NARUTO- CH-153. Barbeque party

Hinata was confused, but also felt a strange flutter in her heart.

"Why don't we see Sasuke?"

Naruto suddenly noticed the absence of their teammate.

Nara Shikamaru and the others fell silent. As heirs of prestigious ninja clans, they all knew what had happened the previous night. It wouldn't be long before the news spread throughout the village.

"Sasuke isn't feeling well, so he's taking two days off."

Shiki said casually.

"Ah? Is it serious?" Naruto asked, worry evident on his face. "Then let's visit him after school!"

"It's not serious. He just needs some rest."

Shiki shook his head and added, "Don't bother him for the next two days."

"I see..." Naruto said, his voice tinged with regret. "He can't celebrate with us."

"There will be other opportunities," Shiki said, waving his hand dismissively. "Now, everyone, back to your seats."

He then walked toward Hinata.

"Good morning." Shiki stood in front of her and greeted her.

"Morning...ah..."

Hinata's face flushed red as soon as she looked up at him. She quickly buried her face in her desk.

Shiki blinked in confusion.

'What's going on?'

'Why is Hinata's behavior getting worse?'

'Am I radiating some sort of aura?'

Realizing that communication might be difficult for now, he decided to return to his seat.

"Big brother!" Shino's excited voice broke through the room.

Overnight, Shiki had become a student of the Hokage, which had led to a rapid rise in Shino's own status.

"When did you get here?" Shiki replied with a quiet exclamation.

"…"

Shino's excitement suddenly deflated, 'Are you really my brother?'

"How's the Aburame clan's 'taking root' initiative going?" Shiki asked, noting the peculiar nature of the term.

Taking the roots, seizing the roots of Shimura Danzo?

"It's doing fine."

Shino smiled, "Dad said he won't be in Root for long. He can still be saved."

Shino and Togen were good friends.

In the original timeline, Danzo had initially taken an interest in Shino Aburame. However, Shino's loyalty to his clan led to Togen stepping in with his nano-level poisonous insects, forcing Danzo to relent.

"That's good to hear," Shiki nodded, deep in thought.

If Togen's nano-insects were used well, they could become a force to be reckoned with, especially against regular ninjas.

A single person can't elevate an entire clan. The Aburame clan had three main members, and while they might not reach the heights of the Uchihas or Hyugas, they could still earn their place in history.

Once they branched out, there would be no reason for them to fail.

"How's your parasite experiment coming along?" Shiki asked next. It had been a while since he'd visited the Aburame clan.

Shino had already started experimenting with senjutsu chakra on his own, thanks to the insect clones he used to handle potentially dangerous tasks.

"The explosions are getting more powerful," Shino replied after a moment's hesitation.

He felt that if he continued down this path, his senjutsu chakra might become useless. However, his Parasitic Bug Explosion was growing to the point of potentially becoming a forbidden technique.

The problem was that if he didn't throw the bombs far enough, even he would be caught in the blast.

And in crowded areas, friendly forces might accidentally get injured.

"No rush," Shiki said casually, "You're only six years old. There's still plenty of time."

Shino nodded, accepting his brother's reassurance.

If he could perfect it before graduation, that would be even better. By then, their clan would start making a name for itself.

Shiki was already well-known as a medical ninja, he was not an insect controller, so people credited Tsunade with his success instead of the Aburame clan.

Shino mused that perhaps it was up to him to take their family's legacy to the next level.

The class bell rang.

Umino Iruka walked in.

He looked around the room and noticed that everyone was present, except for Sasuke.

"Class, please settle down."

Iruka had already heard about Sasuke's absence. He sympathized with the boy.

What he regretted most, however, was Sarutobi Hiruzen's resignation as Hokage. Iruka wondered if the promise made back then still held true.

Putting aside his thoughts, Iruka began the lesson.

Soon, school ended for the day.

"Shiki-kun!"

Ino rushed toward Shiki as the bell signaling the end of class rang.

"What's up?"

Shiki asked, his gaze drawn to her golden bangs that fluttered as she moved.

"To celebrate your sensei becoming Hokage, of course!"

Ino grinned. "How about we go have a barbecue?"

"Barbecue sounds great!"

Akimichi Choji chimed in, giving a thumbs-up.

"I think Ichiraku Ramen would be better," Naruto suggested after a brief pause.

"Let's vote on it."

Inuzuka Kiba raised his hand. "I'll go for the barbecue."

"I'm good with anything," Nara Shikamaru added indifferently.

"Ino," Shiki said, looking at Ino, "What about you? What do you want to eat?"

"Let's have a barbecue," Sakura answered distractedly, not fully focused on the conversation. She was still concerned about Sasuke.

"Then it's decided."

Shiki smiled. "Let's go grab some barbecue. I'll take one to the Hokage Building afterward."

"After eating, let's go train!"

Naruto clenched his fists excitedly. "One day, I'll have someone pack my lunch for me!"

Shiki couldn't help but chuckle at Naruto's odd competition.

"Who do you want packing lunch for you?"

Choji asked curiously.

"This guy!"

Naruto's gaze shifted to Shiki, but then quickly shook his head. "No, wait. Sasuke!"

"Alright, let's go."

Shiki said with a smile.

The group headed toward the barbecue restaurant.

After they finished eating, Shiki grabbed a plastic takeout box and said goodbye to everyone.

But instead of heading to the Hokage Building, he went to his cabin.

Stopping in the grove, Shiki activated his true essence and poured it into the third-level Gu worm, the Mist Bird Gu, that he had acquired.

A few moments later, a small bird appeared above his head.

With a thought, he sent it flying in multiple directions.

Information flowed into his mind as the bird spread out.

__________

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