Naruto, hearing Shinji's words, felt a little dejected. After all, it could be entirely understood as Shinji not yet acknowledging his ability to graduate.
"Hey, loser." Sasuke, seeing Naruto's expression, called out.
"Sensei already said it last time, so don't dwell on it."
Naruto blinked, then understood. It was still the same issue: growth.
"That's right, Naruto, keep growing. I'm really looking forward to your future." Shinji showed a gentle smile and patted Naruto's head.
Neji, seeing Naruto's reaction, couldn't help but show envy. This was something he absolutely couldn't do.
"Hehe, got it, sensei." Naruto shyly rubbed his head, having long since cast aside his previous thoughts.
Sasuke, seeing this, couldn't help but curl his lips. This loser was actually acting spoiled.
"Oh, right, Naruto, in a few days, I'll bring a little friend over. You all should take good care of her." Shinji then thought of Karin and spoke.
"A little friend?"
"Sensei, are you taking on a new disciple?"
"Who is it?"
Upon hearing this, several people eagerly asked.
Neji, however, realized it must be the little girl he saw when they returned to the village.
"Her name is Uzumaki Karin, and she's a—"
Shinji paused here, unsure how to express it.
Logically speaking, Karin was a restless spirit. However, when he brought her back, what she displayed was different.
Never mind, it's better to let Naruto and his peers interact with her.
"Uzumaki?"
Shikamaru clearly caught the surname Shinji mentioned, and his gaze involuntarily turned to Naruto.
Ino and Sasuke also came to their senses and looked at Naruto.
"Uzumaki..." Naruto froze, then looked at Shinji with a look of confirmation in his eyes.
"Yes, she's from your mother's clan, Naruto." Shinji smiled and nodded.
One of the reasons for bringing Karin back was because she was Naruto's clan member.
"Mom's clan member..." Naruto first said softly.
Then, he happily shouted, "Sensei, I want to go to her now!"
"For now, no." Shinji shook his head.
"Why?"
Not only Naruto was curious, but Shikamaru and the others were too.
Seeing this, Shinji had no choice but to selectively tell his disciples what he could, letting them understand, to varying degrees, the so-called dark side of the Ninja World.
As Shinji recounted, everyone present fell silent.
Even Neji couldn't help but compare, realizing he seemed much luckier than the little girl his teacher spoke of.
Shinji simply sat cross-legged, allowing his disciples to process.
A long time passed.
"Sensei, I'm going to smash Kusagakure." Naruto looked up, his eyes filled with seriousness.
"Count me in." Sasuke chimed in from the side, agreeing.
"Me too."
Choji puffed out his cheeks, his chubby face full of indignation.
Karin's experience evoked deep sympathy in these kids who had always lived in Konoha.
How could there be such a Ninja Village!
"Don't be so childish." Neji spoke.
Naruto and Choji's displeased gazes turned to Neji. As a companion, he wasn't on the same front as them.
"I also agree with Neji." Shikamaru came and sat beside Shinji, expressing his opinion.
"Why, Shikamaru?" Naruto was a little disbelieving.
Shikamaru had always been the brain of their group.
Shikamaru looked at Naruto and the others with a serious expression. "Not to mention whether we're capable of destroying a Ninja Village, even if it's just a small Ninja Village, have you even thought about the consequences of simply doing such a thing?"
"Konoha would be criticized by various great nations and might even be used as an excuse to start another war."
"Because of your momentary idea, the ninjas of the village would have to pay with their lives."
"Can you bear this price?"
Shinji didn't speak, just listened quietly as Shikamaru lectured Naruto and the others. This was also why Shinji said Naruto and his friends were not yet mature enough. Some things can be done, but not said.
Neji then expressed his thoughts, looking at Naruto and the others, "This war, I originally thought it was just a contest between two ninja villages. But when you actually get to the battlefield, you'll realize how ridiculous that idea is."
"Danger is everywhere on the battlefield. The next second, it might be your own death. Life is just a word in the face of war."
"Perhaps you won't understand it this way. But what will you do when, due to insufficient strength, sensei demands that you leave him to face it alone?"
Naruto, when asked, first froze, then said seriously, "I won't leave, I can help sensei."
Although Sasuke and Choji didn't speak, their expressions conveyed the same meaning. After all, abandoning their teacher and escaping alone was something they couldn't do.
"I obeyed sensei's command and left." Neji said calmly.
He completely disregarded Naruto and the others' disbelief.
"Because, with that person's strength, facing him, I would only drag sensei down, and might even make sensei have to look after me."
"And then sensei would be defeated because of it. Can you accept this price?"
The scene immediately fell silent, Naruto and Sasuke both pondering Neji's question.
Yes.
Could they accept this outcome?
"All right, there's no need to be so heavy." Shinji showed a gentle smile and spoke to Naruto and the others.
"Shikamaru and Neji both have their own insights, and you also have your own persistence."
"But what I want to tell you is that sometimes retreating doesn't mean that person isn't important and can be abandoned."
"On the contrary, doesn't it also represent your trust in that person?"
"Entrusting your back to your companions is because of your mutual trust."
Shinji said, looking at Naruto, "Life has too many choices. Sometimes, trusting that companion is another way of valuing him."
This was also something the future Naruto would realize on his own, but it all required time.
"Alright, no training today. I'm taking you all out to eat!" Shinji stood up and clapped his hands, speaking to all his disciples.
This time, there was no intense atmosphere, as they had just gone through such serious topics.
"Oh, right, Naruto, I'll bring her over in a few days. You all get along well then."
"No problem, sensei." Naruto, hearing this, finally recovered some of his spirits.