The next day.
After the training, Might Guy's energetic words of comfort rang in Neji's ears, "Neji, don't be discouraged! One failure is nothing! Youth is about constantly moving forward amidst constant setbacks! Burn up!"
Teacher Guy gave a thumbs up, and his teeth seemed to be shining.
Neji nodded slightly and responded politely, "Yes, Teacher Guy."
But his eyes were a little wandering, and his mind was obviously not on Kai's passionate encouragement.
What happened last night lingered in his mind like a fog that couldn't go away.
Last night, when he finished his day at Training and walked back to the familiar yet slightly depressing road of Hyuga Clan Compound, he unexpectedly met the patriarch--Hyuga Hiashi.
Hiashi seems to be waiting for someone.
The patriarch's expression was a little strange. He was not as majestic and rigid as usual. Instead, he had a... Neji complex emotion that he couldn't describe, as if he was suppressing some huge determination, but also revealed a trace of indescribable excitement.
When I see Neji again.
He said something that completely confused Neji.
Neji forgot how it started, but the two dialogues that puzzled him the most were still fresh in his memory.
"Neji."
Hiashi's voice is deep and solemn.
"Remember, 'if you continue to break, you will suffer chaos'."
He paused and looked directly at Neji with sharp eyes, as if trying to penetrate his heart.
"Sometimes, one person, just one person, has to make a decision."
These words came suddenly, without any foreshadowing, and they did not seem to be giving instructions to Training or family affairs at all.
Neji is full of doubts: What is the patriarch hinting at?
What does "break" mean?
What does "a person" mean? Is it directed at me? Or himself?
Or Caged Bird Seal?
Countless question marks are swirling in Neji's mind.
Before Neji could clarify his thoughts or ask, Hiashi then said, "After a while, I will arrange an important task that requires you to participate. Be prepared."
As a member of the Branch Family, facing the direct order of the clan leader, Neji did not hesitate at all and immediately bowed and responded, "Yes, Lord Hiashi, I understand."
However, what made him even more confused was that after he agreed, a trace of... weird excitement flashed across Lord Hiashi's face?
Although the expression was quickly restrained, Neji captured it keenly.
This is completely inconsistent with the patriarch's usual calm image.
What kind of task can make the patriarch show such emotions?
Neji was puzzled and felt that the encounter last night was unusual in every way.
Tenten's movement of sorting Ninja Tools suddenly stopped. She looked towards the street with wide eyes, her voice full of undisguised surprise. "Teacher Guy, look over there!"
Might Guy, Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee were immediately attracted by her voice and looked in the direction of her finger.
I saw that familiar figure on the street not far away.
Silver hair, mask, Forehead Protector worn diagonally, hands in pockets.
It is Kakashi Hatake.
He is leisurely Earth Flow.
'It turns out to be Kakashi, but what's so surprising...'
As soon as Kai's thoughts came to his mind, his eyes were firmly fixed on the figure next to Kakashi.
Wait, who is that woman?
She has eye-catching dark green Long Hair hair, which is spread smoothly. She is tall and has a kind of elegance in her steps.
The four people from Team Guy instantly reached a silent tacit understanding and quickly hid behind a thick tree at the edge of the practice field. They only cautiously poked out their four heads and focused their gazes on the two people on the street.
Kakashi seemed to be tilting his head and talking to the woman next to him, but he was turning his back to several people...
The green-haired woman also turned her head to respond, with the corners of her mouth raised, and the corners of her eyes and brows filled with joy. The two of them were talking and laughing, and the atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.
Might Guy looked at the strange woman with a solemn expression, his thick eyebrows furrowed, trying to find any clues on her body.
But apart from the intuitive impression that she was very beautiful and the distinctive feature of a tear mole in the corner of her right eye, he could not see anything else.
"It's really strange."
Kai lowered his voice, his tone carrying the seriousness and confusion of a reconnaissance mission.
"That woman talked and laughed with Kakashi, but this was the first time I saw her. Is she the client of the mission?"
He guessed at the possible identity of the other party.
After all, I grew up with Kakashi. If that woman is from Konoha, Might Guy must know her. Even if she doesn't know her, she must have met her.
(Kisame Hoshigaki: It's strange that you can remember, the face-blind watermelon head with thick eyebrows!)
Neji also temporarily put aside the previous worries at this time and entered a state of calm analysis.
His pure white eyes glanced around Kakashi and the woman. After confirming the information he wanted to know, he responded in a low voice, "It shouldn't be a commission, Teacher Guy."
His logic is clear.
"After all, Naruto and his two companions are not here."
If it was really Team 7's mission, there should be no reason for Naruto and his two companions to be absent.
After all, almost all the tasks in the village are C-level and D-level. As Kakashi Jonin, there is no need to take them. They will usually be done by students.
This is also Konoha's old practice of bringing in new ones.
"And..."
Tenten moved closer, her eyes moving back and forth between Kakashi and the green-haired woman. The more she looked, the more she felt something was wrong. Her tone contained Girl's unique intuition and a hint of gossip excitement. She pointed at Kakashi's occasional close-talking movements and the woman's natural reaction.
"It looks like the two of them are dating!"
"Date!"
Rock Lee was shocked and screamed out, instantly breaking the silence carefully maintained behind the tree.
His eyes were wide open, and his face was filled with pure shock.
"Lee, your voice is too loud!"
Neji reacted very quickly and let out a low drink.
Three hands covered Rock Lee's mouth like lightning.
That's right, Tenten, Neji and Might Guy covered Rock Lee's mouth at the same time.
Almost at the same time, Might Guy quickly put the index finger of his other hand to his lips, and closely coordinated with Neji's mouth-covering action, making an exaggerated and anxious "shh" mouth gesture to Rock Lee, and urgently warned, "Shhh!"
While covering his apprentice's mouth, Kai nervously continued to look towards the street, for fear of alarming the observation target.
There was only one thought in his mind, and it was unabashedly reflected in his winking expression: He still wanted to go to the theater!
Kakashi actually has a girlfriend?
"Teacher Guy, teachers Asuma and Kakashi-sensei who are in the same class as you both have girlfriends. When are you going to find us a junior wife?"
Tenten asked in a low voice.
"Let's talk about this later. Let's first find a way to confirm whether Kakashi is in a relationship."
Might Guy is a little embarrassed.
Tenten is absolutely right... right.
Might Duy is already married and has children at Kai's age, but Might Guy doesn't have a girlfriend yet!
However, Ebisu and Genma Shiranui, who used to be on the same team as Might Guy, are not married yet, so Kai is not in a hurry.