Daily Life, That's All

Konoha Forest, training ground.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had been too excited to sleep all night. Before the agreed time had even arrived, he had already come to the training ground.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and visibility was poor.

He could only feel his way toward the training ground from memory.

Once he drew closer, he noticed a Black Shadow standing in the center of the training ground.

Because it was too dark, he could not make out the Black Shadow's identity.

Hiruzen Sarutobi prepared to move closer for a better look.

As his footsteps sounded, the person in the center of the training ground suddenly turned his head and snapped coldly, "Who's there?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up. Wasn't the owner of that voice his good buddy Danzō?

Just as he was about to identify himself, a Shuriken grazed past his ear and embedded itself in a tree trunk.

Cold sweat immediately streamed down Hiruzen Sarutobi's face as he swallowed hard.

If it had not been so dark, causing Danzō's Shuriken to miss, he would have been a corpse by now...

"Dan... Danzō, it's me, Hiruzen..."

Danzō Shimura stepped closer. Once he saw the newcomer's face clearly, he frowned and put away his weapon. "Hiruzen, why are you here?"

What was Hiruzen doing in a place like this in the middle of the night?

Could it be... he had also become Lord Tobirama's disciple?

Sure enough, Hiruzen's next words confirmed his guess.

"Danzō, Lord Tobirama accepted me as his disciple. He told me to gather here," Hiruzen Sarutobi explained.

Danzō wore an expression of realization.

He should have guessed it long ago. If he, who had placed fifth, could become Lord Tobirama's disciple, then Hiruzen, who had placed first, naturally could as well.

He subconsciously clenched his fists. The fact that Hiruzen was also Lord Tobirama's disciple was not good news to him.

He had originally thought that Lord Tobirama's guidance would help him widen the gap between himself and Hiruzen, only to find that Hiruzen was Lord Tobirama's disciple too.

That wish of his had gone down the drain...

Danzō's expression grew uglier. Hiruzen's talent was greater than his, and with Lord Tobirama personally guiding him, the gap between them would only grow wider.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not notice his friend's expression. Throwing an arm around his shoulders, he laughed. "This is great, Danzō. I never expected both of us to become Lord Tobirama's disciples. We can train together from now on."

The fact that Danzō had come here in the middle of the night meant that he was also Lord Tobirama's disciple.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was genuinely happy for his friend.

Danzō Shimura forced out a smile. "Haha, you're right. Let's work hard and grow stronger together."

"Yeah, let's grow stronger together!"

"Oh? You two are here too?"

Just then, a woman's voice came from behind them.

The two turned around and saw Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado walking over side by side.

Danzō frowned unhappily and looked at Koharu Utatane. "You're Teacher Tobirama's disciple too?"

Were Lord Tobirama's disciples so cheap these days?

How could any random stray become Teacher Tobirama's disciple?

"Mm-hmm. Lord Tobirama said I had talent as a Medical Ninja, so he accepted me as his disciple," Koharu Utatane said with a smile.

"Haha, congratulations!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said cheerfully.

Before long, a figure emerged from the darkness and headed toward the training ground.

When he drew close, they finally saw who it was.

"Kagami, I knew it was you!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile.

Kagami Uchiha smiled. "Hello, everyone."

When Danzō Shimura saw that it was Kagami, he could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Good thing it wasn't that bastard Uchiha Renye...

Renye had beaten him badly enough to leave a psychological shadow. As long as it was not that bastard, it was fine.

Thinking of the time Renye had beaten him senseless, Danzō subconsciously clenched his fists, his face turning livid.

He swore in his heart that once he grew stronger in the future, he would make Uchiha Renye pay!

"Hmph, Uchiha Renye, just you wait!"

Even now, Renye was nowhere to be seen.

It looked like Lord Tobirama had not accepted him as a disciple.

How pathetic!

When he heard Danzō mention Renye, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly thought of something. "Do you think Renye was accepted as Teacher Tobirama's disciple?"

At that, everyone looked at one another.

There was nothing to criticize about Renye's strength, but his theoretical grades were another matter entirely.

Kagami Uchiha said, "If Lord Tobirama only considered practical combat scores, Renye would definitely be accepted as a disciple. But if he looked at the overall results..."

He did not finish, but everyone understood.

"Ah, what a pity for Renye," Hiruzen Sarutobi said regretfully.

"Haha, serves him right! Who told him not to study normally?" Danzō Shimura said with obvious glee.

With Teacher Tobirama's guidance, he believed his strength would definitely keep growing until he surpassed Uchiha Renye.

When that time came, he would return all the humiliation he had suffered from Renye twofold.

He could practically see himself stepping on Renye beneath his feet.

He believed that day would not be far off...

"Hey, hey, hey, are you talking crap about me behind my back again?"

Renye's voice came from the distance. Danzō's body stiffened, and he turned his head with difficulty.

In the darkness, one large and one small figure slowly approached.

They were Tobirama Senju and Uchiha Renye.

"Hello, Teacher!" The five of them bowed respectfully.

Tobirama Senju nodded and praised them. "Not bad. No one is late."

Looking at the five, Renye finally understood why Tobirama Senju had told him to train here.

So this old man had secretly taken in disciples behind his back...

"Warm up first."

After saying that, Tobirama Senju leaned against a tree and closed his eyes to rest.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others all turned their gazes toward Renye.

"Renye, did you become Teacher's disciple too?" Kagami Uchiha asked softly.

"No," Renye said.

At most, Tobirama Senju guided his training. He could not be considered Renye's teacher.

"Hmph, if you're not, then leave. Teacher will be guiding our training soon," Danzō Shimura said coldly.

As Renye began warming up, he said, "What you've always longed for is merely my daily life."

He paused, then raised one finger. "I start training at Tiger Hour every day. I've kept this up for a whole year."

At those words, their pupils contracted sharply.

So Renye had already been training with Teacher for a year?

Only then did Danzō Shimura remember that Uchiha Renye had been adopted by Teacher long ago.

It was perfectly normal for Teacher to guide his training whenever he had time.

Thinking of this, his eyes filled with jealousy.

Why?

What kind of damn luck had this bastard stumbled into to be adopted by Teacher?

Seeing Danzō's envious, jealous, resentful expression, Renye felt utterly refreshed.

Thinking about how miserable Danzō would look during training later, he wanted to laugh.

Did he really think Tobirama Senju's training plan would be easy?

"Warm-up's over. Kid, lead them through the training first."

Renye: "???"

No, was this right?

Damn it, this old man was treating him like free labor?!