Naruto: AFK System

Yoruha's chakra is Sage Chakra, so while its volume is comparable to that of an elite Jōnin, its quality surpasses even that level.

Kakashi furrowed his brows, suddenly recalling something.

"This kid's chakra feels somewhat like Jiraiya-sama's chakra."

"No, it's like Jiraiya-sama's chakra when he enters a certain state."

Kakashi had witnessed Jiraiya in Sage Mode before.

Now, the chakra emanating from Yoruha gave Kakashi the same sensation as Jiraiya's Sage Mode.

"This boy truly harbors many secrets."

At that moment, Kakashi was conflicted.

By protocol, Yoruha's situation should be reported to the Third Hokage.

But after all his years in the Anbu and witnessing numerous events, Kakashi understood all too well:

If he reported this to the Third Hokage, Yoruha's life would never be the same, regardless of whether he posed a threat to the village.

He might even end up as a test subject in a laboratory.

Considering this, Kakashi calmed himself.

"Let's hope you don't pose a threat to Konoha."

Ultimately, Kakashi decided to keep Yoruha's situation a secret.

In Konoha, apart from the Hyūga clan, Kakashi was the only one capable of discerning the unique chakra within Yoruha.

As long as Kakashi remained silent, even if Asuma or the Third Hokage noticed something, they wouldn't understand the special nature of Yoruha's chakra.

Having made his decision, Kakashi disappeared from Yoruha's balcony.

Yoruha, meanwhile, had no idea he had nearly been reported to the Hokage.

Not that it would have mattered to him.

After all, he was living a second life.

As for what path he would take, even he wasn't too concerned.

Even the possibility of being turned into a test subject didn't faze him much.

If he could resist, he would. If he couldn't, there was no point worrying about it.

At this moment, Yoruha's mindset was particularly serene.

He neither had grand ambitions nor was he resigned to failure.

He simply lived an ordinary life.

The next morning,

Yoruha arrived early at the training grounds.

He noticed that Tanako seemed somewhat distant compared to the day before.

Yamada Jumoku, on the other hand, behaved as usual.

Sidling up to Yoruha, he asked quietly, "Yoruha, did you and Tanako talk about anything after yesterday?"

Yamada Jumoku asked with an unmistakable air of curiosity.

Yoruha replied indifferently, "What do you want to hear?"

Jumoku grinned mischievously. "You know what I want to hear."

"Nothing happened, obviously. What are you imagining?"

Yoruha felt exasperated.

He had just met Tanako; how could there be anything worth mentioning?

Even if there were, he wouldn't share it with Jumoku.

Looking disappointed, Jumoku said, "Can't you tell Tanako likes you?"

"You missed such a great opportunity yesterday—it's really disappointing."

"You don't think Tanako is unattractive, do you?"

Jumoku's words left Yoruha speechless.

"What are you even talking about? Did something really come up at your house yesterday?"

Yoruha was skeptical, suspecting that Jumoku might have left on purpose.

Perhaps there wasn't anything urgent at his house at all.

Jumoku looked at Yoruha with utter disappointment.

"Don't ask. I'm just disappointed in you."

"Such a good opportunity..."

"You actually didn't seize the opportunity."

"Tanako might not be from a ninja clan, but she comes from a prestigious family in the Land of Fire."

"She's beautiful, has a gentle personality, and even likes you. If I were you, I'd have confessed to her yesterday without hesitation."

Yamada Jumoku sighed and shook his head, looking deeply disappointed.

Meanwhile, Yoruha was exasperated. "What's going on in that brain of yours? Are you really twelve years old?"

While Yoruha was aware that kids in this world matured quickly, this level of early maturity still felt absurd.

He couldn't help but suspect that Yamada Jumoku might secretly be in his twenties—how else could he be thinking so much about these things? Yoruha himself hadn't even considered any of this.

Yamada Jumoku raised his hand, gesturing for silence. "I'm disappointed—so disappointed."

"Yoruha, you've really let me down."

His mock-adult demeanor made Yoruha's lips twitch in frustration.

"You should put that energy into your training instead. If you were this serious about practicing, you wouldn't be stuck at your current level of strength."

In this graduating class, Yamada Jumoku's strength ranked somewhere in the middle.

Of course, Yoruha was the same—or at least, that's how it appeared. But in reality, Yoruha's abilities far exceeded Jumoku's now.

Tanako, standing nearby, overheard their conversation and blushed furiously, her face nearly as red as blood. Yet she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

After all, Yamada Jumoku and Yoruha were speaking softly, clearly intending for her not to hear.

She wasn't sure if Yoruha had any feelings for her, but last night, she'd almost confessed to him herself.

At the last moment, however, she lost her nerve.

Even now, though she followed her mother's advice to keep some distance from Yoruha, she still felt a strong fondness for him.

Just as the three were talking, Yoruha suddenly sensed something.

Buzz, buzz, clang, clang...

Several sharp metallic sounds echoed as Yoruha stepped in front of Yamada Jumoku and Tanako, a kunai clenched in his hand.

On the ground to either side of him, several kunai and shuriken were embedded in the dirt.

Frowning, Yoruha looked toward the distance.

"Sensei Kihon, you've gone too far. We've only just graduated as ninja," he said, clearly displeased.

The earlier attack was something an ordinary genin could never have avoided.

Had Yoruha not acted, both Yamada Jumoku and Tanako would have been turned into pincushions.

From their stunned expressions, it was obvious that neither of them had realized how narrowly they'd escaped disaster.

What annoyed Yoruha most was that Kihon Tōichi's reckless actions had nearly caused harm—or even death—for Yamada Jumoku and Tanako.

As Yoruha finished speaking, Kihon Tōichi emerged from behind a distant tree. Clapping his hands, he said, "Not bad. Just as I expected, this level of attack doesn't pose any threat to you."

He seemed unfazed by Yoruha's rebuke.

It was only now that Yamada Jumoku and Tanako grasped what had just happened—they'd been attacked by their teacher.

Looking down at the kunai and shuriken near their feet, a chill ran through them.

If Yoruha hadn't intervened or failed to block the projectiles, they might have been killed before they even knew what was happening.

The pair turned their gaze toward Kihon Tōichi, their fear of him growing. From the oppressive aura he'd exuded yesterday to today's sudden ambush, his methods seemed harsh and unforgiving.

As they shifted their focus to Yoruha's back, they were struck by how towering and solid he seemed—like an unyielding mountain shielding them.

But Yoruha himself wasn't feeling so charitable.

To him, Kihon Tōichi's actions showed a blatant disregard for their lives.

Seeing Yoruha's angered expression, Kihon Tōichi slowly approached. "Don't be so upset. This was just a test of your reflexes. I wouldn't let my students be in real danger," he said lightly.

But Yoruha wasn't buying this excuse.

Still, with everyone unharmed, he felt there wasn't much more to say.

What Yoruha didn't realize was that his swift and precise defense against Kihon Tōichi's kunai and shuriken had deeply impressed the latter.

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