After I was carried by the ANBU, thanks to the pain in my legs, I was taken to the hospital where I saw Ayaka again. She looked genuinely concerned about the injuries on my body, even though they honestly hurt less than my legs. Still, she scolded me with a sharp, "What happened to you?"
I laughed sheepishly. "Well, I was… discovering nature, and got injured."
I scratched my head, hoping she wouldn't press further, but of course, she's a smart medical-nin. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What nature? Aren't you living in an orphanage?"
I felt the eyes behind the ANBU's mask practically drilling into my skull. I glanced up at him and laughed again, this time with full awareness that an interrogation was coming.
Still, I had front-row seats to something I hadn't seen before. Ayaka activated a technique, and I focused hard as her hands glowed green. She was using the Mystical Palm Technique. I tried to stay completely aware as I felt chakra flow into my body. The effect was instant.
The chakra surged through me, speeding up healing. My wounds closed, cells mended, and skin knitted itself back together. My bones relaxed. The pain faded fast. It felt amazing. I could sense how controlled her chakra was. Every movement was precise. Powerful. Mesmerizing.
After she finished, Ayaka made me pinky swear I wouldn't go wandering around and getting myself hurt again.
Which I'm definitely going to do. But she doesn't need to know that.
As I was getting ready to leave, the ANBU, for some reason, decided to take me to a restaurant. I guess he noticed how hungry I was. Or maybe he just couldn't ignore the sound my stomach made. It sounded like a summoning ritual gone wrong.
He brought me to a barbecue place. I couldn't hide the smile spreading across my face at the irony. He asked for a private booth. When the food arrived, I swear my eyes sparkled. Perfectly grilled meat, bright green sides, and fresh juice. It was unreal. I think the ANBU tried to say something, but I didn't hear a word. I was already elbows-deep in the plates like it was a survival mission.
It was the first time I'd had seasoned meat in this life. Grilled to perfection. The sides were fresh and crisp, cutting through the richness of the meat with every bite. I didn't even look up. Somewhere in the corner of my mind, I imagined the ANBU staring and thinking, "Is this the first time this kid's eaten?"
Spoiler alert. Yes. Yes, it was.
He didn't even get the chance to eat. I cleared everything off the table like a starving wolf. I honestly surprised myself. I didn't think this small body could even handle that much food, but apparently, I was wrong.
Once I leaned back, full for the first time in forever, the ANBU finally spoke in a serious voice.
"You got lucky we noticed you left the village, and I was sent to investigate. I was going to ask what you were doing in the forest, but seeing how hungry you are, I'll ask this only once. Tell me about your orphanage. And don't hide anything. Understand?"
I blinked. Man really picked up on the signs. I thought, sure, that's what I was doing. Dropping hints. Subtle cues. Definitely not just eating like a demon. Definitely not being a starving glutton.
So I told him. I talked about the lack of food, the overcrowded rooms, how we never had meat or sweets, and how no one really supervised us. I knew saying it would ruin my freedom. They'd start watching the place more closely, and I probably wouldn't be able to sneak out anymore.
But still, those kids didn't deserve what they were dealing with. Not after surviving the Nine-Tails attack. Not after losing everything. They deserved better.
He walked me back to the orphanage after that. And that night, I fell asleep early. For the first time since waking up in this world, I didn't pass out from exhaustion or hunger.
I actually slept.
When I woke up the next day, I was stunned. I'd slept for over ten hours, which almost never happened. No noise. No pain in my stomach. Something felt off.
Turns out, I wasn't in the same orphanage anymore.
As I walked down the hall toward breakfast, I noticed adults. Real ones. Talking to kids. Some looked serious, but they were present. The old caretakers were gone.
New ones stood smiling, handing out trays of food.
I blinked at what I saw. Fruit. Cold water. Cheese. Fresh bread. I mean, actual fresh bread. Soft. Warm. Fluffy. There was even someone handing out balloons.
Not that I was going to play with balloons or anything. I said that while lightly bouncing it into the air, letting it drop back into my hands, and laughing like an idiot.
I was happy.
Finally, things were getting better.
Now I could focus on my final stretch before the Academy. I had a plan. A brutal one, probably. But necessary.
It was going to be exhausting. But I knew it would be worth it in the long run.
I bit into that hot, fresh bread.
And I cried tears of joy, definitely not because I bit my tongue.