"I apologise," a woman's voice said after bumping into me. It was familiar, yet I didn't stop to look, there were more pressing things on my mind.
But curiosity got the better of me, and I turned around to see who it was. Mitarashi Anko. What was she doing here?
"Don't patronise yourself over it," I replied, about to turn away. But her voice caught me off guard.
"You did well to get into the third exam," Anko said, placing a hand on her hip. "What are you planning to train on?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," I said with a touch of sarcasm. "I'll be figuring things out on my own."
"Oh? Why's that?" Anko asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Kakashi-sensei is currently unavailable, everyone else doesn't fit my standards," I replied, not hiding the hint of annoyance in my voice.
Anko chuckled at my response. "Well, how would you feel about me training you?" she asked, her voice casual yet with a hint of challenge.
"Excuse me?" I replied, taken aback by the offer.
"You heard me," Anko said with a smirk. "If you don't like how I train you, then you're free to go."
I stared at her blankly, trying to gauge her intentions. Anko wasn't the type to joke about training, but the suddenness of her offer made me cautious. "Why would you want to train me?" I asked, my scepticism clear.
Anko shrugged. "You have potential, and I'm bored. Besides, I don't see why Kakashi should have all the fun." Her nonchalant demeanour was hard to read, but I sensed no malice. She seemed genuinely interested, and given the circumstances, I needed a mentor.
"Sure," I said, crossing my arms. "But don't waste my time."
Anko's grin widened. "I wouldn't dream of it. Meet me at training ground 44 tomorrow morning at 8. Don't be late."
With that, she walked away, leaving me to process the sudden change of plans. It wasn't what I expected, but it could be exactly what I needed. Anko was unpredictable, but maybe that was the kind of training I needed to stand out in the third exam.
But something felt off about her, like she wasn't entirely herself. Anko had a reputation for being intense and a little eccentric, but training someone for the Chunin Exams wasn't something I thought she'd do.
It was unusual, and it left me with a gnawing sense of uncertainty.
"Misaki!!" Sakura's voice sliced through the air from behind me, sharp and piercing. I could almost feel her presence crashing into the street, her energy a relentless tide that threatened to drag me under.
