Since I'm Being Taken Advantage of by Teacher Kurenai, I Should Take the Initiative, of Course

Sakura Haruno raised her hand. Her voice rang clear as she glanced at Hinata, then at Takasaki.

She had been watching Takasaki the whole time, and she was absolutely certain he was cheating.

To be precise, he was copying the answers from Hinata's test paper.

Perhaps because her first two attempts to report Takasaki had failed, Sakura suddenly felt unsure of herself this time.

She took a deep breath, as if trying to encourage herself.

What was there to be afraid of?

She had seen Takasaki cheating this time with her own eyes. Hinata's and Takasaki's test papers could be compared as evidence.

Besides, she was only doing this so Takasaki would write her name in his diary a few more times and she could get a reward.

She just wanted to become stronger. What was wrong with that?

Sakura paused, stood up, and said clearly, "Teacher Kurenai, I'd like to report Takasaki for cheating! He's copying Hinata's answers."

The entire class looked over again.

Takasaki was cheating again.

Sakura was reporting him again.

The students' gazes were no longer as gleeful as they had been the first time. Most of them were watching with anticipation.

Had Takasaki really cheated?

Or would there be another twist this time?

Kurenai Yuhi looked at Takasaki and Sakura.

Sakura lifted her chin slightly and stared at Takasaki with a haughty expression.

Hinata's heart pounded nervously.

Oh no!

Helping Takasaki cheat was still cheating. If they were caught, he would be disqualified from the exam.

When she got home, her father would be so disappointed in her.

Compared to Hinata, Takasaki seemed much calmer. He reached out and gently patted Hinata on the shoulder. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

For some reason, hearing those words from Takasaki made Hinata feel inexplicably reassured.

Takasaki really wasn't worried.

It was one thing for Sakura to report him through Naruto earlier. Naruto was easy to bully, after all.

But Hinata only looked easy to bully. Behind her stood the entire Hyuga Clan.

Was Sakura really dragging Hinata into this? Did she have no idea how to handle people?

Takasaki glanced at Sakura's test paper and immediately raised his hand. "Teacher Kurenai, I'd like to report Sakura for cheating too! She's copying my answers!"

Sakura's pupils contracted. She frowned, almost thinking she'd misheard him.

Takasaki was reporting her for cheating?

Why would she need to cheat?

And he was claiming she'd copied his test paper?

Impossible!

Sakura came to her senses and gave a faint laugh.

It wasn't that she had an especially strong nerve. She simply had every reason to feel confident. Takasaki's accusation seemed absurd to her.

There was no way Takasaki could get her in trouble.

Just as she watched Teacher Kurenai confidently examine her paper, Takasaki's, and Hinata's, she heard Kurenai say, "Sakura, I've checked all three of your papers. If Takasaki was copying Hinata's paper, then you were copying Takasaki's."

What?

Sakura's mouth fell slightly open, and for a moment she was at a loss for words. "I-I couldn't have copied Takasaki's! I can do this test on my own. But Takasaki was clearly copying Hinata's multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank answers. I saw him."

Sakura was getting anxious.

More than wanting Takasaki to write her name in his diary a few more times, right now she wanted to prove she hadn't done anything wrong.

It would have been one thing if her first and second reports against Takasaki had failed. But if her third attempt failed, after she'd watched him cheat right under her nose, she couldn't accept it.

"But your multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank answers are the same as Takasaki's. Doesn't that prove you were copying him too? Sakura, can you explain that?"

Kurenai's question left Sakura stunned.

Why were her multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank answers the same as Takasaki's?

Because she and Hinata were good students and had gotten every answer right. Takasaki had copied Hinata, so of course his answers matched hers.

The problem was, she couldn't explain it away as cheating.

At that, Takasaki felt confident.

Even setting aside the possibility that Teacher Kurenai might cover for him for some reason he didn't know, she wouldn't make a big deal out of this, if only because of Hinata's status.

"If Takasaki is disqualified from this exam, shouldn't you be disqualified too?" Kurenai's tone suddenly turned stern.

At the mention of being disqualified, Sakura shuddered and pressed her lips together before sitting down.

She finally realized how serious this was. "Teacher, I was wrong."

"If you disrupt the exam again, you'll be the only one in the class disqualified!"

"I-I'm sorry, Teacher."

"Apologize to Takasaki again."

She had to apologize to Takasaki again?

Sakura's face burned. "Takasaki, I'm sorry."

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't dared to look back during the whole ordeal. Only after she heard Sakura apologize to Takasaki did she finally feel at ease.

After apologizing, Sakura sat in her seat without daring to raise her head. Her face flushed bright red, and tears of hurt welled in her eyes.

Sasuke glanced toward Sakura and let out a soft scoff. "Idiot."

Naruto stopped writing. While Teacher Kurenai had been dealing with Takasaki and Sakura, he had taken the opportunity to copy all the answers from Takasaki's paper.

Thinking back on the situation Takasaki had just been in, Naruto wondered how he would have handled it.

Just thinking about it made him break out in a cold sweat.

He probably would have been so nervous that he'd confessed on the spot.

Takasaki was a real piece of work. Not only did he have all sorts of ways to cheat on exams, but even when he was caught and reported, he stayed remarkably calm.

Naruto suddenly felt that, even though he and Takasaki were both dead last, Takasaki had it a lot easier than he did.

"Teacher, I'm handing in my paper."

Takasaki stood and handed in his test.

There was no point checking his answers. He hadn't been able to answer a single question; he'd copied them all.

More importantly, he was worried Sakura might stir up more trouble for him. It was a pain.

As for why Sakura was targeting him so relentlessly, he couldn't be bothered to guess.

In any case, after this exam, he'd do his best to avoid her.

He put his paper on the lectern and was about to leave the classroom when a soft, warm sensation brushed against his palm.

It was a familiar feeling.

Teacher Kurenai's fair, delicate hand.

Kurenai lightly hooked a finger around Takasaki's hand to stop him. She stepped closer and spoke so softly it was like she was breathing into his ear. "Go wait for me in my private office. I'll be there in a little while. If you're tired, take a nap on my reclining chair. I need you to do something for me."

Students were allowed to hand in their final exam papers early, though almost none of them did.

This was such an important exam that even students who had finished their papers would check them over carefully.

That said, the proctors wouldn't stop anyone who handed in their paper early from going wherever they wanted.

Kurenai didn't want Takasaki to leave so soon, so she reached out and stopped him.

She wouldn't miss a chance to spend more time with Takasaki and get him to write her name in his diary.

More importantly, Takasaki was bound to be curious about why she had helped him time and again.

Kurenai had already thought of an explanation for him.

It was worth mentioning that when Sakura reported Takasaki for the third time, his ability to think on his feet had surprised her.

And by not dragging Hinata into it, he had helped her resolve a problem too.

Takasaki had no idea what Kurenai was thinking.

He only noticed a few keywords in what she'd said:

"Wait in my private office," "take a nap," and "do something."

A thought suddenly came to Takasaki.

He thought he understood why Teacher Kurenai wanted to help him.

Could she be planning to take advantage of him?

It seemed that even in a world with a strict social hierarchy, being handsome wasn't entirely useless.

He wanted to ask Teacher Kurenai if she had any condoms in her private office. Otherwise, Asuma might end up raising another man's child.

As he thought this, Takasaki turned around and saw that Kurenai had already returned to the lectern. She sat there with her legs crossed, looking every bit the stern, focused proctor.

She noticed Takasaki looking at her and raised her chin slightly. "Go on. I haven't locked the door."

With that, she smiled at Takasaki. When she turned back to the examinees, her smile disappeared.

The angle of her crossed legs perfectly displayed the long, shapely outline of her thighs.

The only thing missing was the actual view; Kurenai's scarlet robe hid her beautiful legs from sight.

Hopefully, Teacher Kurenai had a change of clothes in her private office, because he was going to tear off the bothersome robe covering them.

After all, he was the one being taken advantage of. He should take the initiative.

Meanwhile.

The Hokage Building.

The Anbu conference room.

Dozens of Anbu squad leaders wearing animal masks sat in the conference room, listening solemnly to Hiruzen Sarutobi as he spoke from the seat of honor.

Hiruzen had a pipe in his mouth. "Unfortunately, the bodies of several Anbu members I sent to gather information on the rogue ninja Orochimaru were found near the border of Otogakure. Each of them died horribly, as if they'd been subjected to human experimentation. It's very much like Orochimaru's handiwork."

"These Anbu members once served under the Second Hokage, Lord Tobirama. Now that they've died such terrible deaths, I've failed to live up to Lord Tobirama's expectations of me."

Hiruzen stood, his expression grief-stricken.

He removed his hat and took the pipe from his mouth. After glancing at all the Anbu squad leaders present, he fell silent for a few seconds, then continued:

"Orochimaru was my student. I bear a great deal of responsibility for what he's become."

The Second Hokage Tobirama Senju had established the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad, the Anbu.

After Tobirama died on the battlefield, Hiruzen took control of the Anbu.

When Hiruzen first took command, the members didn't obey him completely.

After all, they were Tobirama's trusted subordinates.

It was only natural for them to reject a new leader.

Over the years, Hiruzen had repeatedly sent the Anbu's more unruly members on secret, dangerous assassination missions.

Gradually, the members who refused to follow orders all died in the field.

During this process, Hiruzen placed his own confidants in the Anbu and groomed them.

"Wherever the leaves dance, fire burns. The Will of Fire will continue to illuminate the village and let new leaves sprout."

"The sacrifices of these Anbu members were not in vain. They will inspire you to become the pillars of the future."

Hiruzen's expression was grave.

He placed his hat and pipe on the table, lowered his head, and sighed. His tone was solemn and mournful. "Now, let us observe a moment of silence for the Anbu members who gave their lives."

As soon as he finished speaking,

the dozens of Anbu members in attendance rose in unison and lowered their heads.

They didn't remove the animal masks covering their faces, but their eyes showed how heavy their hearts were.

Each of them had been thoroughly steeped in the Will of Fire.

Hiruzen's gaze swept over them. He nodded with satisfaction, thinking, At last, I've gotten rid of all the people Tobirama left behind...

The Anbu members sent to gather information on Orochimaru this time had been the last of Tobirama's old guard.

In other words,

every Anbu member Tobirama had left behind had now been wiped out.

All the Anbu members he had now were his own confidants, steeped in the Will of Fire and willing to risk their lives for him.

That was the kind of Anbu he could trust.

However, over the past few days, Hiruzen had noticed that one of the Anbu squad leaders seemed distracted.

It was a woman.

Hiruzen's gaze shifted to a woman in the back corner. She wore a Cat Mask and a sleeveless flak jacket, with the red Anbu insignia tattooed on her right shoulder.

His brow furrowed.

The woman was sitting in her seat with her head tilted slightly, her eyes vacant as if she were lost in thought.

"Uzuki Yugao!" Hiruzen called in a low voice.

Uzuki Yugao snapped back to attention. "I'm here, Lord Hokage!"

"Observe a moment of silence for the Anbu members who gave their lives."

"Oh... right. I'm sorry..."

Uzuki Yugao hurriedly stood and bowed her head, wearing a look of grief.

Gekko Hayate, standing beside her in a Tiger Mask, quietly reminded his girlfriend, "Yugao, how can you zone out during an Anbu meeting? I tried to get your attention several times, but you didn't react."

"Sorry." Uzuki Yugao furrowed her brow slightly.

She really had been absorbed in thoughts about the diary.

The diary she'd gotten a few days ago was simply too mysterious.

The tone of Takasaki's diary was rather frivolous. When she'd first read it, she'd thought it was just some silly prank.

But when the reward for her first diary entry increased her total chakra by 10%, she finally realized how important the diary was.

"Lord Hokage is coming over. Ahem, make sure you explain yourself properly to Lord Hokage," Gekko Hayate reminded her.

As Uzuki Yugao's boyfriend, he was worried that she would be punished by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had already stepped down from the platform and was walking over to Uzuki Yugao.

He valued Uzuki Yugao highly.

First, he had trained her from a young age. She had been deeply influenced by the Will of Fire and was trustworthy.

Second, Uzuki Yugao was more talented than most Anbu Ninja. Though only in her early twenties, she was already a Special Jōnin, and her swordsmanship was masterful.

Third, Uzuki Yugao's looks had become more and more striking, and he found her very pleasing to the eye.

Don't be fooled by Hiruzen Sarutobi's advanced age. He might have been old, but his heart was still young.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have regularly used a Crystal Ball to spy on the women's bathhouse.

"Uzuki Yugao, what were you just thinking about?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked softly.

"I..."

A thought came to Uzuki Yugao: should she tell him about the diary?

Deeply influenced by the Will of Fire, just like Hinata, once she understood how important the diary was, her first thought was to hand it over.