"Shiki, you didn't bring a lunch?"
Yamanaka Ino pushed her lunchbox toward him, her cheeks slightly flushed. "If you don't mind, we could eat together."
Even though she was bold, this felt intimate—practically the equivalent of an indirect kiss.
"No, thanks." Aburame Shiki stood and shook his head. "I'm going out to eat."
Ino's face twisted into a mixture of disappointment and hesitation. She wanted to go too, but she couldn't waste the lunch her mother had prepared.
Shiki made his way toward the front of the classroom, and when he passed Hyūga Hinata, he paused.
"Come with me," he said softly.
Hinata hesitated for a few seconds, then mustered her courage. Carrying her lunchbox, she stepped out of the classroom.
"What's going on?"
Ino's expression froze. I came first!
Shino's hand tightened around his own lunchbox, a subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth. And me? I'm your little brother… still let you get beaten up? Fine then!
"W-Where… are we going?" Hinata couldn't help asking as they walked deeper into the secluded corners of the school.
"One Ramen Ichiraku," Shiki said, finally stopping.
"Eh?"
Hinata blinked in confusion.
"Think you can climb over?" Shiki pointed to a low wall, tilting his head.
Still a bit dazed, Hinata instinctively shook her head. The Hyūga clan's rules strictly forbade scaling walls—it was far too disrespectful.
Shiki reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. True Essence flowed through him, and he leapt effortlessly, landing smoothly on the other side.
"You okay?" he asked, releasing her.
Hinata's gaze flicked from the wall to him, her small mouth opening slightly. If her father knew about this, she'd be scolded immediately.
Shiki caught the fleeting conflict in her expression. Of course he had done it on purpose—carefully nudging at her personality. This was modern strategy: psychological subtlety.
"Hinata," Shiki said, extending his hand, "give me your lunchbox."
Hinata froze, then handed it over.
"As repayment, I'll treat you to ramen," Shiki added with a faint smile.
Hinata followed him, still bewildered, cheeks slowly heating to a rosy red. She finally realized what had just happened. Her lunchbox—already partially eaten—was now in Shiki's hands. A bit… unhygienic…
"Handmade!" Shiki called as they entered the shop. "Nine bowls of ramen."
"Nine bowls?" The shop owner, a burly man, squinted at the two small children. "Are you sure?"
"Start with one chashu ramen," Shiki nodded, giving no explanation. The owner would never have believed it anyway—not unless Shiki really was some mysterious prodigy.
Hinata lowered her head, her heart pounding.
"Here you go!" The first bowl of chashu ramen was set in front of Hinata. Shiki, however, opened her lunchbox. The owner's eyes widened—he had never seen anyone bring their own lunch into his shop.
Are you trying to insult my ramen? he thought. But Shiki was a child, so he said nothing.
Soon, the nine bowls of ramen were gone—devoured entirely by the unassuming little girl.
The owner had only ever seen members of the Akimichi clan eat like this. He hadn't expected another prodigy—especially from the Hyūga clan.
Hinata's toes dug into the floor in embarrassment. She glanced at Shiki. He had just finished her lunch, leaving nothing behind. Her face burned as if it might bleed. Is he serious?
Shiki didn't say a word. He was only concerned that Hinata might faint from shock—then he wouldn't have been able to explain anything.
Back at school, Hinata slowly returned to normal, and Shiki returned her lunchbox. Most students were napping in the classroom, though some were still "grinding"—like Haruno Sakura, flipping through her textbooks.
Sakura's curiosity sparked when she saw Shiki and Hinata. She had assumed Ino would have claimed the lead, but here she was, stuck at the starting line. No, I'm even worse off than her.
Recalling Sasuke's indifferent attitude toward her, Sakura clenched her fists. I will win him over!
"After school, wait for me," Shiki said to Hinata before returning to his seat.
Lunch… right? Hinata bowed her head again.
The noon break ended, and class resumed. Soon, the group was on the training field.
"Taijutsu is divided into two types: Gentle Fist and Steel Fist," Iruka began.
Gentle Fist was the Hyūga's signature style, invincible at close range when combined with the Byakugan. Steel Fist covered a broader range—all other taijutsu techniques basically fell under this category. The most famous example: Might Guy's Konoha-style taijutsu and the Eight Gates.
Iruka's instruction focused on the former. Konoha-style taijutsu was widely taught—every ninja in the village learned it.
Shiki glanced at Uzumaki Naruto. Is this the legendary "Summer Princess Eight-Strike"? His fundamentals were… abysmal.
Uchiha Sasuke and Hinata, on the other hand, were textbook examples—the advantage of a noble ninja clan. Early exposure to both taijutsu and ninjutsu, with expert guidance.
Sasuke's gaze met Shiki's for a brief instant, like sparks colliding. He had already sized up his classmates. Hinata's Gentle Fist was solid, but her personality made him disinterested. Aside from her, Shiki caught his attention. His movements were unnervingly precise. Combine that with the aura of controlled energy he had displayed in class yesterday, and Sasuke sensed a kindred spirit. After all, substitute-style ninjas naturally drew one another in.
"Go back and practice. Next practical session, you'll get to spar," Iruka said, clapping his hands. "Class dismissed!"
Students scattered, heading home—or to find their mothers.
"Shi…"
Ino froze as she saw Shiki walking toward Hinata again.
Naruto paused, scratching his head. He had planned to go home with his new friend.
"Naruto!" Inuzuka Kiba waved from a distance, Shino standing beside him.
"I'm coming!" Naruto grinned and ran over.
[Achievement Unlocked: "Golden Loser Dog" — Reward: White Boar Gu][White Boar Gu: A first-level Gu that modifies the host's body, fundamentally enhancing the user's vitality.]
Shiki paused instinctively. The White Boar Gu was just as rare and valuable as the Black Boar Gu, differing only in color.
But… who was the "Golden Loser Dog"?