Knock knock—
The sound of the door being slammed woke Seiryū, followed by Kurenai's cheerful voice: "Seiryū, wake up!!"
What time is it now?
Seiryū groggily opened his eyes, glanced at the alarm clock, and saw it was only five o'clock.
He turned over. Seiryū didn't want to get up. He usually got up at six and lazily said, "It's only five. Why are you waking me so early?"
Kurenai's voice continued, tinged with nervousness: "Aren't we supposed to have the graduation exam today?"
"I'm having trouble sleeping, so help me practice the Three Basic Jutsu to reinforce the knowledge."
Seiryū yawned and lazily said, "Didn't you fully master the Three Basic Jutsu two years ago? The graduation standard isn't hard."
It had been nearly two months since they cured Tsunade's hemophobia.
Today was the graduation exam day for the third-year class at the Ninja Academy.
Kurenai's voice was faint. "I'm a little nervous. I need to reinforce my knowledge."
She could perform the Three Basic Jutsu effortlessly, but students still got nervous before an exam.
Of course, there was another reason.
After graduating and becoming a Genin, they would be assigned to squads and meet their Jōnin instructors.
She wondered if she would be placed in the same squad as Seiryū.
Who would be her Jōnin instructor?
Thinking about all this kept her from sleeping.
It was what people called anxiety.
Seiryū still didn't get up, yawned, and said nonchalantly, "Why be nervous? Just perform normally. Are you worried you won't pass?"
Kurenai, a bit angry, said, "Hurry up! You're still dragging your feet even when such a cute little sister is asking you—"
"Oh—"
Seiryū gave a perfunctory reply and still didn't move.
After waiting a dozen seconds with no response from inside, Kurenai grew angrier. "Damned!"
She lifted her little foot and kicked the main door, then swaggered inside.
Her movements were smooth, clearly not the first time she'd done this.
Seeing Seiryū turned away, Kurenai snorted. "Wake up, or I'll take action!!"
She knew Seiryū liked to sleep naked without pulling up the blankets and was afraid she might see something she shouldn't.
"Hmm—"
Seiryū turned over to face Kurenai, opened his eyes to glance at her, then closed them again, ignoring her.
Kurenai, teeth clenched in anger, formed hand seals. "Water Release: Water Bullet—"
Hearing that, Seiryū couldn't stay in bed. He quickly opened his eyes and shouted, "Stop, stop, stop! I'll get up right now! Life is so wonderful, how can you be so irritable?"
That little girl really dared to use Water Release to soak him.
It was winter. He definitely didn't want to become a drenched.
Kurenai haughtily hummed, "Humph, hurry up. I'm waiting for you in the backyard!"
After that, she trotted away, her ponytail swinging behind her, exuding a youthful, lively vibe.
"Sigh, this young girl's temper is getting more volatile, though she was cuter when she was younger."
Seiryū sighed.
Nine-year-old Kurenai was still a soft, cute little girl. Adorable, yes, but her temper was getting worse and she was quite disrespectful.
No idea who taught her that.
He was no longer sleepy, but Seiryū still didn't want to get up. The blanket was too comfortable.
The Clone Jutsu came in handy at that moment.
Seiryū created a clone to help Kurenai reinforce the Three Basic Jutsu, while he stayed curled up under the blanket.
In the backyard.
Seeing Seiryū's clone strolling slowly toward her, Kurenai couldn't tell it was a clone. She pursed her lips and complained, "So sluggish!"
Seiryū yawned. "Yes, yes, you're the most diligent, but I don't know who slept in until it was almost dry yesterday—"
"There's a reason. I'm not just lazing in bed!"
"Oh? Wet the bed? Waiting for the sheets to air-dry?"
"No way! I stopped wetting the bed at three—wait, why are we even talking about this? Come teach me the Three Basic Jutsu!!"
Kurenai was just nervous and couldn't sleep. That didn't mean her Three Basic Jutsu skills were lacking.
She had learned them two years ago.
Reinforcing the Three Basic Jutsu was just to ease her inner anxiety, and also to chat with Seiryū.
She spent half an hour practicing the Three Basic Jutsu without a single failure.
It was understandable. Kurenai's talent was in genjutsu, but she was also very proficient with basic ninjutsu.
Seiryū lazily said, "Not nervous anymore?"
Kurenai wiped her brow, pursed her lips, and said, "It's not exactly nervousness. Just a bit of anxiety. I don't know if we'll be placed in the same squad, and I don't know who the Jōnin instructor is—"
Seiryū was taken aback. "Uh, that's it?"
Kurenai retorted, "Don't you want to be in the same squad as me? I'm your cute little sister!"
"I originally wanted to give you a surprise, but you're so impatient. Still a child—"
Seiryū chuckled helplessly, then explained, "I don't know how others are assigned, but you and I have already been selected. Our Jōnin instructor is that bad woman, Tsunade."
"Huh?" Kurenai tilted her head, surprised. "It's Tsunade-sama? How do you know? How could Tsunade-sama decide to be our Jōnin instructor?"
"She owes me money."
With that one sentence, Kurenai roughly understood what had happened.
Whoa, you can actually pull that off?
No wonder Seiryū could always do things she didn't expect.
But yay!
She wouldn't be separated from Seiryū.
Her Jōnin instructor was still Tsunade, whom she admired. Although Tsunade's image had cracked a bit in her mind, she still respected her.
Knowing she wouldn't be separated from Seiryū, Kurenai no longer felt anxious.
What's there to reinforce now?
No more reinforcement!
Excitedly, she asked Seiryū what he wanted for breakfast, then ran off to cook.
Watching that, Seiryū was speechless. His face turned blank.
At the dining table.
Shinku ate breakfast while looking at his daughter and asked, "Kurenai, are you confident about today's exam?"
"Of course!"
At that moment, Kurenai was brimming with confidence. All nervousness and anxiety vanished. She boasted, "It's so easy, I could pass with my eyes closed. Just wait for our good news!"
"Hehe, confidence is all that matters."
Shinku chuckled lightly. He wasn't worried about Seiryū or Kurenai.
Then he reminded them, "The squad assignments at the Ninja Academy are decided by Hokage-sama. No one can change that. If I could, I'd like to be your Jōnin instructor."
"But regardless of who your Jōnin instructor is, you must show proper respect, understand?"
He was just an ordinary Jōnin, unable to decide Seiryū and Kurenai's squad placements.
Squad assignments were arranged by the Hokage. No one could alter them.
That's why he reminded them.
No matter who the Jōnin instructor is, respect must be shown.
Shinobi qualified to be Jōnin instructors were the elite among Jōnin.
(To be continued.)