Naruto: Young Teacher
Chapter 32
The Raikage slammed the report onto his desk, his expression darkening.
"So you're telling me someone nearly destroyed the entire Grass Village?" he asked, his voice heavy with irritation.
What truly bothered him wasn't the destruction itself, but the explosion at the Daimyo's castle. That single act would shake the political balance far more than the village attack.
"Who did it?" he demanded. "And that explosion… was it a weapon? If someone can use something like that without being detected, this becomes a serious problem."
Far away in Iwagakure, Onoki sat inside his office, reading the same report.
"Any information on the attacker?" he asked, his tone calm but serious.
"None, Tsuchikage-sama," an ANBU replied.
Onoki sighed, setting the report down.
"This is the calm before the storm," he muttered. "Those fools won't stay quiet after something like this."
Back in Konoha, Hiruzen took a slow puff from his pipe as he sat with the elders.
"What do you think was the reason behind this attack?" he asked.
Danzo narrowed his eye slightly.
"It's unclear," he said. "But that explosion… it was far beyond what explosive tags can produce."
The room fell silent.
"If such a weapon exists," Danzo continued, "and it can be used without alerting an entire village… then it's extremely dangerous."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
"And what orders have come from the Daimyo?" he asked.
"None yet," Homura replied. "He has been unusually quiet."
Meanwhile, far away from the political tension, Ren remained completely unconcerned.
On his hidden island safe house, his shadow clone appeared and gently placed Karin and her mother inside.
"You two can stay here," the clone said calmly. "Use whatever you need. Eat, rest, and recover."
With that, the clone dispersed as its chakra ran out.
Karin looked around the house in confusion.
"Are we… free?" she asked hesitantly.
Her mother smiled softly.
"For now," she replied.
They slowly explored the house.
It was clean, warm, and peaceful—completely different from everything they had endured.
Karin ran into the garden, her eyes shining.
"It's so beautiful!" she said, running between the flowers.
Her mother watched quietly, a gentle smile forming on her face as her anxiety slowly faded.
That night, they prepared a simple meal and rested in the guest room.
Karin lay on the soft futon, her body sinking into its warmth.
"It's so comfortable…" she murmured.
For the first time in years, both mother and daughter slept peacefully.
The next morning, Akari woke up and looked around the room.
The soft futon, the quiet atmosphere, and her daughter sleeping calmly beside her brought tears to her eyes.
She can finally rest…
Suddenly, Akari sensed a powerful chakra presence appear within the house.
"A Jonin-level ninja…" she whispered, her body tensing.
She stepped outside cautiously as the presence approached.
What she saw made her freeze in disbelief.
"A… child?"
Standing before her was a young girl, around twelve years old.
She had long dark hair, pale lavender eyes, and a calm but alert expression.
Hinata Hyūga.
Hinata looked at the unfamiliar red-haired woman with caution.
Who is she? Hinata thought. Why is someone else here? Did Ren's barrier fail? No… that's impossible.
She took a defensive stance, ready to act if necessary.
Akari also remained cautious.
Even in her weakened state, she could sense that the girl in front of her was not ordinary.
Hinata's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Akari's condition.
The bite marks on her arms were clear.
Activating her Byakugan, Hinata examined her more closely.
The woman's chakra felt similar to Naruto's.
"Did Ren bring you here?" Hinata asked calmly.
Akari blinked in confusion.
"Ren?" she repeated.
Hinata paused before rephrasing.
"Did a masked ninja teleport you here?"
Akari nodded slowly.
"Yes," she said. "A masked ninja brought us here."
Hinata relaxed slightly.
"I'm Hinata Hyūga," she said gently. "Nice to meet you."
"Akari Uzumaki," the woman replied.
Hinata nodded thoughtfully before the two of them sat down and began talking.
A few moments later, Ino arrived.
"Yo, Hina—" she stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Akari.
After a brief pause, she shrugged and joined them.
"Ino Yamanaka," she introduced herself casually.
As Akari explained her story, both girls listened quietly.
Ino's expression darkened with anger.
"They did that to you?" she said, clearly furious.
Akari smiled faintly.
"I'm grateful that's all I suffered," she said softly. "It could have been much worse."
Hinata's eyes grew watery at her words.
"But, Aunt Akari…" she began, her voice trembling.
She stopped herself, remembering her own family situation.
Ino stepped forward confidently.
"From now on, you and Karin will stay here," she said firmly. "No one will harm you again."
Both girls had already grown fond of Akari.
Ino, with her emotional awareness, could tell she was telling the truth.
Hinata had already confirmed it through her Byakugan and medical knowledge.
As they continued talking, Hinata activated her Mystic Palm Jutsu and gently healed Akari's bite wounds.
"Aunt Akari, you need to rest for a few days," Hinata said seriously. "Eat well and recover. Your body is still weak."
Akari smiled warmly and gently patted Hinata's head.
Hinata froze for a moment before her eyes filled with tears.
The gesture reminded her of her mother.
Akari noticed her reaction immediately.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked gently.
Hinata quickly wiped her tears and shook her head.
At that moment, Ino used her Partial Mind-Body Switch to create a temporary telepathic link.
(Hinata's mother passed away when her younger sister was born.)
Akari's expression softened with understanding.
She gently pulled Hinata into a hug, patting her back softly.
"It's okay to cry for someone you love," Akari said. "And you're still a child. You don't have to grow up so quickly."
Hinata finally broke down, her tears falling freely as she stopped holding back.
Beside them, Ino quietly wiped her eyes.
"Must be dust…" she muttered under her breath.
For the first time in a long while, the house felt like a true home.