Hanma's First Lesson in the Shinobi World (Part Two)

Fugaku collapsed to the ground weakly, gasping for breath, his eyes filled with lingering fear.

"I really thought I was going to die. I almost died."

His face still burned. The pain from that savage fist wind, along with the fist that had stopped mere centimeters from his forehead, would not be easy for him to forget anytime soon.

Hanma smiled, pulled him up, and dusted the dirt off him.

"I thought you'd awaken your eyes."

Fugaku stared at Hanma blankly. Awaken his eyes? What eyes? He already had Two Tomoe, didn't he?

Hanma waved a hand, no longer bothering with Fugaku, whose mind was currently a complete mess and who could barely speak coherently.

He walked over to the three little ones and Tsunade, then checked on Minato's studies.

"Minato, how is your research into the Flying Thunder God Technique going? Do you need someone to help you study it?"

"It's all right. It isn't as difficult as I imagined. I'm already close to understanding how to inscribe the basic formula."

Minato answered with a confident smile.

In this timeline, Minato had been taught by Hanma from a young age. He was more decisive and resolute in personality, but he was still that little sun who warmed everyone around him.

Tsunade was startled. He was already about to get started with the Flying Thunder God Technique?

Jiraiya had truly missed out on an excellent disciple.

No, this little genius had become her husband's disciple. Jiraiya really wasn't worthy of teaching him.

Tsunade did some mental calculations. It seemed her side had won after all.

A woman in love had already begun planning her future family.

As for her childhood friend Jiraiya, who was that? She didn't know him!

Hanma held Tsunade's hand with his left and Nawaki's with his right as they slowly left the training grounds. Minato and Kushina followed behind them, holding hands as well.

It was a heartwarming sight. Anyone who did not know them might have thought that a family of five was heading out for a picnic.

Feeling the strength conveyed through the large hand holding his, Nawaki watched Hanma and Tsunade chatting and laughing, and a sense of happiness and security rose within him.

In his heart, this brother-in-law was like the Hokage. That was the highest level of praise his little mind could come up with.

This brother-in-law had taught him many principles. He made them vivid and easy to understand, and he always considered Nawaki's pride.

His combat strength was also mysteriously high. Fugaku, who had just defeated him with three punches and two kicks, had looked like a dead fish before his brother-in-law.

Warmth filled Nawaki's heart as he happily watched the scene.

Growing up, he had not really had the company of clan members. It had only ever been him and Tsunade relying on each other, and he had often felt lonely.

Ichiraku Ramen.

Outside the ramen shop sat a huge round table, covered with dozens of bowls of different ramen, tempura, and sashimi.

Hanma sat there boldly, with a towering stack of empty bowls piled beside him.

Hanma had originally planned to take them to Yakiniku Q or a seafood restaurant afterward and treat them to a grand meal.

But Nawaki was especially fond of Ichiraku Ramen and insisted on eating there.

Hanma grumbled inwardly. Could Nawaki be Asura's reincarnation too?

Why were all the chuuni hot-blooded boys in the Hokage world so obsessed with ramen?

Nawaki held a bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen, practically burying his entire face in it as his chopsticks danced like a whirlwind.

Hanma, on the other hand, simply poured bowl after bowl directly into his mouth. Food like ramen had far too low an energy density for him.

For him, eating ramen felt like an ordinary person drinking porridge. It simply did not fill him up.

Seeing Nawaki's belly already swelling, Tsunade glanced at him and shook her head fondly and helplessly.

Hanma cleared his throat, looked at Nawaki, and asked:

"Nawaki, I have a question that I need you to answer."

"I'm not asking what you understood from today's battle. I only want to ask you this: what is a ninja?"

Nawaki hurriedly swallowed the ramen in his mouth and looked respectfully at his brother-in-law. Just as he was about to answer, he froze.

That was right. What was a ninja?

Nawaki was at a loss for words. He looked pleadingly toward Minato and Kushina, hoping they could help him.

Minato wore a smile, while Kushina frowned as she considered the question. Even Tsunade watched Hanma with great interest.

Looking at the gazes of the three little ones and one grown woman, Hanma raised a brow and answered, "I don't know either."

Ignoring their speechless expressions, Hanma continued:

"The First Hokage once said that a ninja could be described as someone who endured everything."

"But what exactly a ninja must endure, and why they must endure it, are things that need to be understood."

"Everyone has the right to pursue their own happiness and freedom. Becoming a ninja does not mean you must sacrifice anything."

"Suffering is not worthy of praise. In this Shinobi World, if you suffer, it can only mean there is a problem with your strength or understanding."

Nawaki stared blankly at Hanma. Those words were a little too profound for him. Tsunade also wore a deep expression, though no one knew what she was thinking.

Only Minato listened with an unchanged expression. After being influenced by Hanma for seven years, Minato's values had also undergone major changes.

Especially when he had first fallen for Kushina, Hanma had told him a ghost story that he would never forget for the rest of his life.

In it, he became Hokage, Kushina died in childbirth, and the Nine-Tails was released.

To protect the village's important asset—the Nine-Tails—he gave up his life to seal it away. In the end, both he and his wife died in battle.

His child inherited the resentment caused by the Nine-Tails. Instead of receiving the treatment due to a hero's child, he became an unstable Jinchuriki whom everyone despised.

And in order to control the Nine-Tails, his child was no longer the orphan of the Fourth Hokage, but was sent to Root for modification.

All in the name of: everything for Konoha.

The first time Minato heard that story, combined with the missions and methods of the Anbu and Root that Hanma usually told him about, he increasingly felt that such a thing could truly happen.

Thus, that night, Minato grew up.

I, Minato Namikaze, have but one lifelong wish: clock in on time, clock out on time, and live a warm life with my wife and children.

He still remembered how Hanma had laughed so hard at that wish that he could not straighten his back.

Right there on the spot, Hanma gave him a nickname: Borsalino Namikaze.

Minato did not understand it, but he thought Borsalino sounded awful, so he gave himself a new nickname: Golden Heavenly Emperor of Flash.

Hanma continued, "If you can't figure out the question of what a ninja is, then think about your grandfather and your village."

"Konoha Shinobi Village was formed by ninja clans of all sizes and wandering ninja. Those wandering ninja are now called civilian ninja."

"Konoha was established because everyone had grown tired of the endless slaughter of the Warring States Period. It was an organization formed to unite their strength and protect everyone."

"So Konoha's original purpose was to let everyone enjoy peace and live a good life."

"Therefore, Nawaki, remember this: as long as you first live a good life yourself, then make the other villagers happy too, you are a ninja!"

Hanma's chain of theories directly stunned Tsunade and Nawaki. Only Minato nodded in deep agreement.

Nawaki's mind was spinning as he asked hazily, "Living a good life yourself makes you a ninja?"

Minato unusually took over the conversation and said:

"Nawaki, we are all part of Konoha. If everyone lives a good life, Konoha will only keep getting better. Isn't that the best thing possible?"

Hanma's expression suddenly turned solemn again. Looking at Nawaki, he asked a cruel and piercing question.

"One more question, Nawaki. Have you ever thought about why you were born into the Senju, yet there is such a huge gap between you and Fugaku?"

What exactly was a ninja? Sigh.