Two weeks later.
Early one morning, before Ryosuke arrived to teach, Xue Ge quietly made his way along the side of the classroom on crutches and sat down in his seat at the back.
"Um... are you okay?" Muzi leaned over to ask Xue Ge. "I heard you... uh... went missing a while ago?"
"Don't worry. I'm fine now." Xue Ge shook his head gently.
The moment they returned to Konoha, Minato had forcibly packed Xue Ge off to the hospital for treatment. Xue Ge had wanted to discuss some ideas for developing the Rasengan with him, but Minato had rushed off immediately.
Only later did he learn that Minato had been on his way back to the village to report after completing a mission. His two teammates were still out in the wilderness.
After two weeks in the hospital, a place he hadn't visited in a long time and certainly hadn't missed, Xue Ge's injuries had mostly healed. He hurried to get discharged and return to class.
During his stay, Hiruzen, Danzo, and Orochimaru had each visited separately and given him a few instructions.
Hiruzen had come out of concern for a younger member of the village, mainly to comfort him and see how he was doing. Danzo, meanwhile, had been his usual self. Like a very strict father, he had checked Xue Ge's condition, then assigned him the next stage of his tasks.
Orochimaru had mainly come to apologize. After all, Xue Ge was his partner, and having landed him in such a mess, he needed to do something to maintain their relationship. Over those two weeks, he had not only modified quite a few of the Wind Release and Lightning Release techniques Xue Ge had previously given him, but also thrown in some higher-level Ninjutsu of his own.
It was a sincere gesture, and Xue Ge said nothing. After all, he had been the one to cast the technique. Their partnership continued.
Black Pine, meanwhile, had been taken away by Hiruzen for training. Konoha had no native population of Ninja Hawks, so Xue Ge's contracted beast might hold even greater value for the village.
Xue Ge wrote down more of his ideas about the Rasengan in a book and gave it to Hiruzen to pass on to Minato.
His serious injuries prevented him from strenuous exercise, so Xue Ge took the opportunity to review and master the Body Flicker Technique he had used by accident. He also devoted all the time normally reserved for physical conditioning to practicing Ninjutsu.
That was, more or less, what had happened over those two weeks.
When classes let out at noon, the classmates who knew Xue Ge gathered around him.
Obito said, "You okay, Xue Ge? You went missing for almost three weeks just two weeks into school. Impressive!"
Rin said, "Obito... anyway, I heard you were in the hospital? Have your injuries mostly healed?"
Guy said, "Young man! Get plenty of rest! Only a healthy body can let your youth burn to its fullest!"
Kakashi said, "Don't fall behind."
"..." Surrounded by so many people for the first time, Xue Ge was at a loss. For a moment, he couldn't get a word out.
"All right, all right." Muzi stepped in front of Xue Ge. "He's only just recovered, so don't worry about him too much. Go eat first. We can chat during lunch break."
Seeing that Xue Ge really did seem fine, everyone dispersed. Only Kakashi casually turned sideways and sat on Xue Ge's desk. "Hey, Xue Ge. Are you free tonight?"
"What's up?"
"I'd like to invite you over." Kakashi kept his eyes on the novel in his hands. "I've learned some new Ninjutsu lately, and I want someone to spar with so I can get used to them."
"Is Uncle Sakumo not home?" Xue Ge asked.
"You want me to spar with my father?" Kakashi stared at Xue Ge with dead-fish eyes. "You're quite the comedian."
"Tomorrow night," Xue Ge said without a change in expression. "I have something else to do tonight."
"Sure. It's a deal, then. Keep up, Xue Ge." Kakashi waved, hopped off the desk, picked up his lunchbox, and walked away.
Muzi placed a bread roll on Xue Ge's desk. "I didn't know when you'd be back, so I didn't prepare any lunch for you. Have this today."
"You don't have to go to all this trouble," Xue Ge said earnestly.
Muzi smiled. "Making a little extra food isn't any trouble."
"..." Xue Ge frowned in confusion. "Why are you so nice to me?"
Muzi pointed to her left eye. "I used to have a one-eyed friend, too, but I haven't seen him in a long time."
"Seeing you reminds me of him. Don't let it bother you, though. You're my friend, too."
Xue Ge nodded, accepting that explanation, then unwrapped the bread and ate in silence.
Muzi picked up her lunch to head outside. As she left her seat, she said, "Oh, there's one more thing..."
"The school is holding a Hanabi Festival this Sunday. Everyone in our class is going, so it should be lively. I heard Lord Hokage and the legendary Sannin will be there, too. Want to come with us? Your house is pretty out of the way, right? We can come get you."
"...At night?"
"Mm-hmm."
"All right." Xue Ge wrote an address on a piece of paper. "Just come here. Don't enter the courtyard. Call out from outside."
"Sure."
Xue Ge watched Muzi leave. After finishing the bread, he took a few deep breaths.
I've barely moved for over two weeks. I should warm up before today's physical training.
When he returned home that evening, Xue Ge sat in his room for a while, then began cleaning the entire building.
Danzo had something arranged for him that night, which was why Xue Ge had turned down Kakashi's invitation. But Danzo hadn't said what they would be doing, and he wasn't there yet. With nothing else to do, Xue Ge decided to clean the dusty house first.
A little over half an hour later, just as Xue Ge finished cleaning the ground floor, he heard the door open.
Danzo fell silent for a moment at the sight of the floor, polished enough to serve as a mirror.
"Xue Ge?" "I'm here."
Wearing an apron, a mask, a cap, and sleeve covers, Xue Ge poked his head out of the kitchen with a broom in hand.
"..." The sight of Xue Ge's outfit left Danzo with mixed feelings.
"Change into proper ninja attire and come with me."
"Understood."
Xue Ge changed in less than a minute, then followed Danzo out of the village.
After they had walked for a while, Xue Ge frowned.
This forest, this location... isn't this the Forest of Death?
Not every forest was called the Forest of Death. Though Xue Ge had spent most of his four years of training in the woods, he had been warned not to venture into the Forest of Death. It was far too dangerous.
So what's going on now?
"Lord Danzo, may I ask what we're going to do?"
"I'm going to find you a proper
master."
Danzo said calmly, "Four years ago, I took you in under the pretext of accepting you as my disciple. But my duties are troublesome, and I rarely have time to teach you. En and White Fang are both busy members of the ANBU as well, with no time to oversee your training."
"Two weeks ago, you nearly lost your life because of Orochimaru. That was a failure on my part."
"So now I intend to assign a ninja specifically to you and have her teach you properly. I will still be your master in name. Train hard. One day, I'll need you to succeed me."
"Yes." Xue Ge nodded.
Danzo stopped in front of a bamboo grove.
"Go on alone. The person I've arranged for you is just ahead. I'll head back now."
"Yes."