Noon.
After finishing his duties in Hiruzen's office, Shinji prepared to head to the training ground.
"Shinji-sensei!"
"Hmm?"
Shinji, who had just walked out of the Hokage Building, heard someone call him and turned his head to look.
He saw about a dozen ontern ninjas excitedly waving and greeting him.
However, Shinji wasn't interested in these intern ninjas, but rather in the person beside them, clearly a veteran Genin leading the team.
A young man with a harmless smile and short silver-gray hair.
Kabuto?
He currently appeared very reserved, hastily telling the intern ninjas not to make too much noise.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Kabuto quickly turned around and saw Shinji already close in front of him. He quickly bowed and apologized, "I'm really sorry, Shinji-sama."
Shinji waved his hand and asked the intern ninja with a gentle expression, "How is the internship going?"
A leading intern ninja, very familiar, said to Shinji, "Thanks to Shinji-sensei's big lectures, we're adapting quite well now."
Shinji nodded.
He had some impression of this one. He was hyperactive yet cautious, and very talented. Of course, this talent was relative to ordinary ninjas.
"Then keep up the good work. I see you all must have just returned from a mission, right?"
Shinji looked at the intern ninjas, each of whom had more or less some dirt on them, likely from a river cleaning mission.
"That's right, Kabuto-senpai led us to clean it today."
"Yeah, yeah, we originally thought it was a useless mission, but we didn't expect Kabuto-senpai to actually let us train during the mission."
A group of intern ninjas spoke up, chattering, as Shinji's image at the Academy had always been gentle. These students, fresh from their Academy internship, weren't too afraid of Shinji.
Shinji nodded with a smile, his eyes unconsciously glancing at Kabuto. "That's great. I thought this group of students wouldn't adapt."
"Not at all, Shinji-sama, I myself am not very talented." Kabuto quickly waved his hand.
"The village also takes care of me. Knowing my strength is average, they let me lead these children first."
Looking at the trembling Kabuto, Shinji couldn't help but sigh, truly a born infiltrator.
With such an expression and demeanor, an ordinary person would be fooled by Kabuto.
Ever since he approached, his subtle gaze had been observing him. It was very discreet. It could even be said that the slightest hint of fanaticism on Kabuto's face would be enough to dispel Shinji's suspicions about him. After all, many people in Konoha now looked at Shinji with that same gaze. Even these intern ninjas in front of him were the same.
Shinji turned away from Kabuto and spoke to the intern ninjas, "Alright, since you're already interning, make sure to listen carefully to your senpais' instructions."
"Yes! We will definitely not disappoint Shinji-sensei."
Shinji smiled and bid farewell to these intern ninjas. "Alright, go report the mission first."
At this moment, although he didn't know what Kabuto wanted to do, Shinji felt it would be better for him to leave first.
Sure enough, just as Shinji turned to leave, Kabuto spoke, "Shinji-sama, I heard your Medical Ninjutsu is very good. Can I ask you for guidance if there's an opportunity in the future?"
Kabuto, who hadn't had a chance to interject, didn't care if it was overstepping and spoke directly.
After all, Shinji's image had always been one of great knowledge. No matter what kind of ninja sought Shinji, he would answer to the best of his ability.
Shinji's lips curved into a smile.
This guy was in such a hurry?
"If I have time, yes."
Since this person wanted to approach him so much, he would see what he was really up to.
"Thank you, Shinji-sama, my name is Yakushi Kabuto." Kabuto, seeing Shinji agree, immediately bowed to Shinji with an excited expression.
This didn't seem too strange in front of the bustling Hokage Building, after all, the intern ninjas beside him looked happy when they heard Shinji agree to Kabuto.
Shinji said no more. He just nodded and headed towards the training ground.
So, is it you, Orochimaru? Or…
Regarding Kabuto wanting to approach him, Shinji only had two guesses. Either it was Orochimaru, or it was Sasori. Neither of these two were simple individuals.
—
"Shinji-sama! I've almost mastered Eternal Fist!"
As soon as he arrived at the training ground, Shizune shouted with a happy expression.
For Shizune, who was a Medical Ninja, Eternal Fist only required mastering the rhythm of breathing and familiarizing herself with the various Chakra pathways to quickly learn it. As for mastering it later, that could only be achieved through unremitting effort and training.
"Is that so. Karin!" Shinji nodded and called out to Karin, who was nearby.
"Coming! Sensei!"
Karin, who was practicing Earth Release Nature Transformation with her eyes closed, quickly stopped her training and ran over.
Shinji pointed at Shizune and said to Karin, "Karin, have a match with your senpai Shizune. You can only use Eternal Fist."
Currently, only Karin and Shizune were at similar progress. Well, purely in terms of Eternal Fist.
"No problem."
Karin, hearing this, had no doubts, as she had also been training for quite some time. Although she usually sparred with Ino and others, their progress was even higher than hers.
Now having Shizune, who had just started training, to test with, Karin was eager.
Naruto and the others, who were still training, saw that Karin was going to spar with Shizune and all put down their training to gather around.
Training was too monotonous. Sometimes they could find some excitement to watch.
Shizune, however, was a bit embarrassed, after all, she was quite a bit older than Karin. If she lost later, and Tsunade found out, she would definitely be severely reprimanded.
Cannot lose!
"Don't have too many worries. Just spar in your most suitable state." Shinji clapped his hands and said to the two of them.
"By the way, you can also watch and see if you can find points you haven't understood from different battles."
Although Naruto and the others were already very proficient in Eternal Fist, Shizune was a Medical Ninja who had followed Tsunade for over ten years. The Eternal Fist she performed could more or less give Naruto and the others some inspiration.
"Yes."
Naruto and the others all nodded, then found a spot and prepared to watch.
Shinji then walked to the middle of the two, raised his hand high, "Battle start!"