"Listen, Naruto," he said gently, "you really need to put more effort into your academic subjects."
Naruto kept his head lowered, unconsciously rubbing his stomach.
Iruka's expression softened. "Are you hungry?"
"…Mm."
"Come on," Iruka smiled. "I'm gonna treat you to ramen."
"Really?!" Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. "Thanks, Iruka-sensei!"
Watching the boy's sudden burst of energy, Iruka couldn't help but smile.
The curtain of Ichiraku Ramen was lifted, and a rich aroma spilled into the street. Naruto hopped onto a stool with practiced ease and shouted, "Uncle! Tonkotsu ramen!"
Iruka chuckled, about to place his order as well—then froze when he noticed the figure seated beside Naruto.
"Ro… Captain Roshi?" His voice betrayed a hint of tension.
Naruto followed his gaze. "Eh? That big brother…"
"…You're Karin's—"
He trailed off, unable to properly define Roshi's relationship with her. His eyes then shifted to the blonde kunoichi beside Roshi, curiosity written all over his face.
Roshi set down his chopsticks and turned calmly toward them.
"Iruka."
"Naruto."
He greeted them simply, his tone even—yet unmistakably attentive.
"She is Kumogakure's envoy—Jonin Samui."
"Jonin… Samui," Iruka repeated under his breath.
Samui's gaze lingered on Iruka for a moment. She still remembered this Konoha Genin from last year's Chunin Exams team battle—the one who had stood beside Gekkō Hayate and Yūgao Uzuki, looking distinctly out of place.
After all, the other two had been sharp, aggressive fighters. The remaining one, standing stiffly on the battlefield like a wooden post, had been impossible to miss.
"Iruka Umino," Samui said calmly. "A participant in last year's Chunin Exams. You've since been promoted to Chunin."
"Iruka-sensei was in the Chunin Exams too?!" Naruto immediately turned, eyes wide.
"Y-Yes, yes—Jonin Samui," Iruka answered her first, then bent down and hissed softly at Naruto, "To become a Chunin, you have to pass an exam. Naruto, don't interrupt—it's rude."
Naruto shrank back. "Got it…"
"This isn't a formal setting," Roshi said lightly, waving a hand. "Relax, Iruka."
It was strange—coming from a seventeen-year-old, those words should have sounded out of place.
Yet when Roshi said them, they felt completely natural.
Naruto pulled a face at Iruka, then turned eagerly to Roshi. "So your name is Roshi, right? Then why does Iruka-sensei call you 'Captain'? Aren't you Sasuke's big brother's captain?"
"I was the one who led him during last year's Chunin Exams."
"Oh! Then Sasuke's big brother was there too?"
"No. I was the Jonin assigned to his team."
Shikamaru says you're a big shot," Naruto continued, eyes sparkling. "Are you even bigger than Grandpa Hokage?"
"No," Roshi replied flatly. "Shikaku Nara—Shikamaru's father—is far more important than I am. I'm just an ordinary ninja who happens to handle some special assignments."
Naruto still had a thousand questions lined up, while Iruka sat stiffly, nerves stretched thin. The longer Naruto talked, the more uncomfortable Iruka became—but he didn't dare leave without permission.
Only after Samui finished her noodles, and Roshi stood up, paid for all three bowls, nodded politely, and walked out with her, did Iruka finally exhale, his shoulders sagging.
"That Roshi-niisan is really nice!" Naruto said with conviction, staring after him. Then he turned back, puzzled. "Iruka-sensei, why do you look so scared? He even treated us to ramen!"
Iruka slumped forward onto the counter. "…Naruto, you wouldn't understand."
He still hadn't managed to properly teach a single class in front of Captain Roshi. Worse, something had gone wrong both times.
He felt like he was perpetually one step away from being fired.
"Hey, Iruka-sensei," Naruto tilted his head. "Why do you and Roshi-niisan look about the same age, but he's such a big deal?"
"Captain Roshi…" Iruka straightened, his expression turning solemn. "He's made many contributions to the village. And his strength is far beyond anything I could ever reach."
"Stronger than Sasuke's brother? Even stronger than Tenzo?" Naruto asked, recalling the recent champion everyone talked about.
"Of course," Iruka said without hesitation. "There are very few in Konoha whose strength can compare to Captain Roshi's."
Still… Captain Roshi was busy.
Not only was he overseeing reforms at the Ninja Academy, he was also hosting Kumogakure's envoy.
Were they discussing the Joint Chunin Exams coming up in two months?
—
A single bowl of ramen was clearly not enough as a return gift.
Even with his poor sense for such things, Roshi knew that much. Unfortunately, nothing suitable came to mind.
So he simply walked beside Samui through Konoha's streets, letting their pace slow, hoping her reactions might reveal her interests.
The Kumogakure kunoichi moved steadily, her gaze calmly sweeping across shops and stalls, never lingering on any particular item.
"Roshi," she asked suddenly, "do you have other assignments today?"
"The Fifth Hokage tasked me with inspecting the Ninja Academy."
"So you're busy with school matters."
"Yes."
She asked occasionally.
He answered each time.
After a short while, Samui stopped.
"Roshi."
"Yes, Samui?" He tilted his head.
"I have a personal question."
"If it isn't too private," he replied evenly, "you may ask."
Samui turned to face him, her blue-green eyes clear and searching.
"What does Karin mean to you?"
—
"Based on cross-referenced intelligence, Yakushi Nono's most likely hidden location is Iwagakure."
Kakashi stood before the Hokage's desk, his voice low and slightly muted beneath his mask.
"Iwagakure?" Tsunade repeated, her brows drawing together.
"At the time of her disappearance," Kakashi continued, "Iwagakure was suspected of preparing for large-scale movements. It's likely Yakushi Nono was recalled to respond to that situation."
"Recalled—yet with no updated records," Tsunade said slowly. "Which means the operation never received formal authorization from the Village."
She fell silent for a moment, fingers tapping the desk in thought.
"What is your assessment of Yakushi Nono herself?"
This was the key point.
A retired Jonin, running an orphanage, yet leaving her post without orders to infiltrate another country—none of it added up cleanly.
"Before coming here," Kakashi said, lifting his gaze, "I spoke with the Sandaime. He personally vouched for Yakushi Nono's loyalty to Konoha."
He paused, then continued, "I also reviewed the orphanage's financial records. Several years ago, it fell into a severe financial crisis."
"Yakushi Nono submitted a formal request for aid to the village."
"The Sandaime approved it. The paperwork was processed."
"But?" Tsunade prompted.
"But the funds were delayed for an unusually long time," Kakashi said. "The written explanation cites 'document circulation issues.'"
Tsunade exhaled sharply. "In other words, someone deliberately obstructed the disbursement."
"And Yakushi Nono's later actions," she continued, eyes narrowing, "were likely not born of loyalty to Danzo himself but desperation. She was forced to accept his terms to keep the orphanage alive."
"That is the most reasonable conclusion," Kakashi agreed with a nod. "Which means that if we can locate her and explain the current state of the village—and the truth behind what happened back then—the chances of securing her cooperation are extremely high."
"As for her precise whereabouts and mission details…" He hesitated briefly. "The two individuals currently managing the orphanage are not entirely ignorant of her activities."
"They're simply wary of the village."
Both caretakers had received some level of training. Extracting information through force would be difficult—and counterproductive.
If Yakushi Nono were truly loyal to Konoha, Kakashi had no intention of coercing the people she cared about.
"Therefore," he said calmly, "I request that the village issue a formal document."
"One that clearly states the orphanage's current operating funds come directly from the Village treasury—and are not tied to any individual or faction."
"At the same time, I will personally explain the situation to the caretakers."
Kakashi lifted his head, his single visible eye steady.
"Starting with one fact above all others."
"Danzo Shimura is no longer an advisor of Konoha."
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