Tears of a Tough Guy

On the way out of the town, the three children looked around hesitantly, as if they wanted to say something. Kato Osamu glanced at them but didn't say anything. They walked quickly until they rested. Uzuki Yugao couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up.

"Ms. Xu, um... where's Nonō?"

Although she looked very well-behaved, a mischievous smile could be clearly seen in her expression. Kato Osamu glared at her, Yugao pouted, sitting back down with a resentful look on her face.

Kato Osamu silently ate his dry rations, noticing the three children staring at him intently, seemingly determined to get to the bottom of things. Kato Osamu couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Nonō is also a Jonin, and she has her own missions..."

"We used to work in the same department, so we were... graduates of the same year..."

After casually uttering a few words, Kato Osamu stood up, ignoring their probing gazes, and slowly headed into the depths of the jungle.

"Graduated in the same year? That means you're childhood sweethearts?" Yugao's eyes lit up. It seemed that students never tired of gossiping about their teachers.

"By the way, which year did Teacher Xu graduate? How come I've never heard of a genius like Teacher Xu at the Ninja Academy?" Iruka asked with a hint of doubt. Yugao thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case. The two of them couldn't help but turn their attention to Itachi Uchiha.

This young master of the Uchiha Clan, though young, was someone they had to admit possessed far more knowledge than they did about the secrets of Konoha, not just in terms of strength...

Itachi Uchiha's face didn't show any obvious expression, but a hint of helplessness could be clearly seen in his eyes.

He was a genius from a young age and had few playmates of his own age. If it weren't for this team, he probably wouldn't have had much interaction with Yugao and Iruka. But the reality is that the longer they were teammates, the more they seemed to have developed a deep friendship and understood each other's personalities.

Itachi Uchiha wasn't much of a talker, but Yugao and Iruka knew he was actually quite easy to get along with—he rarely refused their requests. He was a cold-faced but warm-hearted person, somewhat similar in personality to the Aburame Clan.

"I've heard my father mention it..."

"Teacher Xu used to be a member of Root, but later became Lord Orochimaru's disciple..."

"You haven't heard of Teacher Xu at the Ninja Academy simply because he wasn't one of the mainstream Konoha in Konoha who graduated from the Ninja Academy and rose through the ranks to Jonin. Instead, he was a special ninja who came from a secret organization that trained him from a young age..."

Kato Osamu is Orochimaru's disciple, a fact known to many ninjas, and they naturally knew this as well. However, the Root organization was completely unheard of by ordinary Genin...

"Secretly cultivated from childhood... at the Root..."

Iruka and Yugao both looked at Itachi Uchiha with bewildered expressions. It seemed that these things were completely different from the Konoha they knew. Suddenly, they felt a sense of unfamiliarity with Konoha.

"I don't know much about Root either; it's a special organization similar to the Anbu. However..."

As he spoke, Itachi Uchiha paused, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.

"However, as far as I know, Root cultivation is very brutal..."

"Only a very small number can stand out from the crowd and become members of the Root..."

After speaking, Itachi Uchiha's eyes revealed a hint of contemplation. Last time, Kato Osamu told him about the clan's predicament and his hope that Itachi would become the clan's pillar. During this time, Itachi had also been working hard to improve his strength.

He has fully mastered the enhancements brought by the Sharingan, and he has done the best he can for the time being, but he can clearly feel that it is still far from enough.

He wondered if he lacked the tempering of life and death...

"Is the dropout rate even higher than that of the Ninja Academy?"

Iruka thought for a moment. The Ninja Academy enrolled many children of school age each year, but after several years of study, the number of graduates who became official Genin was very limited. If it weren't for wartime, given his skill level, he would probably need to study for another two years...

"Yes, the attrition rate is even higher than that of the Ninja Academy..."

Itachi Uchiha's eyes flickered, unsure whether he should tell them the truth he had learned.

Yugao seemed to notice a slight unease in Itachi Uchiha's expression. She frowned and pondered for a moment, then asked tentatively, "I've never heard of Root before, so what about those eliminated children...?"

As she spoke, she seemed to realize something, her eyes widened instantly, and her Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily...

Itachi Uchiha glanced at her; compared to Iruka, Uzuki Yugao was clearly smarter...

"Um..."

"They will all die!"

"What!!!"

Iruka's face was filled with utter shock, as if he had heard something unbelievable. His face turned bright red. Was this still the Konoha he loved so much? How could this be!

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could Konoha have such a cruel place! Itachi! You're lying, aren't you! Absolutely impossible..."

"Impossible..."

Looking directly into Itachi's eyes, though emotionally he couldn't believe it, he knew Itachi as a comrade he'd spent so much time with. Rationally, he understood that it was probably true. His voice grew softer, and the confusion in his eyes deepened...

"I'm going to ask Teacher Xu! This must be fake!"

Iruka was indignant, but he was met with silence from his two companions, which calmed him down. He then slapped himself hard.

"Professor Xu... he must be in a lot of pain if we ask him this kind of question..."

Thinking of his classmates, who were dying one after another, Iruka was deeply disturbed...

"Nonō and Ms. Osamu were in the same year, they..."

Yugao imagined the two of them supporting each other, working together, and ultimately escaping the death trial. Not only her, but Iruka and Itachi also thought of it.

"I think I understand their relationship a little better now..."

"No wonder Teacher Xu always says things like, 'You could easily die on the battlefield if you're not careful...'"

The three remained silent, unsure of what to say. Such a heavy burden seemed unbecoming of someone their age.

When Kato Osamu returned from the forest, he saw the three of them looking at him in silence, their eyes slightly misty, which made him frown.

"Hehe, are the three of you holding some kind of 'remembering the bitter past and appreciating the sweet present' meeting?"

"When you die on the battlefield, please recite the Will of Fire several times. Perhaps the Third will descend from the sky and save you..."

As soon as Kato Osamu finished speaking, Iruka could no longer hold back. Tears welled up in the muscular man's eyes, and he tried to rush towards him. Kato Osamu easily dodged him, kicked him away, and narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the three of them...