This is different from the Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
The Five Elements are primarily used for sealing techniques in the ninja world.
For example, Orochimaru's Five Elements Seal involves Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. He used this sealing technique to disrupt the power of the dual Four Symbols Seal, or the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style, that Minato Namikaze had placed on Naruto.
"Participate in the Chunin Exams?" Asuma rubbed his somewhat swollen hand.
"That's right." Kiyoshi nodded.
As long as the "Second Crown Prince" spoke, their Jonin squad leader, Yūki Minazuki, certainly wouldn't dare to block them.
"Well about that…" Having lost face in front of Kurenai, Asuma now had a way to save some dignity.
He cleared his throat and said, "It depends on Kurenai's opinion."
Regarding the Chunin Exams, Asuma actually wanted to participate early.
He wanted to quickly make a name for himself, letting those around him see that he wasn't just the son of the Hokage.
He had his own name—Asuma!
However, it depended on whether Kurenai was willing to participate.
If Kurenai didn't want to participate in this Chunin Exam, he was willing to wait for the next one.
"Since... since Kiyoshi also said we should, then we'll participate." Kurenai spoke, her small lips exhaling faint plumes of white breath in the cold air.
"Kurenai, why do you agree just because Kiyoshi said so? Are you that concerned with Kiyoshi's opinion?" Asuma asked jealously.
He clenched his fist, feeling physically and mentally exhausted.
'I've worked so hard in front of Kurenai, can't I even earn a glance?'
'Is it true that I, the childhood friend, am destined to lose to Kiyoshi, the sudden arrival?'
"That... that's not true at all." Kurenai's red eyes seemed to grow even redder, and even her earlobes blushed faintly.
Being inherently outspoken, she wasn't good at handling situations like this.
Especially when looking at Kiyoshi, who was growing taller every day and had an increasingly determined face.
"Because Kiyoshi looks like the strongest. If he agrees, our squad's chances of passing will be very high."
"Kurenai, you're absolutely right." Asuma sighed in relief.
It seemed he was overthinking things.
His childhood friend still cared about him.
Watching the two of them, the corner of Kiyoshi's mouth curled into an amused smile.
Kurenai wasn't a frivolous person, she wouldn't simply fall for him.
But Kiyoshi figured she probably had some level of goodwill towards him.
Just this, however, was too monotonous.
Kiyoshi disliked conventional romance stories.
And of course, he didn't enjoy being cuckolded.
He preferred to cuck others.
He enjoyed seeing the woman's expression of devotion and the cuckold's helplessness...
Compared to the original ending, Asuma and Kurenai's future has already been altered, beginning to move towards a different path. Isn't that a form of cuckolding in itself?
The more he saw Asuma sighing in relief, shedding his burden, and thinking he still had a chance, the more Kiyoshi felt a faint stream of heat rising in his left and right eyes.
His Dōjutsu power increased slightly.
The upper limit of his chakra capacity, which had been bottlenecked, was also nudged by this Dōjutsu power, starting to climb higher.
'That's the feeling.'
After chatting for a while, the three of them went to a dumpling shop for a meal, after which Kiyoshi left first.
He bought a basket of apples on the bustling street as a gift.
Kiyoshi had been visiting the Hidden Leaf Hospital frequently lately.
Nonō Yakushi had taken time out of her schedule to teach him about Medical Ninjutsu.
Such a small gift would better demonstrate his sincerity and gratitude.
Women, after all, enjoyed such gestures.
Kiyoshi believed that Nonō Yakushi, who was fond of children, would be no exception.
***
Hidden Leaf Hospital.
"Nonō-sensei, this is a small gift." Kiyoshi set down the basket of apples.
"Little Kiyoshi, you shouldn't have spent money on this." Nonō Yakushi's serene face showed a surprised smile, seemingly not expecting Kiyoshi to be so thoughtful.
Especially for an orphan like Kiyoshi, she wondered how much effort he must have put in privately to learn these social courtesies.
Thinking this, Nonō Yakushi looked at Kiyoshi with a hint of sympathetic compassion.
'What a poor child.'
"Come, sit down. I have something to discuss with you." Nonō Yakushi beckoned Kiyoshi over.
Only after Kiyoshi sat beside her did Nonō Yakushi begin to speak.
***
In another part of the Hidden Leaf Hospital.
"Rin, well done. How about joining us after graduation?" a female Medical Ninja praised, watching Rin Nohara use Medical Ninjutsu on a budding cherry blossom branch.
If she could control the Medical Ninjutsu to make the cherry blossom bloom, she would have completed the "Emergency Measure" training.
The purpose was to train Medical Ninjas to instantaneously gather a large amount of medical chakra, enabling them to stabilize a comrade when they needed immediate first aid.
"Sister Minako, um... I don't want to be a logistical Medical Ninja." Rin Nohara politely declined Minako Nishiyama.
"Alright, I suppose. It's the same when you eventually join a squad." Minako Nishiyama shook her head.
Lady Tsunade had once proposed that every three-person squad should include a Medical Ninja.
That proposal eventually faded away, so Rin's path now could be seen as aligning with that old suggestion.
"Lady Nonō heard about you. I hear she's having her disciple study with you. Remember to seize the opportunity." Minako Nishiyama patted Rin Nohara's shoulder.
She genuinely thought highly of this young girl.
Rin could quickly learn many Medical Ninjutsu. If she continued like this, she might even master the Mystical Palm Technique.
But to succeed, one needed connections.
If Rin built a good relationship with Lady Nonō Yakushi, she would have smooth sailing at the Hidden Leaf Hospital.
Nonō Yakushi was the second-in-command, after the Hokage's wife, Biwako Sarutobi.
"Thank you, Sister Minako." Rin Nohara thanked the sister who looked out for her sincerely.
Curiosity arose in her mind.
'Who could Lady Nonō Yakushi's disciple be?'
Rin Nohara had never seen that disciple at the hospital.
She heard that the disciple usually only received Nonō Yakushi's guidance in her private office, and no one ever disturbed them.
After finishing her training for the day, Rin Nohara changed into a white nurse uniform.
She volunteered at the hospital to help out and ease the financial burden on her family.
For a civilian family to support a ninja like Rin, the expenses were high, and they lived frugally.
"A week's supply of Soldier Pills, please." Kakashi said to the staff member behind a counter in the hospital.
Rin Nohara, pushing a small cart to restock the Soldier Pills on the shelves, caught sight of Kakashi.
"Kakashi." Rin Nohara waved her small hand in greeting.
"Rin, are you...?" Kakashi looked at Rin inside the counter, confused.
"I come here to help out and earn a little money."
In the Hidden Leaf Village, child labor wasn't heavily regulated.
After all, once ninjas like them graduated and adapted for a period, they could start taking C-rank missions.
If they killed an enemy during a C-rank mission, they wouldn't be judged or held accountable for murder.
Ninjas, like the feudal lord's army, had immunity for killing in the line of duty.
Kakashi nodded upon hearing this and said:
"I just saw Kiyoshi here. He seems to have found a teacher here. I heard he was looking for Minako Nishiyama, saying she would introduce a talented Medical Ninja to him."
Kakashi looked at Rin Nohara in her nurse uniform and suspected that the person he mentioned might be her.
"Oh, Kiyoshi?" Rin Nohara was startled.
She hadn't heard anything about this.
***
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