Chapter 28: Junior Detective Team

Araki knew what he was saying and what he was doing.

In the current situation, becoming friends with Kushina would undoubtedly bring him more trouble.

Of course.

He believed he could control it to some extent in the short term.

For example, their previous agreement still stood, which meant that they would maintain a certain distance when outside and act as if they weren't very familiar with each other.

By doing so, they wouldn't be associated with each other for a certain period of time.

More importantly...

Konoha wouldn't reveal that Kushina was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails so early. It was a significant village secret.

This way, even if he became good friends with Kushina, there would be enough buffer time for Araki to gradually focus on his training.

After all, Konoha didn't restrict Kushina from making friends. She could have many friends, and not every friend would be bound to her.

Araki didn't feel much pressure in his heart. As someone he recognized as a friend, he didn't want Kushina to be consumed by a sense of helplessness during this fragile period and constantly force herself into the dark corner.

In fact,

Araki believed in fate, but not entirely.

He believed in the part of destiny that he chose to believe in.

Just as he was able to travel here, he believed that there was some predetermined fate at play. Otherwise, he wouldn't have the Wood Release kekkei genkai, and he wouldn't have become Kushina's roommate.

So he felt that the bond between him and Kushina was also a kind of destiny!

However, when it came to the final outcomes of many things, he wasn't so convinced. He believed more in the power of human agency and that many problems were not set in stone but could be changed.

...

After Araki left,

Kushina stared blankly in the direction of the door.

She didn't know how much time had passed.

It was only then that Kushina wiped the tears from her face and realized they had already dried. A smile appeared on her face.

But this time, the smile wasn't entirely resigned; it also carried a sense of joy.

"Araki, thank you. I should have been the one helping you, but it turned out you were the one comforting me."

Kushina stood up from her curled-up position, as if she had figured something out, and immediately composed herself.

She remembered her mission.

She still had to guide and help Araki with his psychological issues.

Unexpectedly, it was Araki who comforted her first.

Thinking of this, Kushina smiled. Although there was still a tinge of bitterness in her smile, it mostly revealed a sense of contentment and happiness.

To be acknowledged by someone who cares is enough!

Others don't matter!

After Kushina figured things out, she felt much more relaxed. Instantly, a wave of exhaustion washed over her, and she returned to her room to prepare for rest.

...

Araki continued his training in the forest as usual. At this moment, he was doing push-ups under a tree.

The training for physical fitness was scarcely covered in the ninja school's curriculum, mostly focusing on the most basic elements.

In addition, based on his recollection from watching Naruto anime, he remembered that both Asuma and Rock Lee engaged in basic exercises like running, push-ups, and squats. So he incorporated these exercises into his daily training, just increasing the number of repetitions. After all, quantity can lead to miracles.

"Hmm?!"

Just as Araki was diligently doing standard push-ups, he once again felt the flow of air in the forest.

This sensation was very subtle, like a gentle breeze brushing against his skin. If one hadn't intentionally honed this perception through wilderness survival, it would be difficult to discern it accurately.

Someone was approaching!

And it was three people!

Araki furrowed his brows slightly. He didn't believe that, at this particular time, people would randomly run into the forest without reason. It was undoubtedly related to Sora Hyuga if he had to guess.

With this thought in mind, Araki exerted force in his legs.

His thighs propelled his lower legs to leap into the air.

With a powerful thud on the ground, Araki soared up, lightly landing on a tree branch at the treetop, skillfully concealing himself amidst the dense foliage.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Three figures swiftly maneuvered through the forest, eventually coming to a stop on a few trees that happened to be within Araki's line of sight.

Two boys who appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, accompanied by a girl of about twelve years old, suddenly appeared among Araki's scouts. From their attire, it was evident that each of them came from an exceptional background.

Konoha Village, whether from a perspective of military strength or financial power, ranked among the top in the five major ninja villages of the ninja world.

However...

Konoha Village's overall economic strength was decent, but there were still significant wealth disparities. These disparities were most pronounced among the various clans.

Originally, Konoha Village was formed by assembling different clans, and the power of each clan varied. The larger clans were more powerful, while the smaller clans were relatively weaker.

In addition, there were many scattered families that relied on these clans, forming the ordinary civilians of Konoha Village.

Even though the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, advocated for the integration of individuals from different clans, forming new bonds and increasing mutual connections, it was not so easy to resolve the wealth disparities.

Araki made a preliminary judgment about their backgrounds based on the texture of their clothing and confirmed that none of them came from impoverished backgrounds.

"This is..."

Araki's pupils contracted slightly. After a more detailed observation, he noticed a red and white striped emblem on the clothes of all three individuals, forming the shape of a fan. Additionally, the two older boys wore forehead protectors.

"The Uchiha Clan's emblem!"

Araki hadn't expected to encounter members of the Uchiha Clan here. His sense of alertness increased once again, but he was also puzzled. What were these three people doing in the forest at this late hour?

Especially the girl who wasn't wearing a forehead protector. Judging by her age, she couldn't be much older than him and was probably a student at the Ninja Academy.

Why were they running around in a small forest in the middle of the night?

Were they planning to sleep in the small forest?

But...

There were three of them!

The distribution of two boys and one girl seemed unbalanced. How could they manage their tasks like this without getting tired?

Many doubts arose in Araki's mind. However, at that moment, he heard the conversation of the three individuals below.

"If we search like this, will we really find it?"

It was the voice of the girl, gentle in tone. Her long, black hair cascaded behind her, adding a touch of charm.

"I don't know either!"

The clear leader among the three shook his head and then spoke firmly, "However, if our Junior Detective Team finds it first, we'll have a reason to join the Military Police Force!"