Chapter 13 — Let It Carry Our Dreams
Kinoshita Hikaru hadn't expected that even after the class division, he still couldn't escape his brother's grasp—and on the very first day, he was already being punished.
But in order to maintain his persona—
He widened his eyes, looking fired up, fists clenched tight.
"Minato, looks like my brother really trusts us."
"Yeah."
"Then let's run with everything we've got."
One lap around the field was 400 meters. One thousand laps meant 400,000 meters.
Running laps alone no longer had much training value—and it was extremely time-consuming. So the two changed their approach. They ran at the limit of their chakra.
The Chakra Extraction Technique could be maintained while moving, as long as the balance was controlled properly. But instead of carefully regulating their consumption, the two ignored the cost entirely. Four hundred kilometers—completed in less than two hours.
An average speed of 200 kilometers per hour.
Chakra truly was something miraculous—200 kilometers per hour, like racing wind.
And that was only because they were still young. Otherwise, they'd be even faster. For example, Naruto had already reached 390 kilometers per hour right after graduating.
Ninjas were practically superhuman—not an exaggeration at all.
The two returned to the classroom drenched in sweat, casting resentful looks at Kinoshita Muraichi.
This older brother was way too underhanded.
"Ahem. Back to your seats. We were waiting for you two," Muraichi said, completely unbothered.
Blame me??
"Now that everyone's here, let's each introduce ourselves and talk about our dreams."
Kinoshita Hikaru returned to his seat and began carefully considering his own dream.
For a ninja, this question was extremely important.
Every ninja who touched chakra would face this question.
It was Konoha's tradition—and the ninja tradition. Before officially becoming a ninja, one must confirm a goal, a belief.
Every great ninja possessed firm conviction. A ninja without belief was like drifting duckweed—fragile, incapable of reaching the peak of the ninja world.
The ninja's path was accompanied by endless killing and trials of life and death. Without firm conviction, one could easily lose their way.
And of course—dreams were not meant to change.
Most people in Konoha dreamed of becoming Hokage and protecting their comrades. Representative figures: Namikaze Minato, Naruto, Obito.
(Obito regained his dream before his death, so he successfully redeemed himself!)
Others simply wished to protect their comrades. Representative figures: Jiraiya, Tsunade.
Even Sakura's dream was to protect her comrades—though she was just a lovestruck fool who only protected one person.
There were also those with different dreams. For example, learning every ninjutsu. Representative figures: Senju Tobirama, Orochimaru.
None of them changed.
Orochimaru wanted to learn all ninjutsu, which was why he sought to become Hokage. When he failed, he realized life was too short to master everything.
So he developed a side business—immortality.
And he actually succeeded.
It had to be admitted—sometimes your side business could surpass your main career.
"My name is Senju Nawaki! My dream is to become Hokage and protect the village!"
Nawaki shouted out his dream loudly, his small face flushed red with excitement.
"Bang!"
A loud noise startled everyone. Kinoshita Muraichi's forehead veins throbbed as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
"Kinoshita Hikaru, what are you doing? ╰（‵□′）╯"
Hikaru ignored his brother and stared at Senju Nawaki instead.
"I'll remembered you."
"?"
What kind of nonsense was this?
"Kinoshita Hikaru, I believe you owe everyone an explanation. Otherwise, you know the consequences…"
"You'll understand in a moment," Hikaru said coolly.
An explanation?
Explain what?
Was he supposed to tell them that he wanted to learn Tsunade's monstrous strength and was deliberately getting close to Nawaki?
"Then speak."
Kinoshita Muraichi was desperate to know the answer. Not just him—all the students wanted to know.
Kinoshita Hikaru took out a straw hat from his storage space, stood up, and walked to the podium, locking eyes with Senju Nawaki.
Nawaki glared back fiercely, clearly unhappy with this guy who had interrupted his declaration of dreams.
"Haaah—"
Hikaru took a deep breath. His belly expanded until it was round like a ball.
Then he roared loudly.
"My name is Kinoshita Hikaru, and I'm the man who will become Hokage～～" (ง°Θ°)ว
The sound carried for a hundred meters. His voice boomed through the entire Ninja Academy, so loud that the students below covered their ears.
He placed the straw hat on his head and lifted his chin with utmost seriousness. "Have you prepared yourself to become my rival?"
Everyone was shaken by his determination. Even Kinoshita Muraichi was stunned, as if he were seeing his younger brother for the first time.
Senju Nawaki stared at him stubbornly, his gaze unyielding, as though declaring that no one could ever change his dream.
In the corner, Uchiha Shigeru sat expressionless, quietly watching it all—but the fists clenched at his sides betrayed his true feelings.
Damn it! He stole the spotlight again.
But… that was seriously cool!
"Hikaru-kun is so cool." Uchiha Mikoto's eyes sparkled like stars. She remembered what her mother had once told her—boys with dreams are the most handsome.
At that moment—
Kinoshita Hikaru walked up to Senju Nawaki and placed the straw hat onto his head.
"I'm giving you this straw hat as proof of our promise. When one of us becomes Hokage, we'll personally place it on the other's head."
Nawaki shouted, "Damn it! I'm the one who'll become Hokage!"
Even so, he clutched the straw hat tightly in his hands. In his heart, he had already accepted the pact.
From this moment on, the straw hat became his most precious possession.
Kinoshita Hikaru smirked inwardly as he returned to his seat.
Kids really are easy to handle. Just like that, the bond is formed.
"Shikaku, that brat is pretty cool," Yamanaka Inoichi said.
"Tch—" Nara Shikaku scoffed on the surface, but inside, he couldn't help feeling a bit envious.
…
Ding ding ding.
The dismissal bell rang, and the group headed toward the Akimichi barbecue restaurant.
"Minato, what's wrong?"
Kinoshita Hikaru had no idea what was going on. Minato hadn't spoken to him for half the day. Was this some kind of childhood rebellious phase?
How troublesome.
Still, as his personal "chef," Hikaru decided to get to the bottom of it.
After his persistent questioning, Minato finally spoke.
"You didn't give me a gift. But you gave one to someone else."
Seriously? That's what this is about? We're not even on the same wavelength here!
Hikaru replied, "Because we're best friends! We'll never become rivals. Not in this lifetime—not even in death."
"Really? (๑＞＜๑）"
"Of course. We're going to conquer the ninja world together."
"Alright… But my dream is also to become Hokage. That won't change," Namikaze Minato said.
"Easy!" Hikaru suddenly shouted, "Nawaki! We've got another rival. You better take good care of that straw hat—it carries our dreams and our promise!"
"My dream is Hokage too!"
"Mine too!"
"Me too!"
"Uh (︶︿︶)"
Hikaru grumbled inwardly. Should I change my dream? This one's getting a little overcrowded.
He stopped everyone and declared, "Then let's make it official. Whoever becomes Hokage gets the hat… For now, Nawaki will keep it."
Everyone agreed.
Hikaru smiled and said, "Nawaki, you heard them… Everyone's dreams are entrusted to you now."
Nawaki felt a little dizzy from it all. So many people… He nodded heavily.
"Don't worry, everyone. I'll protect this straw hat."
He had already made up his mind—when he got home, he would show it to Grandma Mito and ask her to place a sealing technique on it so it would never be damaged.
Everything that happened here was clearly seen by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who gently stroked the Hokage's hat.
"My old friend, it seems you'll be retiring soon."
Hiruzen firmly believed that when these children grew up, the next Hokage would surely emerge from among them.
And when that day came, they would honor their promise—and treasure that straw hat.