A Stroll Through Konoha

Konoha had been bustling lately. Visitors and ninja in all manner of foreign attire could be seen around the village, and the shopping district had become livelier as a result.

Konoha, the strongest ninja village in the Shinobi World, was hosting the Chunin Ninja Exams itself, and its allies had responded enthusiastically. Not only was Sunagakure from the Land of Wind, one of the Five Great Nations, taking part, but more than ten ninja villages of various sizes, including Amegakure, Yugakure, Takigakure, and Takumi Village, had sent ninja to participate at the first opportunity.

Though these villages varied in size, they all maintained close, friendly relations with Konoha, demonstrating the strength and influence of the Shinobi World's strongest nation and strongest ninja village.

This year was different: a ninja village established only a few years ago had quietly joined them. Its participation caused no stir, though. After all, few people paid attention to small ninja villages that might disappear at any moment.

At the Konoha Gate, a long line waited to be checked before entering the village.

At a glance, only two Chunin could be seen handling registration, sweating from the work. But everyone knew that, for Konoha's security, countless Konoha Anbu were hidden nearby, silently keeping watch.

Three boys in the line had caused quite a stir. All three looked fourteen or fifteen. Genin that age were hardly uncommon at the Chunin Ninja Exams, but these three were exceptionally good-looking!

There was a handsome white-haired boy with an aloof air and a stern face; a delicate black-haired boy, gentle and refined, who could easily be mistaken for a pretty girl; and a sunny red-haired boy who looked lazy but wore a radiant smile.

Their arrival had caused quite a commotion among the girls, who whispered to one another. And, of course, thanks to Haku, plenty of boys were looking their way too.

"Lord Shun, is it really all right for us to arrive so late? Senior Zaku and the others set out ages ago."

Feeling a little uncomfortable under all those gazes, Haku spoke up. Unlike the cow trio, who had rushed straight to Konoha as soon as they received their orders, Haku and Kimimaro had followed Dōmeki on a leisurely sightseeing trip, arriving in Konoha with barely any time to spare.

"Relax! You two need to loosen up. Didn't we come out here to travel? As long as we don't miss the Chunin Ninja Exams, nothing else matters."

"Besides, this is Konoha, a tourist destination famous throughout the Shinobi World. It would be a shame to miss this chance!"

Dōmeki curiously examined Konoha's gate, unable to hide his excitement. He even raised the camera hanging around his neck to take a photo.

Haku and Kimimaro exchanged helpless looks. All they could do was follow Dōmeki's lead and look at Konoha like tourists.

"Stop! Your identification!"

When the three reached the front of the line, two ninja wearing Konoha Chunin flak jackets held out their arms to stop them.

Haku promptly handed over the three Genin registration certificates, while Dōmeki stared wide-eyed at the two men.

One had a bandage across his nose, while the other had long bangs covering half his face. Their familiar appearances made Dōmeki speak without thinking.

"Konoha's gate gods? I finally get to see them in the flesh!"

Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, who were checking the documents, immediately darkened. They glared at the red-haired brat and roared.

"Who are you calling gate gods?!"

Dōmeki, however, regarded them with a trace of pity. After all, the two would still be diligently guarding the Konoha Gate by the time Naruto's children came along!

Feeling the brat's strange gaze, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane glared at Dōmeki in annoyance, then looked down at the Otogakure Genin certificates. They could hardly reconcile Dōmeki with the idea of a ninja. Wasn't he more like an insufferable young master from a noble family?

In the end, the two dutiful guards let Dōmeki and his companions into the village. But just as they turned to check the next visitor's documents, they heard the red-haired boy's brazen voice.

"Haku, Kimimaro, don't hold back! Everything in Konoha is on me!"

Haku and Kimimaro stared speechlessly at Dōmeki as he waved his money around, giving off the air of a nouveau riche. They knew Lord Shun was acting up again!

After losing all his money to Tsunade, Dōmeki had quieted down for a while. But thanks to the generous Fourth Kazekage and that great spear of Gold Dust he had compressed, Dōmeki's wallet was finally full again.

"The Fourth Kazekage really is a wonderful person!" Dōmeki exclaimed once more.

"The Valley of the End, Hokage Rock, Ōtsutsuki Ichiraku's ramen, three-color dango, the Akimichi Clan's barbecue, the Nara Clan's tonics-pah, I probably don't need those yet!"

As they went, Dōmeki chattered to his two companions about their travel plans, leaving Haku and Kimimaro's heads spinning.

At last, Dōmeki decided on their first stop-Ichiraku Ramen!

"Welcome!"

As the three lifted the curtain at the entrance, they heard a sweet young girl's voice. A girl wearing a white headscarf came forward to greet them warmly. She was none other than Miss Ayame, the daughter of Ichiraku's owner and Kakashi's number-one fangirl.

Ayame's eyes lit up when she saw the three of them. After all, who didn't like handsome boys? She became even more enthusiastic as she introduced the Ichiraku Ramen Shop's specialties to her three unfamiliar customers!

Dōmeki was quite interested and asked Ayame about the flavors of the various ramen. But before the three sat down, a flash of silver-white caught his eye.

The boy chuckled. "Looks like someone's paying for our meal today!"

Kakashi Hatake ate his ramen with a weary expression. His three troublesome students had already worn him out, and with the Chunin Ninja Exams approaching, his good friend's strange competitive streak had been roused again.

Kakashi had finally managed to shake off that bowl-cut kappa and was about to enjoy his meal, only to sneeze repeatedly.

"I have a bad feeling about this!"

Kakashi muttered to himself, then suddenly felt someone put an arm around his shoulders.

Startled, he had yet to react when a somewhat familiar boy's voice sounded in his ear.

"What a coincidence, Kakashi-senpai!"

"It's you, brat! No wonder."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes and glanced at Dōmeki, who had greeted him so enthusiastically, only to see him repeatedly beckoning his companions to sit down.

White hair and black hair! They're both people I saw in the Land of Water!

The thought had barely crossed Kakashi's mind when Dōmeki's next words stunned him.

"Haku, Kimimaro, hurry and thank Kakashi-senpai. After all, he's treating us to dinner today!"

Kakashi stared stiffly at the two boys as they obediently bowed, then suddenly grabbed Dōmeki.

"When did I say I was treating you?!"

Kakashi knew all too well how much the red-haired brat could eat. This one meal alone would leave his wallet empty again!

"Senior, have you forgotten our agreement last time?"

Kakashi looked at the boy, whose eyes gleamed with a dim light, and recalled the terror of having someone else control his wallet!