After the spar, Shota decided to relax by visiting the Orphanage. The same orphanage where he grew up.
Shota pushed open the orphanage door and stepped inside.
And the reaction was instant.
"BIG BROTHER SHOTA IS HERE!"
Tiny bodies crashed into his legs like excited puppies. A three-year-old grabbed his knee and refused to let go. A five-year-old climbed his back like a monkey. Someone pulled his headband strap on his neck and almost choked him.
"Show us a jutsu! A big, very big fireball!"
"Tell us about the time you fought a hundred bandits and slaughtered them all with just looking at them!"
"Did you really blow up a mountain?" Someone asked
Shota laughed and sat on the floor so the little ones could reach him better. The older kids, the smart ones, ran straight to the kitchen. They knew the routine. Hide the sweet rice balls that Matron made before Shota ate them all.
He let the children sit around him in a circle. The kids in the orphanage ranged from 3 year olds to 13 year olds with the younger ones being in more number. The older ones usually attendedthe shinobi academy and had their own place to stay provided by the villages.
The ones here were dropouts who did not want Shinobi life and wanted to support the orphanage and wanted a stable job of babysitting kids.
"Fine, one story," Shota said dramatically after dozens of requests of hearing a story of one of his missions.
"Once I had to fight a giant scorpion in the desert. It was taller than the orphanage. Its tail could shoot poison a hundred metres."
The kids gasped.
"So I used my super-secret jutsu," Shota whispered. He made silly hand signs and shouted, "Nap Style: Eternal Sleep Technique!"
He flopped sideways and pretended to snore loudly.
The children screamed with laughter. One little girl poked his cheek. "You're not sleeping! You're talking!"
Shota opened one eye. "That's the secret. The enemy thinks I'm asleep, then BAM! I steal all their candy while they're confused."
The kids laughed harder. Even the older ones peeked from the kitchen door, smiling.
The Matron appeared in the doorway with her arms crossed. She looked Shota up and down like a doctor checking for broken bones.
"No missions today?" she asked.
Shota shook his head.
"Good," she said with a sweet smile that was not sweet at all. "Then you can help clean the orphanage."
Shota's face fell. "But today is my rest day! My sacred nap day!"
The Matron grabbed his ear and twisted it.
"You want an old lady to scrub floors alone? Where are your manners? Did I teach you nothing?"
"Ow ow ow! Fine! I'll clean! Let go!"
She released his ear and patted his head like he was five years old.
"First eat lunch. Then cleaning duty."
Shota rubbed his red ear and followed her to the dining room like a sad puppy.
The long table was full of happy faces. Everyone talked at once. The mood in the orphanage was bright. The whole village felt lighter these days.
News had come from the war front. Konoha and Iwa had finally agreed to a ceasefire. Trade routes would open again for the land of wind merchants as well as merchants from the Land of Fire and Earth.
Merchants were already planning trips. Food prices would drop. Children would have new shoes.
And the best part for Shota and most of Suna higher ups: Danzo had lost his left arm to the Third Tsuchikage's particle release.
The old war hawk had retired from active fighting. People all over the shinobi world celebrated quietly. Shota celebrated loudly inside his head.
'One less monster making trouble. Well, at least for now. He would be back at his job with more enthusiasm soon enough.' Shota grimaced at that thought.
Minato had taken over the Iwa front for Konoha and forced peace with his speed and power. The Third Great Shinobi War was ending. Only a few villages still fought.
Now Konoha faced Kumo and Kiri. And Iwa faced Kumo.
Kiri also backed off war with Iwa after a certain event.
Kiri had lost four of the Seven Swordsmen to a single Leaf genin. The shinobi world still talked about it in whispers.
Shota knew the identity of the person Might Duy father of Might Guy and how he had opened the eight gates to kill the four swordsmen.
Suna's leaders were happy to see other great villages suffer losses after losses while they were recovering from their losses and gaining strength back.
While everyone else bled, Suna rested and grew stronger.
Shota also knew that peace would not last long.
'Obito was probably training with Madara right now.' He thought
But Shota felt ready to face bigger threats.
His Erasure could stop any jutsu, any bloodline, any tailed beast. His binding cloth danced like an extra set of arms. His Yokai Rasengan could chase anyone. His body was fast and strong from Spider's cruel training. His mind was sharp from a year of life-or-death missions.
He could stand with the best now.
With that thought in mind, he reached for a sweet rice ball, already tasting victory against Obito and Madara.
SMACK!
A wooden spoon hit his hand.
Shota looked up. The Matron stood over him with the spoon raised like a sword.
"Carrots first, young man. Then dessert."
"I already ate my carrots!" Shota protested.
The Matron pointed at his bowl. "Then why are three slices hiding behind it like guilty little criminals?"
Shota stared at the orange slices he had tried to hide. He looked at the Matron's perfect eyesight.
He sighed dramatically.
"Fine. Carrots are good for eyes anyway. Look at you. Old lady sees everything. Probably because you eat so many carrots."
The Matron smiled and patted his head.
"Exactly. Now eat your vegetables or no rice balls."
Shota grumbled and started eating his carrots.
The children around the table giggled.
Even future S-rank shinobi had to finish their vegetables.
---------Author Notes--------
Thankyou Qui Mai, juan ernesto and Curzelake for supporting me!
Y'all can read the next 20 chapters of the fanfic on my pat*reon. Thankyou for your support!
https://pat*reon.com/Charizard6
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