Chương 248: 247
Haruto sat in his ice bath, the cold water soothing his muscles after the grueling Chunin Exams. The exams had been exhausting both physically and emotionally. Aika's death, the constant tension, and the high stakes had taken their toll. He wasn't ready to process the emotional weight of everything just yet, but his body? That he could handle. A good workout or conditioning session was exactly what he needed.
The cold of the ice bath had become a sort of ritual for him—an anchor, a way to clear his mind and let his body recover. Today, though, something else was nagging at the back of his mind. He had asked Daichi and Shisui if they wanted to join him for conditioning, but both of them had their own training commitments for the month ahead.
Shisui had said it first. "I've got clan training," he explained, scratching the back of his head, his usual calm demeanor barely hiding the exhaustion from the exams. "My schedule's tight for the next month. I probably won't be around much."
Haruto had nodded, understanding. Shisui's clan responsibilities were no joke.
Daichi had chimed in, not missing a beat. "Kushina's dragging me into training with her and Minato. Almost every day! Man, I'm basically turning into you, Haruto."
Haruto blinked. "Turning into me?"
"Yeah!" Daichi threw his arms up in mock exasperation. "Eat, train, eat, train!" He mimicked Haruto's routine with an exaggerated seriousness before laughing.
Shisui chuckled too, shaking his head. Haruto couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity of it all. "Guess I've been a bad influence on you."
"No kidding," Daichi grumbled playfully, though there was a glimmer of respect in his eyes.
Their laughter faded as Daichi turned more serious. "But hey, are you going to the festival this year? You have to go! Seriously, man, you can't skip it."
Shisui nodded in agreement. "You should go, Haruto. It'd be good for you."
Haruto inwardly sighed. The anime never really touched on it, but Konoha was a thriving village with its own culture, traditions, and festivals. As an orphan, though, it had always been easy for him to ignore that part of life. He had no family ties, no real reason to celebrate.
"I don't know…" Haruto started to decline, already picturing the crowded streets and noise.
"Come on," Daichi pushed. "One night won't kill you."
"Fine," Haruto sighed. "I'll go. For one night."
"That's the spirit!" Daichi beamed, clapping him on the shoulder. "We'll meet up on the second day of the festival."
With the Chunin Exams underway, tourists and traders were flooding into Konoha for the annual festival that preceded the final round of the exams. The village would be buzzing with energy, and Haruto, despite his reluctance, agreed to take part—if only for a brief moment of normalcy.
Now, as Haruto soaked in the icy water, he heard a knock at the door. His chakra sensitivity had alerted him to the approaching presence, but he hadn't bothered moving until now.
Knock, knock.
"Hold on, I'll be right there!" Haruto called, climbing out of the ice bath and quickly drying off. He threw on some clothes and moved toward the door. As he opened it, he was surprised to find none other than Tsunade standing before him.
"Lady Tsunade?" Haruto greeted her respectfully, straightening up despite the slight dampness still clinging to his clothes.
Tsunade, as usual, got straight to the point. "What are you planning to train over the next month?"
Haruto blinked. He hadn't exactly mapped out his training yet. "I… haven't really thought about it."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You've got a month before the final round of the exams. I suggest you start thinking."
Before Haruto could respond, Tsunade continued. "How about I train you?"
Her words caught Haruto off guard. Tsunade wasn't the type to offer help lightly, and aside from their time together in the hospital during his medical training, she had kept her distance. He never expected her to take an active role in preparing him for the final exam.
"Sure," Haruto said, trying to sound calm, though inside, he was excited. To be trained by a Sannin, especially Tsunade? This was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
Tsunade nodded. "Good. Meet me at the training grounds tomorrow. Early."
Without another word, she turned and left, her presence as commanding as ever.
Haruto closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment, letting the conversation sink in. Training with Tsunade? That would be something. He didn't even know what she had in mind, but it was bound to be intense.
"Well," Haruto muttered to himself with a slight grin, "this month just got a lot more interesting.".
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