Birthday and Bad News

In March of Konoha's 35th year, Shiraha and Kushina advanced to the sixth grade.

Both of them were already eleven years old.

After nearly three years of deadlock, Iwagakure and Kumogakure finally ceased hostilities and made peace.

Meanwhile, Sunagakure, which had long been involved in border disputes with Konoha, had recently made frequent incursions across the border.

A heavy atmosphere, like the stillness before a storm, hung over all of Konoha.

The embers of the Second Ninja World War were likely about to reignite.

No matter what, however, Shiraha would definitely wait until next year to graduate.

As an outstanding Medical Ninja in the reserves, the village could not possibly send him to his death.

They would first stabilize the situation and get through this dangerous period.

With Konoha's current strength and foundation, it should be able to defeat Sunagakure.

August 9th

Central District, Konoha.

There was a tall building facing Hokage Rock.

After Tsunade and Nawaki moved out of the Senju Clan Compound, the village arranged for them to live in the high-class apartments here.

At that moment, Tsunade mysteriously called Nawaki up to the rooftop.

"Nawaki, happy twelfth birthday!" Tsunade took a gift box from behind her back and handed it to Nawaki.

"I'm not a child anymore. I don't need any birthday presents!"

Nawaki took the gift, tilted his head up slightly, and turned his face away as he pushed the box back with insincere words.

His mouth said no, but he could not hide the delight in his voice.

Tsunade smiled. "Isn't that exactly how a child acts? Hurry up and open it. You'll definitely like it!"

With that, Tsunade leaned against the railing with a confident expression.

Nawaki's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. He opened the gift box and saw a blue-green gemstone necklace inside the palm-sized box.

He picked up the necklace, his face full of surprise.

"Big Sis, could this be..."

Tsunade nodded with a smile. "That's right. This is the Hokage Necklace Grandpa left behind."

"Big Sis, you're the best!" Nawaki cried excitedly as he threw himself into Tsunade's arms.

"You've always wanted this, haven't you? I think you're more suited to have it than I am. Take good care of it."

Tsunade spoke as though coaxing a child.

"What I want isn't just this. I want the village too! This village is the treasure Grandpa left behind. I want to protect this village!" Nawaki put on the necklace, his eyes filled with hope as he looked down at the city below, with nearly half of Konoha in view.

"Well said! If you're a man, you have to keep your word!" Tsunade looked at Nawaki fondly.

Nawaki nodded heavily and declared, "Yeah! I'm the grandson of the First Hokage who founded Konoha. One day, I'll inherit the title of Hokage just like Grandpa did. Becoming Hokage is my dream!"

"Nawaki, take off your forehead protector."

"Why?"

"Come on, take it off already. I have another gift for you! This is a technique that will help you achieve your dream!"

Tsunade stepped forward and untied Nawaki's forehead protector.

Then, she gently kissed Nawaki on the forehead.

Nawaki's face turned red.

The siblings looked at each other and smiled.

"Hehe!"

"Hehe."

"Uh... looks like I came at the wrong time." Shiraha appeared at the rooftop entrance. Seeing the siblings grinning foolishly at each other, he felt that he might indeed have arrived at the wrong time.

"Shiraha! You can't get away this time." Nawaki hurried over to Shiraha.

Last year, Nawaki had been away on a mission for his birthday, while Tsunade had not been in the village either.

This time, he was definitely going to accept Shiraha's gift.

Shiraha said, "I came to find you because I knew today was your birthday. I prepared your present a long time ago.

Kushina went ahead to reserve a room at the Restaurant and check whether they had all the rare ingredients.

A feast is waiting for you later!"

Although the High-Class Restaurant was under Kushina's name, business was usually excellent. The two of them did not eat there every day, so they had not reserved a private room.

If Kushina did not go early to book a spot, they might have to wait if she arrived too late.

Over the past two years, Shiraha had spent at least several hundred thousand ryo on materials just practicing the creation of Demonic items.

However, Shiraha had also become familiar with the process of making Demonic items, and the Barrier Technique had become the technique he was most proficient in.

Although he did not know exactly when Nawaki would die, Shiraha remembered that he had died after receiving the Hokage Necklace on one of his birthdays.

Now that Shiraha saw the necklace around Nawaki's neck, he had a rough idea of the timing.

He made the Demonic item containing the sealed Barrier Technique into the shape of a birthday present.

He was mainly worried that Nawaki would not carry it with him, so he planned to remind him on his birthday and threaten to cut ties with him if he did not wear it at all times.

He had made a bracelet containing two sealed Barrier Techniques.

Nawaki smiled. "It's enough that you remembered my birthday."

Because Orochimaru, who was stationed on the front lines, had taken him as a disciple, he had not entered the class assignment system.

Before Orochimaru returned to the village, Nawaki mostly carried out low-level missions alone or joined other teams, but he always felt as though something was missing.

It was Shiraha's arrival that gave him the feeling of having companions!

"The food there really is delicious, but the alcohol is a little too weak. It would be great if Grandma had given me the izakaya next door." Tsunade smiled with a hint of wistfulness, somewhat missing Mito.

"Hmph! Big Sis, Grandma knew you had terrible drinking habits and loved gambling. She was probably afraid you'd lose all the property she left behind, so she gave it all to Little Sister Kushina instead!" Nawaki showed no mercy.

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Tsunade's face fell.

"Then why did Grandma make you hand all your savings over to me for safekeeping?!" Nawaki followed up with another jab.

Shiraha's expression stiffened as he held back his laughter.

"You little brat! Give me back my gift! I'm not giving it to you anymore!" Tsunade shouted in embarrassment and anger.

Did she not need to save face in front of Shiraha?

"That's just how it is! You don't act like an adult at all." After saying that, Nawaki ran downstairs.

"Don't run!"

Tsunade chased after him.

The touching scene between the siblings vanished in an instant.

At the beginning of September, just as the Ninja Academy had reopened.

News came from the Land of Rain that Konoha Ninja were burning, killing, and plundering within the Land of Rain Territory.

Though it was obviously false intelligence, in consideration of Hanzo's past mercy, the Third Hokage ordered Tsunade and Orochimaru to lead a squad into the Land of Rain and swiftly eliminate those impersonating Konoha Ninja.

More importantly, they were to bring back Jiraiya, who had remained in the Land of Rain for three years.

Nawaki also traveled to the Land of Rain with the squad.

Of course, Konoha was also guarding against Sunagakure sending small elite units through the Land of Rain to bypass the front and enter the Land of Fire.

After all, Sunagakure's Puppeteer Squad was famous far and wide.

As for Konoha's main force, it was stationed along the western border of the Land of Fire, prepared for battle.

Shiraha had thought that with his Demonic item on hand, along with his usual reminders, Nawaki would be able to escape disaster. Unexpectedly, terrible news still came from the front.

"How could this happen?! Even two layers of barriers couldn't block an Exploding Tag?"

Shiraha had just arrived at Konoha Hospital at noon when he learned the terrible news.

Nawaki had followed Orochimaru in encircling rogue ninja. After the battle on the main battlefield had ended, he became too aggressive while pursuing a small group of fleeing enemy ninja and accidentally triggered an Exploding Tag trap.

Although he had not died on the spot, he was gravely injured and remained unconscious.

He had only just been sent back to the village.

If Orochimaru had not immediately brought Nawaki to Tsunade and cared for him along the way, Nawaki would likely have died before reaching the village.

No one had expected Nawaki to be critically injured despite Orochimaru's protection.

Orochimaru himself probably had not expected that Nawaki, after receiving his careful training, would fall for such a basic trap.

PS: I forgot to set the timer. Sorry.