"Guess what, Tengen? That Hayate totally flunked yesterday's graduation exam." Anko smirking.
"Oh." Tengen nodded. He remembered Hayate, a minor character from the series who'd appeared briefly.
"Now he's got nothing to say." Anko laughed triumphantly. "We're Konoha ninjas now!"
"Mm." Tengen paused mid-step, turning to her. "Anko, I just remembered something. Gotta go."
"Off again?" Anko scratched her head, watching his retreating figure. "Guess I'll head to the academy and brag about our sensei being Orochimaru."
With that, she veered toward the Ninja Academy, where she had plenty of friends from her years there.
Tengen, meanwhile, had detected a video signal, an ordinary one.
Ordinary or not, he didn't mind. Collecting signals had become a thrill, the mystery of what he might unlock sparking excitement.
"Here we are." Tengen arrives at a residential building. The signal seemed to originate inside a room, though he might just manage to catch it from outside.
"Hm." He paused, summoning a Poké Ball. "Come out, Pikachu."
"Pika-chu!" The yellow cuddly Pokémon appeared and hopped onto Tengen's shoulder.
"Let's go together." Tengen sensing Pikachu's eagerness. It wasn't a restricted area, so bringing Pikachu along was fine.
He darted to the room, circling it. Something was off, the signal was just out of reach.
"Do I have to break in?" Tengen hesitated, eyeing the door.
As he considered forcing entry, a surprised voice interrupted. "Tengen, how'd you know I was here?"
"Ahem." Tengen recognized the voice and turned with a grin. "Shizune, what a coincidence!"
Twelve-year-old Shizune studied him, frowning slightly. "Tengen, I never told you where I live. How'd you find me? Unless…"
Her face flushed as she recalled Tengen's accidental intrusion into the women's bathhouse, where she'd been exposed.
"Shizune, you're overthinking it." Tengen said, his eyes darting. He lifted Pikachu from his shoulder. "My pet ran off, and I was chasing it. Didn't know this was your place."
"Pika Pika-chu!" Pikachu chirped, seemingly playing along.
"What a cute pet! Where'd you find it, Tengen?" Shizune's gaze locked onto Pikachu, instantly smitten.
"Can I hold it?" She asked, her girlish excitement bubbling over.
"Sure." Tengen hands Pikachu over, ignoring its teary-eyed protest.
"Pikachu's charm is lethal to you all." Tengen muttered, averting his gaze from the betrayed Pokémon.
"Come inside, Tengen." Shizune said suddenly. Standing at the door felt awkward.
"Absolutely." Tengen said calmly, inwardly elated. Entering the room would let him snag the signal effortlessly.
"Let's go." Shizune cradling Pikachu. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Make yourself at home."
The room's setup confirmed that Shizune lived alone.
She poured two cups of tea, set them on the table, and sat.
"Congrats, Tengen, on becoming a Konoha ninja." She said.
"Thanks, but my sensei seems… off." Tengen's sipping his tea.
"I heard from Tsunade-sama that your sensei is Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. He may seem grim, but his strength is incredible." Shizune said.
"I know." Tengen nodded. Orochimaru's prowess was undeniable, one of the Sannin, a veritable scientist of the Naruto world, albeit a self-serving one.
Having Orochimaru as a sensei was… questionable.
To him, teacher-student bonds meant little. Utility was all that mattered.
"Tsunade-sama mentioned Hokage-sama initially wanted her to take students, but she refused." Shizune said hesitantly.
"Oh." Tengen nodded. During the academy exam, Hiruzen likely considered Tsunade for Tengen's team. Jiraiya already had Minato's squad, so he was out. Orochimaru, with his deep ninjutsu expertise, was a strong choice.
Tengen suspected Tsunade would soon leave Konoha. Hiruzen might've sensed it but couldn't stop her.
"Maybe by next year's chunin exams, when Shizune tests, Tsunade will be gone." Tengen mused.
Moments later, he stood. "Shizune, I should get going."
"Okay." Shizune's reluctant as Pikachu leapt back to Tengen's shoulder.
She clearly adored the Pokémon.
"Shizune, if you want to see Pikachu, come find me anytime." Tengen offered.
"Deal!" Shizune beamed.
"Later." Tengen vanishes from the room. He headed to Konoha's forest to check the video's reward.
In the quiet forest, Tengen opened the system's video fragment.
"Uh." He blinked, baffled. "Is this… an ad?"
"System, you're giving me commercials now?" Tengen groaned.
"Of course. Advertisements are videos too." The system replied.
"Fine, what a grand explanation." Tengen said, his mouth twitching. He checked the reward, expectations low. What could a commercial offer?
[Ding! Obtained a truckload of Red Bull energy drinks.]
"Your energy, beyond your imagination."
The ad's slogan echoed in Tengen's mind.
***
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