newbobooks Chapter 618 Speechless for a Long Time
Chapter 618 Speechless for a Long Time
She remained silent for a long time, her eyes filled with awe and longing. She had never seen such a lively and peaceful village before, and couldn't help but think that Hanzo had instigated the war against Konoha, perhaps coveting this prosperity, this unique peace and beauty of Konoha Village.
Tsunade and Zhang Hai had already parted ways upon returning to the village. As one of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha, Tsunade naturally had endless work to do upon her return. The backlog of official duties and the handling of war-related issues left her overwhelmed, which was why she chose to return to the village slowly. Having experienced a long war, she felt physically and mentally exhausted and needed some time to recover.
Zhang Hai donned his signature Anbu mask and led Konan to the Ninja Academy. The ancient and solemn school building exuded an aura of knowledge under the sunlight. Konan looked at this school she had never set foot in before, a hint of longing flashing in her eyes.
Zhang Hai stopped at the school gate and said to Xiao Nan, "Xiao Nan, the Ninja Academy is the best place to build a solid foundation. It provides comprehensive training for ninjas, including taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and theoretical knowledge. Once you've built a solid foundation here and are strong enough to become a qualified ninja, you'll take a graduation exam." He pointed to the school gate, "When you officially graduate from the academy, I'll personally teach you more advanced ninjutsu."
Xiao Nan's eyes were full of anticipation. She asked curiously, "Brother Zhang Hai, how long did it take you to graduate from school?"
Zhang Hai reminisced for a moment; that period of school life seemed like a distant memory. A subtle hint of nostalgia played at the corners of his lips as he spoke casually, "About a year, I guess." He felt that his time at school, though short, was full of enjoyment.
Xiao Nan's eyes filled with shock and admiration when she heard that Zhang Hai had graduated in just one year. A determined look appeared on her small face. She secretly encouraged herself and set a goal: to graduate in one year. She would study hard, become a powerful ninja as soon as possible, and then return to Yahiko and Nagato's side to reunite with them. She believed that her brother Zhang Hai's words would definitely come true.
The gates of the ninja academy became sacred and solemn in Konan's eyes, and a small goal quietly took root in her heart. Zhang Hai looked at her, a hint of satisfaction on his face.
"This is my home." Zhang Hai led Xiao Nan to a detached courtyard house located in the center of Konoha Village. Although the courtyard was not large, its location was excellent and the environment was quiet. However, upon opening the door, the interior appeared somewhat empty and old. "Because of the constant warfare, no one has lived here much, so it's a bit dusty," Zhang Hai said, casually brushing away a thin layer of dust from the door frame.
He turned to Xiao Nan and explained gently, "I'm currently working for the Dark Division and am very busy with missions, so I basically won't be coming back to live here anymore. Therefore, this place will be yours to live in from now on. Feel free to use anything in the house, and if you need anything, just tell me and I'll go buy it for you." He handed the key to Xiao Nan, and his trust and generosity made her feel a little overwhelmed.
Konan took the key, a hint of apprehension in her eyes. As if remembering something, she suddenly spoke, "When I return to Amegakure, I'll help you." Her tone was earnest and carried a promise, clearly showing she took Zhang Hai's words to Orochimaru—"Train Konan so she can help me in the future"—to heart. She wanted to repay Zhang Hai's kindness in her own way.
Zhang Hai chuckled twice, understanding Xiao Nan's thoughts. He encouraged her to work hard: "Alright, I'll be waiting for you. You must study hard and become an excellent ninja!" He didn't explain further, simply silently remembering Xiao Nan's promise. Then, he glanced at the sky. "Alright, settle in here for now. I need to get your identity badge processed. You can officially start school tomorrow."
Xiao Nan answered firmly, "I will!" Then, she rolled up her sleeves, picked up the cleaning tools readily available in the yard, and her slender figure began busily cleaning the dust in the room, as if she were tending to her own future. Seeing this, Zhang Hai nodded secretly, satisfied with Xiao Nan's independence and diligence. Then, in a flash, he disappeared from the spot as if merging into thin air.
Zhang Hai went directly to the Third Hokage's office. As a member of the Anbu, he was part of the Hokage's direct forces, and naturally needed to report upon returning from the battlefield.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, smiled sincerely when he saw Zhang Hai appear. He put down his pipe and praised Zhang Hai's performance on the battlefield over the past few months, his tone full of admiration: "Zhang Hai, your performance on the battlefield these past few months has been nothing short of perfect!" He specifically mentioned, "Sakumo Hatake reported all your achievements to me, including the mission to destroy the Iwagakure village's logistics outpost, which you did exceptionally well!" The Third Hokage's high praise for Zhang Hai was undoubtedly a great honor.
Zhang Hai replied respectfully, "Thank you for the praise, Lord Hokage. It's all I should do." He knew that he had earned these credits with his life.
After praising him, the Third Hokage's gaze softened, and he asked with a hint of concern, "I heard you brought back a child, intending to take him as a disciple?" His eyes were deep, as if he could see through people's hearts.
Zhang Hai felt a chill run down his spine, unsure if the Third Hokage's words held a deeper meaning. He hesitated for a moment before finally choosing to answer honestly, "Yes." He knew that with the Hokage's intelligence network, these things couldn't be kept secret.
The Third Hokage smiled, noticing Zhang Hai's concerns. He said gently, "Hehe, there's no need to worry. Actually, many ninjas in Konoha are orphans picked up from the battlefield. Through Konoha's training, they eventually became pillars of the village." He gave an example, "Your good friend Minato Namikaze is one of them. Now that they've come to Konoha, they're part of Konoha." His words undoubtedly dispelled Zhang Hai's worries and demonstrated Konoha's tolerance and acceptance of these war orphans.
Zhang Hai agreed. He knew that Konoha's assimilation ability was extremely powerful; through nurturing and education, these outsiders could develop a strong sense of belonging to the village. In fact, Konoha had, to some extent, assimilated the Uchiha clan, making them part of the village. The only failure was probably Uchiha Madara, the outcast who chose to sever ties with the village.
The Third Hokage then addressed the issue of the Anbu's organization. He pointed to the documents on the table, his tone becoming serious: "The Anbu typically has a fixed strength of seventy members, and additional personnel will be added as needed during wartime."