The days of being a student were carefree. Everyone lived their lives step-by-step, and time flowed forward like water in these mundane days.
In the blink of an eye, July arrived. With the release of exam results, summer vacation was just around the corner.
Of course, this brought joy to some and sorrow to others. Taiichi's grades were excellent; he tied with Kakashi for first place in the class. Right behind them were Asuma and Yūbashira Hyuga.
After all, they were scions of major clans. Not only were they talented, but they also put in plenty of effort privately.
Don't let the fact that some of them slept or slacked off in class fool you; when they went home, they probably had private tutors waiting for them.
Of course, this didn't include our classmate Obito. He didn't even reach the average level. His pitiful theory score once again shattered everyone's expectations—he only scored a measly 20-something points.
And that was with Rin Nohara doing her best to create opportunities for him during the exam. Unfortunately, Obito was hopeless; he couldn't even cheat properly. What could you do with him?
After getting their results, everyone left the school one after another.
Parents picking up their children could be seen everywhere at the school gate. Some were chatting and laughing, clearly happy with good grades. Others wore expressions of indifference, radiating a low pressure that you could feel just walking past them. These were the ones whose kids did poorly; saving face, they didn't explode at the school gate, but a scolding at home was inevitable.
Taiichi looked at the various crowds with envy. After all, they had families to pick them up. Unlike him...
Just as Taiichi was about to walk home, he froze! He saw Nono and Tsunade smiling at him from the crowd.
In that moment, Taiichi felt his heart fill with happiness and sweetness.
He rushed over, grabbed Nono's hand, and asked, "Big Sister Nono! You and Big Sister Tsunade—what are you doing here?"
"I knew you started your break today, so we came specifically to pick you up and take you back to the orphanage to hang out with everyone," Nono replied with a smile.
Taiichi then turned to look at Tsunade.
"I came to bring you this. Now that you're on break, it's the perfect time to go report for duty," she said, pulling the internship certificate signed by the Hokage from her robe, waving it a bit, and handing it to Taiichi.
Taiichi took the certificate. Upon closer inspection, he discovered it was an official internship certificate—the kind with a salary—far more significant than the simple introduction letter he had imagined.
Seeing the Hokage's signature on the certificate showed just how much effort Tsunade had put into this for him.
He didn't hesitate and bowed respectfully to Tsunade. "Thank you so much, Big Sister Tsunade."
"Haha, it's a piece of cake."
"Then, Big Sister Tsunade, why don't you come sit with us at the orphanage? You can see how it's developed recently. You deserve credit for this too!" Taiichi exchanged a look with Nono and said.
"Alright, let's go take a look together."
...
The three chatted as they walked to the orphanage. By now, the setting sun had dyed the brick walls of the orphanage orange. When Nono pushed open the iron gate, a swarm of children poured out. They were all wearing brand-new cotton clothes, their cheeks rosy red, hanging off Nono's legs like a string of little lanterns. You couldn't tell at all that they were children from an orphanage.
"Big Brother Taiichi!" A little girl with pigtails wiped her snot on Taiichi's pant leg. "Did you bring us anything yummy today?"
"Big Brother Taiichi is going to cook something yummy for you personally today. How does that sound?" Taiichi pinched the little girl's cheek.
"Yay! Yay! I love Big Brother Taiichi the most!" Hearing that Taiichi would be cooking, the children were overjoyed.
Tsunade bent down and poked a chubby cheek. Three months ago, she had visited the orphanage; back then, these children were wearing patched-up old clothes. Now, even the youngest girl had a pink bow in her hair. The newly planted orange tree in the courtyard was sprouting tender buds, the swing set had sturdy new hemp ropes, and even the yard had been expanded.
Taiichi put down the bamboo basket full of ingredients he had bought on the way. The children clumsily tied an apron around him. Tsunade leaned against the doorframe, watching him chop vegetables, the knife drumming a rhythm on the cutting board. Three children squatted by the stove, swallowing their saliva. The youngest reached out to steal a bite, only to have his head gently tapped by Taiichi's wooden spoon.
"Dinner's ready!"
Eight long tables were pushed together into a horseshoe shape, and everyone took their seats around it. Thick tomato soup bubbled in the iron pot. Golden fried tempura was piled into a small mountain. The children banged their wooden spoons against their bowls, clink clang, as if playing music. Suddenly, a chipped ceramic bowl appeared in front of Tsunade. A little boy with glasses was moving the chicken leg from his own bowl into hers.
"This is the last one." The child pushed up the round glasses that had slid down his nose. "Big Brother Taiichi said guests should eat the best."
Oil lamps cast shadows on the plaster walls as more than twenty pairs of small hands clapped together simultaneously: "Itadakimasu!" Tsunade bit into the crispy batter of a fried shrimp, the savory taste of seaweed exploding on her tongue. Three months ago, this place survived on watery gruel; now, even the miso soup had tender tofu floating in it.
"Lady Tsunade, try a plum rice ball!" Twin sisters squeezed over, shoving a rabbit-shaped rice ball into her hand. The sticky rice still held warmth, and the plum filling was sour enough to make one squint. Nono was wiping the mouth of the youngest child, rice grains sticking to her dark blue apron like scattered stars.
After dinner, the children gathered around Tsunade to listen to ninja stories. Taiichi sat cross-legged on the porch peeling an apple, the skin forming a long spiral. Tsunade watched Taiichi smiling at the children and suddenly remembered a scene she had seen upon returning from a mission once—Nawaki breaking the last half of a sugar cookie to give to a stray cat, his eyes smiling into crescents.
"Time to go." Taiichi looked back at the clock on the wall; it was getting late.
Exiting the gate, Tsunade looked back to see small heads bobbing in the second-floor window. The boy with glasses was pressed against the glass, breathing on it and drawing a crooked heart in the condensation.
On the way back, Taiichi hummed an off-key nursery rhyme. Tsunade found a grain of rice stuck to her cuff and suddenly laughed out loud. The Medical Department's report stated "Annual budget increased by 47%," but none of it felt as real as that bowl of miso soup with teeth marks on the rim. Maybe this was the Hidden Leaf Village her grandfather truly wanted to see. The evening breeze, carrying the scent of hearth fires, swept over the eaves. She patted the boy's fluffy head, finally understanding a little why her teacher loved peeking at the village through his crystal ball. Aside from peeping at the women's bathhouse, of course.
"Taiichi, remember to report to Director Biwako at the hospital tomorrow. I'll head off first."
"Okay, Big Sister Tsunade."
Watching Tsunade disappear from sight, Taiichi walked toward his exclusive training ground—the riverside.
With two months of vacation, according to the internship certificate, he had to report to the Konoha Hospital every morning. That meant he would have more time in the afternoons and evenings for self-training. This was much more ample time than during the school term. He believed his strength would reach a new level in the coming days.
Thinking this, Taiichi drew the short sword from his back, calmed his mind, and slowly began to practice the Hatake Style Kenjutsu. After a period of practice, Taiichi's sword skills had made considerable progress. His Kenjutsu level had already reached Lv3, all gained from his recent training.
As the short sword slashed out time and again, notifications kept popping up on the panel.
> [You practiced Hatake Style Kenjutsu. Your comprehension has improved.]
> [Your skill Hatake Style Kenjutsu has leveled up. Experience +1]
> [You focused on Hatake Style Kenjutsu practice. Apprentice Ninja Class Experience +1]
...
> [Congratulations, your Apprentice Ninja Class level has increased to Lv7 (0/1200)]
> [Attribute Points +1, Skill Points +1]
Seeing that he had gained another Attribute Point and Skill Point, Taiichi felt his strength grow a bit more, and his sense of security increased as well.
...
Konoha Root Base.
Shadows danced in the dim candlelight of the Root base. Danzo's fingers traced the intelligence scroll, the paper reflecting the sinister turbulence in his single exposed eye.
"Full marks in all theory subjects, Taijutsu surpassing a Genin..." His voice was raspy, like a viper slithering over moss. "He even learned the Hatake Kenjutsu so quickly."
The Root ninja kneeling on one knee in the shadows listened to Danzo's muttering. Suddenly, the scroll was slammed onto the thick wooden desk with a dull thud. "He has even mastered two types of Chakra Nature Transformations!" The corners of Danzo's mouth twitched.
"How can such an unpolished jade be left to Hiruzen's lukewarm polishing?" The eerie green candle flame flickered violently. His gaze swept over the cold, gleaming instruments on the operating table in the corner of the room, where countless "tools" marked with cursed seals had once lain. "Prepare the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal before dawn tomorrow." A cold smile seeped from the corner of his mouth. "I will personally make that child understand that darkness is the best hotbed for nurturing genius."
At this moment, Danzo had finally made up his mind to claim this "tool."