CH - 216 Overtime?

Tonight is destined to be a night filled with restlessness. The first round of the inaugural Ninja World Tournament has concluded, and the news of this peculiar clash between Kusa and Konoha ninjas has undoubtedly rippled through the respective villages. The outcome of this bizarre war holds the potential to shape the unfolding events.

The lingering question remains—who will emerge victorious? And If the Grass Village secures the win, will Konoha uphold its commitment? Despite Konoha's weariness from enduring years of internal and external conflicts, the presence of the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki suggests a reluctance to easily concede. Once the battle commences, and should an opportunity arise, it is likely that more ninja villages will join the fray.

Yet, in the aftermath of this exhilarating duel, citizens from both the Grass and Rain countries continue to buzz with excitement. Post-match discussions about the Fire Dragon Shinobi persist, and late into the night, queues at the Fire Dragon Armor sales booth remain surprisingly long, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

It is crucial to note that this batch of Fire Dragon Armor differs from Yahiko's. While Yahiko's armor is a third-generation scientific ninja tool, the ones available for sale are toy versions of the Fire Dragon Armor. Despite lacking any special functionalities apart from glowing and producing sounds, this fact has not deterred the enthusiastic buyers. The allure of possessing an artifact, even in toy form, proves irresistible, and nobody questions the impracticality of mass-producing an artifact.

As for the Konoha participants... with their low-profile appearance and no background music, there's hardly anyone talking about them. Even if they are mentioned, it's only as background to the Fire Dragon Ninja.

As for the Konoha Shinobi, he had a low-profile appearance, devoid of any accompanying background music, making him almost inconspicuous. Rarely does anyone engage in discussions about him, and if mentioned, it's often overshadowed by the spotlight on the Fire Dragon Shinobi.

Regarding Konoha, they are likely deeply engrossed in strategizing for tomorrow's duel. The stakes are high, and they cannot afford another loss. Another defeat would mark the end of this war. Hence, the decision to send Kakashi was a move necessitated by the urgency of securing a victory.

Akihiko, on the other hand, was unfazed by these developments. While taking the children for a stroll, he even generously gifted Naruto a set of Fire Dragon Armor. Naruto, overcome with joy, also expressed his gratitude to Akihiko, "Thank you, Leader Uncle!"

Akihiko, upon hearing Naruto's words, smiles warmly and affectionately pats his head. Reflecting on Naruto's age, he remarks, "Naruto is approaching the age to start school, isn't he? You'll be attending school soon."

Turning five next year, Naruto will soon be old enough to enroll in the Grass Village's academy, which accepts students as young as five, six, or even ten years old. Of course, exceptions like Obito, who enrolled at the age of twelve, also exist. Thus, Naruto, being at the threshold of school age, will likely join the academy next year

"Okay!" Little Naruto nodded enthusiastically, clutching the Fire Dragon Armor tightly. Excitement coursed through him, eager to don his cherished toy at once.

Yet, despite his eagerness, Naruto nodded earnestly in response to Leader Uncle's words. Though unspoken, the understanding lingered in his four-year-old heart. He couldn't fathom why Konoha would want to take him back if they didn't like him, let alone start a war over him.

Regardless, Naruto was determined not to be disliked by the Grass Village and be sent away. Leader Uncle had always been kind to him, never uttering a single unkind word. His heart swelled with gratitude towards Akihiko.

Observing Karin, who was happily embraced by Hanzo, Naruto couldn't help but smile. Though not native to this village, he now had someone who cared for him deeply. Karin even referred to him as Big Brother, a role he took seriously. However, the mystery of his father's identity still weighed on his mind, a question his mother hadn't yet answered despite so long.

Breaking free from his thoughts, Naruto turned to Akihiko with a determined expression, "I will study hard, Leader Uncle. I'll repay you and protect everyone!"

Akihiko returned his smile warmly, patting his head affectionately once more, "What a good child."

Observing Naruto's radiant expression, particularly brightened by Akihiko's praise, Nagato couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. 'This child... is still too naive.'

However, a wistful smile graced Nagato's lips as he reminisced about his own childhood. The scene before him mirrored moments from his past, evoking a sense of nostalgia. In the blink of an eye, he realized how swiftly time had passed, whisking him from youth into adulthood.

At this moment, Hanzo, engrossed in playing with Karin, raised his head to glance at Akihiko. "Are you prepared for tomorrow's duel?" He sighed, adding, "I truly don't comprehend. Are you genuinely sending a Konoha rebel to face Konoha Shinobi?"

As the leader of the Rain Shinobi, Hanzo held a deep wariness toward ninjas from other villages. In his perspective, only Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan—ninjas nurtured in the village since childhood—were deemed trustworthy.

Akihiko, however, dismissed Hanzo's concerns with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "Don't worry," he assured, "despite his apparent unreliability, he's not one to accept defeat against Kakashi easily. I believe he's earnestly strategizing for tomorrow's duel. You should have some faith in him."

However, before Hanzo, poised to sigh, could voice his thoughts, Karin, held in his arms, suddenly extended her chubby little hand and pointed excitedly ahead. "Big Brother Obito and Sister Rin!"

Following her gesture, everyone redirected their attention to the figures approaching in the distance. Indeed, two familiar faces were making their way towards them. One wore a wry smile, while the other—clad in Fire Dragon Armor and bearing Blaze of Hope, much like Yahiko—was bounding around with enthusiasm like Naruto.

Obito's excitement mirrored that of a child who had just acquired his favorite toy. "I finally got it! Man, it was so pricey. I almost couldn't afford it."

"Obito, you still have your duel tomorrow. Get some rest early, and since Kakashi will be against you, don't you need to strategize?" Rin sighed, a tinge of helplessness in her voice.

She was well aware of the circumstances, but she hadn't anticipated... Obito would be facing Kakashi tomorrow. Rin expressed her concern, "If you lose, Leader Akihiko will be furious."

"Don't worry, it's just Kakashi. I can handle him with one eye closed." Obito waved his hand dismissively. "I'm Uchiha Obito, I don't even need to study for exams to pass. No need for preparation, and that guy's clueless anyway, so there's nothing to worry about."

"Is that so? What if I find out?" A familiar voice startled Obito, and he turned to see Akihiko's face looming over him. "How did you... also end up here? Are you shopping for Fire Dragon Armor too?"

Akihiko gazed back at Obito with a speechless expression. He had just reassured Hanzo... here was Obito on what seemed like a date? When did they even plan this? Going on a date at a time like this was beyond belief.

Ignoring Hanzo's snickering, Akihiko forced a smile, patting Obito on the shoulder. "How's the preparation going? Remember, tomorrow's match will be broadcast nationwide. Losing would be humiliating. Clearly, you haven't taken it seriously. Instead of fighting, perhaps you should focus on your stu..."

Before he could finish, Obito shuddered and abruptly interrupted Akihiko, grabbing Rin and twisting his body. "I'm heading back right away."

With a swift use of Kamui, Obito vanished, perhaps to avoid getting more homework. One more assignment and he might not graduate.

Akihiko watched the space where Obito had been, momentarily silent, then sighed with a hint of admiration. "This kid... using Kamui to escape and do homework. Seems like he's truly dedicated to his studies. That's reassuring."

"Hehe~" Still keeping up the act? In response to Akihiko's words, Hanzo sighed indifferently but refrained from further comments, as if recalling something else. "Oh, right. I almost forgot. Chiyo from the Sand Village sent another message to congratulate us on our victory." He continued with a touch of sarcasm, "It appears that the old hag can rest easy now, no longer fretting over the possibility of us dragging the Sand Village into a conflict with Konoha."

Looking back at Akihiko, he continued, "And... she also inquired about her grandson's whereabouts? But... it's been so long, and there's still no news at all. Tough luck for her, I suppose."

"Maybe it's not all that unfortunate," Akihiko spoke cryptically, stealing a glance at the bustling street ahead before sighing once more. "But tonight... I guess I'll have to put in some overtime."

…

Advancing time a bit, in the Land of Rain, at the Third Factory, a young man with red hair gazed lazily at the setting sun outside the window. After stretching leisurely, he murmured to himself, "It's about time to leave."

However, before he could complete his sentence, an enthusiastic colleague rushed in, about to convey something when he noticed the red-haired young man seemingly preparing to leave. The colleague, wearing a puzzled expression, asked, "Sasori, what's going on? Are you leaving?"

Sasori's mouth twitched as he replied, "...It's the end of the shift. I'm planning to head home and rest."

The colleague asked, confused, "End of the shift? We have overtime tonight. You can't leave yet, didn't you get the memo?"

What memo? Sasori was puzzled. "Overtime?"

What overtime? Weren't all the work orders already completed? He specifically had the factory finish the work early for today. So that he can leave without anyone disturbing him. But, What the hell happened Now?

"Oh, right. This is an additional order." the colleague explained upon seeing Sasori's genuine confusion. Undeterred, he continued excitedly, "Today, our village emerged victorious, and the Fire Dragon Shinobi completely outclassed the Konoha Shinobi. The demand for Fire Dragon Armor has soared, so they've asked us to work overtime to produce more Fire Dragon Armor and Blaze of Hope."

As the words sank in, Sasori's confusion only deepened. Fire Dragon Armor? Blaze of Hope? What on earth are those?