With that in mind, Shikamaru decided to stop thinking about it for now. Guiding those stubborn kids and peers lately had been exhausting enough. He should not overthink things during his rest time.
The others exchanged glances, then turned their eyes toward Neji.
"..."
Only after everyone had sought confirmation themselves did Neji set down his chopsticks and rub his brow. "Yes. Hinata and I took leave and did not accept any missions these past few days because of this."
"Could it be secret special training?!" Rock Lee suddenly rushed over, grabbed Neji by the shoulders, and asked excitedly with shining eyes.
"..." Thinking of how brutally he had been beaten, Neji hesitated. "I suppose... you could... put it that way."
"Neji!" Flames instantly seemed to burst from Rock Lee's eyes, blazing with his fighting spirit! "After we finish this barbecue, please be sure to spar with me!"
Neji: "..." He suddenly understood Muren's experiences a little better.
Seeing this, Tenten, with her two buns, immediately had a vein pop on her forehead. She took a deep breath, grabbed Rock Lee by the ear, and dragged him back to his seat. "Rock Lee, we can talk about sparring later. Eat properly right now!"
As she spoke, a chubby boy carried over a platter of grilled meat. Choji Akimichi smiled proudly. "This is special secret-recipe barbecue I specifically asked my dad to bring out. Even if you have money, you have to reserve it far in advance to get a taste. Hurry up and try it!"
Hearing that, Naruto grabbed his chopsticks and took the first bite. The moment he tasted it, his eyes turned into stars. "Delicious! So delicious! Sakura, you should try some too!"
As he spoke, he immediately picked up a slice of grilled meat for Sakura, then