Ryuu stood frozen, still trying to process what had just happened.
"I was tricked by his genjutsu?" he muttered in disbelief.
Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh. "Feels like I'm the one who beat him!" he joked, clearly enjoying Ryuu's confusion.
Akabane stretched lazily nearby. "You're pretty happy, huh? When's your match?"
"Thirteenth," Jiraiya replied, still chuckling.
But just like that, Akabane, Tsunade, and Orochimaru all slipped away, leaving Jiraiya behind.
"Hey! Don't you want me to watch your fight too?" Akabane called over, half-joking.
"I'm too tired, sorry! Good luck, though!" Tsunade said with a tired smile.
Orochimaru suddenly leaned in, his voice low and serious. "Listen, Akabane — watch out for the Uchiha Clan."
Akabane nodded, understanding the warning. The Uchiha were known for their intense hatred, and their grudge against Akabane's clan ran deep. With their leader Kagami recently fallen in battle, tensions within the clan were even higher.
"I've got my clan's support," Akabane said confidently. "No one's going to do anything without us knowing."
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on him. "Still, be careful. After defeating Ryuu, you might have painted a target on your back."
Tsunade, nearby, frowned slightly. "The Senju clan is fading into the village, but the Uchiha still carry grudges. This could lead to serious conflict."
Back in the classroom, Orochimaru quietly opened his book to study. Akabane lay back, ready for a nap.
Just as he was about to close his eyes, Tsunade reached over and gently held his chin, bringing his face close to hers. "You know the graduation is coming, right? Don't you have anything else to do besides sleep?"
Akabane's cheeks flushed bright red. He looked away, but Tsunade didn't let him escape so easily. "What's wrong?"
"I just want to sleep," he admitted softly.
Tsunade shook her head with a smile. "Then get to work and start drawing your comic!"
Her playful roar snapped Akabane and Orochimaru to attention.
"Alright, alright, I'll draw," Akabane grumbled, but obediently got up.
He grabbed an old table from the warehouse—a table Tsunade was sure wouldn't survive long if he got annoyed.
Akabane formed the hand seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Suddenly, a perfect copy of himself appeared, immediately starting to draw.
Tsunade and Orochimaru watched in amazement.
"Using Shadow Clone Jutsu to draw comics? That's clever," Tsunade said, genuinely impressed.
Even Orochimaru looked up from his book, intrigued. Shadow Clone was a difficult technique—B-rank ninjutsu—even she struggled with it sometimes.
But here was Akabane, using it to split the work and speed up his drawing.
"Tch, this just shows how lazy he really is," Tsunade teased, though she couldn't stay mad.
The clone's pages filled quickly, and soon the volume was finished.
Tsunade happily flipped through it. "Akabane, you're definitely one of a kind."
Akabane, lying on the table with eyes closed, muttered, "Thanks… first time you've ever complimented me."
Orochimaru, usually cold and reserved, couldn't resist reading the comic too.
Akabane thought about his old classmates, imagining how jealous they'd be to see him getting compliments from Tsunade and Orochimaru.
Suddenly, noise erupted outside the classroom.
Akabane quickly released his shadow clone, not wanting anyone to catch him cheating with ninjutsu.
"It's probably Shikato," Tsunade guessed. "He's probably trying to sneak in a nap too."
In walked Shikato, Sakumo, and Chouki—all looking a bit tired after recent battles.
Even Shikato looked a little embarrassed.
The Nara Clan was famous for shadow manipulation, and Shikato, while talented, had a reputation for laziness—much like Akabane.
"Hey, Shikato," Akabane said, sorting through his sketches. "I heard your family owns that little store in Konoha, right?"
Shikato nodded. "The one near your house?"
"Yeah. I was thinking of opening a comic shop there," Akabane said, eyes bright with excitement. "Selling my comics to the whole village—that'd be awesome."
Shikato frowned thoughtfully. "That used to be a drugstore, but it's empty now."
Akabane grinned. "Will your clan let me use it?"
Shikato hesitated. "I don't own it, but I can ask my clan."