Chapter 117
The next day, Natsuki and Tenten finally got to sleep in.
So much had happened recently that both of them were mentally exhausted, but things had finally calmed down a little.
Still, they got up before noon. After a sweet and cozy lunch together, they went their separate ways—Tenten went to visit Lee at the hospital, while Natsuki planned to find a peaceful spot to relax and clear his mind.
He wanted to empty his thoughts and unwind so that he could later dive fully into researching the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique).
But before he could find the perfect place, Kakashi came looking for him.
"Yo! Kakashi-senpai, taking it easy today?" Natsuki greeted.
"Not even close," Kakashi replied, his dead-fish eyes looking extra tired. "Just finished with the exams, and now we're rushing to prepare for the Daimyō's visit. I've barely touched the ground."
"Then what brings you here?"
"I'm here to ask about Orochimaru."
Kakashi got straight to the point. "Back then, I rushed to pursue Orochimaru with Anko and didn't get the chance to properly ask about what happened. I heard from Pakkun that you were pretty certain he would appear, and once inside the Forest of Death, you seemed worried he'd make a move on everyone."
Natsuki was silent for a while. In the end, he chose not to hide it.
"Orochimaru... he seems to have some kind of connection to Itachi. He came to Konoha for Sasuke."