NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: Note, Bondage!
As Araki ran towards his training spot, he occasionally sprinkled some pepper powder. The powder scattered in the air and stuck to the branches, releasing a pungent smell that could disrupt tracking to some extent.
However...
Now Araki was not sprinkling the pepper powder to mask his scent.
He was doing it to leave a scent trail!
When Araki and Sora traveled here, they took a different path. The scent of the pepper powder might be discovered in the future or it might not, but causing a little more confusion was always a good precaution.
Caution was always the right approach!
Araki didn't continuously sprinkle the pepper powder, as that would create a trail for others to follow. Instead, he sprinkled it every now and then in certain areas.
He only stopped sprinkling the powder when he returned to a relatively bustling area of the village.
It was late in the evening now.
Many shops in the village were still open, and the dim lights cast a hazy glow in the night.
Occasionally, laughter could be heard from inside.
Compared to the real world, Konoha Village was not highly civilized and resembled an ancient era, but its nightlife was just as vibrant as modern cities. The main reason was that many ninjas returned to the village late after completing missions, and the shops stayed open longer to provide food for the tired ninjas, as well as to earn extra profit.
When ninjas were on missions, they mostly relied on ration pills to satisfy their hunger, which didn't have any particular taste. After completing missions, their tired bodies craved delicious food, and they were defenseless against it.
Araki passed through the lively area without any intention of eating there. He just wanted to lure the scent in this direction.
The bustling area was crowded with people, increasing the number of potential suspects and posing a greater challenge for the investigative work of the Konoha Village's Military Police Force.
Of course...
Araki didn't believe that the Military Police Force would discover the burial site of Hyuga's bones.
Soon enough, Araki passed through the center of the village and returned to the forest.
His previous rapid running didn't consume much of his physical energy; the level of exhaustion was not as high as during his regular training. Often, Araki had to deliberately slow down to keep up with Hyuga's pursuit, or else he would easily leave her behind.
"Continue the training!"
Araki returned to his daily training area, feeling that he was no longer being followed. With a sense of relief, he immersed himself in the embrace of nature and began his intense training, sweating profusely.
...
The next day, early morning.
Araki stepped onto the land bathed in the morning light and returned to his residence.
In fact, Kushina's presence here didn't really affect his life, as he used to never come home at night.
When he reached the entrance, he immediately noticed his backpack placed there, along with a note.
"Hmm?"
Araki recognized his backpack at a glance. It was just sitting there outside the door, clearly placed by Kushina.
"How can she not be afraid of it being stolen..."
Araki chuckled helplessly. He realized that Kushina had placed too much trust in the people of the village. It wasn't as if there were no thieves around. Konoha Village had its fair share of crimes, including theft.
Although there was nothing particularly valuable in his backpack, if the books were lost, he would have to buy them again. Moreover, the note on the backpack also had a key pressed against it, which turned out to be the key to his house.
"Is she leaving?"
At the moment Araki saw the key, his eyes lit up. If Kushina left this place and moved to another residence, it would actually be a more relaxed and freeing choice for him.
With that thought in mind, Araki immediately looked at the note.
[Araki:
I have some things to deal with in the past few days, so I can't go home or attend school. Don't worry about me; I've already arranged for time off from school.
This key is yours. You forgot to take it with you when you went out last night, so I left it here in case you couldn't get back home while I'm away.
If everything goes well, I'll be back in a few days.
If I can't come back...
You must overcome the darkness and embrace a better life. Try to make friends, gain recognition from more people, and find your own worth.
Your friend, Kushina]
After reading the words on the note, Araki couldn't help but admit that Kushina's handwriting was indeed beautiful. Each stroke of the elegant small characters didn't reveal her usual aggressive personality. Instead, it resembled that of a gentle and caring girl.
"Thank you."
Araki read the words on the note again and quietly uttered these two words.
The content of the message was simple.
There was nothing particularly stirring about it.
Just simple concern.
However...
Within these words of care, Araki felt an indescribable warmth.
He didn't need concern, understanding, or recognition from others. He had his own plans and executed them methodically.
Outsiders had no way of influencing him.
Araki had a strong psychological resilience, and as a time traveler, his immersion in the ninja world was different from the natives here. He could observe this world from a more detached perspective.
Even so...
Araki still felt a warm feeling in Kushina's words.
"She must have gone to take the place of Mito as the container for the Nine-Tails. She left this note before leaving, even though she couldn't figure out her own fate and life or death, she still cared about me..."
Araki shook his head and smiled bitterly. He knew very well that the existence of this note completely brought them closer together.
It wasn't just a superficial connection; it was a connection in their hearts, a bond, as ninjas would say.
Araki had been avoiding establishing any bonds with Kushina because such a thing could bring him more trouble.
However, when he read the note.
For a moment.
He felt an impulse to disregard all the trouble.
Although this impulse disappeared after a fleeting moment, it made Araki deeply understand that a transformation had indeed occurred in the bond between him and Kushina.
The next moment.
Araki put the note into his ninja tool pouch, along with the key to his house.
Immediately after.
He picked up his backpack.
And headed towards the direction of the ninja school...