"No problem."
Sage Fukasaku shook his head, then turned to Tsunade and asked, "Didn't Uchiha Keizumi also say that the Child of Prophecy truly exists? Then why do you claim that the Great Sage tricked little Jiraiya?"
Sage Shima spoke up as well: "I recognize you. You're the child of the Slug Sage from Shikkotsu Forest, aren't you? Even the Slug Sage herself would never be so disrespectful before the Great Sage."
With one hand supporting Shizune, Tsunade pursed her lips and retorted, "Deceiving that fool Jiraiya into roaming the entire shinobi world searching for some so-called Child of Prophecy—what else is that if not a trick? Placing the future peace of the shinobi world onto a so-called savior? That's laughable."
"Just as that brat Keizumi said, a single savior cannot bring change to the shinobi world. Only when the world begins to heal on its own can everyone become a savior. Real transformation comes only when countless saviors join forces."
Here, Tsunade paused briefly, then continued, "Jiraiya, salvation never comes from one person alone. It comes from an idea—something positive, something everyone can recognize and embrace."
"For example, that brat's Absolute Justice."
"And besides, it's precisely because I inherited Shikkotsu Forest that I say this about that Great Toad." Tsunade let out a sharp 'tch.' "Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest—the three great regions of the shinobi world all have sages. Yet only that toad stirs up so much noise."
"A toad that has lived so long, never knowing when to rest. And I doubt the other two sages are as restless as it is. Does it truly act for the good of the shinobi world—or is it driven by ambition?"
"Perhaps only it knows the answer!"
With that, Tsunade waved Jiraiya off with one hand while keeping Shizune upright with the other.
"That's enough talk for now. I need to take this girl back. She snatched my liquor and got herself dead drunk. What if some lecherous old creep with ill intentions snatched her away?"
Jiraiya: "…"
A lecherous old creep? Why did that sound like it was aimed at someone specific?
Watching Tsunade's retreating figure, Sage Shima's eyelids twitched. "Little Jiraiya, old man… Is this how the inheritors of Shikkotsu Forest behave nowadays? Did the Slug Sage stop caring about a successor's character?"
"Shh! Shh!" Jiraiya, sweating profusely, quickly whispered back, "Sage Shima, a drunk Tsunade is nothing to trifle with. If anyone ends up getting beaten, it'll be me!"
Sage Fukasaku said quietly, "Once we find the true Child of Prophecy, once that child brings real change to the shinobi world, she'll realize that the Great Sage was right all along."
"Little Jiraiya, let's not rush to see this Uchiha Keizumi child. He's in Konoha; he won't be running off anywhere. For now, list out the children you believe might be the Child of Prophecy. Let us take a look."
"Huff… all right."
Jiraiya let out a long breath.
…
At the Ninja Academy.
"Finally, class is over!" Naruto burst out of the classroom in a hurry, then spun back and shouted to Sasuke, "Sasuke, hurry up! We've got to find Izumi-senpai and have her lead us in carrying out justice in Konoha Village!"
"Don't shout so loudly."
Sasuke's lips twitched as he felt countless gazes turn their way. It made him feel uncomfortable all over. Didn't this dead-last realize how embarrassing his behavior was?
Just as Sasuke was about to follow, his steps halted. He turned his head toward Yamanaka Ino, not far away, carrying a dainty little schoolbag.
"Hey."
Sasuke took the initiative: "Do you want to come along too?"
His face was serious as he explained, "Your understanding of justice is deeper than mine and the dead-last's. And from your attitude before, you clearly agree with Keizumi-sensei's Absolute Justice, don't you? If that's the case, then we're companions. And since we're companions, we have an obligation to let you take part as well."
"Isn't that right, dead-last?"
He shot a glance at Naruto.
"Right!" Naruto nodded heavily, then suddenly caught himself. He clenched his teeth and snapped at Sasuke: "You've been calling me 'dead-last' all day, haven't you?"
Sasuke averted his gaze.
There was a flicker of guilt.
But mostly, he used the word "dead-last" to cover up the sense of inferiority he felt whenever he was around Naruto. Yes—ever since Naruto had once erupted with the Nine-Tails' power before him, Sasuke had carried that feeling of inferiority in terms of strength.
He didn't even know why. Instinctively, he just didn't want to be beneath Naruto. This strange instinct puzzled him at times, leaving him without an answer.
Maybe…
It was just unwillingness to accept it.
"No." Ino shook her head, her expression a little complicated. "I need to hurry back to the Nara clan compound and help Father finish handling the bodies."
"Bodies?"
Sasuke was taken aback.
Ino explained: "The criminals slain by Uchiha Keizumi-sama—so long as their heads are preserved—most are delivered to the Yamanaka clan. Using our secret techniques, we search the memories of the dead. We do our best to collect evidence of all their crimes during their lives. That way, the village can properly dispose of their ill-gotten gains."
Sasuke roughly understood.
Within [Absolute Justice], Keizumi-sensei was responsible for investigating cases and executing criminals. The Yamanaka clan worked behind the scenes, gathering more evidence and compiling reports of their crimes.
"Then…" Sasuke suddenly thought of something. "Does that mean you've… seen the memories of the criminals Keizumi-sensei killed?"
If he remembered right, the crimes of those criminals had been unspeakably vile.
He had only heard of them, and even then, it chilled him to the bone. If one saw them firsthand…
"No, I haven't learned the technique yet," Ino said calmly. "I just help Father with small tasks."
With that, Ino left directly.
"No wonder she seems more mature than us," Sasuke muttered.
"Eh? Why do you say that?" Naruto asked in surprise from the doorway.
Sasuke replied, "She's seen things we've never seen, touched darkness we've never had to face. Maybe that's why her understanding of justice is deeper."
Naruto rubbed his chin, thoughtful.
…
"Ino… Ino!"
Not long after Yamanaka Ino had left the Ninja Academy, a familiar voice sounded behind her, making her pause. Turning back, she saw Haruno Sakura running toward her, slightly out of breath.
"Huff, huff…"
Sakura bent over, hands on her knees, gasping heavily. Once she caught her breath, she lifted her head, her face filled with confusion.
"Ino… why is it that you don't seem to like Sasuke-kun anymore?"
"I… I feel like…" Sakura pressed her lips together, summoning her courage. "It feels like you've become someone I don't quite recognize. You're not the Yamanaka Ino I used to know."
"This change happened only recently. I've been watching you change all this time. Did… something bad happen to you?"
In the past, the tension between them as 'rivals in love' had twisted Sakura's heart.
Even when she worried about the changes in Ino, she stubbornly refused to ask.
Only when she realized that Ino no longer seemed to like Sasuke did she finally put aside that conflicted mindset.
"No, nothing bad happened… well, other than being temporarily homeless. But my father and the elders of the clan are already in touch with Konoha's construction teams. In about a year, the Yamanaka compound should be restored."
Ino shook her head, her childish voice steady. "As for why I don't like Sasuke anymore…"
"I used to like boys who looked good. Now, I like boys who look good and aren't childish. When a boy is too childish, I just get this strange feeling I can't even put into words."
Ino admitted frankly that she was indeed a face-obsessed girl.
Of course—
Now, on top of her obsession with looks, she had added a new condition. Clearly, Sasuke no longer met it.
"Sakura." Ino took a deep breath. Ever since she had been disillusioned with Sasuke, her view of Sakura had returned to normal.
No longer with hostility, she spoke seriously: "Here's a piece of advice. Your time studying in the Ninja Academy… might be one of the few precious years that keeps you apart from the dark, twisted world of shinobi. You'd better not waste that precious time on a pointless, one-sided crush."
"Otherwise, when you graduate and become a Konoha genin, when you first come into contact with the darkness of the shinobi world, you won't have the strength to protect yourself from being consumed by it—and you won't have the mental fortitude to keep yourself from falling into it."
Ino paused, then added, "These are words my father once told me. Now I'm just passing them on to you."
Sakura stood frozen in place.
Maybe… it wasn't that Sasuke had become more childish from being around Naruto. Maybe it was that Ino herself had grown far more mature than their peers.
Though Ino had said nothing bad had happened, Sakura felt she must be hiding something.
Perhaps it was because they no longer belonged to the same world, that Ino would no longer share her truth with her.
Sakura fell silent.
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