Konoha Notes

Chapter 219 Fame
Since realizing a certain possibility, Sasuke has been unusually worried that his brother might come home.

Could that guy have already told his brother what happened on the training field?

Even after I lay down in bed, this anxiety lingered.

Are you waiting for your brother to come back?

Mikoto Uchiha looked at her youngest son, who was tossing and turning in bed, and gently stroked his black hair.

"After the gathering, my brother might have a mission for the Dark Division, so it won't be that early."

"No, I'm going to sleep, Mom."

Sasuke immediately closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He listened to the soft sound of the door being gently pulled shut. There was no other sound in the room except for the pounding of his own heart.

He lay there like a zombie, but his ears were picking up everything from the outside world: the sound of the wind, the rustling of leaves, and the occasional faint footsteps in the distance.

Just when Sasuke thought he had fallen asleep, he seemed to hear the sound of the door being opened.

He pulled back the covers, got up, and gently opened the door. He tiptoed towards the front yard until he could hear the sounds coming from there.

The father's voice rang out: "You're back?"

"Yes."

"what's going on?"

Wasn't my brother going to a dinner party? Or was it the work in the secret service that Mom mentioned?
Upon hearing his father's question, Sasuke couldn't help but think.

"Meng and Kenichi did not perform well in this practical exchange with Kumogakure. The Hokage is dissatisfied with the performance of this batch of genin."

"Fierce? Kenichi?" Sasuke racked his brains, recalling that they seemed to be two clansmen who had graduated several years ago but still hadn't been promoted to Chunin. Poor performance... did that mean they lost?
Sasuke subconsciously twitched the corner of his mouth.

If it were my older brother, I definitely wouldn't. If it were me...

"Where are Shingo and Zhangsi?"

"The Chunin's overall performance was acceptable."

"So, those two are just ordinary people..." The father's voice lowered considerably.

"Most of the clan members who have awakened the Sharingan work in the police force or the Anbu, and therefore cannot participate in such activities. So the Hokage was not dissatisfied with this."

“These kinds of events will only increase, Itachi,” Fugaku’s tone turned serious. “Your victory had limited impact. If we can’t produce any more outstanding performances, it will be a heavy blow to the Uchiha’s reputation. Don’t forget, the reason we had to concede…”

"Father."

Fugaku sighed softly, "Sasuke, it's already very late."

It was discovered!

Sasuke froze, awkwardly stepping out of the shadows.

"Father, brother."

Itachi looked at him gently: "Can't you sleep?"

“…No…it’s just…” Sasuke stammered.

Fugaku said, "Go and rest, Sasuke. You have class tomorrow."

Sasuke obediently turned around, took two steps, and then turned back: "Father, I will live up to the name of the Uchiha."

He promised.

Today's mistake will be the last.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke's heart skipped a beat when he saw a smile in his brother's eyes: "Wh...what's wrong, brother?"

"have a good rest."

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly settled. "Yes! Brother!"

It seems that Shuuji isn't a talkative fellow after all. Sasuke returned to his room, brimming with confidence, determined to restore the Uchiha's reputation tomorrow. He could overlook the sneak attack, but he absolutely couldn't let people think the Uchiha were nothing special!

He didn't know when he fell asleep; when he opened his eyes again, it was already dawn.

He was a little sleepy... but he still forced himself to get up, wash up, eat, and prepare to go out.

My brother seems to be on vacation today; he's still home at this hour.

"Sasuke, didn't you sleep well?"

"...A little." Sasuke rubbed his eyes, looking at Itachi with a hint of expectation. "Brother, will you come to school with me?"

Itachi extended his finger and gently tapped Sasuke's forehead: "Next time, Sasuke."

Sasuke rubbed his forehead: "It's always next time. Anyway, I don't expect my brother to actually come."

He turned around angrily, ready to leave.

"Sasuke." Itachi's voice came from behind again.

"What is it now, brother?" Sasuke turned around irritably.

Itachi looked at him, a gentle smile playing on his lips that sent chills down Sasuke's spine.

"Next time you compete with someone, don't get distracted."

Sasuke's face flushed red instantly, and steam seemed to rise from his head.

That guy! He was definitely no good!

Furthermore, that wasn't a competition, that was a sneak attack!
Nara Shikakuto hasn't returned yet, but a report on this exchange activity has arrived in the village first.

The gist is that the Konoha genin performed poorly in the tournament, while the chunin managed to salvage some face.

As a result, Tsunade's face had been gloomy all night. When Shuji lifted his somewhat heavy head from the mountain of documents, he was met with the Fifth Hokage's displeased face.

"It's just that the genin didn't perform well." He rubbed his face.

"What, you lost the bet?" he asked casually.

"I almost got itchy and placed a bet!" Tsunade slammed her hands on the table and clasped them together. "Damn it! I felt like I had a great chance of winning! But as the Hokage, I can't participate in tournaments related to my own village."

"After all, there are three Chunin Exams in two years." After calming down a bit, Shuuji said, "The year before last was a normal promotion, and last year there were two exams."

“Those who go out to participate in competitions through government-sponsored assignments will be promoted by the village as long as their abilities are assessed.”

“When the exams are held on our home turf, the villagers see those who perform exceptionally well, and it’s not right not to promote them.”

"It's normal for this year's batch of genin to perform a little worse, as they are limited to three years."

"Since no real bet was placed, a loss within a reasonable range shouldn't cause such anger."

Tsunade glared at him and said matter-of-factly, "Although I didn't actually place a bet, I've already decided on the outcome in my mind! What's the difference between that and losing the bet!"

“If possible,” Xiu Si suggested without changing his expression, “next time, I would like to trouble you to bet on the other side to win in your mind. It might have unexpected results.”

Before he could finish speaking, a paper ball hit him on the forehead.

"What nonsense are you spouting! I am the Hokage!"

“It’s precisely because I’m the Hokage…” Before Shuuji could finish speaking, two more paper balls hit him on the head. He straightened up and looked at them. There were already many crumpled pieces of waste paper on Tsunade’s desk.

He sighed, "Kumakuna is skilled in taijutsu, swordsmanship, and lightning release."

"They already have an advantage at the genin level, but when they reach the chunin level, the scenarios they can handle become fewer."

"There are inherent differences between the two sides in their ninja training policies. In this single environment that favors arena combat, the defeat at the genin level is somewhat to be expected."

"That's why I need you to finalize the genin training program immediately," Tsunade said. "The tournament must continue next year! Shikaku wrote that Kumogakure hopes to extend the tournament and expand its influence."

"This year's match between genin was already bad enough. If the tournament is extended next year and they play at this level again, it will be a huge embarrassment."

(End of this chapter)