Konoha Notes

Chapter 346 Kakashi's Daily Life
Visiting graves and reading books—this was a typical day for Kakashi during his vacations.

Now, he sometimes rests in the sky.

His experience of being forced to become a test pilot for the Winged wing unexpectedly opened up a new field in his life. Even after being transferred to a key position in the Joint Military Exercise Affairs Bureau, Kakashi never gave up this part-time job.

If I had to explain why, being high up in the sky, with only the whistling air in your ears and everything below transformed into a miniature landscape, the feeling of being suspended away from the world allows you to experience precious relaxation, without having to think about anything.

All you need to do is feel the wind, control the wings, and enjoy a pure blue sky.

If it weren't for today.

"Kakashi—!"

To his left, through his goggles, one could see a figure in a green bodysuit approaching at an alarming speed.

Even though it uses the latest "Asuka VI" model, you can faintly feel the heat rising from the wings.

"Today will be the eighty-seventh victory or defeat!"

Kai's voice filled his ears as he piloted the Asuka VI, which swept past Kakashi with an exaggerated side somersault.

His deadpan eyes behind the goggles remained expressionless, but the silver-haired ninja subtly adjusted the angle of his wrist gripping the control stick. The "Asuka Type VI" beneath him emitted a deeper hum, its speed quietly increasing, steadily locking onto the green trail ahead.

"The rules are simple! Whoever completes all the tests first and lands in the designated area with the most perfect posture is the winner!"

"If I lose, I'll do a handstand and walk around the village a thousand times! Using only one hand!"

Kai added a bet for himself without authorization.

Kakashi caught up with Guy: "Then... let's begin!"

Two figures, like real birds of prey, suddenly plunged into the training airspace simulating complex terrain.

Low-altitude penetration simulation, high-speed sharp turn evasion, vertical limit climb, glide ratio measurement...

As the race progressed and the finish line drew nearer, Kakashi was the first to enter the landing procedure, coming to a steady stop in the center of the marked circle.

A second later, Kai's flight wing landed with a strong gust of wind.

"My forty-fourth win." Kakashi took off his flying wing and stretched his shoulders.

"Damn it! As expected of my eternal rival, Kakashi!" Might Guy clenched his fists. "Then, as a continuation of the battle in the skies, what follows..."

"No."

"Why? This is the time when youth is in full bloom, Kakashi!"

“Because,” Kakashi said, handing the wing to the technical team members who came forward to receive it, “I have work to do. There’s a troublesome meeting waiting for me at the secret service.”

After all, he had been assigned another troublesome task.

In fact, it's less of a mission and more of the first step in a strategic plan. The theme of today's meeting is "to conduct preliminary investigations and information gathering operations in specific gray areas outside the territories of the five major powers, based on the authority granted by the Five Shadows Joint Conference last year."

According to his instructions, the key to this operation was not to obtain any specific investigation results immediately, or even to find the exact location or identify the organizers.

The key lies in the action itself.

The joint secretariat should formally bring the investigation into the potential existence of illegal fighting arenas to the forefront, initiate procedures, and let the news spread.

First, let this message reach the daimyo of various countries, making them realize that matters concerning the ninja arena fall under the purview of the ninja world. Then, gradually clarify that even if powerful figures from various countries are involved, they are still stepping into the realm of affairs jointly managed by the five great ninja villages.

Only after laying the groundwork in this regard can we formally transform these unspoken rules into explicit rules.

Before that, his actions were merely exploratory moves.

Kakashi had been informed of the general outline of Shuuji's plan. The silver-haired Jonin felt a certain degree of unease about it.

If this trend continues, when those two finally pack up and run away one day, the situation left for him seems a bit... no, quite problematic.

This doesn't seem to be the way things used to be; simply handling the affairs of one village isn't enough.
-
It was evening inside Ichiraku Ramen.

"I'm starting—!" Naruto clasped his hands together and shouted, then eagerly began slurping down his ramen. The steaming tonkotsu broth, the chewy noodles, and the generous slices of chashu—every bite made him squint his eyes in bliss.

Beside him, Gaara's movements were much quieter. He carefully picked up a noodle, blew on it to cool it, and then put it in his mouth, making almost no sound throughout the entire process.

"Hey Gaara, what flavor do you want for your second bowl?" Naruto asked, his words muffled as he finished his first bowl. "I want to try miso!"

"I... I'll just stick with tonkotsu."

"Alright, sir! And another bowl of tonkotsu and a bowl of miso soup!"

Before he finished speaking, the curtain of the ramen shop was lifted.

A man and a woman walked in side by side and sat down at adjacent seats near the bar.

Gaara put down his chopsticks.

"Shushi."

Naruto, who was drinking soup, choked violently upon hearing the name, coughing so hard his face turned bright red. It took him a while to catch his breath, and when he turned around, he saw that familiar figure.

"Brother Xiuji! Come back!"

"I just got back yesterday."

Naruto turned to the female ninja next to Shuji and muttered, "Today it's the short-haired lady..."

Samui's ears twitched slightly, but his expression remained unchanged; he simply sat down quietly.

“This is Miss Samui.” Shuuji ordered two bowls of tonkotsu ramen from Uncle Tetsuya, glanced at Naruto, and said, “Naruto, you should have met him before.”

"Yes, yes! Hello, Samui-neechan!" Naruto immediately sat up straight, his voice becoming more respectful.

The female ninja nodded slightly to him: "Hello, Naruto."

Naruto glanced at her a few times, then looked at Shuuji, and asked, "Will Shuuji-nii be able to come watch our training tomorrow?"

"My third grandfather was very kind, but he didn't let me use too many shadow clones..."

I have to go on a business trip tomorrow.

"Huh?!" Naruto's face instantly fell. "Didn't you just get back?"

"I have some things to take care of." Shuji took the first bowl of ramen from the middle-aged man, took a sip of the soup, and then looked up at him. "How's training going, Gaara?"

"The Third Hokage said that we can try participating in the class's regular sparring training next week," the red-haired boy said.

Naruto started chattering about his training, stuffing ramen noodles into his mouth as he spoke.

Gaara doesn't say much, but he'll occasionally correct one or two details.

Shuji listened while eating his noodles.

Until five bowls were stacked next to Naruto, and two bowls were stacked next to Gaara.

"I'm full, I'm full..." Naruto patted his stomach contentedly.

"Hey, Shuuji-nii, could you teach me a new ninjutsu next time you come back? Iruka-sensei tested my chakra attributes, but the wind-style ninjutsu he gave me was so boring."

Shuji put down his chopsticks.

He finished the soup in his bowl and ate all the noodles. He picked up a tissue to wipe his mouth before turning to look at Naruto, who was looking at him expectantly.

There was no particular emotion in those eyes, but Naruto inexplicably became nervous.

"I'll watch it next time I come back."

"If you can pass the test, I will teach you a new ninjutsu."

(End of this chapter)