Konoha Notes

Chapter 374 Students

They set off urgently to respond to the village's mission, completed the task, and then returned to the school, shining brightly.

Many ninja academy students had thought about this, but Karin was not. She had no ambition to become a village hero, and that remained true even after an emergency mission.

Standing at the school gate, I couldn't help but feel a little dazed, wondering if my experiences over the past few days were just a dream.

The sun shines as always, the school gate remains the same, and the sounds of people and laughter are just as they have experienced over the past few years.

At this moment, recalling the situation in Takigakure Village and the request he received seems somewhat unreal.

She walked into the school and pushed open the classroom door.

"Fragrant phosphorus!"

Friends gathered around.

Ino was the first to rush to her: "You're back! Where have you been these past few days? We were all so worried about you when you suddenly took leave!"

Sakura Haruno quickly walked over: "Yeah, suddenly taking several days off... are you really okay?"

Shion stood a little further away, her purple eyes watching her silently without saying a word.

"N-nothing...it's just something urgent..." Karin stammered, unsure if the mission details were something she could talk about.

"Eh—really?" Ino narrowed her eyes, a look of doubt on her face. "Could it be some kind of secret training? All the good students in school have been going to special training classes lately."

"Even Naruto is training like crazy to get in."

"Do not……"

Karin wanted to deny it, but then she remembered that although she still went to school as usual, she had been arranged to attend a sensory class after school to develop her sensory abilities, and she was stuck again.

Ino noticed her hesitation: "So, Karin, you were chosen? Is it the special training class?"

Sakura covered her mouth as well: "Could it be... that they're going to the hospital for an early internship? But Karin, you're only a second-year student..."

The school bell saved her.

"Ah, class is starting!" Karin almost breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned around to walk to her seat.

"Hmm... I escaped unscathed." Ino pouted with some regret.

As the lunch break bell rang, Karin let out a soft sigh.

What is supposed to come will come.

"Fragrant Phosphorus"

Ino's call came from the corridor, accompanied by light footsteps.

The four girls gathered on the rooftop of the teaching building as usual.

The lunch boxes were opened one by one.

“It’s different from before.” Ino looked at Karin’s bento box suspiciously. “It’s unusually lavish.”

Indeed, compared to her usual simple meals, Karin's bento box today was quite luxurious: golden and crispy fried pork cutlet, tender and piled-up thick omelet, vibrant green blanched broccoli, and even a small box of cut fresh fruit.

Karin's face flushed slightly: "Mom... said I've had a tough time these past few days..."

"So something really did happen, right?" Ino picked up a piece of tamagoyaki. "There's no school bell to save the day now. So, tell me the truth—did you get into the special training program? Or, like Sakura guessed, did you go to the hospital beforehand?"

Sakura said softly, "If it's really difficult... it's okay not to say anything." "No, it's not difficult..." Karin put down her chopsticks, placed her hands on her knees, and took a deep breath. "I... I may have to give up the idea of ​​becoming a medical ninja for the time being."

"Give up?" Sakura's eyes widened. "Why? This has always been Karin's wish!"

Ino looked at Karin, trying to discern her reluctance and frustration.

But there was nothing there; instead, there was an even stronger determination than before.

“I’m going to the sensory training class,” Karin said. “To receive specialized sensory training. This is… what the village needs, and it’s my own decision.”

The daughter of the Yamanaka family slowly chewed the tamagoyaki in her mouth, swallowed it, and then sighed.

"Really? Then it must be something very important that made you change your mind." Her tone became unusually serious. "But..."

"It feels like the school is completely different now," Ino said softly. "It's only been less than two years, right? Before, everyone was in class, taking exams, training, waiting to graduate and become a genin. But now..."

Sakura nodded: "Yes. Special training classes, exchange students, cross-grade combat training... even Naruto has stopped shouting and is now focused on training."

“Sasuke-kun too.” Ino rested her chin on her hand. “After joining the special training program, he became a completely different person. Although he’s still aloof, that aloofness… is different now. And I heard he suffered a lot in there.”

Upon hearing this, Sakura exclaimed indignantly, "Why does the school make the lower and upper grades train together?! That's completely unfair!"

"Sasuke-kun... he's already tried so hard, it's just that he's a little too young..."

Just then, Shion, who had been quietly eating her bento, suddenly spoke up.

“Perhaps it’s because,” the shrine maiden’s voice was soft, as if she were talking to herself, or perhaps answering Sakura’s question, “that danger doesn’t stay away just because of an age gap.”
-
At the same time, in the Konoha stadium area, inside a separate building reserved for important visitors.

Fu sat on a chair by the window, hugging her knees, her chin resting on her knees, gazing absently at the bustling street outside.

This place is completely different from Takigakure. There is no constant mist or roaring waterfall. Instead, there are all kinds of buildings, a dazzling array of shops, and far more pedestrians than in my hometown, walking by with curious or indifferent expressions.

If it were the old her, she probably wouldn't have been able to resist running out to explore this new and exciting world.

But right now, she's not in the mood for that at all.

Shibuki went to the Joint Affairs Bureau building early in the morning, saying he wanted to learn more about the upcoming joint meeting process and to garner more support and understanding for Takigakure Village.

Fu knew that this might only be part of the reason.

Her identity as a Jinchūriki, ever since this attack, has become an invisible shackle, separating her from her past life.

"Ugh……"

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Please come in."

"I hope I haven't disturbed your rest. I am Kabuto Yakushi, one of the heads of the Konoha Medical Research Institute."

"Hello..." Fu stood up somewhat awkwardly.

Kabuto walked to the chair opposite her but did not sit down immediately: "Chief Shibuki is still discussing important matters at the Secretariat. He asked me to check on you before he returns to see if you are adapting to the environment here and to let you know if you need anything."

"In addition, there is one more thing I would like to ask Miss Fu's opinion on."

"Given the unfortunate events that occurred in Takigakure and the fact that some of the Seven-Tails' chakra in your body was stolen by abnormal means, Konoha, especially our research institute, hopes to conduct a comprehensive and detailed health check and chakra status assessment on you."

"I hope to get Miss Fu's cooperation."

(End of this chapter)