Chapter 409: Shino
Unlike Hikari, Ino knew a few scattered details about the grudge between the Hyuga and the Hidden Cloud Village.
The Fourth Raikage was indeed a very fitting gift for Hyuga Hiashi.
"Ino, what brings you here?"
"It's Shikamaru. He requested Shino's deployment to the border area between the Land of Rain and the Land of Bears. I'm here to deliver the mission scroll."
Hearing this, Naruto frowned.
Why would Shikamaru suddenly need Shino's help over there?
Logically, with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke should be more than enough to sweep through minor nations like the Land of Bears and the Land of Demons in that region.
Shino's strength, while solidly mid-to-upper tier among their peers, definitely couldn't match Sasuke's.
So it must be a search mission, either for a person or an object.
Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru's olfactory tracking was already a mid-to-upper tier sensory ability in the Ninja World, and Hyuga Neji's Byakugan had regained its 360-degree, blind-spot-free, penetrating vision and long-range reconnaissance capability.
If even Kiba's nose and Neji's Byakugan couldn't find it...
...then Shino's insect jutsu became the superior choice.
"Let's go together. I'd like to see Shino too."
The three of them arrived outside Shino's classroom. Shino's demeanor was strikingly different from his usual silent image.
He still wore the same high-collared jacket, sunglasses shielding his eyes, the collar pulled up past the bridge of his nose, concealing most of his face.
This attire was identical to the impression he gave during his student days.
But the person standing at the lectern now was a stark contrast to that ingrained image of silence.
Shino's voice, steady, clear, and even carrying a rhythmic cadence he seldom used, came through the door crack clearly.
He was no longer the youth who always kept his head slightly bowed, as if trying to shrink into the shadows. Standing in the center of the platform, his back straight, even with most of his face hidden, one could sense his gaze sweeping over every student in the room.
Whenever a student asked a question, Shino would patiently pause, listen carefully, then give a detailed answer, often adding a word of encouragement for the child.
"Shino seems to be really enjoying himself!"
Naruto gently placed the sleeping coffin he was carrying on his shoulder against the wall in the corridor.
Looking through the glass window at the figure on the platform, a genuine, happy smile for his comrade spread across his face, warm light sparkling in his blue eyes.
He remembered Shino from their Ninja Academy days.
Back then, Shino spoke very little, his presence so low-key that he was sometimes accidentally overlooked.
It wasn't that he lacked ability or didn't care about his comrades; he was simply accustomed to facing the world with silence and observation.
After becoming a Genin, experiencing mission after mission, fighting side by side with his comrades, Shino had changed, becoming more reliable, but that quiet, introspective nature remained his foundation.
Who would have thought that as a teacher, standing before a group of curious children, imparting knowledge of the insect jutsu he was most skilled at and passionate about, Shino would radiate such a different kind of brilliance.
Ino also smiled and nodded beside him, softly agreeing, "Yes, he's very engaged, and the children really like him." She could sense that standing on this platform, Shino had found a unique sense of value and fulfillment that belonged to him alone.
Hikari stood in the corridor, her gaze shifting from the animated Shino in the classroom to Naruto.
"Should we go see Hanabi while we're here?"
She wasn't particularly familiar with either Hyuga Hiashi or Aburame Shino.
Staying here was more about accompanying Naruto.
But Hanabi was different.
The younger daughter of the Hyuga Clan, lively and clever, with a hint of playful cunning. In her few interactions with Hikari, she had shown a directness and curiosity that Hikari found quite interesting, even feeling a sisterly kind of closeness.
She kind of missed that quirky little girl.
Hearing this, Naruto's gaze shifted slightly.
A gentle smile appeared on his face, but he shook his head.
"You and Ino go ahead," he said, pointing to the sleeping coffin still resting in the shadows against the wall, his tone calm but carrying an unalterable resolve. "I need to 'deliver' this thing first."
He hadn't carried this coffin containing the Fourth Raikage all the way back just to catch up with old classmates or simply visit Juniors. He had a more direct, more urgent purpose.
His gaze turned once more toward the classroom where Hiashi was teaching. A sharp glint flashed deep in Naruto's eyes. His return this time, ostensibly to deliver a gift, was actually to seek a crucial clue—the path to the moon.
"Then we'll leave Shino's letter to you as well, Naruto."
Before leaving, Ino handed the official mission scroll for Shino to Naruto.
She and Hikari would go find Hanabi, and they could conveniently give Hanabi the scroll sealed with the hokage robe for her to pass on to Hinata to continue the embroidery.
"Yeah, okay."
Naruto readily took the mission scroll, nodding to Ino. His eyes briefly scanned the document to confirm its contents. Then, he watched as the figures of his two female companions disappeared around the corridor corner, their footsteps gradually swallowed by the faint clamor from the distant playground.
The corridor grew quiet again, leaving only the clear sound of Shino's lecturing voice from the classroom.
Time passed, minute by minute.
When Shino's class reached a temporary break, Naruto didn't hesitate for a moment. He knocked on the classroom door.
Knock, knock, knock.
The crisp sound of knocking interrupted the quiet at the end of the class.
On the platform, Shino's voice halted. He tilted his head slightly toward the door, a flicker of confusion in his eyes behind the sunglasses.
Who could it be at this time?
He adjusted his sunglasses slightly and responded in his steady voice, "Come in."
Creak—
The classroom door was pushed open.
The first thing that came into view was that iconic, brilliant shock of golden hair, seemingly capable of dispelling any gloom, followed by that familiar face wearing a warm smile.
"It's the Hokage-sama!"
"Wow! It's the Sixth Hokage!"
After a brief silence, the children in the classroom instantly recognized the visitor. Suppressed excitement ignited like firecrackers. Cheers and exclamations nearly lifted the roof.
Most of these young Ninja Academy students regarded Uzumaki Naruto as a legend and an idol. Seeing the living Hokage appear in their classroom was an indescribable thrill.
Shino was also visibly taken aback, clearly not expecting Naruto to appear at this moment.
He instinctively pulled his collar higher, then lowered it again, resuming his composed teacher's posture, though a note of surprise and respect colored his tone. "Naruto... Hokage-sama."
Naruto responded to the children's cheers with a big, signature sunny smile, then walked straight to the side of the lectern.
Without much preamble, he directly handed the stamped mission scroll in his hand to Shino, lowering his voice. "Shikamaru needs you over there. Urgent mission. Border of the Land of Rain and the Land of Bears."
Shino took the scroll, quickly scanning its contents. His gaze behind the sunglasses sharpened slightly.
He asked no questions, simply nodding. "Understood."
With the mission handed over, Naruto finally turned his attention to the still-excited young students below.
The smile didn't leave his face, but he raised a finger, gently placing it against his lips in a shushing gesture. His clear blue eyes held a smile, yet an intangible aura spread, quickly quieting the noisy classroom.
"Shh—"
His voice wasn't loud, but it reached every child's ears clearly. "Your teacher Shino has an important mission, so...",
"You get to leave school early today."
"Yay!"
A few children couldn't help but start to cheer again.
Naruto immediately pretended to put on a stern face, though the amusement in his eyes gave him away. "Don't shout! Whoever shouts..."
He deliberately drew out his words, his gaze sweeping over the suddenly tense little faces. "...won't get early dismissal. Instead, it'll be self-study period, supervised by me personally. We'll review everything Teacher Shino taught today, and there will be pop quizzes."
This statement was more effective than any ban.
The cheers that were about to erupt were instantly strangled in their throats.
The children widened their eyes, desperately covering their mouths with their hands, afraid to let out even a peep. Their little heads shook like rattles, signaling they absolutely would not make a sound.
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