That night, a scream rang through the quiet streets of Konoha from a secluded alley. The Third and Kakashi both sighed helplessly upon hearing that familiar voice—their worst fears had come true.
Inside Konoha Hospital, Iruka lay on the bed wrapped head to toe in bandages like a mummy. His eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling, while Sakura and the others stood awkwardly by his bedside.
"Iruka-sensei, you really went too far! Pretending to be a ninja from another village and attacking us? If we hadn't held back just in time, you wouldn't even have a life left!" Naruto frowned deeply, genuine worry showing clearly on his face. Earlier, when Iruka suddenly launched an attack, he and Sakura instinctively struck back. Fortunately, they sensed it was actually Iruka and intentionally pulled their punches. Otherwise, Iruka would've been reduced to ashes long ago.
"I was just worried your skills weren't up to par, so I wanted to test you a bit before the Chunin Exams—to prevent injuries during the real thing," Iruka sighed, looking pleased. "Now it seems I don't need to worry about your safety anymore!"
"Now we're the ones who should be worrying about *your* safety, Iruka-sensei! Do you even realize how badly injured you are?" Hinata asked, frowning. "Five broken ribs, multiple fractures throughout all four limbs, spinal damage, injuries to all major internal organs, severe muscle damage, and countless external wounds. If Haku hadn't used Medical Ninjutsu to stabilize you in time and Naruto hadn't directly transferred some of his vitality into you, you'd already be dead!"
"Haha, I didn't expect that either!" Iruka chuckled uncomfortably. He hadn't anticipated that Sakura and the others would be so brutal in battle. At the time, he truly felt like his life was in danger. If he'd known things would go this far, he definitely wouldn't have recklessly gone through with his plan.
"Well then, Iruka-sensei, for now, please just stay here in the hospital and rest properly," Sakura said. "I'll tell Haku to use better medicine to help speed up your recovery. As for the medical expenses, just put them on The Third's tab!"
"Charge it to Lord Third's account? That doesn't seem right, does it?" Iruka hesitated—he wasn't sure if this counted as unethical behavior.
"Don't worry about it. Who told The Third not to explain everything clearly in the first place? Knowing how heavy-handed we tend to be in a fight, why didn't he warn you beforehand? Making him pay is just fair compensation. Besides, if Haku tweaks the bill a bit later, she might even help pad your love fund. Come on, Teacher Iruka—you're getting up there in age! Isn't it about time you found someone special?"
Sakura smirked, rubbing her chin like a scheming fox. She felt zero guilt about ripping off The Third. After all, Haruno Corporation and Celestial Society brought huge annual profits to Konoha—what harm could there be in grabbing just a small portion?
Meanwhile, in his office, The Third tightly clutched his chest while watching everything unfold through the crystal orb. His face twisted in regret. Oh no…this time, he'd practically handed them the smoking gun. Looks like spending some money was unavoidable to avoid further disaster.
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-One: Kakashi's Tarnished Reputation
Peaceful days came and went, and finally, the Chunin Exams were here. After several days of rest and recovery, Iruka was now able to leave his sickbed in a wheelchair. The Third Hokage, however, looked absolutely furious—who could blame him? It was the Third who had covered every penny of Iruka's medical bills, including those outrageously expensive medications. If not for those pricey meds, there was no way Iruka would've bounced back this fast. Just thinking about the dent in his private savings made the Third feel like crying.
"You all must do your best!" Iruka kept reminding Sakura and the others, just like an anxious father. Although he had full confidence in their abilities, becoming a chunin required more than just combat strength—one had to pass the written test first.
"Don't worry, Teacher Iruka! Just wait for our good news!"
After saying goodbye to Iruka, the group headed toward the exam site.
"You almost showed up late," Kakashi said while standing on an electric wire, holding his Make Out Paradise book. "If I didn't know you wouldn't dare skip the Chunin Exams, I'd think you weren't coming at all!"
"Sensei Kakashi, aren't you afraid of getting electrocuted while standing on that high-voltage line?" Sakura looked up at him and asked. "And even if you're lucky enough not to get zapped to death, you might still end up with another case of kidney deficiency!"
"I don't have kidney deficiency! My kidneys are perfectly fine!" At this mention, Kakashi immediately felt his temper rising. The last time, after being drained by Sakura's Wood Release technique, nurses in the hospital—along with former teammates who had worked missions with him—had all given him strange looks. Worse yet, Guy, that bigmouth, had heard rumors from one of the nurses about his supposed kidney problems and shouted it out loud, making sure everyone in the hospital knew. Since then, Kakashi felt certain—if it weren't for his mask—he would've been too embarrassed to show his face on Konoha's streets again.
"Kakashi-sensei, please don't misunderstand. I'm just showing concern for you on behalf of Ayame-nee-san. After all, for men, kidney health is really important!" Sakura put on a pitiful expression, instantly drawing the attention of many other participants coming to take the Chunin Exam.
"That guy's dressed like a Konoha jonin? He's got kidney deficiency too?!" A genin from the Cloud Village exclaimed in surprise.
"Just look at him," the Cloud genin's teammate replied matter-of-factly. "Holding such a smutty book—it's impossible for him not to have kidney issues! And look how he covers his face. Obviously hiding signs of overindulgence. Someone like him must be suffering from kidney deficiency."
"What a shame. He looks pretty decent otherwise…"
"So what if he looks good? You can never judge a person just by appearance. This guy might seem impressive on the surface but secretly harbor a dirty, rotten heart underneath."
Kakashi's hands trembled slightly as he held his Make Out Paradise book. He could already envision the future—the rumor that Kakashi Hatake suffered from kidney deficiency would soon spread throughout the entire shinobi world.
In a flash of rage, Kakashi vanished with his [Shifting Body Technique]. Why did he even bother coming to see these troublemaking brats? Now his reputation, built over years, was completely ruined—and there was no way to ever restore it.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>