Uchiha Kazama left the Hokage's Office and headed toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Konan followed behind him.
When he reached his courtyard and stepped inside,
several figures came into view.
"Teacher!"
"Teacher!"
Naruto and Sasuke rushed up to Uchiha Kazama at once.
They greeted him happily.
Both Naruto and Sasuke were doing fairly well now.
Naruto in particular had lost every trace of gloom from his face, and his sunny demeanor was a joy to see.
Not far away, Gaara watched Naruto's smile with a slight frown.
He had met Naruto yesterday. After learning that Gaara was also a jinchūriki, Naruto had eagerly pulled him into a conversation.
Over the course of the evening, he had told Gaara about his life in the village and everything he had suffered over the past few years.
How the adults in the village had loathed and hated him.
How the village children had refused to play with him and even attacked him.
How, after starting school, he could only watch other children's parents come to pick them up while he sat alone on the swing outside...
Yet all those painful experiences had become Naruto's motivation to keep moving forward.
He even greeted people with warmth and a cheerful smile every time...
And now, seeing Naruto's bright smile again,
Gaara's feelings grew even more complicated.
"Gaara, come here."
"You've already met, haven't you?"
"Gaara will be staying in the village to train from now on, too. Kakashi and Jiraiya will still be giving you special training."
"Gaara will be enrolled in school. Naruto, make sure you look after your new classmate."
Kazama called Gaara over and spoke calmly.
"School?!"
Gaara looked up at Uchiha Kazama in bewilderment.
With his current strength, he could kill an ordinary genin in an instant.
Go to school?!
*What