Konoha Notes

Chapter 401 Youthful Inexperience
The gazes of the four people present shifted back and forth between the green color and Shuuji's black casual clothes, trying to piece together a picture in their minds of him being able to accept the item.

Kai's eyes burned, and the hand holding the fabric moved forward another half step.

"Take this, Neji! This is a gift I prepared for you long ago."

"I originally intended to celebrate when you truly embarked on the path of immortal cultivation."

"But if I'm so stingy with encouragement for my students after such rigorous training, my youth will never allow it!"

Neji's fingertips trembled slightly.

His arm rose slightly, then stopped. Reason was restraining him, but something deeper had been stirred by those words—

If even that person accepted it...

Hiashi Hyuga coughed lightly: "Kai, training isn't over yet."

"Oh! That's right!" Kai nodded as if he suddenly understood, and immediately reached out and stuffed the green ball into Neji's arms without saying a word.

The fabric was even warm to the touch.

Neji's eyelids twitched uncontrollably; where on earth did this thing come from?

Spiritual communication?

If it's a form of psychic magic, why would it have a temperature?

At this moment, Hiashi spoke again: "Neji, Mr. Shuji has many things to attend to, please focus on training."

Shuji glanced at Neji, feeling a little disappointed that he hadn't witnessed Neji's dramatic breakdown as he accepted Guy's gift, and then glanced at Hiashi Hyuga.

Having been interrupted by him, Neji has probably now emerged from his wavering state.

The training resumed and lasted for an hour. Shuji only announced its end when the sun had fully risen.

Neji and Karin still need to go back to school.

Karin's gaze was still somewhat unfocused, occasionally glancing at the green fabric set in Neji's hand.

Captain, why are you wearing that kind of thing?

Just now, while using Kagura's Mind's Eye, images would uncontrollably appear in her mind: Shuji's calm face paired with Kai's tight-fitting clothes.

The two images cannot be pieced together no matter what.

It feels so out of place.

She tried to banish the bizarre associations from her mind, but the more she resisted, the clearer the images became.

Karin quickened her pace; she needed textbooks, exercises, anything to cleanse her mind.

Knowledge, yes, use knowledge to purify that scene.

The red-haired girl started running.

The wind brushed past her ears, tossing the hair behind her. She rushed down the slope in the western suburbs, across the morning streets, and into the gates of the Ninja Academy. Only when she stepped onto the corridor of the teaching building did her breathing slowly calm down.

When I pushed open the classroom door, my forehead was already soaked with sweat.
-
After the final exams, the lower-grade students at the ninja academy entered a period of relaxation. With two or three days left before the official holiday, the class schedule became sparse, and the lunch break was extended.

Four girls huddled in a shady corner of the rooftop. Their lunchboxes were spread out on their laps, and most of the food had already been eaten.

"Karin," Ino asked, biting her chopsticks, "is early morning training tough? I felt like you were spacing out today."

Karin's chopsticks stopped in mid-air.

“No, it’s not that I’m tired…” she tried to organize her thoughts, but images began to flash through her mind again—green, tight-fitting clothes, Shuuji’s face.

"Ugh... that..."

The language module experienced a brief glitch.

Sakura leaned closer curiously and asked, "Is the training very difficult? It seems like Neji Hyuga, a third-year student, is also participating."

Karin just shook her head, and kept shaking her head.

Ino's eyes lit up, and she suddenly changed the subject: "By the way! What was it like when Shuji-sama personally instructed you? Did he demonstrate ninjutsu?"

Karin stopped shaking her head.

“No, Captain was just giving instructions.” She spoke vaguely, making no mention of natural energy or the lumps bulging under her skin. “You’ll continue training even during the holidays, Karin?” Sakura asked.

"Yes." Karin nodded. "And after the training, you'll go to the sensory class to study."

“Every day is packed with activities. There’s special training before school and sensory training after school.” Ino rested her chin on her hand, her tone a mix of envy and sympathy. “Special training before school and sensory training after school, even holidays are taken up. It must be tough being valued by someone like Shuji-sama.”

There was still a little bit of rice left in the lunchbox, and she poked at it absentmindedly with her chopsticks.

"I feel like things are getting more and more stressful at school. I heard that starting from the third grade, there will be a lot more academic subjects—history, geography, the systems of different countries... Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

"This year's homework is definitely going to be terrifyingly plentiful."

"There's absolutely no time to relax during the holidays."

Shion, who had been quietly eating her plum rice ball, said softly, "After all, isn't it said that in the second year of fifth grade, we can prepare to graduate and become real ninjas?"

Sakura paused, her chopsticks still in her hand.

"I don't know why, but suddenly everything feels very urgent." She looked at Shion, "What will Shion do after graduation?"

Shion said, "Continue learning sealing techniques."

Sakura lowered her head.

"Karin has been confirmed to be in the sensory class... I heard that after graduation, the class assignments will no longer be done directly like before."

Ino looked troubled: "Yes, Dad mentioned it too. Shuji-sama believes that it's not appropriate to make a hasty decision about carrying out missions in fixed teams right before graduation."

"It might become a process where the development direction is first determined, then students enter a specialized class for a year of study, and then are assigned to work groups based on their performance and adaptability."

“Well…” Sakura’s voice trailed off, almost inaudible, “I have absolutely no idea what to do. Karin can go straight to the Sensory Class, Ino, what about you?”

The daughter of the Yamanaka family sighed.

"Maybe I should go to the intelligence analysis class to learn intelligence processing first."

Sakura didn't say anything.

She stared at the broccoli in the bento box for a long while before saying softly, "If... we have to wait a year before we can schedule shifts, the scope will be wider then, right?"

She could imagine the changes that might occur.

In that case, the priority for forming a team with someone who was originally in Sasuke's class would be the lowest. Because the first thing to consider would be the complementarity and synergy of their skills.

There are even squad tactical characteristics and mission type adaptability...

As the top student in his grade, what path will Sasuke choose?
"Medical Ninja".

Karin suddenly said.

"Huh?"

Sakura and Ino both looked at her at the same time.

“An excellent team will always have a medical ninja on its roster because it has to carry out dangerous missions.” Karin said this very seriously. “That’s what the Hokage said.”

Ino blinked. "Yeah! So, should I change my goal too? If I do an internship at a hospital, the chances of teaming up with Sasuke in the future might be much higher—"

"I also need to go!"

Sakura's voice interrupted Ino.

The two girls were stunned at the same time.

Sakura Haruno raised her head, her green eyes gleaming with a determined light.

"I...I want to go to the hospital to study too." Her voice was still a little soft, but much more determined than before. "I want to become a medical ninja."

Ino looked at her and suddenly laughed.

“Okay,” she said readily. “Then let’s go together, and we can study together again.”

Sakura, however, showed an even more determined expression and nodded vigorously.

(End of this chapter)