A few days later, after completing their mission to hunt down the giant bears, the two shinobi returned to Konoha.
At 4:00 AM the following morning, Shinichi stepped out the door as usual, beginning his daily morning run around the village.
The sky was still dark, and the streets were completely silent. Only the steady, rhythmic thud of his footsteps echoed through the crisp air.
After running for an indeterminate amount of time, as he passed the perimeter of a certain training ground, a bright green figure cut in from the side like a sudden gale, falling perfectly into step beside him.
"Shinichi! Long time no see!"
The newcomer was none other than Might Duy. Clad in his signature tight green jumpsuit, his strides practically bounced with overflowing vitality. The red sash holding his forehead protector fluttered lightly in the wind, and his face sported that usual, seemingly unfading, hot-blooded smile.
"It has been a while, Senior Duy," Shinichi nodded, his breathing perfectly steady.
As someone who had maintained a grueling daily training regimen for years, this was far from the first time Shinichi had run into this famously passionate father-son duo during his morning runs.
Over time, while they weren't exactly close friends, they were definitely familiar faces—running buddies who could comfortably stop and chat.
"Is Guy not with you today?" Shinichi asked casually.
"He went out on a mission!" Duy replied. His voice was as booming as ever, but if one listened closely, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible pause.
"You didn't go with him, Senior?" Shinichi followed up.
As surprising as it might sound to some, Might Guy was also part of the early graduation group. In fact, he had graduated even earlier than Shinichi—having successfully become a Genin last year.
However, much like Shinichi, Guy hadn't been assigned to a standard three-man squad. Since graduating, he had been following his father, taking on basic D-rank chores around the village.
Hearing Shinichi's question, the perpetually soaring smile on Duy's face faltered for a fraction of a second. He reached up, scratching his stiff black hair, revealing a rare expression laced with awkwardness and helplessness.
"That boy, Guy... he said he's grown up now, that he can execute missions on his own, so..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Shinichi already understood perfectly.
This was likely a phase every child went through growing up. When they were little, they saw their fathers as omnipotent heroes. But once they stepped into a wider social circle and faced the judgment and scrutiny of the outside world, their mindset would inevitably shift.
This was especially true at Guy's age—a highly sensitive period where self-esteem was fragile, and the opinions of others felt impossibly heavy.
After becoming a shinobi, Guy had likely felt the direct sting of the village's disdain—and outright mockery—toward his father, the "Eternal Genin" who "only knew taijutsu."
Those passionate declarations of youth that used to make his blood boil now felt like the bizarre, out-of-place ramblings of a clown under the strange stares of onlookers. It made him feel humiliated, perhaps even ashamed to be seen alongside his father.
This estrangement and internal conflict would likely continue until a crucial turning point arrived—the day Might Duy finally passed down the Eight Inner Gates to him. The day when, trapped in a desperate corner and surrounded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist during a mission, the father he had secretly found "embarrassing" would descend from the sky like a blazing meteor.
Using his mortal body, he would ignite the absolute brilliance of a miracle.
Only then would all the knots in Guy's heart be completely washed away by scorching tears and overwhelming pride.
But all of that was still in the future.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Shinichi suddenly stopped running. He turned to Might Duy, his expression turning entirely serious.
"Senior, there is something I'd like to discuss with you. I heard that this year's Chunin Exams will be hosted by the Hidden Sand Village, and I plan to participate. However, my squad is currently short one person. I'd like to invite you to be my teammate and go with me."
Hearing this, Duy completely froze. He blinked rapidly, looking as though he seriously doubted his own ears. Then, he frantically waved his hands, his usual hearty laugh tinged with obvious fluster.
"Shinichi, please, don't joke around! You're a recognized genius in the village; everyone sees your strength. I... I'm just an Eternal Genin who only knows a few taijutsu moves. I know absolutely nothing about ninjutsu or genjutsu. If I team up with you, I'll only drag you down and delay your future!"
"Senior, I am entirely serious," Shinichi's eyes were crystal clear, his tone devoid of any humor. "In my eyes, you are an incredibly strong shinobi. You have poured your absolute lifeblood into the path of taijutsu. Decades of unyielding, single-minded focus and perseverance—that alone commands profound respect. Anyone who polishes their taijutsu to such an extreme cannot be underestimated."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "To be completely honest with you, Senior, I know another shinobi who has pushed his taijutsu training to the absolute pinnacle. I am currently planning to invite him to be the instructing Jonin for our squad."
Duy was visibly overwhelmed by the praise, his booming voice dropping a few decibels. "Shinichi, you... you're overestimating me far too much. I really..."
"Senior," Shinichi cut him off, his tone growing far more earnest. "You frequently tell Guy that even if someone only knows taijutsu, they can still become a great shinobi. Those words carry immense power. But... if the man speaking those words doesn't fundamentally believe in himself—if he truly believes deep down that he is unqualified and will only drag others down—then how much power do those words really have left?"
He locked eyes with the stunned Might Duy, speaking slowly and deliberately. "Senior, a father is a child's very first, and most important, role model. If you cannot look your own path in the eye and believe in it, how can you ever expect Guy to genuinely believe that focusing solely on taijutsu—just like his father—can truly forge a glorious path as a shinobi?"
The morning light gradually brightened, illuminating Shinichi's calm, deeply sincere face.
Looking at the earnest boy standing before him, the flame that had burned quietly in Duy's chest for years—a flame he himself sometimes neglected—seemed to be gently stoked, roaring back to life with sudden intensity.
"You're right, Shinichi! Then let us make our youth bloom in the Hidden Sand!"
---
After successfully recruiting Might Duy, Shinichi spent that evening tracking down Master Chen, who was currently instructing his classmate Takashi Ishizuka at the training ground.
Using Master Chen's previous promise—"Once you become a Chunin, I will teach you a new taijutsu move"—as leverage, Shinichi earnestly invited him to serve as the instructing Jonin for his squad and accompany them to the Sand.
Shinichi's reasoning was straightforward and highly persuasive: he wanted Master Chen to personally witness the exact moment he was promoted to Chunin.
Adjusting his round sunglasses, Master Chen pondered for a brief moment before agreeing.
---
Late that night, lying in bed, Shinichi fell into deep thought.
Graduating and becoming a Chunin in the exact same year—this was the precise trajectory he had meticulously planned even before leaving the Academy. He needed to rapidly push through the class tiers to sequentially acquire the attribute boosts generated by upgrading his [Academy Student] trait to the [Genin] and eventually [Chunin] class traits.
More importantly, the free draw opportunity that accompanied every class promotion was absolutely critical. Based on his previous experience, stepping into the Chunin tier would highly likely grant him access to the much higher-tier, Blue-grade trait pool.
This was the fundamental driving force behind his urgency, and the very reason he was willing to consider stepping into the Hidden Sand for the exams. He desperately needed to solidify the absolute foundation of his power before the impending, all-consuming chaos of the war erupted.
Admittedly, he had hesitated when he first learned the exams were being held in the Sand.
But now?
With Jiraiya of the Sannin acting as the general leader, Master Chen—Konoha's strongest taijutsu shinobi—serving as his squad captain, and two terrifying "Eternal Genins" in Kosuke Maruboshi and Might Duy acting as his teammates...
Hell, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, might even attend the finals in person.
Mulling it over, Shinichi realized he truly had absolutely nothing to worry about. Even if some massive, unexpected variable triggered an incident in the Sand, his lineup was more than capable of handling it.
Honestly, with a roster like this, they were fully equipped to stage their own "Sand Crush" operation right inside the enemy's walls.