Chapter 68 – The Dedicated Gate Guards 尽心尽责的门神

The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on the ground. Lin Yuan stood in the center of the Konoha training ground. He formed hand seals with both hands, closed his eyes, and his sensory ninjutsu slowly spread out. In an instant, all the surrounding auras were captured in his mind. He could clearly "see" Mitarashi Anko at the edge of the training ground eating a donut, and on the training ground further away, Kiba was playing with Akamaru.

"Focus, Lin Yuan!" Anko's voice came from behind, with a touch of lazy strictness.

Lin Yuan pursed his lips and refocused his attention. He quickly formed a hand seal for a Fire Release technique: "Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"

Flames exploded in front of him, forming a blazing fire dragon that rushed forward with a howl. But the moment it hit the target, it dissipated due to insufficient power.

"Failed again..." Lin Yuan frowned, feeling a bit frustrated.

Anko lazily walked over from under the tree and casually wiped the sugar powder from the corner of her mouth. "Lin Yuan, just having ninjutsu isn't enough. Although Fire Release is powerful, you need to control your chakra more precisely. Also, your taijutsu is too weak. If you meet someone skilled in elemental ninjutsu, just using Fire Release won't keep you alive.

"I understand..." Lin Yuan sighed. "But I've been training for so long. Why do I still feel like something is missing?"

"Don't be in a hurry." Anko patted him on the shoulder and said seriously for once, "Talent is one thing, and hard work is also important. You've at least improved a lot compared to before. Keep working hard."

Lin Yuan nodded and his gaze returned to the training ground. He always had a stubborn requirement for himself.

Time passed peacefully like this for three months. In the evening, Lin Yuan sat beside Shikamaru and Ino. He watched Choji eat plate after plate of grilled meat. Lin Yuan couldn't help saying, "Choji, I ordered this. You've eaten two-thirds of it!"

Choji smiled shyly. "The meat will get cold soon. It's better to eat it while it's hot."

Ino helplessly pressed her hand to her forehead. "I really don't know how you maintain your combat power. You don't even feel tired after eating so much."

Shikamaru leaned back in his chair, looking indifferent. "It's such a hassle. Don't argue at a time like this. By the way, Lin Yuan, did you hear today? Naruto and the others went on a mission with the new guy Sai. It seems to be an A-rank mission."

Lin Yuan was taken aback for a moment. "An A-rank mission? Where did they go?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "I heard it's about Orochimaru. Danzo sent Sai, and he doesn't look trustworthy."

Lin Yuan frowned and recalled the plot from the anime. He murmured in a low voice, "Sai and Orochimaru... I remember this part of the plot isn't a good thing."

"Lin Yuan, you're saying strange things again." Ino looked at him in confusion.

Lin Yuan quickly waved his hand. "It's nothing, nothing. I just said it casually."

Shikamaru glanced at Lin Yuan but didn't say anything. He just casually said, "Don't think too much. Naruto and the others are very strong. They'll be fine."

Lin Yuan smiled and didn't continue.

After returning home, Lin Yuan sat on the bed with his hands behind his head, staring blankly at the ceiling. Jiuchong ring's voice suddenly rang in his mind, "You had a really easy day today. You're so devoted to being a gate guard that I thought you'd forgotten the main mission."

"How could I forget?" Lin Yuan rolled his eyes. "Don't you always remind me? By the way, the goal is to live until Naruto's wedding day, right? The plot has just started. Why should I be in a hurry?"

Jiuchong ring sneered. "I'm telling you, in the upcoming plot, there will only be more and more crises. If you keep being so slack, you might get eliminated someday."

Lin Yuan scratched his head. "All right, all right. I'll work hard. I'll continue training tomorrow and try to master more ninjutsu as soon as possible, okay?"

Jiuchong ring didn't say anything more. He just replied casually, "Up to you. If trouble comes, don't blame me for not warning you."

Lin Yuan rolled over and lay down, yet his mind was still on Naruto and the others' mission. Soon, he fell asleep.

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清晨的阳光透过树叶洒在地面上,林远站在木叶训练场的中心.他双手结印,闭着双眼,感知忍术缓缓展开.一瞬间,周围的气息尽收脑海,他能清晰地 "看到" 训练场边缘的御手洗红豆正在吃着甜甜圈,而更远处的训练场上,牙正在和赤丸玩耍.

"别分心,林远!" 红豆的声音从他背后传来,夹杂着一丝懒散的严厉.

林远抿了抿唇,重新集中注意力.他快速结了一个火遁印:"火遁·龙火之术!"

火焰在他面前炸裂开来,形成一条炽热的火龙,呼啸着向前冲去,却在击中靶子的瞬间因为威力不足消散开来.

"又失败了..." 林远皱着眉,有些懊恼.

红豆从树下懒洋洋地走过来,随手擦了擦嘴角的糖粉:"林远啊,光有忍术是不够的.火遁虽然威力大,但你得让查克拉控制更精确.还有,你体术太差了,万一遇上会遁术的家伙,光靠火遁可保不住命."

"我知道了..." 林远叹了口气, "可是,我练了这么久,为什么还是觉得差了点火候?"

"别急." 红豆拍了拍他的肩膀,难得正经地说道,"天赋是一回事,勤奋也很重要.你至少已经比当初好很多了,继续努力吧."

林远点点头,目光重新投向训练场.对于自己,他始终保持着一份执拗的要求.

时间就这样平静地过了三个月,傍晚时分,林远坐在鹿丸和井野旁边,看着丁次一盘接一盘地扫光烤肉.他忍不住吐槽:"丁次,这可是我点的,你都吃了三分之二了!"

丁次腼腆一笑:"肉很快就会凉,不如趁热吃掉."

井野无奈地扶额:"真不知道你是怎么保持战斗力的,吃那么多都不嫌累."

鹿丸靠在椅子上,一副事不关己的模样:"麻烦死了,这种时候别吵了.对了,林远,你今天听说了吗?鸣人他们和新来的佐井出任务去了,好像是A级任务."

林远愣了一下:"A级任务?他们去哪儿了?"

鹿丸耸了耸肩:"听说是和大蛇丸有关,佐井那家伙也是团藏派来的,总感觉不太靠谱."

林远皱起眉头,回忆起动画中的情节.他低声嘀咕:"佐井和大蛇丸...我记得这段剧情不是什么好事."

"林远,你又说什么奇怪的话了." 井野不解地看着他.

林远连忙摆手:"没什么没什么,就是随口说说."

鹿丸看了林远一眼,没说什么,只是漫不经心地吐出一句:"别想太多了,鸣人他们可是很强的,不会有事的."

林远笑了笑,没有继续说下去.

回到家后,林远坐在床上,双手枕在脑后,眼睛盯着天花板发呆.九重戒的声音突然在他脑海中响起:"我说,你今天这一天过得也太悠闲了吧?当门神当得这么尽心尽责,我还以为你忘了主线任务了呢."

"怎么可能忘?" 林远翻了个白眼,"你不是总提醒我么?话说回来,不是要活到鸣人婚礼那天吗?现在剧情才刚开始,我急什么?"

九重戒冷笑一声:"我可告诉你,接下来的剧情里,危机只会越来越多,你要是再这么散漫下去,保不齐哪天就被灭了."

林远挠了挠头:"行吧行吧,我会努力的.明天继续训练,争取早日掌握更多忍术,行了吧?"

九重戒没再多说,只是淡淡地回应:"随你吧,将来出事了,别怪我没提醒你."

林远翻身躺下,心里却在想着鸣人一行人的任务,想着想着就睡着了.