Chapter 36: Nawaki
"Interview, huh!"
A hint of disappointment flashed in the nurse's eyes, as if the prey that was within reach had just flown away. She didn't get the chance to deal with Yinsui-sensei, which meant she lost a valuable opportunity to practice.
"Do you also want to become a medical ninja?"
The nurse looked Araki up and down, her eyes slightly curved like a crescent moon. She smiled and said, "You're so young, can you handle it?"
"Who says I'm young?"
Araki furrowed his brow and instinctively replied. This question instantly touched the realm of defending his dignity, to the point where he couldn't be bothered to pretend to have a speech impediment.
"Giggle~"
The nurse let out a silver bell-like laugh. Then, with light steps, she came in front of Araki. Her beautiful eyes stared at him for a moment before she said, "Coincidentally, I don't have much to do. I'll take you for the interview and see if you, little guy, have any skills."
After saying that, the nurse grabbed Araki's forearm and pulled him towards the inside of Konoha Hospital.
"Um... my... my teacher..."
Araki didn't expect the nurse to be so enthusiastic, and he was a bit caught off guard. He watched as Yinsui-sensei was engulfed by other nurses, and couldn't help but worry if Yinsui-sensei could handle it.
"It's fine. With them around, you can rest assured. This is Konoha Hospital, after all." The nurse casually waved her hand while still pulling Araki forward.
"Well... um... just tell me the location... I'll go... by myself..."
Araki felt that this situation wasn't ideal. With his strength, he could break free at any moment. But considering the other party's goodwill, he couldn't resort to violence. Fortunately, there weren't many people inside Konoha Hospital at the moment, otherwise, he would definitely attract a lot of attention.
"You're quite shy!" The nurse turned her head and glanced at Araki, the smile in her eyes never fading, but gaining a hint of meaningfulness. "If you pass the interview, we'll be comrades in the future. Don't be so restrained. Sister won't mind if you're young!"
"I'm not young!"
Araki's mouth twitched again. He knew that the nurse was referring to his age, but he still felt offended.
"Well, well, you're not young," the nurse said, as if coaxing a child. However, the more she said that, the more offended Araki felt.
But there was no solution to it.
If he remained silent about this matter, it would seem like he was accepting it, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy in his heart.
After explaining, it seemed like he was boasting and making excuses.
No matter what he did, he appeared to be passive.
"Chinatsu-neesan!"
Suddenly, a slightly excited voice rang out. Judging from the tone, it sounded like a combination of a girl's and a boy's voice, with a hint of innocence and the distinct feeling of going through puberty.
This greeting immediately caught Araki's and the nurse's attention.
Under their gaze,
A boy of about twelve years old was waving his hand at the stairs.
This boy had brownish hair and wore a forehead protector of Konoha Village, indicating his status as a genin of Konoha. He wore a green robe and had a thick scarf wrapped around his neck, with a necklace hanging outside the scarf.
The boy's spirits seemed to be very high, radiating energy and enthusiasm from his eyes. His face even had a pair of rosy cheeks, and his sunny smile was particularly charming.
"Nawaki, why are you here?"
The nurse immediately greeted him back, her eyes still sparkling.
Chinatsu?
Nawaki?
It was only at this moment.
Araki suddenly realized.
So the boy who called out "Chinatsu-neesan" was the little nurse who enthusiastically took him to the interview.
And that boy...
Was actually Tsunade's younger brother!
Could it be that Tsunade's brother was still alive?
Araki carefully examined Nawaki's appearance. He was about three years older than him and had already graduated from the ninja academy to become a genin. He should be around twelve years old, and he even wore the necklace given by Tsunade around his neck.
Araki recognized that necklace.
It was the famous Shodai necklace, a relic of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Whenever Tsunade gave the necklace to someone, the owner of the necklace would soon meet an unfortunate fate.
After going through the incidents involving Nawaki and Kagura, Tsunade referred to this necklace as the "Necklace of Death."
And now, the Necklace of Death was worn around Nawaki's neck.
So...
At this point in time...
Nawaki might not have much time left.
Araki became keenly aware of this possibility, though his expression remained unchanged, his mood grew heavier.
Hopefully, he wouldn't get involved in any trouble!
Araki didn't really care much about Nawaki. They had no connection, and deaths in the ninja world were happening all the time. According to the information he had obtained, many people would die. He wasn't a saint and had no obligation to protect everyone.
Araki's only desire was to quietly cultivate and improve his own strength. Everything else was insignificant to him.
He believed that it was better to live than anyone else!
No matter who died, he wouldn't let himself die!
"Sis is interviewing someone upstairs. Since I don't have a mission, I came to take a look. Chinatsu-neesan, you go ahead and do your thing. I'll head out first," Nawaki waved his hand towards the nurse.
"Wait..."
The nurse immediately glanced at Araki, then turned to Nawaki and said, "This little guy is the one who came for the interview. Just take him upstairs. I have something to attend to."
"I see! No problem!" Nawaki glanced at Araki with enthusiasm and nodded, saying, "Follow me!"
"Alright... alright..."
Araki's face was filled with black lines. He had just been thinking about maintaining distance from Nawaki, but it turned out that the little nurse named Chinatsu had sold him out.
Instead of being with Nawaki, he would have preferred to be with Chinatsu.
Even if that nurse kept teasing him about being small!
"Youngster, hurry up and go for the interview, don't be late!"
After handing Araki over to Nawaki, Chinatsu the nurse immediately ran off without looking back. She couldn't help but feel relieved that she had encountered Nawaki; otherwise, things would have been disastrous.
She still wanted to watch the excitement!
She almost became the excitement itself!
She didn't expect that person to personally conduct the interview!
Such a thing was not common in the past, and she was curious to see what skills the young lad had. It was fortunate that she didn't go, or she would have been caught by that person, and she would have faced consequences.
After all, this was Konoha Hospital, and she was still on duty. If she wandered around like that, she would definitely be severely reprimanded.
"Thank goodness I can run fast!"
Chinatsu the nurse patted her chest, showing a relieved expression as if she had just escaped a calamity.