Chapter 107: Just Like the Gap Between Teacher and Student
Mission Hall.
Haruko finished submitting the mission and curled his lip at the meager reward.
"Forget it, the main harvest this time isn't here anyway..."
"Haruko, want to go eat barbecue together?"
Inuzuka Hana leaned in, her three Gaimaru wagging their tails at her feet.
"No, I have other things to do."
Haruko waved his hand and turned to leave.
He just wanted to eat a bowl of ramen first, then go back and carefully examine the scrolls he had acquired.
Especially the one he had hidden away.
"Is he... always like this?"
Uchiha Izumi was somewhat surprised by Haruko's indifference.
"It was about the same at the border before."
Hana was quite calm, "As long as he's reliable during missions, it's fine."
The two girls left together, while Haruko walked toward the Ramen Shop alone.
There were quite a few more people on the street than usual.
Haruko noticed several groups of Ninjas from other villages wearing different forehead protectors wandering along the street.
Sunagakure, Amegakure, Kusagakure...
The Chunin Exams hadn't officially started yet, but these people had already begun arriving in Konoha one after another.
Haruko frowned slightly.
For Konoha, the joint Chunin Exams were a stage to show off its muscles, and incidentally, to let dignitaries from various countries observe and decide their mission commission preferences for the coming year.
For ordinary villagers, this was just a lively festival.
But for Haruko...
'What a pain."
The influx of Ninjas from other villages meant an increase in uncertain factors.
Although everyone had to follow Konoha's rules on the surface, no one could say for sure what would happen behind the scenes.
Especially at the Ramen Shop on the busy street.
That place had high foot traffic; if someone got into a conflict and it affected Teuchi and the others...
The more Haruko thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, and he couldn't help but quicken his pace.
...
Meanwhile, at the Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, holding the mission report Kakashi had just submitted.
"The Tsuchigumo Clan's Forbidden Jutsu..."
The Third Hokage looked up, his gaze falling on the heavily bound Shiranami, "Is this the missing-nin from the Tsuchigumo Clan?"
"Yes."
Kakashi took a scroll from his Ninja tool pouch and handed it over, "This is the Forbidden Jutsu scroll."
The Third Hokage took the scroll, flipped through it a few times, and set it aside: "Lock him up for now. Wait until I contact the Ascetic Practitioner of Mount Katsuragi before making a decision."
The Anbu took Shiranami away, leaving only him and the Third Hokage in the office.
"How is that child Haruko getting along with his teammates?"
The Third Hokage lit his pipe and asked in a casual tone.
Kakashi thought for a moment: "Haruko's strength is indeed outstanding, and he is very reliable during missions. But his relationship with Inuzuka Hana and Uchiha Izumi... it's not like comrades-in-arms."
The Third Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes thoughtful.
"The gap in strength is too great. Although Hana and Izumi are working very hard, in front of him... it's like the gap between a teacher and students."
Kakashi spoke frankly, "Haruko will take care of them and will act at critical moments, but that's all. After the mission ends, they go their separate ways; there is no extra communication."
"I see..."
The Third Hokage tapped his pipe.
This child Haruko is always cooperative on the surface, but actually keeps his distance.
It's the same with Anko—even when the atmosphere reached that point, he still refused.
If it weren't for the fact that Haruko was with that Kaguya Clan woman, the Third Hokage would have suspected that Haruko wasn't interested in women at all.
"Let's focus our energy on preparing for the Chunin Exams for now. There's no need to force a closer relationship between those two and Haruko."
"I understand."
After Kakashi left, the Third Hokage sat alone in the office, looking at Konoha outside the window.
Since love and camaraderie don't work, let's try another approach.
The Chunin Exams might be an opportunity.
Let Haruko show his strength in front of everyone and gain "recognition" and "honor."
Furthermore...
"'Teacher' and'student' gap, huh... maybe we can try that."
Everyone needs a sense of belonging.
As long as you give him enough bonds, he won't be able to run away.
...
When Haruko returned to the Ramen Shop, it was already getting dark.
"Brother Haruko is back!"
Ayame greeted him with a smile, "Did the mission go smoothly?"
"It was alright."
"Hungry, right? Wait a moment, the noodles will be ready soon."
Teuchi said while cooking the noodles, "By the way, someone came looking for you while you were away these past few days."
Haruko sat down at the bar. "Who?"
"Jonin Ninja Anko."
Teuchi smiled, "She came several times, asking every time when you would be back."
"Uh..."
Haruko scratched his head awkwardly.
That day Anko got drunk, Haruko took her home and left it at that, and then he went on the mission.
"Did she say anything else?"
"She said to go find her after you get back."
Teuchi gave Haruko a meaningful look, "You brat, don't tell me..."
"I'm not, I didn't, don't talk nonsense."
Haruko immediately denied it with the triple denial.
"Haruko..."
Teuchi placed a bowl of steaming hot ramen in front of him, "I'll say it again: as long as you are sincere, I will support you."
"Ha... that's why I said we don't have that kind of relationship."
Haruko took the chopsticks and slurped a mouthful of noodles.
Mmm, still the familiar taste.
"Is it 'not yet'?"
Kaede teased from the side.
"No, can you stop adding fuel to the fire?"
"Then..."
Kaede went around behind Haruko, hugged him, and blew into his ear, "Do you want me to help you 'extinguish the fire'? You've been out for so many days..."
The hot, moist breath blew against his ear, and the soft touch came from behind; Haruko, who was fine before, felt like he was starting to get fired up.
"Sister Kaede, we are still in the shop."
Kin used a cold tone to freeze the gradually warming air.
"Oh my, Kin-chan is jealous~"
Kaede let go of Haruko, turned to hug Kin, and whispered in her ear: "After you graduate from the Ninja Academy and become an adult, you can join in too."
"I... I didn't..."
Kin turned red as a beet and muttered in a low voice.
"But for now, I'll enjoy Haruko all to myself~"
"Grumble..."
Kin chased after Kaede in a huff, but Kaede easily dodged her—
"You two, no fighting in the shop."
"Sorry!"
—Then the two were dragged outside the shop by Ayame for a lecture.
Haruko finished the noodles and put down his chopsticks.
"Old man, I think we should take some protective measures in the shop recently."
"Protective measures?"
Teuchi was stunned for a moment, "You mean..."
"There are more and more Ninjas from other villages, and there's no guarantee something won't happen."
Haruko looked serious, "There is still some time before the expansion and renovation, so I want to set up some barriers around the shop in advance, just in case."
Teuchi laughed: "You're overthinking it, aren't you? Konoha has hosted the Chunin Exams before, and there haven't been any major problems. Besides, there are patrol teams watching, so it will be fine."
"But—"
"Alright, alright, don't worry so much."
Teuchi patted Haruko on the shoulder, "You, you're just too nervous."
Haruko opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything more.
Teuchi had been in Konoha for over a decade and had experienced the joint Chunin Exams.
His own impression of the Chunin Exams was the Konoha Crush plan from the original work, but he knew that was an exception just by thinking about it.
Now, Hidden Sound Village hadn't been established yet, Nagato hadn't killed Hanzou to take power, the three siblings raised by Sunagakure with all its might hadn't grown up yet, and Iwa, Kumo, and Kiri wouldn't participate at all; this joint Chunin Exams really didn't seem to have much of a threat.
Besides, Kaede was still in the shop; with her skills, dealing with a few Genin would be easy, and even against a Jonin, she should be able to hold out until the guards arrived.
"Fine, if you think it's okay, Old Man, then we'll leave it as is for now."
Haruko stood up and picked up the parcel he had placed to the side.
"Then I'll head back first; I still need to organize what I've gained this time."
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