina.

Trying not to think about what he'd just seen, Diejian invited them into his room.

He'd met Ina a few times, but this was his first time seeing Juri since returning to Konoha.

Diejian told them he was safe.

Juri's eyes grew moist as she told him how worried she'd been.

Diejian sincerely apologized.

When Ina took the opportunity to scold him, Diejian calmly lowered his head and apologized to her, too.

Especially for Ina, hearing that Diejian had stayed behind as a decoy to fight his opponent—the Arch-enemy Kakuzu—must have been nerve-racking.

After all, that was the opponent who had once killed Diejian.

Once they'd finished talking, the three of them shared the joy of their reunion.

Diejian regretted that Sakumo wasn't there.

But he'd already reunited with him at another time, in Sakumo's room.

Perhaps it looked as if he'd suffered even more injuries, but that couldn't be possible—Diejian once again bowed his head to apologize for the wounds that hadn't healed yet.

Sakumo accepted his apology, while reassuring Diejian that he didn't need to worry so much.

In truth, most of the injuries Diejian had caused had healed.

The reason Sakumo was still in the hospital was because of Juri's handiwork.

Unaware of what had happened, Diejian could only apologize to Sakumo.

Sakumo had no intention of revealing the truth and damaging Juri's reputation.

Their crossed apologies went on for quite some time.

By contrast, his meeting with Juri and Ina was much like their usual interactions.

Juri had finally confirmed with her own eyes that Diejian was safe, and let out a deep sigh of relief.

But Diejian had just seen Juri's strange behavior, so he wasn't particularly moved.

He did find one thing a little odd, though—

"What's with you two?"

For some reason, they were both wearing masks that they hadn't had on when he'd seen them earlier.

(Wait, could those be from fighting...?)

Diejian had figured out what was going on, but pretended not to know.

Part of him found it a little amusing, but if he didn't say anything, that might seem unnatural.

"I caught a cold. I didn't want to pass it on to you."

"I didn't catch a weakling's illness like a cold. This is to prevent me from catching one."

As expected, their reactions were completely different.

In any case, it was a relief to know Juri was still the same as ever.

"Isn't there a saying that idiots don't catch colds?"

To Diejian's surprise, Ina took the bait.

She'd kept a bit of distance from Juri until now, so he hadn't expected her to meet the challenge head-on.

Diejian felt a faint sense of alienation, wondering what had happened while he was away.

"That means idiots don't realize when they've caught a cold. Smart people don't catch colds because they don't neglect their health. Like me."

"Huh?"

"Oh?"

"Come on, give me a break."

"Ah, hahaha. Sorry."

"Sorry."

The two of them pressed their foreheads together and glared. If you ignored their expressions, it almost looked like an affectionate moment between two beautiful girls.

But Diejian wasn't interested in that sort of thing, and it would be a nuisance if they made a racket in his hospital room.

He stopped them in a cool tone, and the two awkwardly stepped apart and scratched their heads.

Huh? Diejian was surprised.

Juri had apologized without any fuss.

In Diejian's memory, Juri had a childish side and wasn't very good at apologizing.

But he couldn't see that side of her now.

Still, it wasn't a problem. If anything, it was a good sign.

Diejian let it pass and moved on to small talk.

After chatting for a while, Diejian remembered something and brought it up.

"But Sakumo was so badly injured..."

Juri's body jerked.

Ina awkwardly looked away.

Diejian didn't know that Juri and Sakumo had fought.

He only blamed himself, thinking that the injuries he'd given Sakumo before setting out for Kumogakure had been that severe.

But from Juri and Ina's perspective, this was a big deal.

Even if they wanted to keep it secret, the truth would come out someday.

After a moment's silence, Juri spoke timidly.

"That... how should I put it? You know, that sort of thing that happens between friends... It's not like there's nothing I can do, but..."

From Juri's halting manner, Diejian immediately realized she must have done something.

He laughed inwardly, thinking she was such an easy woman to read.

He also understood that Juri found it hard to talk about, so he decided not to press her.

Diejian raised a hand to stop her.

"If it's hard to say, you don't have to. Sorry for saying something strange."

At Diejian's words, Juri's mouth twisted.

She knew he'd stopped her because he'd figured out what was going on with her.

But having been interrupted made Juri feel as if she'd lost. She turned her face away with a "Hmph."

Then, shifting her gaze around uneasily, she murmured,

"Sakumo and I had a fight."

"I see."

"That's it?"

"That's it? You two just had a fight and made up, right? Sakumo and I used to do that all the time when we were kids."

Juri stared at Diejian in surprise.

She'd probably expected him to scold her or just give her a look of exasperation.

But Diejian's demeanor didn't change in the slightest. He smiled at Juri.

Ina, meanwhile, watched Diejian closely, as if studying him.

"How do you know they made up?"

Ina interjected.

Knowing that Ina was testing him, Diejian answered,

"Because I didn't sense any hatred from Sakumo."

"I see... Diejian, you really..."

Diejian didn't miss Ina's murmur.

At the same time, he became certain.

As he'd suspected, Yamanaka Ina knew about Senju Diejian.

When Senju Hashirama died, Yamanaka Ina had entered Senju Diejian's mind and seen his deepest thoughts.

—The blazing flames of Amaterasu and a sprawling forest.

The Uchiha's inferno and the Senju's love.

Of the three chairs Ina had seen then, one belonged to the original Diejian.

Another belonged to Hashirama, whose Chakra had been infused into him.

Then what did the third chair belong to—

If Ina was as clever as he thought, she would have figured it out with a little thought.

And Diejian hadn't been mistaken.

Yamanaka Ina had sensed that something else was dwelling within Senju Diejian.

She didn't know what it was, and discovering it had been an accident.

But once she'd discovered it, she wasn't the kind of woman who could simply ignore it.

She'd been worried all along—but hearing Diejian's words, Ina understood that he had already overcome that "something."

She had never thought he was fake.

In some ways, he was certainly like Diejian.

But Ina had felt that the old Diejian had been far too childish for his age.

He'd always liked playing pranks, but she couldn't help thinking it was a bit much for someone his age to still act that way.

That was what Ina had really thought.

Ina believed his usual innocence wasn't his true nature. The calmness he showed from time to time—that was the real Senju Diejian.

But she had never been able to feel sure of it.

Ina had been uneasy about that.

Now, seeing Diejian's composed manner, Ina was certain she'd been right.

In Ina's gaze, now relieved, the suspicion had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Diejian once again felt how deeply others cared for him, savoring the happiness of it.

Ina was another woman who continued to believe in him even after learning his true nature.

"Diejian..."

Completely unaware of the subtle shifts in Diejian and Ina's hearts, Juri raised her voice, moved.

"Then, Diejian, have a fight with me too!"

"Huh—?"

Though he looked genuinely reluctant, Diejian could more or less guess what Juri meant.

She was probably envious of the bond between Hatake Sakumo and Senju Diejian.

Wanting to strengthen her bond with Diejian, Juri had thought she only needed to do the same thing Sakumo had done.

And for that, they had to fight.

Had she not noticed? Diejian and Juri had fought far, far, far, far, far, far more often than Diejian and Sakumo had.

She herself probably hadn't thought of all those times as fights. Maybe she'd seen them more as a child acting spoiled with a parent—but it had to be said, a woman with more than a decade-long blank in her social life was something else.

"Ah, but before that... Diejian, I'm sorry for everything."

Juri suddenly took off her mask and bowed to apologize, leaving Diejian's brain completely stunned.

His understanding couldn't keep up.

Thinking back, ever since they'd reunited, Juri had always called Diejian by his name.

There had probably been signs that things were changing.

Glancing over, he saw Ina smiling as if she found it amusing.

She knew why Juri's mood had changed.

"W-what are you apologizing for?"

Diejian asked timidly.

Juri smiled mischievously and said it was a secret.

It was an innocent smile he had never seen before.

Diejian's heart gave a sudden thump.

—As the boys learned about pain, they climbed the steps toward adulthood.

Then time passed, and they grew another year older.

A brief stretch of calm and peace nurtured warmth in their hearts.

But was it only a sweet poison, numbing the hearts they had honed as ninja—

The cruel tides of history suddenly bared their fangs at a certain girl.

And what was about to descend was...

"Juri, I've been made an Examiner for this Chunin Ninja Exams."

"...Huh?"