"Why aren't my relationships with my classmates very good? It's probably because I usually focus most of my energy on studying and training, so I don't have much time to get close to them and build stronger bonds."
Damn it, Third Old Man, which one of my relationships with the other academy students is actually bad? Just because I interact with them less usually means our relationships are bad? That's total nonsense.
Although she felt quite speechless inside, on the surface Furina maintained the appearance of a well-behaved girl. Every answer she gave to the Third's various questions was perfectly in line with the Will of Fire.
The Will of Fire? Come on she didn't get first place on the written exam for nothing.
"I roughly understand your situation now. However, I still have one more question. I'm not sure if it's convenient for you to answer."
"Hokage-sama, feel free to ask. I will naturally tell you everything I know."
"Hm." Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen gave a light nod, seemingly very satisfied with Furina's performance. Only then did he finally voice the question he had been holding back until now.
"Then why is it that your relationships with the others from the academy aren't particularly good, yet you get along very well with Naruto? Is there something special about him?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke very quickly, as if he didn't want to give Furina too much time to react. Combined with the natural pressure from his position, if it were anyone else, they probably would have blurted out even what color underwear they were wearing today.
But this had no effect on Furina. It wasn't that her reaction speed was especially fast or that her mental resilience was particularly strong it was simply that she had long anticipated he would ask her this question, so she had already prepared her answer in advance.
After all, with Naruto's special status as the Fourth Hokage's son and the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, the Third probably had the ANBU monitoring every detail of Naruto's daily life what he ate, where he went, everything.
Naturally, her own interactions with Naruto couldn't escape his line of sight either. It was only because all her behaviors had been perfectly normal that no action had been taken until now using this graduation interview as the perfect opportunity to ask.
"Finally getting to the main point." Seeing that after half a day of questions and answers, Sarutobi Hiruzen had finally revealed his true intentions, Furina didn't hesitate much.
After adjusting her expression to appear as sincere as possible, she slowly delivered the answer she had prepared in her heart.
"It's probably because we're both orphans. That gives me a sense of shared misfortune, so I naturally wanted to interact with him more.
After getting to know him better, I found that he's a very cheerful and optimistic person. No matter what setbacks he encounters, he never gets defeated. While spending time with him, I discovered that my own mood improved a lot too.
I believe that once anyone truly gets to know him, they would be very willing to become his friend."
"Become friends, huh." After listening to Furina's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured softly to himself a few times, then revealed a smile. Furina's answer greatly satisfied him.
Wasn't this exactly what he had envisioned? Letting Naruto form bonds with his comrades in the village and protect it together. Furina had clearly made an excellent start.
"I understand your answer. You may go now. Don't forget about the team assignments tomorrow."
"Understood, Hokage-sama. Then I'll take my leave first."
Judging from the Third's demeanor, Furina felt that her performance had likely satisfied him. After all, this was her giving the medicine precisely for the illness once she knew what he wanted not perfect, but at least seventy or eighty percent on target.
She had done everything she could. Getting into Team 7 would be ideal; if not, there was nothing she could do. She'd just have to work harder in other areas.
After leaving, while wandering the streets, Furina somehow ended up near the Memorial Stone by some twist of fate.
Looking toward one particular direction among the tombstones in the park ahead, a trace of nostalgia flashed through Furina's eyes. That was where the parents of this life were buried.
"It's been a while since I last visited them. Since I'm here, I might as well go in and take a look. Though if they knew I became a ninja, they probably wouldn't be too happy about it."
In this life, her parents had been injured during a mission and could no longer have children. That was precisely why, when they found her drifting down the river from upstream, they decided to adopt her.
Because they had deeply understood the cruelty of the ninja profession, they did not want their child to become a ninja as well.
In their eyes, living as an ordinary person growing up safely, living a peaceful life was far better than being a ninja who could die at any moment.
But unfortunately, Furina was destined to disappoint them. Having lived once before and now possessing a cheat system, there was no way she would be content to live as an ordinary person.
She wanted to see this world properly even the sights of other worlds and that was impossible without power. That was also the reason she continued to train diligently even with her golden finger.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen. I'm really strong, you know. If you're still worried down there, just wish for me to get into Team 7. That way, your daughter can live even better."
After silently paying her respects in front of the tombstone for a while and saying a few playful words in her heart, Furina prepared to leave. Who would have thought that as soon as she opened her eyes, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance.
Or rather, a figure familiar from memories she had never actually met him in real life before. Konoha's number one technician, Kakashi of the Sharingan.
At this moment, he was also standing in front of a tombstone, his one visible eye slightly closed, seemingly paying silent tribute to someone.
"Uncle, are you here to visit someone you miss too? By the way, how come I didn't notice you just now?"
After Kakashi opened his eyes, Furina took the initiative to walk over and strike up a conversation. After all, she was bored anyway might as well get acquainted with him first. Who knows, he might end up being her teacher tomorrow.
"Hm?" Kakashi was clearly a bit surprised by Furina's sudden approach, but having already returned to his usual lazy demeanor, he didn't think too much of it. He simply pointed to the forehead protector on his head and replied casually.
"See? Because I'm a ninja, little girl. Ninjas appearing and disappearing like ghosts is pretty normal, right?"
"Is that so? Then it looks like Uncle must be a really amazing ninja. After all, even I a ninja myself didn't notice you at all."
As she spoke, Furina took out the ninja forehead protector she had just received a few days ago to show him. Seeing this, a faint spark of interest flashed through Kakashi's otherwise expressionless dead-fish eyes.
"Time really flies, huh. So it's already these next couple of days."
At this moment, Kakashi couldn't help but feel a bit emotional inside. Not long ago, the Third Hokage had pulled him out of ANBU and assigned him to be the jonin sensei for Naruto and Sasuke two very important individuals. He hadn't expected it to arrive so soon.
Especially since Naruto was his teacher's son. Honestly, he still wasn't fully prepared.