Konoha Notes.

Chapter 489

Iruka's reminder was something I had already heard from others.

This wasn't the first time Shuji had come to the Ninja Academy for consultation. Judging from public opinion, while this person might not say anything gentle, at least he wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for anyone.

The class teacher gave me extra instructions.

Opportunities to meet one-on-one like this won't be many. Once, or twice. In short, you need to be prepared with the questions you most want to ask in your mind.

"If you have ordinary troubles, come to your teacher for advice. Don't waste the opportunity on this."

Therefore, ever since I registered, I've been working on refining my problem every day.

What is the question I most want to ask?

How does one become an excellent female ninja like Lady Tsunade?

I need to figure out which direction I should develop in, and what I'm really good at.

The two questions swirled in her mind, neither able to prevail over the other. Even as she walked into the office, finished her polite greetings, and stood before Shuji, she was still wavering.

"What I want to ask is..."

I got started talking, but then I got stuck every day.

Shuji glanced at her.

"One hundred thousand taels."

Tian Tian's brain has stopped working.

This is... peace?

"I didn't bring that much money." These words were almost an instinctive reaction, and only after they blurted out did she suddenly realize, "Lord Shuji doesn't treat others like this, right? You weren't taking any money, were you!"

"Because you seem to have a strong mentality, and you're probably going to be the one doing the sarcastic remarks," Shuuji said. "So I'm going to start in a different way." "Why do I have to be the sarcastic remark?!"

"Isn't that right?"

"Absolutely not!"

What kind of rumors are circulating about this person? What's going on with him?

Shuji nodded, looking ready to call on the next person: "Okay, in that case, if there's nothing else..."

"Wait a minute!" Tian Tian pressed her hands firmly on the table, almost leaning over it. "I haven't asked my question yet!"

"Really?" Shuuji stopped what he was doing and looked at her again. "Didn't you just ask, 'Why did I talk like that?'" You were the one who started that conversation.

I wanted to retort every day, but I still managed to hold back.

Xiuji didn't continue teasing her, but just looked at her and said, "If you didn't think you only had one chance to ask a question, why did you hesitate until now?" This sentence was lighter than any of the jokes before, but it made Tenten quiet down.

She took a deep breath.

"I want to know two things. How can I become an excellent female ninja like Lady Tsunade? And which direction should I strive in?" After putting her mind at ease, she felt less suffocated. She decided to pour out all the unspoken frustration in her heart as well.

"Actually... after seeing Neji and the others' performance, I roughly know the answer."

For that kind of person, hard work is just the beginning.

She didn't have that chosen talent. The gap was so large that she could see it clearly without anyone reminding her.

Shuji did not respond to that sentence.

He asked, "What is your understanding of an excellent ninja?"

"Is he a high-ranking ninja? Or a ninja with powerful combat abilities? Or a famous ninja?"

Tian Tian whispered, "Aren't these... all of them?"

Shuji looked at her: "Are you planning to get on the wanted list?"

"...Huh?"

Tian Tian's brain has shut down again. What does this have to do with the wanted list?

"I can speak properly now, Lord Shuji, you really don't need to do this anymore..."

Shuji said, "High rank, strong combat power, and fame. In summary, the rogue ninjas on the major wanted lists basically meet these three criteria." "While most official ninjas from ninja villages only possess two of these qualities at most. To conceal their personal information, many outstanding individuals are actually not very well-known."

I can't find a point to refute every day.

"The fifth generation is most famous for her medical skills. During the war, she saved many people in the village, cured the enemy's poison, and brought victory to the village."

"These are the things the ninja world remembers before she became Hokage."

Shuji asked her, "You said you want to become a female ninja like her, so what do you want to be remembered for? What does that have to do with the people in the special training class? They just stand there all day."

She had never thought about it from this perspective.

"Even judging excellence solely by fighting ability, there aren't enough people in the special training program who meet that standard. At least to me, they're no different from you right now."

"By the time when one of them can be my equal, it's unclear how many years from now. Three years, five years, ten years. Or maybe it'll never be that possibility."

"So, will this affect their evaluation as excellent ninjas?"

"Their inability to catch up with me doesn't prevent them from becoming excellent ninjas, so why would it affect your ability to become an excellent ninja?"

"And why do I need to be here?"

I understand what you hear every day, but it also feels like I don't fully understand it.

"But...it's different." She tried to organize her thoughts. "Lord Shuji is someone who can kill a Kage. Judging by that standard is far too high..."

Shuji thought for a moment and said, "Since you think my standards are too high, then I'll tell you a secret."

The girl immediately perked up.

"A person dies when they are killed."

The girl with the bun hairstyle made a complete transition from anticipation to bewilderment in just one second.

"...The number of people killed by kunai and explosive tags is far more than the number I've killed," Shuuji added.

"…This isn't exactly a secret!" she finally snapped, "Those are tools, Lord Shuji!"

Shuji countered, "Don't you know how to use it?"

Tian Tian's counterattack has ended again.

Of course she would use them. Kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, wire—she would use any ninja tool.

"If you just want to kill the enemy, these two things are enough."

"What we need to do next is simply to find opportunities and think of strategies."

"People need to eat, people need to rest, people get tired, and people make mistakes. You can even cooperate with others, as long as you find the right partners."

He frowns every day.

She didn't mind fighting for missions; that was the nature of being a ninja. But focusing all her attention on figuring out how to kill opponents more efficiently was simply not the path she wanted to take.

It wasn't fear, nor rejection, it was just... that wasn't what she wanted to become.

"I...don't want it to be just for that kind of thing..."

The second half of the sentence was left unsaid, melting away between his lips.

Shuji didn't press further, but simply said, "Then, the strength of those people in terms of personal combat has no direct relation to what you're actually going to do in the future."

"Since killing others to prove yourself is not your goal, and what you really want to do is to achieve something like the Fifth Generation by saving and helping the things you care about."

"Then there are far more roads leading in that direction than you think."

He listed them out to her one by one.

"Not being good at medical ninjutsu doesn't mean I can't save people with my knowledge of surgery and medicine."

"Not being able to get ahead in the medical field doesn't mean that all paths are blocked."

"By researching the development and use of ninja tools, you can also achieve what you want to do."

He stopped to look at her.

"Or, if you can discover that you have unique talent in a particular area of ​​ninjutsu, such as space-time ninjutsu, then I can congratulate you in advance."

"This is a direction that can have a huge impact in any era, past, present, or future."

Then, Shuji smiled.

"If you could figure out how to store things in a ring so that other people could use them too..."

He held up one finger, his expression serious: "I will personally allocate funds to erect a monument for you."

Tian Tian blinked: "...Why store things in a ring? Wouldn't a bag be more convenient?"

"Furthermore, if you want to write incantations and hand seals, the surface space of the ring is simply not enough."

"Even if you write with a very fine pen, the space available for spiritual communication is far smaller than the area of ​​a miniature scroll laid out..."

"Furthermore, it is prone to problems and damage during combat and use."

Shuji pointed to himself: "Because it's my hobby. Storing things in a ring is really cool, so I said it was a personal reward for you." Tenten remained silent: "...Thank you. I understand, Shuji-sama."

Xiu Si suppressed his smile, and his tone became calm again.

"Don't mistakenly believe that you have no chance just because some people are shining now."

"There's no need to rush or worry about making mistakes. I wouldn't say the opportunities are unlimited, but there will always be a few."

Nod vigorously every day.

She stood up to thank Xiu Si, her mind still replaying the words she had just spoken.

Research on ninja tools, space-time ninjutsu, and that strange suggestion about the ring. She could seriously consider the first two, but she could probably forget the last one. As she walked out of the office, Iruka was giving her a strange look.

Before assigning the next person, Iruka asked in a low voice, "Did the captain give you a hard time?"

The sounds and noises are different from before.

"..." Tian Tian denied it briefly, but the expression on her face was hard to hide.

Iruka muttered to himself, "That person is actually starting to be completely unable to hide anymore..."

Then, they realized that Shuuji had been standing at the office door for some time.

He was looking at Iruka.

His expression was calm; he didn't say anything, just stared.

Tian Tian turned around and was met with this scene, causing her shoulders to tremble.

"...I'm leaving."

Iruka looked at the list in his hand and tried to make his voice sound busy.

"Ah...uh, next."

Naruto's voice rang out at that moment.

"Iruka-sensei! Are you trying to sneak away like this?!"

"Don't even think about it!"

Naruto and Fu heard that Iruka had come to Shuuji's place and assumed that he intended to report early and determine the outcome of the battle, so the two rushed over.

Iruka was initially startled by the sudden charge, but immediately retorted.

"I would never do such a thing!"

Then his voice lowered, carrying a hint of a homeroom teacher's authority: "Don't come here and disturb others. Captain Shuuji is working." Although he said that, he was very grateful to Naruto.

The gaze that fell upon me was no longer as unsettling.

"I was just helping the captain with his work."

Naruto glanced at the people waiting in the corridor, scratched his head, and chuckled twice.

Then he shouted towards Shuuji, "We've made a lot of progress, Shuuji-nii!"

"Even though Sasuke came to cause trouble, we won't lose! Lots of people have joined us! We're almost out of autograph sheets!" Fu poked her head out from behind him. "We're thinking of adding another sheet!"

Shuji nodded calmly.

His gaze swept across the corridor and landed on Green Sunflower, who was standing on the side of the student line.

Green Aoi originally came to help Naruto and Fu organize and tally their autographs. He collected a number of names and checked the numbers several times. After the two rushed over, he followed them to this area.

The moment Green Sunflower felt that gaze, her body tensed instinctively.

At this moment, he had no idea whether his decision to come along was right or wrong.

Green Sunflower didn't know how long that gaze lingered on her.

But he didn't even notice that Sasuke Uchiha had come up behind him.

"Green mallow".

He turned around abruptly upon hearing the sound.

The second son of the Uchiha clan stood two steps behind him.

Green Aoi quickly composed herself, making sure she looked no different from usual: "Sasuke-kun, is there something you need?"

"Let's go somewhere else," Sasuke said, his tone much calmer than yesterday.

Green Sunflower glanced at him, then nodded.

The two left the corridor and walked down the stairs until they reached a secluded spot on the side of the teaching building where few people passed by. "I've already thought about your request from yesterday."

Sasuke didn't beat around the bush: "I have my own problems to solve. As for your matter, we'll proceed the way you suggested."

"Let me express all my questions about you."

The green-haired ninja waited quietly for what was to come.

"And regarding what you mentioned, about the dangers you might face, and your belief that the Director's Office cannot provide protection for Konoha ninjas. Sasuke's wording was very direct."

"In exchange, I will submit these issues to the director's office simultaneously."

This was a new approach he came up with after giving up on getting Sakura and Ino's help. Since Midori Aoi wanted to be straightforward, he would use an open and aboveboard process to resolve the issue.

In any case, what trainees can see, unless they delve to a certain depth, is not much different from what they see on the surface. And to explore further, one even needs to go into private circles.

Instead of going around in circles, let's make the deal public.

No matter what kind of response Green Sunflower gives, he will be able to gather more information.

"If what you said before is true, then my current location and the things I can access are things you don't have." "Then now, I'll use this as a condition in exchange for the answer I want. You can refuse if you wish, and I'll resolve my confusion in another way."

The gentle and harmless look on Green Sunflower's face had somewhat faded.

"Since Sasuke-kun says so, it is indeed a pity to give up the opportunity to climb up to the Uchiha clan."

"Please feel free to give your orders, Sasuke-kun."