After driving off the Shimura family, Kairen continued his solitary training.
The next day, Kairen lay on a rock reading the book written by Jiraiya.
Suddenly, he heard a clear voice calling out and turned his head.
Wearing red and white fabric, Yūhi Kurenai carried a small basket, running toward Kairen like a fawn in the forest.
Kairen immediately hid the book and greeted her with a smile.
"Kurenai!"
...
Kurenai came closer and handed him the small bamboo basket.
"Quick, eat this. I made the food myself. They're too much, not even giving you proper supplies. How are you supposed to fight on an empty stomach?"
Kairen accepted it, looking at the girl's cooking—it was simple, after all, outdoor conditions were limited.
But Kairen still happily ate the meal she had prepared with effort.
Kurenai smiled.
"Eat slowly, or you'll hurt your stomach!"
Before long, Kairen wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth and thanked her.
"Thanks, Kurenai…"
Kurenai shook her head.
"We're classmates. Helping each other is natural."
Kairen couldn't help but warn her.
"This place is dangerous. Don't come again."
Kurenai pouted.
"And aren't you the same? Just a Genin, yet you insist on risking your life guarding this place!"
"What's wrong with being a Genin? Even Genin can save the world in the future!"
"I don't believe it!"
Kairen leaned back against the rock, listening to the girl's complaints.
"Asuma's not much of a classmate, is he? You just beat him up once, and he was so petty he had the Sarutobi family send you to the frontlines!"
Kairen chuckled.
"I stomped him into the ground. For guys from those big clans, family reputation is everything. An insult from a commoner is seen as provocation, even defiance of authority."
"Still, that's going too far. He's been in school for years, hasn't he learned better?"
"Classmate? I had plenty of conflicts with Asuma at school—all because of a cute girl!"
"Kairen, stop it!"
"Why not? A cute girl like Kurenai was bound to attract a crowd of admirers. Asuma liked you too. They all feared the title of Hokage's son, so your admirers didn't dare make a move."
"Except me!"
"Kairen, you're impossible!"
Time passed bit by bit. Kurenai stood up, patting the dust off her shorts.
"Kairen, I'm heading back. My father's still teaching me Genjutsu. I can't stay long."
Kairen waved.
"Go on, then! Be careful on the way."
"Okay!"
Kurenai smiled lightly, picked up her bamboo basket, and walked slowly down the hill.
...
Between Zone A and Zone B was about five kilometers, with a dense forest in between.
It was noon, the sun hung high, and the forest seemed quiet—so quiet that even the birdsong had faded.
Kurenai felt a little fear and quickened her pace.
Suddenly, on a hidden forest path ahead, she triggered a trap.
"Shuu shuu…"
Several shuriken shot out. Kurenai quickly retreated, but one still cut across her calf.
"Ah…"
Kurenai clutched her leg and crouched down.
Immediately, a kunai shot toward her like a snake striking from the shadows.
"No!"
Kurenai's eyes widened, watching helplessly as the kunai flew toward her throat.
A white blur flashed past—Kairen had caught the kunai barehanded.
"Byakugan, open!"
Through his Byakugan, Kairen saw a Chūnin-sized chakra cluster hidden in the soil not far away.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the kunai back at the spot.
"Kairen!"
Kurenai stood up and stepped closer to him, as if only his presence could make her feel safe.
Kairen gently pinched her cheek.
"See? Even in broad daylight, it's dangerous. Don't come here again."
The Sunagakure ninja hidden underground quickly leapt out.
Kairen formed a seal with one hand and shunshined toward him.
The Suna ninja was about to form hand signs, but Kairen was faster—his right hand, hidden in his sleeve, had already finished the signs.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball spewed from Kairen's mouth, engulfing the enemy in an instant.
"Ahhh—"
The screams of the burning ninja echoed through the forest.
After finishing him off, Kairen turned around, looking at the girl whose eyes now sparkled like stars.
"Kairen, you're amazing! I didn't even see you form hand seals before you took down that Suna ninja!"
Kairen smiled.
"A mere Chūnin is nothing to me!"
"Show-off!"
Kairen walked up to her, crouched down, and examined the wound on her calf. The cut had black markings spreading from it.
"It's poisoned!"
"What do we do?!" Kurenai was scared. She shouldn't have wandered the frontlines so carelessly.
Kairen had her crouch, then took out a bandage and tied it around her leg.
"Bear with it!"
He cut the wound open with a kunai to let the poisoned blood flow, then pressed his mouth to her leg, slowly sucking the venom out.
"Peh…"
"Kairen…"
Kurenai stared at the boy silently drawing out the poison. The textbooks said sucking poison was dangerous. Only someone who truly cared would risk it.
Inside the Infinite Resurrection System's space, Kairen exchanged for an antidote to this specific poison and applied it to her calf.
"Stand up… try walking."
Kurenai stood, her leg trembling slightly. The poison was purged, but a faint aftereffect lingered.
Kairen bent down, offering his back.
"Get on!"
Kurenai didn't protest. She climbed onto his back.
The boy carried the girl through the quiet forest.
Kurenai clutched his shoulders and said dejectedly,
"Am I useless? Even as a ninja, I can't accomplish anything."
This was the moment for a man to comfort a girl.
But Kairen, whose first death had been utterly humiliating, had no such experience. He bluntly said,
"Yeah, you're useless. Go back to the village! This place isn't for you."
"Kairen—!"
Kurenai opened her mouth and bit into his neck with her little canine teeth.
In her heart, she grumbled—this wasn't how books described it. Wasn't a boy supposed to comfort a downhearted girl?
"You're such a cute girl. Why be a ninja? You could just stay home and live off your looks in the future."
Kurenai's eyes curved into crescents—she could tell he was praising her cuteness.
Sunlight filtered through the green leaves above, landing on her face, warming her body and heart alike.
Resting her cheek against his back, she whispered,
"Kairen, you're becoming more and more attractive."
"What?!"
Her face flushed red, and she quickly denied it.
"No! No! I didn't say anything!"
"Hold on tight—I'm speeding up!"
"Okay!"
Kairen gathered chakra into his feet and leapt onto the branches ahead, sprinting across the forest with ease.
His lips tingled.
It must have been from the poison earlier. Exercise would worsen its effects.
At this moment, he should have stopped, applied the antidote to his lips, and waited for it to fade.
But he wasn't worried. Just a little poison—what's there to fear?
Heh! No panic. Just having fun!
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The chapter for the review, thank you