Chapter 4

- When you've taken your first life, then you'll be adults," the jonin grew serious for a moment, 'but you have a long way to go before then, and there's no point in worrying,' he reassured the children who had fallen off their faces.

It took only ten minutes for the two kunoichi, who had never eaten a full meal (the orphanage rations weren't really designed for growing chakra users), to empty their plates with the speed of a hurricane, swiping whatever they could get their hands on, and the third kunoichi was not too far behind. Mentor only smiled and pushed the remaining dishes closer, hardly taking part in the gluttony himself.

The time for conversation came only when the new genin's bellies had rounded up cartoonishly and they couldn't cram another bite in, but even in that state the orphanage girls managed to glare at the remains of the feast with regretful looks, and only calmed down when Nara promised to ask them to take the leftovers with them. The "leftovers" were enough for a full meal for each of the girls.

- Well, now that you're done, let's get to introductions," the shinobi clapped his hands together, "although most of you don't need it, but let's not deviate from tradition.

The girls nodded in agreement - it was all they could do physically at the moment.

- Then let's name ourselves, say our ages, our reasons for training for such a dangerous profession, our goals, our dreams, and what we like or dislike," Nara listed, "and I'll start with myself. My name is Ryo Nara and I am seventeen years old.

Hoshi's eyebrows flew up in amazement - she didn't think that her longtime shinobi acquaintance was so young, and this despite the fact that the girl remembered the visits of the red-haired guy almost all her conscious life in the orphanage, except for a break during the war. And here it turns out that the object of her adoration is still very young.

- Why he became a shinobi, I don't need to explain?

At his mentor's questioning look, the genin shook their heads. Even they knew that most clan children were trained from diapers and had no choice.

- I don't have a dream at the moment, because one of them has already been fulfilled, and my goal is to be equal in strength to the Sannins by the time I'm twenty, and I can't say it will be that hard to achieve. I love my family, learning and learning new things, creating new techniques and eating a lot. I don't like overly insolent people trying to find out my secrets and threatening my loved ones. That's all for now. Now it's your turn.

Hoshi looked at her partners and took a deep breath and decided to go first.

- My name is Hoshi and I'm eleven years old. I went to the academy as the best option for an orphan. My dream is to have my own house and garden, and my goal is to live long enough to fulfill that dream and become a djonin. I like dang...," she paused, glancing around the nearly empty table, and quickly corrected herself, "eating, occasional visits to Ryo's orphanage, and reading interesting books. I don't like troublemakers who boast about their origins and starve.

- My name is Asani and I am eleven years old," the second orphan picked up on the idea, "my reasons for becoming an orphan are the same as Hoshi's, and my goal is simple enough: to become an elite member of Konoha's forces. No dream. I like hanging out with friends, reading and drawing. I don't like the disdainful attitude of clan kids and the fact that the academy teaches kids with no special talents on a leftover basis.

- And you? - He nodded at the last girl.

I've got more interesting stuff on patreon (+ 200 chapter)

patreon.com/Chill76