Chapter 33: Continue to "Assist" Asuma   

"Sasuke, is this really your first time forging a weapon?"

Tenten's father asked, looking at the sword Sasuke had forged, named 'Thunder's Gift'. His eyes were filled with a mix of emotions. This blade—so meticulously crafted—was something that even an experienced blacksmith like him would struggle to create. It was hard to believe that a newcomer, trying his hand at forging for the first time, had managed to create something so perfect.

Yet, the evidence was right in front of him. No matter how unbelievable it seemed, he had to accept it.

Sasuke smiled and replied, "Of course! After all, I'm still young."

Hearing this, Tenten's father felt another pang of inadequacy. 'He's still just a child,' he thought. 'And here I am, unable to compare to him. How shameful...'

Seeing the deep shock on Tenten's father's face, Sasuke quickly tried to comfort him, "Don't be discouraged, Tenten's father. The forging skills I've learned all came from you. You're like half of my master."

"Alright, alright," Tenten's father replied, slightly embarrassed. "Just remember to keep your promise to me."

Sasuke patted his chest and assured him, "Don't worry! I'm known for keeping my promises."

After that, Sasuke left the shop. As he was walking away, he suddenly heard some commotion in the distance. Looking up, he saw Kurenai Yuhi leading Team 8 in their daily training.

Sasuke approached and watched as Kiba, Shino, and Hinata worked hard on their drills. He walked over to Kurenai and said, "Sensei Kurenai, are you training them for the upcoming Chunin Exams?"

Kurenai turned around, smiling when she saw Sasuke. "That's right, Sasuke. You should be preparing too—the Chunin Exams aren't something to take lightly. Hasn't Kakashi been giving you special training?"

Sasuke shook his head and replied helplessly, "No, Kakashi-sensei hasn't been training us these days."

Kurenai frowned, muttering, "That guy… always so irresponsible. But no matter—why don't you join us in training, Sasuke?"

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Sensei Kurenai. I appreciate it."

And so, Sasuke joined Team 8's training. Meanwhile, at Kakashi's home, the man himself was lounging on the couch, lazily watching TV. Suddenly, he sneezed.

"Huh? Why did I sneeze? Did I catch a cold?" Kakashi wondered aloud as he rubbed his nose. For a brief moment, he remembered that he hadn't trained Sasuke and the others recently, feeling a pang of guilt.

"Well… it's been a while since I took a break," he reassured himself. "Besides, they're strong enough to handle themselves, right?"

Back at the training grounds, Kurenai Yuhi watched in amazement as Sasuke easily handled attacks from Hinata, Kiba, and Shino. She couldn't help but admire him. 'So this is the talent of the Uchiha clan...' she thought to herself.

At that moment, she began to understand why Kakashi hadn't bothered to put Sasuke through special training—Sasuke's current strength already placed him far ahead of the other genin. His promotion to Chunin seemed almost inevitable.

"Alright, everyone stop!" Kurenai called out, bringing the training to a halt. She turned to Sasuke with a playful smile. "Sasuke, is this what you meant by 'no special training'? Are you trying to tell me that even my training isn't as rigorous as doing nothing?"

Sasuke, ever sharp, immediately sensed the teasing undertone in her words. Without missing a beat, he responded, "No way! I just think that you, Sensei Kurenai, are so kind to your students that you don't want to push them too hard. Otherwise, the training results would be even better!"

Kurenai couldn't help but laugh. The expression of mock anger quickly vanished from her face as she gently pinched Hinata's pink cheek. "Maybe you're right," she said with a smile. "Little Hinata is so adorable—I just can't bear to push her too hard."

Sasuke's clever answer had clearly pleased Kurenai. However, her mood shifted as she suddenly recalled something. She sighed softly. "Ah… If only Asuma could be half as smooth-talking as you… No, even if he were just one-tenth as charming…"

She shook her head in frustration, muttering to herself. Asuma had been making excuses lately, claiming that he was only trying to help her when their teams were assigned together. He just didn't seem to understand how she truly felt.

Sasuke's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Sensei Asuma might genuinely care about you, Sensei Kurenai. I heard Ino mention that he's been troubled recently, trying to figure out how to explain things to you."

Kurenai's expression darkened, and her tone became more irritated. "He's still troubled? Does he think I'm being unreasonable?"

Sasuke waved his hands defensively, a sheepish look on his face. "No, no! I'm sure Asuma-sensei doesn't think that way at all!"

But seeing Sasuke's awkward reaction, Kurenai became even more convinced that Asuma had been badmouthing her behind her back. Her face hardened, and Sasuke noticed this, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction.

'Ah, stirring the pot is just too much fun,' Sasuke thought with a smirk. 'Especially when it involves someone like Asuma from the Sarutobi clan. Whether or not Asuma actually said those things, there's no way he can refute them now!'

Sasuke could already imagine the tension between Kurenai and Asuma deepening even further. The thought made him feel even more amused.

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