The next day.
After training, Might Guy's energetic words of comfort rang in Neji's ears: "Neji, don't lose heart! One failure is nothing! Youth ans constantly moving forward through continuous setbacks! Burn brightly!"
Guy-sensei gave a thumbs-up, his teeth seemingly sparkling.
Neji nodded slightly and responded politely, "Yes, Guy-sensei."
But his eyes were sowhat unfocused, his mind clearly not on Guy's passionate encouragent.
What had happened last night lingered in his mind like a persistent fog.
Last night, as he finished his day's training and walked the familiar yet sowhat oppressive road back to the Hyuga Clan Compound, he unexpectedly ran into the Clan Head—Hyuga Hiashi.
Hiashi seed to be waiting for soone.
The Clan Head's expression was unusual, unlike his usual stern and rigid deanor. Instead, he carried a complex emotion that Neji couldn't quite na, as if suppressing so massive resolve, yet revealing a hint of unspeakable excitent.
When he saw Neji again.
He said so things that completely baffled Neji.
Neji forgot how the conversation started, but two segnts of the dialogue that left him most perplexed were still fresh in his mory.
"Neji."
Hiashi's voice was low and solemn.
"Rember, 'He who hesitates is lost'."
He paused, staring sharply straight at Neji, as if trying to pierce his inner thoughts.
"Sotis, one person, just one person, must make a decisive move."
These words ca abruptly, without any preamble, and sounded nothing like advice on training or clan matters.
Neji was filled with doubt: What was the Clan Head hinting at?
What did this "cut" refer to?
And what did "one person" an? Was it directed at him? Or at Hiashi himself?
Or the Caged Bird Seal?
Countless question marks swirled in Neji's mind.
Before Neji could sort out his thoughts or open his mouth to ask, Hiashi imdiately continued, "In a while, I will arrange an important mission that requires your participation. Be prepared."
As a mber of the Branch Family, facing the Clan Head's direct order, Neji didn't hesitate at all. He imdiately bowed and replied, "Yes, Lord Hiashi, I understand."
However, what confused him even more was that after he agreed, a trace of... eerie excitent flashed across Lord Hiashi's face?
Although the expression was quickly restrained, Neji keenly caught it.
This completely contradicted the Clan Head's usual composed image.
What kind of mission could make the Clan Head show such an emotion?
Neji was completely baffled, feeling that last night's chance encounter was unusual in every way.
Tenten suddenly stopped organizing her ninja tools. She widened her eyes and looked toward the nearby street, her voice filled with undisguised astonishnt: "Guy-sensei, look over there!"
Might Guy, Hyuga Neji, and Rock Lee were imdiately drawn by her voice and looked in the direction she was pointing.
They saw that familiar figure on the street not far away.
Silver hair, mask, forehead protector worn diagonally, hands in pockets.
It was Kakashi Hatake.
He was walking leisurely.
'Oh, it's just Kakashi. What's so surprising about that...'
The mont Guy had that thought, his gaze locked onto the figure next to Kakashi.
Wait, who is that woman?
She had striking dark green long hair, which fell smoothly around her. She was tall and carried an air of elegance in her steps.
The four mbers of Guys team instantly reached a silent understanding, swiftly hiding behind a thick tree at the edge of the training ground. They cautiously poked out four heads, their gazes tightly focused on the two people on the street.
Kakashi seed to be leaning his head and saying sothing to the woman beside him, but he was facing away from them.
The green-haired woman also turned her head to respond, her lips curved upward, her eyes and brows conveying pleasure. The two chatted happily, the atmosphere relaxed and harmonious.
Might Guy scrutinized the unfamiliar woman with a serious expression, his thick brows furrowed as he tried to find any clues about her.
But aside from the imdiate impression that she was very beautiful, and noting the distinctive feature of a tear mole beneath her right eye, he couldn't discern anything else.
"That's strange."
Guy lowered his voice, his tone conveying the seriousness and confusion of a reconnaissance mission.
"That woman is chatting and laughing with Kakashi, but this is the first ti I've ever seen her. Is she a client for a mission?"
He speculated about her possible identity.
After all, having grown up with Kakashi, if the woman was soone from Konoha Village, Might Guy would definitely know her, or at least have seen her.
(Kisa Hoshigaki: As if you could rember, you face-blind, bowl-cut, thick-browed idiot!)
Neji temporarily pushed aside his previous worries and entered a state of calm analysis.
His pure white eyes scanned the area around Kakashi and the woman. After confirming the information he wanted, he replied in a low voice, "It shouldn't be a mission, Guy-sensei."
His logic was clear.
"After all, Naruto and his two teammates aren't present."
If it truly were a Team 7 mission, Naruto and his two teammates would have no reason to be absent.
After all, missions within the village are almost always C-rank and D-rank. A Jonin like Kakashi wouldn't need to take them; they are usually given to the students.
This is also Konoha Village's standard practice of veterans guiding the new generation.
"Furthermore..."
Tenten leaned closer, her gaze moving back and forth between Kakashi and the green-haired woman. The more she looked, the more wrong it felt. Her tone carried a girl's unique intuition and a hint of gossipy excitent as she pointed out Kakashi's occasional close speaking posture and the woman's natural reaction.
"No matter how you look at them, they seem like they're on a date!"
"A date!"
Rock Lee was startled, crying out in surprise and instantly shattering the carefully maintained silence behind the tree.
His eyes were wide open, his face filled with innocent shock.
"Rock, your voice is too loud!"
Neji reacted extrely quickly, letting out a low shout.
Three hands flashed out and covered Rock Lee's mouth.
That's right, Tenten, Neji, and Might Guy simultaneously moved to cover Rock Lee's mouth.
Almost at the sa mont, Might Guy quickly placed the index finger of his other hand to his lips, making an exaggerated and anxious "shush" gesture at Rock Lee, tightly coordinating with Neji's action of covering the mouth, and urgently warned in a whisper: "Shhh!"
While forcefully covering his student's mouth, Guy nervously craned his neck to peek at the street again, terrified of alerting their target.
He had only one thought in his mind, which was clearly reflected in his winking and squinting expression: He still wanted to watch the show!
Kakashi actually has a girlfriend?
"Guy-sensei, Asuma-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, who are in the sa cohort as you, both have girlfriends now. When are you planning to find us a sensei's wife?"
Tenten asked quietly.
"We'll talk about that later. Let's first figure out if Kakashi is actually dating."
Might Guy felt a little awkward.
What Tenten said was truly... correct.
Might Duy was already married with children at Guy's current age, but Might Guy still didn't have a girlfriend!
However, Ebisu and Shiranui Genma, who were on a team with Might Guy before, aren't married yet either, so Guy wasn't worried.
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