Farewell

Shintaro returned to Yuhi's house. Before he could leave through the entrance, Kurenai ran anxiously to his side.

"Shintaro, what did Hokage-sama want from you?"

Shintaro changed shoes and answered, "It's nothing, it's just that my Jonin didn't approve my promotion, and then he sent me to the northeastern border."

Kurenai sensed an inexplicable bitterness in his words and asked again, "So when are you leaving?"

"I'll leave tomorrow." Shintaro approached her and answered.

They both walked to the living room.

Shintaro sat on the sofa and said, "I'll meet at 9 tomorrow morning and then depart."

"So urgent? The northeastern border, then you have to fight the Kumogakure ninja..."

Kurenai couldn't help but worry again.

Shintaro took her hand and said, "Don't worry, I'm very strong. Besides, I'm not the only one there. Five hundred ninjas are going with me alone. Orochimaru and Minato are there, there won't be any danger."

Kurenai was a bit shy but didn't pull her hand away. After a moment of silence, she said, "I know, but... After you leave, I'll be the only one left in my family. My father was transferred a few days ago..."

Shintaro gently stroked her hand and said, "Kurenai, you have to be strong. This happens during the war. When Uncle Shinku and I leave, you have to take care of yourself."

This time Kurenai held back her tears, raised her head, and said seriously, "I am a Konoha ninja. Don't underestimate me. I will take care of myself."

Shiro jumped onto the sofa at this moment, tilting his head as if to see what the two were doing.

Shintaro felt relieved seeing Kurenai was aware.

After both of them calmed down, Kurenai realized what she was doing and withdrew her hand. She bowed her head and didn't dare to look at him, her ears already red.

Shintaro said with a smile, "It's late, let's go out for dinner tonight."

Kurenai nodded and asked, "Still barbecue?"

"I'm not having barbecue today. I can't let you eat barbecue with me every day." Shintaro said, "Let's go to your favorite seafood restaurant that sells wasabi octopus."

Kurenai happily agreed but still asked him to wait on the sofa.

She first ran to the kitchen and made a bowl of cat rice with fresh shrimp, minced chicken, chicken liver, and chicken hearts. She also whisked an egg on top and steamed it over water.

After making the cat food and putting it on the floor, Kurenai ran to the bathroom and stayed there for a while. Shintaro walked toward Shiro and squatted out of boredom.

Shiro was engrossed in eating the cat rice, looking as wild as usual.

Shintaro held Shiro's neck, and Shiro began to meow, as if asking for Kurenai's help in the bathroom.

Shintaro ignored Shiro's cries for help, maintaining his posture with one hand and reaching the other towards Shiro's cat bowl.

"Not bad, but bland."

Shintaro then released Shiro and put him down.

Shiro fell to the ground in surprise. At this moment, the bathroom door opened. Kurenai, with her wet hair scattered, leaned her half-wrapped body in a white bath towel and asked, "What's wrong with Shiro?"

"Nothing, he just bit his shrimp." Shintaro squatted on the ground and turned to answer.

Kurenai looked at him and said, "Are you competing for food with a cat?"

Then she went back in.

It took almost an hour to bathe and dry her hair, and half an hour to choose and change clothes.

Fortunately, Kurenai was still young and didn't need makeup, otherwise, it would take another hour.

She had slightly curly hair, and her black hair covered her shoulders, emitting a faint floral fragrance.

A white scarf covered the top of both her arms, she wore a magenta top and a light pink skirt. Tight black leggings on her legs peeked out from under her open-foot skirt.

The outfit was actually similar to usual, but Shintaro didn't know why Kurenai looked so good today.

He immediately forgot the boredom he felt while waiting and stared blankly at her.

Kurenai giggled shyly and said, "Does it look good?"

Shintaro nodded, "It looks good."

"Then take a closer look. You won't need to watch anymore the day after tomorrow." Kurenai pouted and turned her face aside.

Shintaro waved his hand, walked towards her, and said, "I'm just going to the border tomorrow, it doesn't mean I'm going to die tomorrow..."

Kurenai immediately turned around and interrupted seriously, "Don't say such unlucky words."

Shintaro immediately reached out his hand to comfort Kurenai, "Okay, okay, I won't say anything anymore. Let's do this, let's take a picture together after dinner, and I'll take it to the border so I can see you every day."

Kurenai's ears turned red immediately, and she bowed her head and answered softly.

They then set off, as the sun set and the moon rose.

Shintaro and Kurenai had a feast at the seafood restaurant, then went shopping on the street. They bought many items along the way, big and small.

They both went to Yamanaka's flower shop. Shintaro bought a beautiful bouquet for Kurenai, then they returned home.

It should be mentioned that the entire cost of this date was covered by Kakuzu, or rather, it was the reward for killing Kakuzu sent from Takigakure.

Shintaro handed the money to Kurenai. At first, Kurenai refused to accept it, but when she heard Shintaro say that she and her father were his only relatives in Konoha, she no longer refused.

Kurenai had just promised Shintaro that she would take good care of the money, and Shintaro smiled and said that Kurenai could use it if she wanted.

❀❀❀

The next day, Shintaro came to Yuhi's house wearing the new clothes Kurenai had chosen for him yesterday. He said his final goodbye to her, then packed his things and went to the Hokage Building to assemble.

Hiruzen wore the Hokage robe and the Hokage hat with the word "fire" on his head, and gave a speech to the Konoha ninjas below.

The content of the speech remained unchanged, and the theme was still the Will of Fire.

After that, the 500-strong force departed under Minato's leadership and marched proudly through the streets, looking like warriors on an expedition.

Both sides of the road were filled with people sending off the troops, and the sounds of blessings and farewells were endless. This made many young ninjas in the force who had never been on the battlefield excited and filled their hearts with longing to make achievements.

The other older ninjas who had been on the battlefield before felt worried and had sad faces. They knew that the battlefield was a place of death for most, not a place to achieve merits.

Shintaro's reaction was different from both of them; he felt quite calm when going to the battlefield and observed the crowd with his Six Eyes, searching for Kurenai's figure.

Sure enough, Kurenai's figure was found in the crowd. Although Shintaro had said earlier that there was no need to see him off, he knew that Kurenai would still come.

He reached out his hand and waved to Kurenai. In an instant, Kurenai saw him from the crowd of troops.

Kurenai also waved desperately at him.

At this moment, Shintaro was pushed forward by the large troops behind him, and he could only say his final goodbye to her from a distance.

Kurenai couldn't hear clearly, but she understood the shape of his mouth.

What Shintaro said was, "Wait for me to come back."