Konoha: Gu master

After class, the room emptied quickly.

"Ino, aren’t you leaving?" Sakura Haruno asked, puzzled.

"You should go ahead, I’m just finishing up this problem," Ino Yamanaka replied calmly.

It was a lie.

"What problem?" Sakura raised her chin slightly, sounding smug. "If you ask me nicely, I might just bless you with my wisdom."

Though her practical skills were average, Sakura consistently ranked in the top three in theory, making her one of the brightest students in the class.

"Hey, look, it's Sasuke!" Ino pointed towards the door.

"Where? Where?!" Sakura’s attention was immediately diverted.

"He’ll be gone if you don't hurry. Go get him, girl!" Ino waved her hands as if cheering her on.

"See you tomorrow!" Sakura dashed out of the classroom in a hurry.

"When are we leaving, Shino?" Ino let out a relieved sigh, turning to Shino Aburame with eager anticipation.

"In an hour," Shino replied after some thought.

"Why an hour?" Ino blinked, confused.

"If my brother didn’t tell you about it earlier, he’s probably planning a surprise," Shino explained. "If we go now, we’ll be spotted, and he might not be very happy about it."

"That makes sense," Ino grinned, her heart fluttering at the thought. She imagined Shinho preparing something special for her, it felt as if sweet nectar was running through her veins.

She sat back down, cupping her face in her hands, already daydreaming about what her future kids might be named.

Shino glanced at her lovestruck expression and thought to himself, Brother, I’ve done my best.

Earlier, he had noticed Shinho leaving with Hinata Hyuga, most likely headed to the wooden cabin where they often met. Though he wasn’t sure if they were sparring or were on a date, he felt it was safest to wait before bringing Ino over—best to avoid any potentially disastrous encounters.

Time passed, and Shino and Ino left the school.

Neither of them spoke on the way. Shino, as usual, had nothing to say. Ino, on the other hand, was lost in her own excited thoughts.

"I’ll go check first," Shino said once they neared the wooden cabin.

"Okay." Ino stood on tiptoe, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening ahead.

Shino soon returned, nodding. "My brother has already left."

Ino immediately sprinted towards the cabin, her heart racing. She could barely wait to see the flowers Shinho had grown. If it's roses… she thought, her face turning slightly pink at the romantic notion.

But as she approached, Ino slowed down.

"Eh?" she murmured, noticing Sasuke Uchiha jumping over a bar while Naruto Uzumaki ran laps nearby.

So that’s why they've been leaving together every day—training!

Sakura had been complaining to her just yesterday about how she couldn’t even compete with Naruto for Sasuke's attention. Ino couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.

"They’re inside," Shino said, opening the gate for her.

Ino turned her head, and her eyes immediately fell on the moon orchids in the courtyard.

"Wow," she whispered in awe. “They’re beautiful.”

It was dusk, and while the sky was growing darker, the moon orchids softly glowed, casting a dreamy light over the garden.

"What are they called?" Ino asked, suddenly realizing she didn’t recognize the flowers.

"I don’t know," Shino answered bluntly.

Outside the Senju residence.

Bam! Shinho hit the ground again.

He stared at the tip of Tsunade’s toe, which was hovering just a hair’s breadth from his throat. He gulped, but it wasn’t from hunger—it was from fear.

If Tsunade had pushed just a little further, her foot might have been shoved into his mouth—er, no, she would have crushed his throat.

Seeing Shinho’s reaction, Tsunade withdrew her foot, placing her bare feet back on the ground. Her discarded high heels lay nearby.

Shinho slowly got back up.

【Achievement unlocked: ‘We Still Don’t Know How Many People Saw Sasuke Jump That Day.’ Reward: Bronze Relic Gu.】

【Bronze Relic Gu: A first-rank consumable Gu that can instantly raise a first-rank Gu Master by one minor realm.】

Shinho blinked in surprise.

Wait, I actually triggered an achievement?

Why isn’t it something like “Ally of Justice” though? But that wasn’t the main point.

The main point was the reward.

Currently, Shinho was a first-rank mid-tier Gu Master. Using the Bronze Relic Gu would allow him to break through to high-tier. Combined with his wine bug, he’d practically be at the peak of first-rank—a significant boost in power.

"Are you okay?" Tsunade asked, bending down to ruffle his hair.

"I’m fine," Shinho muttered, twitching at the gesture. "But can we stop with the head pats while we’re sparring?"

"Really?" Tsunade laughed and, instead of stopping, she also pinched his cheek.

"…" Shinho swung a half-hearted punch at her in exasperation.

With a light hop, Tsunade dodged easily. She waved a finger playfully, grinning. "Come on, hit me, and I’ll give you a reward if you do~!"

Shinho’s fists clenched in determination.

I’m fired up now!

Shinho gritted his teeth and launched himself at her again.

But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t land a single hit.

As night fell, Shinho collapsed onto the ground for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Still want to keep going?" Tsunade teased, clearly enjoying herself.

She realized that without some playful banter, training her student would be too boring.

"Nope, I’m done," Shinho waved her off, completely drained.

Tsunade slipped her heels back on, just like the day before, and picked him up again, carrying him into the house.

Shinho, resting in her arms, couldn’t help but think, After all that hard work, I might as well enjoy this for a bit.

Sadly, the comfort was short-lived, as he was set down soon after.

After a quick bath, Shinho returned to his room, fighting off exhaustion as he sat cross-legged on the bed. He focused his energy on the Bronze Relic Gu.

As a consumable that only worked for first-rank Gu Masters, there was no reason to delay using it. The earlier he improved his strength, the better.

And there was always a chance he’d obtain more Relic Gu in the future.

After some time, Shinho opened his eyes.

Even though it was just a minor breakthrough, the increase in his energy was significant. His true essence had improved in both quality and capacity.

Once his wine bug refined the energy further, his abilities would reach an even higher level.

But for now, it was time to sleep.

After all, Tsunade had put him through quite the ordeal, and he was utterly exhausted.

Meanwhile, at the wooden cabin, a crowd had gathered.

Aside from Sasuke, Naruto, Ino, and Shino, there was now an unexpected addition—Hinata Hyuga.

Her arrival surprised everyone, especially Shino.

I tried so hard to avoid this, Shino thought, dismayed. He had gone out of his way to keep Hinata and Ino from meeting, but Hinata had somehow doubled back on his strategy.

Fortunately, the two seemed to be getting along just fine, without any sign of jealousy.

"I have a favor to ask all of you," Hinata took a deep breath and spoke. "Could you help me make something?"

Shino blinked in confusion.

I told you to ask others for help, but why’d you rope in Ino too?

He wasn’t sure what to say.

Clearly, Hinata had no concept of rivalry or jealousy when it came to matters like these.

"What are we making?" Naruto asked enthusiastically, always eager to help his friends.

"We’re making this," Hinata replied, pulling out a blueprint.

In the center of the design was a white disk, with black straps extending from either side.

 

[tl/n: What's that?]

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