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"Want some? ~~"
As evening approached, the sun gradually dipped toward the horizon, and a gentle breeze brought some relief to the sweltering heat. Rong Lin held two fragrant white flatbreads in his hands, offering them to the other two members of his team. This was one of the perks of traveling with the convoy—otherwise, they'd only be chewing on hard rations. Having fresh bread at this moment was considered quite a luxury.
"No thanks." Haru Ame Yoru and Shimura Oto's faces were pale, still haunted by the events of that morning. The impact of what had happened was so great that even after an entire day, they hadn't fully recovered.
Everyone eventually faced such things—it was unavoidable if you became a shinobi.
"Is that so? What a shame."
Rong Lin shrugged with a smile and began eating his bread, thoroughly enjoying himself. Meanwhile, the "troublesome duo" grew increasingly green in the face.
"Urgh~"
The inevitable vomiting began. It wasn't just Rong Lin and Tsunade who found it amusing—even the ordinary caravan guards couldn't help but feel a mix of pity and exasperation. How could someone with such weak mental fortitude ever become a proper shinobi?
Seeing a bloody scene was one thing, but what would they do if war broke out?
Tsunade felt deeply embarrassed. She resolved to take them to the hospital soon so they could experience something truly gruesome.
Unbeknownst to the two, their poor performance had already drawn Tsunade's attention. If they had known, they would have swallowed their discomfort and endured it, no matter how nauseous they felt.
The mission continued without further incident. The encounter with the bandits was merely a small hiccup along the way. For the remainder of the journey, Team Tsunade returned to the village in just four days. This was still accounting for Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru's slower pace.
"You have two days of rest ahead. Make the most of it. Two days from now, Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru, report to my office at the hospital. Uchiha Rong Lin, you have other arrangements. Dismissed."
Tsunade planned to give Shimura Oto and Haru Ame Yoru a transitional period of sorts—an idea she didn't intend to let slide. The real show was about to begin, and she suspected the two would have their hands full.
"Why is Lady Tsunade making us go to the hospital?"
The two were utterly clueless. Rong Lin's lips twitched involuntarily.
It was painfully obvious, but he had no intention of explaining. Let them figure it out themselves—it might be more educational that way.
"I don't know. Maybe she wants to give you some… training."
"Well, I'll head back now. I smell awful and feel uncomfortable."
With that excuse, Rong Lin excused himself, leaving the still-confused pair behind.
People often said children in the Naruto world matured early, but these two seemed to have channeled all their maturity into romance, leaving everything else untouched. Perhaps their upcoming hospital experience would toughen them up a bit.
It wasn't just Tsunade who was dissatisfied—Rong Lin felt frustrated too. As the saying goes, you don't fear a godlike opponent; you fear a piglike teammate.
If they ended up on difficult missions with two dead weights dragging them down, it could spell disaster. Would Rong Lin prioritize saving his teammates or completing the mission?
He didn't want to repeat Sakumo Hatake's tragedy. Calculating the timeline, that event seemed to be drawing closer.
What a waste of a Shadow-level shinobi!
To think he couldn't withstand public pressure and chose to end his life so pathetically at home. His death cost the village dearly—one of its strongest arms was gone. Even the mighty Konoha didn't have many Shadow-level warriors to spare. Sakumo's suicide left a gaping hole in the village's strength.
Not to mention the profound impact it had on Kakashi, shaping his entire life.
If only Sakumo hadn't died… but alas, knowing something and being able to change it were two different things. At this point, Rong Lin was still too weak. Still, the evolution of his Sharingan was undoubtedly good news.
So what came next…
Thinking of Tsunade's promise, Rong Lin's heart raced with excitement.
"Hey! Uchiha Rong Lin!!"
Just then, a loud shout caught his attention. Turning around, he saw many of his former classmates gathered in a tavern, munching on dango.
"Hello there."
Despite everything, they were still his classmates. Rong Lin smiled and nodded politely.
"Did you go on a mission? We haven't seen you in ages. Come join us for a bite!"
The lively Rin invited him with a bright smile, and the others chimed in as well. Unable to refuse, Rong Lin accepted.
"Man, I envy you. Graduating so early and already going on missions—must be exciting, right?"
Obito quickly squeezed next to Rong Lin, gazing at him with admiration. Rong Lin chuckled wryly.
"Not really. It was pretty dull and boring. This mission was just an escort job—delivering supplies to Wind Country. We ran into a group of bandits and had to fight."
"Wow!!!"
What seemed like a mundane skirmish to Rong Lin was thrilling to these kids who hadn't yet graduated. Hearing how Rong Lin swiftly took down a Chūnin-level bandit leader elicited gasps of awe. Even Kakashi might not have handled it so easily.
Many of them looked at Rong Lin with newfound respect.
Ah, human nature… Rong Lin couldn't help but reflect. When you're cast aside, everyone looks down on you. But once you gain strength, they flock to praise you.
"By the way, where's Kakashi?"
Rong Lin paid no mind to their admiration and casually asked. Normally, Kakashi, Rin, and Obito were inseparable.
"That guy."
At the mention of Kakashi, Obito's expression soured, his tone dripping with jealousy. Clearly, he wasn't pleased.
"Haha, Kakashi went home early today, so he's not here. Besides, he doesn't really enjoy gatherings like this."
Finally, Yuhi Kurenai chimed in with a cheerful grin. "Asuma isn't here either. Oh, and Rong Lin… I heard something about you and Hyuga Tarin…"
Kurenai hadn't yet developed her mature and flirtatious charm, instead exuding the adorable innocence of a young girl. Her crimson eyes were captivating, and it was no wonder Asuma was so fond of her.
"It has nothing to do with me. Those two came looking for trouble."
Rong Lin certainly wasn't about to take the blame for that incident. If anyone was going to shoulder responsibility, it should be Asuma.
"So that's how it is." Everyone nodded in understanding.
Though none of the three involved had spoken about it directly, rumors had spread. For instance, people whispered about how Sarutobi Asuma and Hyuga Tarin returned home battered and bruised, their faces swollen and discolored. They holed up at home for several days, too embarrassed to show their faces at school.
Now that Rong Lin had casually clarified the situation, the truth dawned on everyone: those two had been asking for it. Slowly, their gazes toward Rong Lin began to shift. This kind of respect was something he hadn't received before.