Chapter 3: Graduation, and Then Forced Independence
Her consciousness floated in an endless sea of burning pain and tearing sensations; Anko Mitarashi felt as if she had returned to that dark, sunless room.
'Am I going to die?"
After Orochimaru planted the Cursed Seal on her, she had been discarded there like a failed experiment, left to endure inhuman torture alone, struggling on the edge of life and death. It was a nightmare that lingered deep within her heart.
However, just when she thought she was about to be completely consumed by the pain, that violent energy, which had been nearly suffocating her, suddenly receded like a tide!
In its place, an indescribable coolness flowed through her entire body; it was gentle and full of vitality, dispelling all the pain and gloom, bringing an unprecedented sense of peace and comfort.
It was as if she had been instantly pulled back from hell to the mortal world, bathing in the warm sunlight.
She stared blankly at the handsome face so close to her, unable to process what had happened for a moment.
Inside her chest, her heart raced uncontrollably; there was the palpitation of surviving a disaster, but also something else... This made her feel an inexplicable sense of shyness.
What is going on? Could it be... did this brat do something?
Cling— A crisp sound interrupted her thoughts.
Anko looked down subconsciously and saw that the bell, which had originally been tied to her waist, had somehow fallen onto Haruko's chest.
Her gaze moved slowly from the bell to the boy holding her, and then to the position where she was almost completely buried in his arms.
Her brain crashed.
Then, a surge of heat rushed from her neck straight to the top of her head!
She... she was actually in the arms of a newly graduated brat, showing such an embarrassing posture!
Anko's mind raced as she recalled the sequence of events.
Just now, her Cursed Seal had flared up, and she had fallen to the ground in pain. And this brat had taken the opportunity to snatch the bell from her.
At the same time, he had relieved her pain in some unknown way?
Yes, that must be it! Although he took the bell, he did help her... And, he looked quite pleasing to the eye...
Regardless, this kid helped her, and he seemed to have good potential. Both professionally and personally, she should give him a hand and let him pass the test. Yes, that's what she would do!
"Heh..." Anko suddenly let out a soft chuckle, "Not bad, brat."
She didn't immediately get up from Haruko's arms. Instead, she raised a hand and lightly traced Haruko's chin with her fingertips, her eyes carrying a hint of playfulness and curiosity.
"Striking when I was at my weakest... what a clever child who knows how to seize an opportunity."
Haruko: "..."
'I didn't, I wasn't, I just wanted to carry you to the hospital!"
"Congratulations," Anko's lips curled into a meaningful arc. She stared into Haruko's eyes and announced, word by word, "You. Passed."
Looking at the way Anko was staring at him, as if she wanted to eat him alive, Haruko only felt that his future was bleak.
...
In the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind a large desk, holding the list of those who had passed the survival drill.
His gaze swept calmly over the names. Most of them were familiar faces, descendants of clans, or Genin who had performed exceptionally well.
His gaze paused slightly on one name—Haruko.
A commoner by birth, with mediocre performance during his time at the academy, yet he had managed to get the bell during Anko's assessment.
"He picked it up because Anko's Cursed Seal flared up... He's really lucky." The Third Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke and muttered to himself.
He didn't care much about whether a commoner Genin passed the assessment or not. Since he had obtained the bell, he would just let him pass according to the rules.
There were more worrying matters at hand.
The Uchiha.
Recently, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the Village had become increasingly tense, almost to the point of being on the verge of war.
Just yesterday, the Uchiha Clan held a large-scale gathering again, citing the handling of internal family affairs as the reason.
Although they maintained the appearance of obedience to the Village, such frequent gatherings were undoubtedly plotting something.
He picked up another report; it was the latest record from the Anbu surveillance of the Uchiha compound. Between the lines, it revealed a sense of oppression, like a storm about to break.
"I hope it doesn't come to that."
He sighed, tapped the ash into the ashtray, and let his gaze fall back onto the assessment list, but he no longer had the heart to look at it.
...
Haruko walked slowly on the way home, his mood calm.
"The troublesome assessment is finally over."
Nothing was more healing than returning to that place filled with the aroma of food and warmth after dealing with troublesome matters.
"I'm home."
Lifting the curtain of Ichiraku Ramen, a familiar aroma of rich soup and wheat noodles rushed to meet him.
"Welcome back, Brother Haruko!"
A crisp and pleasant voice sounded immediately, and Ayame poked her head out from behind the counter, a smile brighter than the sun on her face.
Teuchi, who was busy behind the counter, also looked up and showed a gentle smile: "You're back, Haruko. How was it? Did the task go smoothly today?"
"Yeah, it's done. Starting today, I'm officially a Genin." Haruko sat down listlessly.
"Really?! That's great! Brother Haruko!" Ayame exclaimed in surprise.
Teuchi was also grinning from ear to ear, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening: "I knew you would be fine. You must be hungry, right? Today, I specially prepared a deluxe Chashu Miso ramen for you to celebrate your graduation!"
"Yay!" Ayame was even more excited than Haruko himself, raising her little fist and cheering, "I want to add a soft-boiled egg too!"
"Hahaha, you both have it, you both have it."
Looking at the father and daughter in front of him, Haruko leaned lazily on the chair, the corners of his mouth rising slightly without him realizing it.
'Forget it, being a Ninja is considered a high-paying profession anyway. At worst, I'll just continue to slack off when I go on missions later."
Soon, a steaming, fragrant bowl of ramen was placed in front of him.
The meat slices piled up like a small mountain, the golden and shiny soft-boiled egg, and the emerald green chopped green onions dotted in between—it was simply a work of art.
"Let's eat."
The noodles were chewy and smooth, tightly coated in the rich soup, and the delicious taste exploded on his taste buds instantly.
It was pure happiness.
Whatever missions, whatever Ninjas, whatever Kekkei Genkais... in front of this bowl of ramen, all of it was just fleeting clouds.
Ayame chattered away, asking about interesting things from the assessment, and Haruko picked out a few anecdotes to tell her, making the girl laugh continuously.
Teuchi kept smiling from the side, occasionally adding a slice of Chashu to Haruko's bowl, his eyes full of affection and gratification.
After dinner, Ayame hummed a song while cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks. Teuchi wiped his hands clean, walked to Haruko's side, and patted his shoulder solemnly.
"Haruko."
"Hm?"
"You are thirteen years old this year, and you have officially become a Ninja capable of standing on your own." Teuchi's eyes were full of gratification and affection, "You are already an adult."
Haruko's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had an ominous premonition.
Teuchi took a key and an envelope out of his pocket and stuffed them into Haruko's hand.
"This is a small apartment I bought for you in the neighborhood nearby. Although it's not big, it's enough for one person to live in. The envelope contains the wages from your part-time jobs over the years."
Teuchi's smile remained gentle, but the words he spoke were like a heavy hammer, striking Haruko's heart.
"Starting tomorrow, you should move out and live independently. You've grown up; you should have your own space."
'Did I just get kicked out?"
Holding the key and the envelope, Haruko was completely stunned.