Shiki even wondered whether Tenten, who seemed so strong-willed inside, would ever encounter those trivial little girl problems.
Yuuma had no idea that Shiki's mind had conjured so many unimaginable thoughts in that single moment. She just smiled gently and said, "Shiki is pretty handsome too."
Shiki gladly accepted this polite compliment and then said, "Yuuma, let's call it a day. I still have other things to take care of. Maybe you could return to the orphanage first?"
Because of the situation with Naruto stealing the Scroll of Seals, Shiki indeed had no mood to linger with Yuuma at the moment.
Yuuma pouted slightly, looking somewhat disappointed as she asked, "Shiki, can you walk me back to the orphanage this time?"
How could that be possible?
Even if Naruto stealing the Scroll of Seals wasn't going to happen anytime soon, Shiki still thought he should start preparing now.
Certainly, there was no time to accompany Yuuma back.
So Shiki had to refuse, saying, "Yuuma, Konoha is quite safe. There won't be any criminals around, and besides, Seiji seems to always wait for you there."
As he spoke, Shiki tilted his chin toward Seiji, who was swinging his Tachi nearby.
Seiji had shot up a lot compared to a year ago. Probably started hitting puberty or something.
If not for his quiet and reserved personality, he probably would've become quite popular among girls.
Or perhaps like Sasuke—with that cold and aloof demeanor—he also would've attracted plenty of female attention.
After all, besides talent, he had the appearance fitting of a swordsman: not particularly handsome, but possessing a unique charm and aura.
Too bad his personality wasn't as cheerful as Shiki's or as coolly detached like Sasuke's—it was just plain quiet and reserved.
"Okay," Yuuma replied, her tone clearly disappointed.
That made Shiki feel a bit uneasy too—but not by much. He told himself that dealing with Naruto's issue remained much more important.
Then Shiki watched as Yuuma walked over to where Seiji stood before turning around and leaving.
"Yuuma." Seeing Yuuma approach, Seiji offered an awkward smile.
"Uh-huh, Seiji." Yuuma acknowledged him with a nod but didn't speak further, silently walking in the direction of the orphanage.
Seiji didn't get upset. Sword slung on his back, he simply followed behind Yuuma.
Actually, this was exactly what he'd been doing nonstop for the past three years,
Ever since the first time he saw the timid Yuuma crying alone in a corner out of fear of walking home alone at night.
She truly was a girl who cried often.
That was how Seiji described her to himself, yet he never figured out exactly which part of her had touched his heart enough to make him willingly stay behind her all this time.
Did he like her?
Seiji struggled to describe this emotion. He only knew one thing: every time Yuuma safely reached the orphanage,
His own heart gained a sense of peace.
"A swordsman must guard his path with his blade,"
He repeated inwardly—the words passed down by his father.
Perhaps this couldn't even be called a mission worth pursuing. Yet, he still acted with unwavering determination.
His eyes suddenly landed on Sena's back. Maybe… this wasn't so bad after all?
P.S.: In Japanese culture, when someone mentions "sword," they're usually referring to a tachi—a type of traditional curved blade.
Chapter 79: Kakashi Again
The night was quiet, and in this summer season, only the endless chirping of cicadas could be heard.
Shiki stood alone inside a Ninja Tools Shop, examining various ninja tools. This included Military Rations Pills that had quite noticeable effects.
But clearly, Shiki's mind wasn't focused here. From his frequent glances out the window, it was easy to tell.
Outside the window, the light in the Hokage Office still burned brightly.
But no one would probably notice anything unusual about Shiki. The shop's only clerk was dozing off on the counter.
On summer nights, people naturally feel sleepy.
While waiting, Shiki gradually became somewhat impatient.
Why was Naruto taking so long?
Suddenly, Shiki's eyes lit up as a familiar figure appeared at the entrance of the office building. A massive scroll strapped onto his back stood out conspicuously.
Shiki knew the Sealing Scroll carried powerful ninjutsu—powerful enough to shake the entire Ninja World.
"Finally came out."
With a slight sigh, Shiki picked up a finely crafted Kunai and placed some money on the counter.
"Thank you for your patronage."
Half-awake, the store owner mumbled out those words upon noticing the sound.
Under the cover of night, Shiki followed Naruto from a distance. Many things happened just as expected.
After obtaining the Scroll of Seals, Naruto immediately started practicing the first technique — Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
[Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu]
An hour later, hiding on top of a tall tree, Shiki revealed astonishment.
Although he had known beforehand, watching Naruto master a Kinjutsu-level technique in merely two hours still felt astonishing.
Just as Shiki was lost in thought, a calm voice suddenly reached his ears:
"Shiki, what are you doing here?"
Someone!
A chill shot through Shiki's spine. He turned around and saw Kakashi standing there. From Kakashi's lazy gaze, Shiki distinctly sensed something akin to distrust.
Now everything made sense!
No wonder Naruto managed to steal away the Scroll of Seals—he hadn't evaded Kakashi's surveillance at all!
But he'd already let his shock show. Trying to act calm now was pointless!
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