Chapter 9: Pakura Agrees
A few seconds passed, and Souta began to feel increasingly nervous. "Damn... does Pakura believe me or not?!"
Pakura finally let out a long sigh and spoke in a cold tone. "... Hah... Do you think I'm stupid?"
Pakura's cold voice pierced Souta's ears like sharp shards of ice.
"No! That's not it!" Souta hurriedly protested, almost without thinking.
"Then what do you mean by what you said?" Pakura raised an eyebrow, her gaze filled with doubt and disbelief. "You know, right, that everyone who passes the entrance exam to the Academy must at least be able to understand and feel Chakra, even at a basic level?"
Pakura's tone was slightly sharper than before. "Yet you say you don't know anything at all? Do you think I'm stupid? Are you trying to fool me?"
Pakura now stepped closer, her expression growing colder.
Souta bit his lower lip. His body was tense, but he knew he couldn't panic. If he panicked more, Pakura would become even more suspicious.
In a split second, an idea popped into Souta's head.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and then spoke in a feigned casual tone to sound more relaxed.
"... I just... I just want to talk and be friends with you..." Souta's voice sounded softer this time. He tried to look at Pakura with sincere eyes, even though inside he felt very nervous.
"Besides, we live in the same apartment... Our rooms are also next to each other, isn't that obvious? I just want to be friends." Souta tried to smile, even though his heart was racing.
"This is a lie... this is just an excuse I made so Pakura wouldn't become more suspicious." Souta thought while forcing a bitter smile inside.
However, for now, that was the only thing Souta could do.
Pakura remained silent, her expression still hard to read. Souta held his breath, thinking, waiting for the girl's response. "Does Pakura believe...?"
The desert wind blew gently, carrying grains of sand swirling along the dusty streets of Sunagakure. The sun, nearly set, bathed the village in a golden orange light, casting long shadows from the characteristic dome-shaped buildings. In a somewhat quiet corner of the street, two children stood facing each other.
Pakura looked at Souta with a cynical expression, her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her body slightly leaning back as if to keep her distance. Pakura's sharp green eyes seemed to peel him apart.
"Hah... Do you really think that with your pretense I would help you?" Pakura said in a flat tone, but it clearly contained a piercing skepticism.
Souta was taken aback. The air around felt heavier, or maybe it was just the effect of Pakura's piercing gaze.
"... Huh?" That was the only sound that came out of Souta's mouth.
Pakura sighed deeply, her shoulders rising and falling slightly as if trying to suppress her irritation. She turned her face away, looking at the dusty road beside them before turning back to Souta, this time with a slight change in expression.
"I don't care what your reasons are," Pakura said, her voice softer but still cold. "If you really just want to understand how to feel Chakra and manage Chakra at a basic level, I can help you..."
Pakura paused for a moment, then her eyes glanced briefly at Souta before she let out a small sigh and added, "... But, occasionally, if you have some money, buy me food."
For a moment, only the sound of the wind could be heard. Fine grains of sand swirled past them, creating a silence that felt longer than it actually was.
Then, Souta's expression changed drastically. A wide smile spread across his face like a child who had just received their dream toy.
"Really?" Souta asked, his voice full of confusion. His eyes sparkled brightly, almost as if he had found new hope in life.
...
Chapter 10: What is Your Name?
Pakura only glanced at Souta briefly, her expression remaining flat as usual. "Yes," Pakura replied shortly.
Souta nodded enthusiastically. "Alright! Then, please help me!" Souta said while slightly bowing, showing respect.
Pakura continued to look at Souta for a moment, then finally asked, "So... what is your name?"
"Ah! Souta! Just Souta!" Souta answered excitedly, then reflexively extended his hand towards Pakura, offering a handshake as a form of introduction.
However, Pakura merely glanced at the hand briefly before turning her face away. "Pakura," Pakura said shortly without reciprocating the handshake.
Souta did not feel offended. Instead, he smiled a little in his heart. Pakura was clearly not the type of person who easily got close to others.
"So, when will you start teaching me?" Souta asked, still wearing a wide smile on his face.
"Tomorrow morning," Pakura replied casually, folding her arms in front of her chest. "It's already getting late in the afternoon. Tomorrow we will warm up with a short run, after that I will teach you how to feel Chakra, then absorb Chakra, and finally manage or manipulate Chakra."
Souta nodded with determination. "Understood! Then, shall we go home together?" Souta said cheerfully.
Pakura sighed softly, shaking her head as if tired of Souta's endless energy, but finally said, "... Haah... Let's go."
The two of them began walking down the dusty streets of Sunagakure, heading towards the simple two-story apartment building where they lived.
The village streets were still quite busy, even though the sun was almost completely set. The residents of Sunagakure, though not as numerous as those in Konohagakure, still had the habit of going out in the evening—whether for dinner, to run errands, or just to chat in front of their homes.
Souta walked beside Pakura, occasionally glancing at her. He noticed how the girl suddenly slowed her pace and stared in one direction with an unreadable expression.
Souta followed Pakura's gaze and saw a small family walking together—a grown man in traditional Sunagakure shinobi attire, a woman in a simple kimono, and a little girl hopping between them while laughing joyfully.
Souta looked at Pakura again. Although the girl's face remained expressionless, there was something in Pakura's eyes—something faint, almost like a longing she did not want to acknowledge.
For the first time, Souta realized that even though Pakura always seemed cold and thought like an adult, she was still a child. And like other children, Pakura might have the same desire—a desire for a warm family.
But Souta said nothing. He simply continued walking beside Pakura, letting the silence speak for them.
After a few minutes, they arrived in front of the somewhat old simple apartment building, with walls that were starting to fade due to the harsh desert weather.
Pakura immediately climbed the stairs to the second floor without saying anything. Souta followed Pakura from behind, noticing how her steps were quicker than before, as if she wanted to avoid something.
Without looking back, Pakura opened the door to her room and entered, closing the door quietly without saying a word.
Souta stopped in front of his own room, staring at Pakura's door for a few seconds before finally turning away. He looked towards the village of Sunagakure, which was beginning to be enveloped in the darkness of night.
The night wind blew gently, bringing the characteristic chill of the desert. Lights in several houses began to turn on, creating dots of light among the distinctive dome-shaped buildings.
Souta took a deep breath and then smiled slightly.
"Tomorrow will be an exciting start," Souta murmured softly before finally entering his own room.
________________________
[Note: 50+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Patreon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]