Chapter 23 Part 2
A rapid ascent to the top floor, and the next moment Naruko was practically bulldozing through the doors of the Leaf's leader's office:
"Granny!!!"
"Khkhkh!!!!" Sarutobi, seated at her desk, jumped, choking on pipe smoke. "Naruko?! What's the matter?"
"LetKoru-chanTaketheexam!" Naruko unleashed a verbal whirlwind upon the old woman.
"Is that all? Good." The Hokage puffed her pipe once the hurricane named Naruko Uzumaki had subsided. She must be experienced, to have deciphered anything in the girl's impassioned "speech." You could feel the impressive practice. "First: Nagisa-kun has not yet accumulated enough experience to be nominated for the exam."
"BUT!!"
"Quiet!" Sarutobi snapped, reinforcing her words with a palpable thwack of her pipe against the girl's forehead. Naruko yelped, clutching her head. "Now, furthermore: this exam is dangerous and injury-prone. An unprepared person can die. You must understand that not everyone would want to take part in something like this. And I am quite certain that Kaoru has enough on his plate without worrying about passing an exam."
The firm gaze of gray eyes turned to me, and I nodded back with certainty: the hint was clear. In any case, I'd already guessed something along these lines, and I had no plans to stick my neck out myself anyway. Apparently reading everything in my face, Sarutobi nodded approvingly.
"And besides," the old woman continued, her tone noticeably softening as she took a deep drag, "Kaoru-kun does not look like someone who ever wanted to take the exam in the first place."
"That's true, Naruko. I did already say so, didn't I?" My hand settled habitually atop the disheartened blonde's head, stroking her gently in a calming manner. "There's no need to worry about my participation in the exam: even if they offered, I would refuse." Because I'd get killed in there! "I'm really grateful for your concern, but—you don't have to push so hard, alright?"
"As he says." The Hokage shifted slightly, making her chair creak. "Or will you keep forcing Kaoru to do something he doesn't want to? Naruko?"
"Mm... I get it." And yet Naruko still looked upset. Well, well —so much trouble with her~
"Good. In that case." Sarutobi nodded, gifting Naruko a small smile. "Now, be a good girl and leave my office. Kaoru-kun and I have a few things to discuss. No, Naruko, you cannot stay and listen! And don't look at me like that—no! And not even in the corner—no! No and no! Na-ru-ko! Shoo!!! You can wait for him in the corridor!!!"
"My, my..." And again, the girl demonstrated miracles of teleportation—the door simply slammed.
tunk! The pipe struck its special stand, emptying its insides of burnt ash.
"Ghm..." The Hokage creaked, expertly packing a fresh portion of herbal blend.
pfffh-pffffh
The Hokage unhurriedly lit her pipe, and I waited patiently for the old woman to finish her business. For a time, silence hung in the office.
"Pff... Honestly—that child..." Sarutobi Hiruko spoke, weary, exhaling a stream of smoke.
"She's rather energetic today," I said, keeping the conversation going.
"Far too much. Then again, this is Naruko!" The Hokage snorted. "What a restless child."
"You treat her well, Hokage-sama," I note, recalling past events. And her very tone when speaking of the girl held not a shred of genuine irritation: more just grumbling.
"Mm-mmhh... Even if that little brat is the cause of my regular worries, and nothing but noise ever comes from her... That's true." The woman smiled, unhurriedly tidying her workspace. "Naruko is almost like a second granddaughter to me... Ahem. And you—I see you've grown attached to Naruko-chan, haven't you, Kaoru-kun?"
"Mm, saying it now, I think it was simply inevitable." I laugh awkwardly, smiling. "Naruko has some kind of amazing talent for drawing people in—she's a very sincere and open girl. It's extremely hard to remain indifferent."
"Well—I'm glad." The wrinkled lips of the Village's leader stretched into the warm smile of a "kind grandmother." "It's so good that this child finally has real friends. I watch her sometimes, and I can see perfectly well that she's become much happier... Hmhff... But, unfortunately, I didn't call you here for such conversations. Perhaps you can already guess what we'll be discussing?"
"The Exam, right?" I venture. There aren't that many reasons for a summons, so I was almost completely sure of my answer.
"Correct. As I see it, you yourself understand that participating in it is out of your reach." It was more a statement than a question.
"My words were sincere: I truly believe I shouldn't participate. As in, at all." I added the clarification after a moment's thought. "It would simply be impossible for me: to pass the exam while remaining within the bounds of shinobi abilities. Otherwise, it would attract far too much unwanted attention—and I still value my life too much to commit such a folly."
"Hm-m—you are very reasonable for your age, Kaoru-kun." The Hokage praised. "It does my heart good! Ah, if only the other children had even a tenth of your sound judgment... Ghmh! Never mind. In any case, Kaoru-kun, you must understand that during the exam period we will host many guests from other places. Our internal forces will be stretched to the limit: every outsider must be watched. Therefore, you should be a little more vigilant during this time. Of course, peace is currently established between the Villages, but one should never drop one's guard..."
"Of course."
"Good. Now... In your opinion—is Naruko ready for the exam?"
Huh? An unexpected question—she should already... Ah, I see!
"All is well on that front," I answer with confidence. "Our training is bearing fruit: Naruko has become just a little more restrained." I smile, apologetic, drawing a good-natured laugh from the Hokage. Yes... Naruko and restraint... "I believe you must be aware that the number of incidents has dropped. Right now, the Biju is more stable than ever, so you needn't worry about accidental outbursts. Therefore, my answer is: yes, Naruko is capable of passing the exam."
"Excellent." Closing her eyelids, the old woman nodded, satisfied.
"But there is something else that worries me, Hokage-sama. Are you aware of the team from Suna that recently arrived in Konoha?"
"What?.. Guests began arriving at the start of this week, so it's hardly surprising to encounter other shinobi. But I do not think you're telling me this without reason." The woman's gray eyes regarded me with utmost seriousness. "What about them? Suna registered three participating teams—who exactly is causing your concern?"
"Hmm..." Three? I hadn't known that. "A girl in black clothing with face paint, a tall blond with a fan, and a red-haired girl with a large gourd on her back."
"Hmm... The current Kazekage's children?" Sarutobi raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"More precisely—the girl with the gourd. Gaara." Taking a deep, silent breath in and out, I gathered every scrap of focus I could. From this moment, I was making my first move in a plan not yet devised. "Are you aware of her... special circumstances?"
"Circumstances?.." the old woman repeated, slowly. Pondering for an instant, the Hokage blinked, then grimly laid her smoking pipe on the table. "Kaoru-kun—are you saying?..."
"Suna has sent a jinchuriki to the exam." The Hokage's tone clearly carried a flavor of "Tell me that isn't so," but I would have to crush the scraps of her hope.
Her chair creaked as the Hokage leaned back slightly and turned her face toward the window.
"Rumors have reached me that the Kazekage used her youngest daughter as a prison for a demon," the Hokage spoke after a prolonged silence. "It seems that is indeed the case. What can you tell me about her?"
"She's unstable." Two words. Just two simple words—but they were enough to make a glint of steel surface in the weary eyes of the woman seated before me. A thoroughly justified reaction: as a rule, jinchuriki are used as a deterrent, a weapon of intimidation—this world's analogue to a "nuclear warhead." Often enough, they were simply unleashed onto a battlefield while others watched as the demon ground up everything within reach, then were captured again. And now the Hokage was learning that such an unstable nuclear bomb was walking around her Village, at risk of detonating at any moment. A very weighty reason for concern.
"So... that's... how it is..." the Hokage drew out slowly. Good. Now Gaara's team would receive heightened attention, and the Hokage herself would ponder potential traps. She was, undoubtedly, already on alert, and with time, her suspicion would only grow. After all—Sarutobi Hiruko was a shinobi. A shinobi who had lived to old age, to be precise. To reach an advanced age with such a life, one requires a great deal of luck, skill... and caution. Paranoia is an inalienable component of a shinobi's personality. And as far as I'd studied this woman, I could say with certainty that the Third possessed a healthy paranoia of significant proportions. "Well—it's very good that you informed me of this, Kaoru-kun. We will keep an eye on these people—and especially on the jinchuriki."
"I would be nothing but glad if everything passes smoothly, but some anxious feeling almost seems to hang in the air," I said, continuing to feed the Hokage's paranoia. "It seems to me that none of this is coincidence."
"At this moment, Suna is an ally of the Leaf," the Hokage said, as if musing. "At this moment"—exactly. "I want to ask you, Kaoru-kun. Can you handle her?"
Could I handle her? Asking myself the same question, I couldn't find an unambiguous answer.
"If the confrontation—a possible confrontation—happens on prepared ground, then yes." A circle, barriers, restraints... And if I don't allow the demon to unfurl at full breadth—then it's entirely realistic. "In theory, her demon should be weaker than the Kyubi, since the Fox is last on the list and, consequently, the strongest of the Biju. In the most extreme and unfavorable case, I could suppress and hold it long enough for a specialized containment team to arrive."
"That is precisely what I hoped to hear. Good." Nodding, Sarutobi picked up her pipe again. "You may go, Kaoru-kun. Naruko is surely waiting by now."
"Hai. Have a pleasant day, Hokage-sama." I bow politely, catching from the corner of my eye the momentary grimace that crossed the Hokage's face. Yeah—a "pleasant day" was exactly what I'd just handed her, no doubt about it.
"And—Kaoru." The Hokage's voice suddenly caught up with me just beyond the threshold. "You have my gratitude."
I nodded silently, closing the door completely behind me. Gratitude, huh?...
If only anyone knew how badly I want to do more...
"Finally!!! What did Granny want from you, Koru-chan?!" Naruko was practically orbiting me, near-bouncing with pent-up energy. Bah—she'd been absolutely beside herself out here! Ugh, she's so restless~
"Well..."
"Welllllll?" Naruko demanded, impatient.
"Sore wa himitsu, desu!" I pinch the tip of the blonde's curious little nose, impish. (That is a secret!)
"Ow!!! Mmooouu—you're doing that again!.." The girl puffed out her cheeks in offense. Um—so cute!
"Well, I genuinely cannot tell you the substance of my conversation with Hokage-sama. At the very least: not right now."
"Mmh... Fine." Naruko conceded, unexpectedly. "If you say you can't tell me—I'll accept that. I trust you, Koru-chan!"
For a moment, I simply froze: for some reason, Naruko had sounded incredibly heartfelt. Such simple words—but there was something in them that simply wouldn't let one remain unmoved, touching something deep inside.
Was that the power of her charisma?..
"Hah..." I had no words. Only smiling, I began to gently tousle the girl's golden hair. "Let's go home, Naruko."
"Umm... Finally!"
"Want something to eat?"
"Yeah!!! Ra—"
"Ramen is forbidden."
"Why?!!"
"If you eat so much fatty food, your cheeks'll puff out and you'll turn into a little piggy."
"Pig?.... That's not true!!! I won't get fat!"
"Oh yes you will."
"Oh no I won't!"
"Oh yes you will!"
"NO!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No-no-no!"
"No."
"Yes!!! Huh? Heeey??"
"Pff!.. Well there—you admitted it, after all!"
"Mmmooouu! Koru no baka!!!"
"Ha-ha!.."
Yes—time to go home and get some good rest. And prepare.
There'll be plenty of work soon.
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Thanks for reading the chapter!
I started a new translation and I would be very happy if you decided to check out my new translation for a rather rare fandom. It's a fic based on Honkai: Star Rail.
Honkai Star Rail: Herta's Assistant Wants to Blow Up Nous
https://www.webnovel.com/book/36823191000494605