Shikaku immediately beamed with joy, turning to say to Shikamaru:
"Look at your sister, then look at yourself!"
"Alright, old man, go study your Ninjutsu. My brother didn't have it easy on this mission either, so don't scold him anymore. He's already done very well."
His sister, who usually bullied him, was actually speaking up for him now. It was only at this moment that Shikamaru felt this sister of his was actually quite nice.
Shikaku didn't say anything more and went home alone to study the new Ninjutsu. He could now flexibly use the Shadow Deer Technique from last time, and he had even crafted a set of ninja tools specifically for the Shadow Deer. This perfectly compensated for the Nara Clan's lack of follow-up damage after trapping someone in a 1-on-1 fight.
Kano jumped up, grabbed Shikamaru, and dragged him aside.
"Hey, big brother, I'm giving you a mission."
"What is it? Why so mysterious?"
"It's to spend the day with Temari in Konoha Village. Those Sand Shinobi came and helped you out so much; you should show some appreciation. I trust you to handle this, big brother. Besides, Temari is interested in you too; otherwise, why do you think she went to save you instead of someone else?"
"How could she possibly like me? To me, it seems more like she hates me."
"I'm a girl, so I can naturally see through Temari's young maiden heart. That's why you're the most suitable person to go, big brother. And since you're so smart and reliable, you'll definitely be able to make her like you. Leave a good impression; it'll be good for Konoha too.
I'll find someone else for Kankuro and Gaara. I'm counting on you for Temari's side."
"Fine, fine, I get it. I'll go, alright?"
"Good. Remember to follow Temari's lead and humor her as much as possible. Since you're going out with a girl, you can't let her pay. This money should be enough for you. Remember to take good care of Temari. If you spend more than this, cover it yourself first, and you can come to me for reimbursement later."
Shikamaru didn't expect his sister to be so generous today, so he decided to do as she said. It just so happened that he also wanted to thank the Sand Shinobi for their support.
Kano had spent a huge sum to support her brother's romance; she had paid quite a lot to make Temari act a bit more tender. Although Kano was now something of a wealthy lady, seeing so much money go out at once still made her feel a little sting in her heart.
Big brother, I've helped you this much. If you still can't win Temari over, I'm going to be really angry.
While they were talking, Ino also arrived at Konoha Hospital and happened to run into Kano.
"Ino, you're here too. Are you here to visit Shikamaru and Choji?"
"Yeah, I didn't expect you to get here even earlier than me. I saw Kakashi bringing Naruto back on my way here, so I followed them. Are Choji and Shikamaru doing okay?"
"Aren't you going to ask about Sasuke?"
"He's your teammate, not mine."
"Don't you like Sasuke?"
"That's true, but teammates are a bit more important, right?"
During their conversation, another young girl rushed over.
"Ino, Kano, do you know which room Sasuke-kun is in?"
Sakura ran over panting, her face full of sorrow, hoping to hear some useful news from them.
"Ino, look at Sakura. How are you supposed to compete with her for a man like that?" Kano secretly poked her best friend, then, under Ino's displeased gaze, told Sakura, "He didn't come back. The mission failed."
Sakura felt as if the sky had collapsed. She sat powerlessly on the ground, covered her face, and began to cry.
Due to Kano's involvement, Sakura had lost Naruto's affection and hadn't teamed up with Naruto and Sasuke. This led to a significant difference between her and the girl in the original work who strove to catch up with her companions.
Kano still felt a bit apologetic toward Sakura. She couldn't bear to see her washing her face with tears like this.
So, she leaned in and whispered a secret in her ear.
"Sasuke went away to train and will be back in three years. Rest assured, Sasuke is very safe right now, I promise you. Also, don't tell anyone else; this is Sasuke's secret."
The tear-filled eyes instantly lit up with light.
"Really?"
"Would I lie to you?"
"Thank you, Kano."
"It's nothing."
Sakura cheered up. She didn't know what she could do for Sasuke, but she didn't want to remain stagnant.
"What did you say to her? How did she cheer up all of a sudden? Did you brainwash her?"
Kano was at a loss; how was this rumor still around?
"Yes, I brainwashed her. Hurry up and go see my brother and Choji. I'm going to see Naruto too. In a little while, let's secretly follow my brother; he's going out on a date with a girl."
"Holy crap? Shikamaru has a girlfriend?"
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
Check it out if you're curious.