Chapter 82: Tenten’s Scroll Might Actually Be the Ninja Version of Doraemon’s Pocket

"Garou? Why are you asking about him?"

Asuma raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

The Third Hokage sat calmly in the courtyard, gazing up at the sky.

"Kakashi mentioned that interacting with Garou requires a certain... mental fortitude."

Asuma's lips twitched as he recalled the earlier events of the day.

"Otherwise, why do you think Might guy refused to mentor him?"

Despite being an elite jonin himself, Asuma had felt utterly useless whenever he dealt with Garou. No matter how much experience he brought to the table, the moment they interacted, he ended up feeling like a clueless genin again, repeatedly being 'educated' until he questioned his entire career.

Sometimes, he genuinely wondered: did Garou even need a teacher?

The Third Hokage remained silent for a long while.

As for Guy... right, that passionate youth had actually claimed Garou was beyond his ability to instruct.

Hiruzen turned to Asuma. "And you? Are you saying you can't teach him either?"

"I wouldn't say I teach him," Asuma replied with a dry chuckle. "We're more like... peers who share knowledge."

"…Pe-peers?"

The corner of Hiruzen's eye twitched slightly.

He resisted the urge to comment, sighing instead.

"I have to admit," Asuma continued, "I admire Kakashi's resilience. He's been leading that team this whole time without losing his mind."

"There really isn't anyone else who can take over. If anything, maybe he just needs a support member, someone to back him up."

He wasn't joking anymore.

Asuma was genuinely serious. Anything concerning Garou deserved careful thought.

"For instance, just today, I was discussing Flying Swallow with him," Asuma continued.

"And then he casually turned around and taught me a technique of his own."

Asuma demonstrated, gripping his knuckle blade and slicing backward. A thin layer of chakra flared from the blade and detonated with force, cracking the air.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.

This technique… it resembled the Gentle Fist style in structure, albeit cruder.

Based on the tiered classifications Garou had recently proposed for Gentle Fist derivatives, this explosive variant was clearly an entry-level form.

Which meant Garou's actual version was likely far more refined, and far more dangerous.

'So, Asuma hasn't even mastered the basics of Garou's technique?'

Hiruzen fell into thoughtful silence.

He was starting to see the full picture: Asuma had approached Garou with a mentor's mindset, only to be flipped upside-down. He ended up being the one taught instead. Garou learned his technique on the spot, while he couldn't properly replicate Garou's.

That kind of reversal… wasn't easy to stomach.

Honestly, other than Kakashi, there really weren't many in the village who could maintain composure under such conditions.

As for assigning a support member...

Hiruzen finally understood what Asuma and Kakashi were trying to suggest.

"I see."

Indeed, when it came to leading Garou's team, only Kakashi was truly suited for the role.

Yamato might be a decent field leader and could help with logistics and support, but educationally, he wouldn't be able to offer Garou much.

If anything, Yamato himself might benefit more from the pairing.

---

"Kasumi, you're the first one here? Where's Tenten?" Garou asked as he arrived.

"Was my hiding spot really that bad?" Kasumi emerged from a tree, visibly frustrated.

She'd gone to great lengths to suppress her chakra, conceal her presence, and mask all traces of movement. She was hoping to impress Garou with her progress in stealth and assassination.

Yet he saw through it instantly.

"It wasn't bad at all," Garou replied honestly.

"Your concealment was flawless. I only found you because of my sensory training."

Over the past few weeks, Garou had been splitting his time between personal training and having his shadow clones meditate in the Forest of Death to acclimate to natural energy. Whether it was the Bodhi Seed's influence or his own breakthrough, he was now beginning to sense the flow of nature energy.

That's how he detected Kasumi so effortlessly.

Kasumi opened her mouth, paused, and sighed.

'Forget it.'

Competing with Garou was a lost cause. She'd known that from the beginning.

"Kasumi! Garou! You guys are here!"

Tenten ran over excitedly, forming a quick series of hand signs before unsealing a scroll.

A pile of gear appeared before them.

Kasumi's eyes widened. "Tenten... this is overkill!"

Garou was equally stunned. Five blades of varying lengths, two bundles of explosive tags, ten kunai, and a shuriken set, enough to outfit an entire squad.

"The blades, kunai, and shuriken are all hand-forged," Tenten said. "Not that expensive. The explosive tags are the real cost, but I've got a good stockpile."

She then handed Garou a roll of fine silver wire.

His eyes lit up.

Chakra-conductive wire. Made from refined chakra steel.

'So she has finally succeeded in forging it.'

"What's this?" Kasumi asked, curious.

"A chakra weapon," Garou said as he channeled energy through the wire. It slithered through the air like a living serpent, precise, responsive, and deadly.

"You've already figured out how to forge chakra weapons? That's amazing!" Kasumi looked both impressed and a little envious.

Her own growth, while solid in stealth and Lightning Release, felt modest in comparison.

"There's still a long way to go," Tenten shrugged. "I wanted to forge a chakra blade, but didn't have time. I didn't want to rush it and mess up the quality."

"You've already done more than enough," Garou said sincerely. Her talent with ninja tools was starting to shine.

"Sorry I'm late. I got held up at the crossroad…"

"Kakashi-sensei," Tenten deadpanned, "spare us the excuses. Are we heading to the Hidden Sand today or not?"

Kakashi froze.

He looked down at the array of weapons and explosive tags.

This girl was scarier than she let on.

After a moment, he turned to Garou. "Are you sure about this Chūnin Exam? You still have time to back out."

Tenten frowned. "Why are you looking at Garou like that?"

Kakashi nodded. "Good. At least your observational skills are sharp."

Then, his tone changed.

"This year's exams are being hosted in the Land of Wind. In the desert."

"Spies?" Kasumi guessed.

Kakashi nodded. "All villages use them. Given Garou's reputation, there's no way the Sand Village hasn't prepared. This mission will be more dangerous than normal. You're permitted to withdraw and apply next year."

Garou smiled.

He wasn't backing down.

Greater danger meant greater opportunity.

He looked to his teammates. "What about you two?"

"Deserts aren't ideal for hiding," Kasumi said, "but I'll manage."

"I'm all set," Tenten said, patting her scrolls. What she had laid out today was only a small portion of her gear.

"Then let's go. We need to rendezvous with Guy's team."

"Guy-sensei? They're in the exams too?" Garou blinked.

In the original timeline, they hadn't joined the first year.

"You're familiar with each other. That'll help."

"…"

'So Guy sensei's team is the decoy.'

Garou wasn't sure whether to laugh or sigh.

Kakashi noticed.

"They genuinely want to test themselves," he said softly. "You'll be teammates… and rivals."

"Yes, sir."

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