Ino, who had just finished eating, was sitting leisurely under a tree. She looked at Naruto and Sasuke, who immediately started training after their meal. Then she turned to Shikamaru and asked, "Shikamaru, do you think Sasuke and Naruto ever get tired?"
Shikamaru, lying on the ground, opened one eye, and glanced at Naruto and Sasuke. "Those two are really competitive."
Choji, who was sitting nearby resting, asked, "Their training is different, so why are Naruto and Sasuke competing?"
In his opinion, when you're tired from training, you should rest. Otherwise, where would you get the energy to continue?
But Naruto, taking advantage of Shinji's absence, created about ten Shadow Clones and started training.
Shikamaru responded lazily, "I don't know either. I already felt they were like this during dinner."
For Naruto and Sasuke, he thought a word their teacher Shinji said was quite accurate.
Love-hate relationship.
Pop—!
Crisp sounds of water balloons bursting rang out.
Choji, who was sitting, immediately rushed forward. Shikamaru, startled by the sound, quickly got up. He saw Ino next to him also rushing out, but in a different direction than Choji.
Only then did Shikamaru see that both Naruto and Sasuke had collapsed at the same time.
"These two troublesome guys." Although he said that, Shikamaru had already started running.
After some effort, Shikamaru and the others finally carried Naruto and Sasuke to the big tree.
Choji, seeing both of them unconscious, instinctively asked Shikamaru, "Shikamaru, what should we do?"
Shikamaru rubbed his nose helplessly. He had already confirmed their condition. One had fainted, and the other had heatstroke.
Helpless, Shikamaru could only instruct Ino and Choji to act.
"Choji, go to the creek and get a bucket of water. Ino, go find some large leaves to fan them."
— — —
Inside the Hokage Office.
Shinji placed a freshly brewed cup of hot tea on Hiruzen's desk and said, "Master, have some tea."
Hiruzen, who had just put down a document, nodded and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
During a break from drinking tea, Hiruzen routinely asked about Shinji's training, "Shinji, how has your training been recently?"
Shinji nodded in response. "It's alright. School is starting soon, so I'm preparing some materials."
These days, he would often come to Hiruzen's place when he had nothing to do, chat, and exchange thoughts with him about things he didn't understand. It could be considered that he enjoyed the treatment of a Hokage's disciple.
Shinji, seeing Hiruzen slowly sipping his tea, couldn't help but ask, "But, master, why did you suddenly call me here today?"
After all, he had just been there yesterday, and today he received a message from Hiruzen asking him to come over.
Hiruzen, holding his teacup, paused, then suddenly slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot because I was so busy."
Saying that, Hiruzen opened a drawer, took out a mission, and handed it to Shinji, saying, "There's a mission I need you to go on."
Shinji took it with a puzzled expression and opened it to read.
Hiruzen, stroking his pipe, began his usual pipe-changing ritual, saying, "It's a very simple mission. Since the last bandit camp, I've set up a new guard post there."
"The original one has been abandoned. Recently, missions have been busy, and many Anbu have been dispatched."
"So, there's no choice. I thought of having you go."
Hearing this, Shinji nodded knowingly.
The former Land of Fire and Land of Rice Fields guard posts had long been replaced by Danzo's own personnel. That's why such large amounts of supplies could enter and exit without being known.
And after Danzo's execution, Hiruzen re-assigned new guard personnel there. It just so happened that now was the first time to collect intel from the guard personnel there.
Shinji calculated the time. If he was fast, he could return approximately the day before school started, so he nodded and said, "No problem, sensei. Should I depart now?"
"No need to rush. You have an hour. You can depart after giving instructions to your disciples."
Hiruzen waved his hand with a chuckle, indicating there was no need to rush, and handed over a village exit permit.
Shinji, who had intended to do just that, didn't delay. After taking it, he bid farewell and left.
— — —
"So, one of you got heatstroke from practicing Fire Release Nature Transformation combined with the scorching sun."
"And the other didn't control his output well and created about ten Shadow Clones. Then, because he had too many things to pay attention to, the Shadow Clones automatically dispersed? And he was knocked out by that instantaneous memory surge?"
On the graining Ground, Shinji rubbed his forehead helplessly, speaking irritably.
Naruto and Sasuke, standing in front of him like obedient children, nodded, not daring to speak.
Tap!
Shinji brought two fingers together and flicked the foreheads of his two troublesome disciples.
Ignoring Naruto and Sasuke, who were clutching their foreheads in pain, he turned to Shikamaru and said, "Shikamaru, I need to leave the village for a bit. While I'm out, you'll be in charge of them. Make sure to keep a close eye on these two."
Shikamaru opened his mouth to refuse but finally nodded helplessly.
After all, besides him, which of Ino or Choji had the ability to make Naruto and Sasuke obedient?
During this time, Shikamaru had used his intelligence to make his fellow disciples understand his value.
Even Sasuke, who had always been defiant, knew that when it came to brains, he was no match for Shikamaru.
It was just that Shikamaru was usually too lazy.
"Alright, sensei."
Seeing Shikamaru agree, Shinji felt a little relieved.
Just as he was about to leave, Naruto and Sasuke both spoke at the same time, "Sensei, wait!"
Shinji turned back and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I've learned the first stage!"
"I lit the leaf on fire!"
Naruto and Sasuke spoke together again.
This surprised Shinji a bit.
He picked up a fallen leaf and handed it to Sasuke, saying, "Sasuke, let me see."
Then he turned to Naruto and said, "Naruto, go get a water balloon yourself."
Naruto, hearing the instruction, immediately dashed off, then hurried back.
By this time, Sasuke had opened his palm, and the leaf that was there earlier had now turned to ash.
"Good, it really succeeded." Shinji, who had been observing Sasuke, nodded.
He hadn't expected Sasuke to complete the first stage of Fire Release Nature Transformation so quickly.
Naruto, on the other hand, held up a water balloon with one hand, and then the surface of the water balloon in his palm began to undulate irregularly.
Pop!
The water balloon burst. The spraying water formed a rainbow in the sunlight.
Shinji, looking surprised, reached out and patted Naruto's head, saying, "So, Naruto, how did you think of separating the operations using five fingers on one hand?"