Chapter 43: Chapter 43
The Chunin Exam was announced to be over.
This exam was shorter compared to previous ones, but it was the most exciting in Konoha's history. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, announced the promotion of two individuals to the rank of Chunin.
Akihara Kagura and Itachi Uchiha.
While Itachi's defeat to Akihara Kagura caused some dissatisfaction among the Uchiha clan, Shisui Uchiha restored their pride by stepping in with Susanoo.
Akihara Kagura didn't have time to care about these things.
After all, there were two job tasks for this exam, which gave Akihara Kagura a chance to better understand the reward rules of this "part-time worker" system.
[System Notification]: The task "Participate in the Chunin Exam as per Hiruzen Sarutobi's request" has been completed. Reward skill [Konoha Body Flicker Technique].
[Konoha Body Flicker Technique (Basic body technique of Konoha village, including the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf, Leaf Whirlwind, Leaf Gale, Rising Leaf Wind, Leaf Great Whirlwind, and Leaf Strong Whirlwind. This is a reward from Hiruzen Sarutobi's task.)]
Well, that's rich!
All I got were some body technique moves!
Perhaps because this job task wasn't particularly difficult, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no special requirements, merely asking Akihara Kagura to participate in this Chunin Exam.
But that's not right...
This old man asked Akihara Kagura, a Wood Release ninja, to participate in the exam, surely with the intention of using Kagura to suppress Itachi. However, with the mindset of a politician, Hiruzen Sarutobi would never admit to this openly.
No wonder Danzo Shimura always criticized him...
Akihara Kagura could only console himself. His understanding of close-quarters combat was quite rudimentary, so this reward did address some of his weaknesses. It wouldn't look good for a Chunin of Konoha to be unskilled in body techniques.
With the enhanced physical abilities brought about by Hashirama's cells, this is like adding another fang to a tiger...
Comparatively...
The other boss, Danzo Shimura, isn't a good leader either.
[System Notification]: The task "Participate in the Chunin Exam as per Danzo Shimura's request and defeat Itachi Uchiha in the exam" has been completed. Reward [Wind Release: Vacuum Blade].
[Wind Release: Vacuum Blade (B-rank Wind Release technique, channels wind chakra into a kunai to form a sharp blade. This is a reward from Danzo Shimura's task.)]
This skill reward seems a bit deceitful.
Akihara Kagura doesn't even have a decent kunai.
As per Danzo's request, it's not easy for a regular Genin to defeat Itachi Uchiha. Akihara Kagura won purely due to the power of his Wood Release.
After tallying up his rewards, Akihara Kagura leisurely returned to the root base, planning to report to ANBU the next morning.
And then...
Two guards stopped him.
This time, the two guards no longer feared Akihara Kagura. They treated him coldly, as if he was a stranger intruding into the Root base.
In fact...
Akihara Kagura was indeed a stranger now.
"Akihara Kagura, you are no longer a part of Root."
The two guards blocked Akihara Kagura's entry, their words blunt: "Danzo-sama has removed you from Root and ordered us not to allow you to enter and exit the base at will. If you want to see Danzo-sama, we can send a message for you."
That's what they said...
The two guards were still prepared for Akihara Kagura to force his way in, and even anticipated him causing a fuss, but they couldn't disobey Danzo's orders.
In fact, Danzo Shimura had reprimanded all members of Root, blaming them for not adhering to Root's will, and for 'sucking up' to Akihara Kagura before...
Was that really sucking up...
It was more like forced respect!
At that time, Akihara Kagura, this young demon, was waving Danzo's banner and was more powerful than them. What could ordinary Root ninjas like them do? But when Danzo stopped indulging this young demon, he shifted the blame onto them.
Regardless...
Root finally returned to normal.
This time, the two guards were firm in their treatment of Akihara Kagura. Even if Akihara Kagura caused trouble, they wouldn't let this little demon pass anymore.
"I understand."
This time, Akihara Kagura didn't do anything. He just took a deep look at the gloomy base and calmly turned around and left.
Konoha Village.
The moon in the sky was still bright.
Akihara Kagura looked up at the moon. The moon in this ninja world was not a real moon, but an artificially created moon.
Akihara Kagura lowered his head and looked down at the scenery of Konoha.
This village was full of people, but none of them were his family. There were many houses, but not a single one for him to live in.
Akihara Kagura found a park bench and laid down on it, intending to rest here for the night and report to the Anbu the next day.
The night in Konoha was a bit chilly. Akihara Kagura hugged his shoulders, his body slowly curling up. People always find a way to make it through the night.
In a dark corner...
A mysterious masked man quietly appeared.
The Venus flytrap monster slowly crawled out from underground.
"It seems like we don't need to do much..."
The black half-face of the Venus flytrap monster revealed a grim and terrifying smile, looking at Akihara Kagura lying on the bench, his voice was mocking: "Is Danzo Shimura always this foolish? Casually casting aside a Mokuton (Wood Release) ninja who was loyal to him?"
"Hmph, the people of Konoha are all fools."
The mysterious masked man snorted, and coldly continued: "Those fools always think they can control everyone..."
"What do we do now?"
The white half-face of the Venus flytrap monster looked somewhat puzzled, and curiously asked: "According to your plan, where should we throw the body of Tatsuma Aburame?"
"Just throw it anywhere."
The mysterious masked man didn't care and coldly continued: "There's no one to vouch for this brat, he won't be able to explain himself..."
"Who would have thought..."
The black half-face of the Venus flytrap monster smiled with satisfaction: "Our plan is going so smoothly, we don't even need to think too much..."
"This brat must be in despair, right?"
"Just abandoned by Danzo Shimura, and now he'll have to face baseless accusations that he can't refute, even unable to find evidence of his own innocence..."
"Alright, let's start."
The mysterious masked man didn't want to waste too much unnecessary time at this point, instructing, "Let this brat experience how cruel this fake world is!"
As his words fell...
A vortex of space-time appeared around the mysterious masked man, his body spinning rapidly, disappearing from the spot.
The Venus Flytrap monster saw the masked man disappear, its body also slowly sinking into the ground.
The entire park remained quiet.
It was as if those two people had never been there.
A young girl with a bun hairstyle happened to pass by the park and noticed a small vagrant on the park bench, startling her unexpectedly.
"Huh?"
However, looking at the other party, he seemed just a teenager, looking not much older than herself, which reassured her.
"..."
"Even though I often find odd things in the village since I was young, finding a person is just too strange!"
The young girl with the bun hairstyle scrunched her face together.
In the end, the little girl gave up on the terrifying idea of having found a person and instead hopped off to fetch a small blanket, covering the ten-year-old boy with it.
"..."
Akihara Kagura slowly opened his eyes, stroked the blanket on his body, and quietly watched the figure of the bun-haired little girl leaving.
"Kind people always have good luck."
"It seems my luck today is indeed pretty good."
--x--
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