Chapter 10 – Hundred Herbs

Sarutobi Hiruzen hummed a tune, perched in his chair with a small, orange book in his hands. He occasionally giggled and took a puff.

The paperwork that usually dominated his desk remained untouched for the moment; a well-deserved break was necessary now and then.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

A knock shattered the tranquility.

A slender woman with fair skin and striking red eyes entered the Hokage's office

"Jōnin, Kurenai Yūhi reporting for duty." Kurenai announced, bowing respectfully.

"Rest easy, Kurenai. Are you fully recovered? I heard about your unfortunate accident." Hiruzen inquired, concern creasing his brow.

"Yes, Hokage-sama, I have perfectly recovered. A week in the hospital tends to motivate one to heal faster." Kurenai replied with a smile, a touch of humor lacing her voice.

One could only imagine the blandness of hospital food that spurred such a speedy recovery!

"Today I have a couple of missions for you." Hiruzen said, gesturing towards the scrolls on his desk.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kurenai acknowledged, reaching for the scrolls and unfurling them.

"First, you'll be leading a special class for the graduating Genin. You'll be discussing the challenges faced by kunoichi, aiming to… perhaps… curb their excessive fangirling. Use Genjutsu to make a point. They should know what can happen in the future." Hiruzen said with all seriousness. "Hopefully, this will prove beneficial."

"Hokage-sama…"

"Kurenai," Hiruzen called, looking at her eyes. "You had to go through the same thing when you were younger."

"Don't pity them, just pity their future."

Kurenai sighed, tucking the scroll into her pocket and waiting for her next order.

Hiruzen mirrored her sigh, "Second, you've been selected for the Jōnin instructor position. Observe the students for the Genin team you want."

A flash of excitement briefly appeared but vanished just as quickly.

"Exception made; Raito, Naruto, Hinata, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Focus on finding students you feel you can develop effectively."

Mustering Kurenai courage, she spoke up, "Hokage-sama, I was considering forming a scouting and tracking team with the clan students. Specifically, I had hoped to include Hyūga Hinata on my team."

Hiruzen met Kurenai's gaze, a small smile playing on his aged features. He knew about Kurenai's past connection with Hinata, but this was out of his hands.

He sighed and turned around, "Hinata's team placement was decided this morning. The recommendation for her grouping was personally sent by Hyūga Hiashi, her father and clan leader of Hyūga clan. I am afraid it isn't possible."

Kurenai's shoulders slumped in defeat. Rank and potential meant little against a clan leader's will.

With a defeated sigh, she bowed and left the office, heading straight for the academy.

At the academy

Shikamaru, Chōji, Hinata, Naruto, and Raito were walking towards the training grounds together.

"Bah, how am I supposed to know when it rains or how they make salt?" Naruto complained.

"These teachers are useless! We should be learning awesome jutsu, like a killer fire technique..." He droned on, but his friends tuned him out, except for Hinata.

Raito slowed down to walk beside Shikamaru. After a thoughtful pause, he finally asked, "Oi, Shika, do you know anything about Yang chakra?"

"Huh! Why do you ask?"

"Just asking, I found some books on them and wanted to know more." Raito gave him a random excuse.

"Not much detail, really. Chōji's clan uses Yang chakra in their jutsu like for 'Body Expansion Jutsu' and all, but that's about it." Shikamaru answered after some thinking.

"Great, so you know even less than me," Raito laughed.

"Shika, Raito, walk faster. I am hungry." Chōji called out, his stomach growling loudly.

"Chōji, you just had chips. How can you be so hungry?" Raito shouted back, hurrying forward.

"Doesn't matter." Chōji replied, his voice muffled by another rumble. "Looking at those bento boxes is making me extra hungry. All I can think right now is how delicious they are." He swallowed audibly, eyeing the basket Hinata carried.

"You should think more about how to defeat me this Saturday than those bento boxes." Raito teased with a grin, then let out a whistle.

Chōji blanched for a moment before replying seriously.

"This time… I'll definitely win," Chōji said seriously. Raito and others took it as means for fun but Chōji took it as a matter of life.

"Haha, we'll see about that on Saturday." Raito laughed. The thought of food stirred his own hunger pangs.

"Oi, you guys how can you be so slow? Walk faster." Naruto shouted, frustrated that his friends were deliberately lagging behind, leaving him and Hinata at the front.

Everyone reached a clearing and settled under a tree. Hinata sat beside Naruto, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. Chōji and Raito pulled out their lunches, launching into a heated debate about something.

While the debate intensified, Hinata got her alone time with Naruto, introducing him with all kinds of dishes and Naruto was happy to be fed. Shikamaru was left alone, but he was happy with that.

Shikamaru didn't have many questions in his mind, during this time but one question has been haunting him for a couple of days now.

"How did you learn hat Ninjutsu?".

"What?" Confused by the abrupt question, Raito and Chōji stopped their important debate and looked at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru elaborated, his eyes filled with interest. "Space-time Ninjutsu, how did you learn it? I haven't seen any ninja do it before, and the only Ninjutsu which is of space-time type Ninjutsu is fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique-"

"Family secret (Kinjutsu)." Raito shrugged and continued, interrupting whatever Shikamaru was going to say. "If you're that curious, you'll find out more on Saturday."

"I also want to take you all to somewhere… so be prepared." His attempt to change the subject wasn't lost on Shikamaru, but it did catch someone else's attention.

Hinata blurted out, "Where?" a little too quickly, realizing immediately that she was the only one interested. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she tried to hide behind her shoulder, embarrassed by her eagerness.

"That creepy place…" Naruto shivered. But the moment the words left his lips, a kunai was wedged into the ground beside him

"Naruto, what did I tell you?" Raito shot him an annoyed glare.

Chōji intervened, placing himself between them, "Don't fight! Hold on! If you want to fight, do it after eating."

Shikamaru stretched languidly, then noticed Raito glancing nervously in a particular direction.

Shikamaru patted Raito's shoulder and asked in an extremely low voice so that only Raito was able to hear, "Someone?"

Raito nodded slightly.

"Women, one, using Genjutsu," Raito whispered as his neck shrank down to his collar.

"Thank you for the food." Chōji and Naruto chorused, clasping their chopsticks together before separating them.

'That must be Yūhi Kurenai, the new Jōnin Anko-nee was talking about, a Genjutsu specialist. Better be careful….' Raito deactivated his Chakra Sense and focused on his meal.

"Oi, you two leave me some." Raito immediately took the chopsticks, looking for his share.

"Here, Raito-san for you." Hinata offered, handing him a bento box.

"Thank you, Hinata." Raito thanked Hinata then turned around.

Hinata smiled sweetly in response.

"Oh~ Chicken, I love you so much." Raito inhaled deeply, a blissful smile spreading across his face. The aroma was so intoxicating it was almost poisoning. He took a bite, his enjoyment growing with each mouthful.

Suddenly, a shadow lunged at him, snatching his bento box.

"Hey! What the heck… Ino!?" Raito sputtered, pointing his remaining chopstick accusingly at Ino, who was happily devouring his chicken.

"You ate my chicken. That's my chicken!" Raito shouted as he grabbed his bento box.

Ino did not say anything but smirk, licking her fingers clean.

Raito glared at her, then turned to Hinata, who oversaw the lunch distribution. She hesitated for a moment, clearly seeing his current state of near-delirium, before apologetically shaking her head.

"Damn it. It's chicken day."

"Mhm, mhm." Naruto mumbled in agreement, patting his stuffed stomach contentedly.

Overhearing the commotion, Raito glanced back at the three boys who were already well into their meals. He caught Shikamaru's gaze, who simply shook his head and started devouring his own chicken at an alarming speed

Chōji gave him a menacing look that seemed to say, 'If you touch it, I'm going to kill you.'

Ino couldn't help but smirk at Raito's panicked expression. The smirk quickly faded as he glared at her. "It's just food! Seriously, how petty can you be? Here, take this."

She shoved a purple cloth-covered bento box at him.

Raito raised an eyebrow in suspicion, but Ino simply pushed it towards him with renewed insistence.

As Raito opened the box, a delicious aroma wafted out.

Shikamaru and Chōji whipped their heads around, giving Ino a look that could curdle milk. Then, they turned to Raito, their expressions morphing into something even more bizarre.

[Bento Box of Hundred Herbs]

Type: Consumable

Contains fried egg, fried sausage, pickled carrots, and rice

Status effect: + Poison, Faint

Note: Not Recommended for Consumption

[A bento meticulously crafted by Yamanaka Ino. Rising at four in the morning and practicing with her mother, she sustained several cuts on her fingers in the process.

Note: Don't eat it and risk making the girl cry. Eat it and prepare to cry yourself.]

Raito's gaze darted between Ino and her bandaged fingers, a testament to her novice cookery. However, the food inside the box told a different story. Plump sausages, glistening egg rolls, oil-drenched rice, and a smattering of vegetables – an enticing presentation.

"If you don't want to," Ino drawled, extending her hand. "You should give it back."

Gritting his teeth, Raito devoured the entire meal in one go. The taste was tolerable, neither good nor bad, but something about it churned his stomach.

"Chōji, get ready." Shikamaru sighed, then turned to Naruto in a hushed voice, "Naruto, go and bring Mari-sensei, now."

[Status: Fainting in 3…2…1]

[Recovery in 1 hour]

Just like that, the world faded to black for Raito.

"Chōji, let's go!" Shikamaru yelled, grabbing Raito's shoulder as he slumped unconscious.

Ino froze, her eyes widening as Raito fainted after eating her food. "Did I do that?" she whispered in disbelief.

A hand touched Ino's shoulders, offering support.

Ino turned back, looking at Hinata and tried to explain, "I didn't mean to…"

Hinata surprised even herself by pulling Ino into a hug. The look of panic on Ino's face had given her a burst of unexpected courage.

"Ino-san, you used the Hundred Herbs mixture."

"That's why…" Ino touched her forehead, her shoulders slumping in realization. She weakly nodded in understanding.

Hinata smiled brightly and said, "Nothing will happen to Raito-san."

"But, Ino-san, this mixture… you should know about it. The Hundred Herbs mixture actually helps build immunity to most poisons found in Konoha."

Ino's eye widened. "Really?"

Hinata nodded, "Yes. Everyone from the clans use them when they become Chūnin."

Ino stood up, suddenly determined. "Then we should take him to the infirmary right away. I need to apologize…"

Hinata gently interjected. "There's a mandatory class starting soon, Ino-san." She gestured towards the classroom. "We can visit him at the infirmary after class."

Ino paused for a moment, considering. She looked at Hinata, a hint of gratitude in her eyes, and gave her a thumbs up. "Hinata you didn't shutter, not even once. Good job."

Hinata blushed crimson. "T-Thanks, I am t-trying my best." she stammered shyly, a hint of newfound confidence peeking through.

At the infirmary

Ding

[Skill Obtained: Poison Resistance Lvl 5 (Passive)]

[Due to medicinal cleansing, gain STR+2, VIT+1]

"Wake up, sleepyhead! Heard from Nara that you enjoyed a little Hundred Herb Mixture." Mari quipped, pinching Raito's nose to rouse him.

"What 'hundred herbs'? it's more like 'hundred poisons'. I thought I was going to die." Raito grumbled, swatting Mari's hand away and patting himself down frantically.

The door creaked open, revealing a young man with ash-gray hair and onyx eyes dressed in purple. He carried a clipboard and approached Raito's bed.

"Excuse me, but I need to examine the patient." the newcomer announced, his voice formal.

"No need. I've already performed a 'Diagnostic Jutsu' and everything is fine." Mari grabbed Raito's hand, trying to pull him.

"Actually, I feel great, senpai." Raito piped up, a wide, fake smile plastered on his face. "No worries about the bed. I'll bring someone to fill this bed for you." He used [Observe] on the medic ninja.

[Yakushi Kabuto Lvl ?]

???

Description:??

"It's Kabuto, and as a medic ninja, I can't allow you to leave until I clarify that you are well." He held up a needle, his gaze flitting between Raito and Mari.

Raito furrowed his brow in annoyance, then nudged Mari twice with his elbow.

"Stand down, Genin Kabuto." Mari said with authority. "Student Raito falls under my care. Besides, I'm also someone with a license, so-"

"I don't wanna do this." Raito shook his head, a frown creasing his face. He kept darting glances towards the door, his impatience and desire to escape clear as day.

Without another word, Raito pulled on his shoes and hurried out of the infirmary, shooting a final look back.

Mari followed him, but not before addressing Kabuto, "Aren't you on a team? What are you doing here?"

Kabuto closed his clipboard with a snap, "It's work experience."

"Oh," Mari just made a noise in acknowledgment then walked out. "Work smart."

Emerging from the infirmary, Raito was met by a tackle from Naruto and Chōji.

"Now, you wanna try killing me by smothering?" Raito grunted, pushing them both off.

"You and your damn mouth." Naruto playfully punched Raito, then turned to Shikamaru in anger, "You knew about it, didn't you? That poison thing?"

"Shut up all of you!" Mari roared, glaring at the boys. "You boys were supposed to be in your class, attending the special class."

"Special class?" The four boys groaned in unison, their enthusiasm for the day officially squashed. They shuffled towards the classroom with a noticeable lack of pep in their step.

Mari followed behind them, rubbing her temples in exasperation, "You better not say some embarrassing thing."

"So," Raito began, casting his mind back to the strange bento. "Anyone gonna tell me what this hundred thing is?"

Chōji answered with a rare look of seriousness. "Raito, the 'Hundred Herbs Mixture' is a concoction of a hundred different herbs, each paired with its specific antidote. It is made by my clan and is used to strengthen our body and gain immunity from most of the poisons found within the village."

Shikamaru added, "It's a kind of coming-of-age ritual for Chūnin in our clans."

Naruto, however, looked utterly perplexed. "That's… a weird tradition. Knocking someone unconscious with poison just to make them stronger."

"But why did she-" Raito started to voice a question, but the sight that greeted him upon entering the classroom stopped him mid-sentence.

An unsettling silence hung in the air. The boys all sat slumped in their chairs, avoiding eye contact, while the girls looked pale and tearful. Reddened eyes and tear streaks offered silent testimony to recent crying.

Raito's brow furrowed in confusion, "Did someone die or something?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

A few students who overheard him whipped their heads around, glaring daggers at him.

"What?" Raito, oblivious to their ire, simply shrugged and turned away, ignoring their angry stares.

"Kurenai, already?" Mari greeted the Jōnin standing at the front of the classroom.

Kurenai offered a sad smile in response. Her gaze swept over the four boys standing behind Mari before settling on Raito. "He must be Raito?"

"Yeah, the biggest pain in the academy." Mari thumped Raito on the back with a hearty laugh.

Dissatisfied, Raito pushed her hand away, "That's Naruto, not me."

"Hey!" Naruto pushed.

"Oi, watch it." Raito glared back.

"These four," Mari looked at the register. "Skipped the special class for a reason."

Kurenai nodded before turning to Iruka, whose face reflected a mix of emotions. "Iruka-sensei, we'll be in the next classroom. Let this get absorbed in their head."

Iruka could only nod in agreement as he watched them leave.

The next room mirrored Class 1-A, but was completely empty.

"Well, brats, take a sit and let Kurenai-sensei work her magic." Mari said, patting Kurenai on the shoulder and addressing the boys.

Shikamaru and Raito shrugged. Raito even yawned, looking at Kurenai.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Naruto mumbled, clenching his fists. Genjutsu – his worst nightmare. He had no way to sense or break free from them.

Kurenai channeled her chakra, her hands forming a rapid sequence of hand seals.

Snake → Rat

"Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique"

At the same time, Raito activated his '[Chakra Sense]', creating an invisible sphere of chakra around him. Activating '[Remote Viewing]', Raito waited for Genjutsu to take effect. Through the skill, he saw himself sitting on the chair before a tiny seed of bluish chakra infiltrated his brain.

"Heh," he chuckled internally. "This skill got upgraded by gamer powers."

[Foreign Chakra detected.]

[Motor pathway depressed.]

[Sensory pathway altered.]

[Foreign Chakra sending information to the brain.]

[Creating video from the information.]

[Saving video...ERROR]

[Creating a new feature called "Files" for saving important documents, videos and picture.]

[Saving video…. Video file named "Kunoichi's Dangerous Life"]

Raito became engrossed in the notifications, oblivious to the thin tendrils of white light emanating from the 'Lucky Star' and seeping into his body. Just as he was about to deactivate the skill, his head dipped forward, slamming against the table with a dull thud.

Mari rushed to his side and lightly tapped his shoulder. Receiving no response, she escalated to a more vigorous shake, followed by a gentle pat on his face, her concern evident.

Mari examined Raito. "His breathing seems normal, but his pulse is slow. His pupils aren't reacting to light and there's no pain sensation."

She looked at Kurenai and shouted. "Kurenai use 'Diagnosis Jutsu', you have more control than me,"

Kurenai wasted no time, appearing beside Raito and performing the jutsu.

"There's nothing physically wrong with him," she announced, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"Will he be okay?" Mari asked, worry etching lines on her face.

Kurenai hesitated for a moment before offering a reassuring nod.

Time stretched on, but Raito remained unconscious. Though Mari tried to maintain composure, her growing impatience was evident in her body language.

"We should take him to the infirmary." Kurenai suggested.

"No!" Mari narrowed her eyes, patting Raito's head. Then her eyes moved to the 'Lucky star', which seemed to have faint glowing spots.

Raito's Mindscape

Four blurry figures shrouded in darkness materialized around Raito. Two men and two women stood in pairs, facing him.

The couple in front bowed deeply. "You are our only hope." the woman pleaded. "Please help us."

The man scratched his head sheepishly, then bowed again. "I know this is a lot to ask, but please."

After saying this, the two disappeared in smoke.

The two standing behind, walked in front of Raito and crouched down. When Raito saw them, he was shocked.

"You have grown so big." the woman murmured, her touch gentle as she reached out to cup his face.

The man sighed, casting a worried glance around. He pulled the woman back, then looked Raito in the eye. Before disappearing in black smoke, he offered a thumbs-up and said. "Son… We hope you like our gift. Do your best."

"Do your best."

A crushing weight settled on Raito's chest as the figures vanished. His head pounded with a sudden, throbbing pain.

"Ugh… I just want out of here." Clutching his head, Raito wished with all his might to escape.

His eyes snapped open, and in a flash of panic, he drew a kunai and shuriken in each hand. Without hesitation, he hurled them all at Kurenai.

Reacting swiftly, Kurenai deflected the shuriken with a kunai of her own. The projectiles clattered to the ground with a metallic clang.

"Calm down, Raito. Everything is fine. That was just a Genjutsu, nothing was real." Mari cried, rushing to intercept him.

Raito opened his eyes, his vision burning with a startling red. Glaring at Kurenai, he yelled,, "What the heck was that for? Wasn't that supposed to be… argh!"

"That was a simple Genjutsu." Kurenai explained, a furrow creasing her brow. "It is not supposed to cause you pain."

"No pain? My head feels like it's splitting open. For Kami's sake, can I get any kind of treatment?" Raito roared, his hand pressed against his throbbing temple.

"Come here." Mari instructed, gently guiding him to sit. She placed a hand on his arm, its surface glowing with a soft green light.

"Mystic palm technique." Raito said. "Basics of the basic."

"This technique channels chakra to accelerate the body's natural healing process." Mari explained as the green light bathed Raito in its soothing warmth. "It works on wounds and other injuries..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the theory." Raito interrupted, shutting his eyes and letting out a long sigh.

"What happened and why didn't you use that jutsu?"

"I did, but it was not about kunoichi. I-" Raito stammered, then took a deep breath. "Mari-nee," he whispered. "I saw mom and dad."

"I mean like real, like real-real." His hands gestured wildly. "Mom even said how much I grew and dad was like-"

Mari responded by pulling him into a tight hug. Tears welled up in her eyes as she murmured, "They loved you, they loved you so much."

[Gamer's mind activated]

A surge of determination coursed through Raito. He pushed Mari away (respectfully, of course) and stood up. "Mari-nee… Ahem, I mean Mari-sensei. I am fine, like really."

Kurenai, sensing the shift in the room, approached them and slammed her hand on the table, dispelling the lingering Genjutsu. "Attention, student Akimichi, Nara, and Uzumaki. What you saw just now…" Her voice trailed off as she launched into a counseling session.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang. Anko, a mischievous grin plastered on her face, barged in with a struggling Iruka following behind.

"Party time! I found a peeping tom." Anko declared, tossing a body – likely a hapless peeping tom – to the side.

Mari and Kurenai exchanged a look of exasperation

"Hey, Anko-nee!" Raito waved his hand.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto, on the other hand, reacted with pure terror. He bolted towards Iruka, ignoring Anko's presence entirely.

Naruto turned around glaring and pointing at Anko but immediately after his face turned pale and his fingers trembled, "You… why… A-Anko m-ma'am?"

"Blondie! You finally recognize me." Anko chuckled, appearing behind Naruto in a flash and engulfing him in a hug. "Look at you all grown up! Feels like ages – half a year, at least. Disappointed you didn't visit, though."

With a glint in her eye, Anko drew a kunai and pricked Naruto's cheek, drawing a bead of blood.

"Such rich blood," she purred, letting the blood trickle down his face. "I missed it. Why don't you come with me tonight and enjoy several new poison concoctions?" Anko leaned in close, blowing a playful puff of air in Naruto's ear before licking the blood off his cheek.

"No! NO! NOO!" Naruto shrieked in terror and bolted towards the window, desperation fueling his escape attempt.

But a shadow fell across his path. Mari, a reassuring smile on her face, stood before him, a hand gently placed on his shoulder. "Naruto, calm down. Remember, I'm stronger than Anko, right? As long as you behave, there's nothing to worry about."

Naruto whimpered, his struggles turning into a pathetic attempt to break free. "But... but... that crazy snake lady! Please, let me go!"

He was trapped, surrounded by two of Konohagakure's most... enthusiastic kunoichi.

"What the heck is going on?" Shikamaru asked and Chōji echoed his sentiment with a concerned nod.

Raito, meanwhile, chuckled and took Naruto's vacant seat. He leaned back, addressing Shikamaru and Chōji. "Anko-nee visits me often, and one day, like a fated encounter, those two met and got into a massive argument about which food is the better. Naruto said ramen, and the Anko-nee said dango. Anko-nee got a little heated so, she used her snakes to bite Naruto. When she didn't see any reaction from him, she used even more lethal poison."

"Crazy." Shikamaru muttered.

"Is that even safe?" Chōji interjected, worry lacing his voice.

"Thing is," Raito explained. "Naruto's immune to most poisons. It's kind of his thing. And Anko-nee, well, she loves experimenting with new concoctions. So, whenever Naruto sees Anko, he just does this…. even though he knows there is no escape." Raito shed a mock tear for his friend, then popped a chip into his mouth, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"Immune to all poison, huh? Is that even possible?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, skepticism coloring his tone.

Raito shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, he's not dead yet, right? And Anko-nee knows to hold back... probably."

"Oi, oi, isn't it dangerous?" Shikamaru felt shivers down his spine as he looked towards Anko and Naruto.

"Yup," Raito nodded, then paused. Looking at Shikamaru, he added, "Hey, if you're worried, you can always tell her to stop."

"Want some?" He asked Shikamaru and Chōji, pushing the packet forward.

Both boys nodded, accepting the chips and settling in to watch the chaos unfold. Here was the ultimate prankster being turned into the plaything!

Kurenai, exasperated, cleared her throat loudly, "Iruka-sensei, perfect timing! if you could explain today's topic to them, please."

"Actually, I already went through about this at the clan," Shikamaru, ever the picture of laziness, drawled.

Hopefully, they understand that he doesn't need any more of the talking.

Chōji mumbled in agreement. "Me too."

Raito pointed at Anko and said, "Anko-nee's version was much more detailed than this one." he added, earning a nod from Naruto. 'Although less graphic.' he muttered under his breath.

Iruka, his patience wearing thin, heard Naruto and Raito's whispers. He fixated on Anko with a glare, "What exactly are you teaching my students?"

Anko, her face devoid of any emotion, simply replied, "What exactly did I teach them?."

Iruka slammed his fist on the table, his voice rising in anger. "You can't just go around teaching them whatever you want."

"What did I teach?" Anko let Naruto go, then focused on the one irritating her.

"I haven't taught them Genjutsu, Ninjutsu or anything like that." Anko shrugged looking away in annoyance. "There's nothing wrong with preparing them for the real world."

"But even so you can't do things-"

"The shinobi code of conduct doesn't say that." Raito interrupted, felling a little red when he saw Iruka wanting to say something but couldn't. "The code doesn't allow the active duty bound shinobi to pass their shinobi knowledge to the outsiders; specified to anyone outside the program of the village-"

"Raito!" Iruka shouted, feeling all eyes on him, he continued. "I just wanted to-."

"Huh? You wanted to what!?" Anko flared up.

"Chūnin Iruka! Special Jōnin Anko! Stand down!" Mari declared, her stern aura radiating through the room.. "Lesson finished."

She then directed the students: "Brats, back to the class."

Turning to Kurenai, she said, "Kurenai, back to the tower."

Finally, she fixed Anko and Iruka with a steely gaze and a mischievous grin "Chūnin Iruka, Special Jōnin Anko, come with me to the office," Mari said with a devilish smile, cracking her knuckles. "There are some matters I want to discuss with both of you."

In the Hokage's office

Evening, 5 pm

The setting sun painted the sky in hues of warm crimson. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, sending a shower of golden leaves fluttering down.

Hiruzen finished signing the scroll, tied it with a ribbon, and secured it in a drawer. He puffed on his pipe and turned towards the window. "Kakashi, come in." he said, his voice tinged with a hint of concern. "The wind is a bit chilly now."

Kakashi entered the office and gave a respectful bow. "Hokage-sama." he greeted.

Hiruzen regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Kakashi," he began, "This time, you have a team, again." A heavy silence descended upon the room. "Let's not repeat the last semester's… incidence, shall we?"

Kakashi peeked through his mask, a flicker of curiosity sparking in his eye. "Uchiha, Uzumaki, and... someone else?" he inquired, opening his cherished orange book.

"Uzumaki, Yoshizawa, and Hyūga," Hiruzen corrected with a gentle smile.

"That's surprising." Kakashi mused. "What happened to the elders of civilian council? They were quite adamant about placing Sasuke on my team. Did something change?" Kakashi asked, a glint of curiosity in his eye.

"Indeed," Hiruzen confirmed. "We found that the civilian council was causing undue trouble for a ninja family. Hence, they are facing some charges. In addition, our elders from ninja council have found news of their grandson was training with someone and they weren't pleased with that news."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "I guess they were quite shocked when they learned of this?"

"Danzō is being Danzō, hiding in his small nest, waiting for the storm to pass." Hiruzen replied neither fast nor slow, smoke from his pipe curled lazily around them.

"What will happen to Sasuke?" Kakashi inquired.

"If he awakens the Sharingan." Hiruzen offered, his gaze drifting out the window towards the bustling village. "You have the option to take him as your apprentice or in your team." Hiruzen looked out the window, at the bustling streets of Konoha.

heavy sigh escaped Hiruzen's lips, a mix of sorrow and concern coloring his voice. "Years have passed, and the founding clans are but a shadow of their former glory. I worry for the future, for the village, and for the fate of the shinobi. The Fire Daimyō needs us, and we need him, to maintain this fragile balance."

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi called out, his voice barely a whisper. This kind of Intel… sharing this was equal to admitting something.

"Ah, Kakashi," Hiruzen interjected, handing him a scroll. "This contains information about your future Genins. Keep a watchful eye on Yoshizawa,"

"So I have to make sure that Yoshizawa doesn't kill the Hyūga?" Kakashi asked as he looked through the files.

Hiruzen shook his head reassuringly. "I don't think you will have to. He's a smart kid and knows how to handle himself."

Kakashi sighed, a flicker of unresolved pain in his masked eyes.

Hiruzen waved him off, "Now, be on your way. And if happen to see Gai, tell him to stop training in the streets. The last thing I need are more complaints."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi bowed respectfully, then vanished in a puff of smoke.