Father and Son

Ninja Academy.

The moment Hyuga Sho arrived at the school gate, he saw Hatake Kakashi beating up Might Guy.

"Ugh..."

With a pained groan, Guy, sporting a bowl cut, staggered backward.

Kakashi had defeated him with just one move.

But Kakashi pressed his advantage, unleashing a continuous barrage of blows.

Guy's body, clad in a green jumpsuit, trembled again and again until Kakashi finished his entire combo.

Only then did Guy go flying with a bang, crashing miserably onto the ground.

"Might Guy, you want to challenge Kakashi like Obito did?"

"Forget it. You're not even a tenth as good as Obito. Dream on."

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

The students spectating mocked Guy, the class's "true, undisputed Dead Last."

Their jeers and laughter carried far into the distance.

"Don't bother me again. I don't have time to fight a Dead Last like you."

Kakashi crossed his arms and looked down at his opponent sprawled on the ground.

The students jeering around them were right.

This Might Guy was clearly not even a tenth as strong as Obito.

Who had given him the confidence to challenge him?

Kakashi could not help recalling what had happened five months ago, when they had first enrolled.

"Father actually said... someone like him would surpass me... Hmph, I really can't see it. Honestly, having one idiot like Uchiha Obito is irritating enough... It's all Hyuga Sho's fault!"

"?"

The person in question remained perfectly calm.

What Hyuga Sho did not know was this.

Ever since his Legend of Effort had swept through the Ninja Academy.

Many people had begun entertaining the same idea as him.

Train hard.

Then, after working hard, challenge the top students.

Guy.

Was one of those copying his example.

Hyuga Sho had defeated Ebisu, Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, Yamashiro Aoba... and Asuma!

Then maybe I, Might Guy, could do it too... probably.

"Urgh..."

Guy lay on the ground, his face bruised and swollen from Kakashi's beating.

The latter declared his contempt with the bearing of an absolute victor.

"Kakashi is so handsome~!"

"Kakashi, we like you~~!"

After his overwhelming victory.

The girls around them shouted their admiration for Kakashi.

Hatake Kakashi was handsome, cool, and exceptionally strong.

He was exactly the sort of boy girls typically liked.

The winner took all, while the loser ate dust.

Everyone crowded around Kakashi, the genius boy, and left.

Only the defeated Might Guy remained behind, ignored by everyone.

"Guy~~! Get back up~!"

Just as Hyuga Sho was about to walk past.

From the corner by the wall nearby came the worried voice of an adult man.

"Youth waits for no one, Guy~~! Even if you lose, all you need to do is get back up and keep moving forward!"

Hyuga Sho and Hyuga Mami turned around.

At once...

A larger version of "Might Guy" appeared before their eyes.

"!"

"!"

Hyuga Mami and Hyuga Sho were both stunned.

The man looked to be under thirty.

He wore the same green jumpsuit as Guy and had shaved the same exaggerated bowl-cut hairstyle.

This was probably what Guy would look like when he grew up.

"Dad... I lost..."

Still lying facedown, Guy shed tears of regret.

Dad?!

Hyuga Mami and Hyuga Sho nodded at the same time.

With those looks, they were definitely father and son!

"But Guy..."

Might Duy ran over and dropped to one knee.

He spoke to his son, who was still sprawled on the ground.

But that run...

Immediately caught Hyuga Sho's attention.

"This man... is so fast. Looks really can be deceiving."

When Might Duy ran over, Hyuga Sho had nearly failed to see his movements clearly!

That was practically impossible!

Hyuga Sho had been in this world for nearly five months.

Although he had never seen a Jonin or Special Jonin make a move.

The person he had encountered most often was Funano Daihoku, the Chunin instructor at the Ninja Academy.

It could be said.

Even Funano Daihoku did not possess Might Duy's "blinding speed."

"Could this man... be a Special Jonin, or even a Jonin?"

"'Perpetual Genin' Might Duy... So the rumors really were wrong..."

Beside him.

Hyuga Mami uttered a term.

Perpetual Genin, Might Duy.

Hyuga Sho thought for a moment.

While wandering the streets on previous days off, he seemed to have heard passersby mention that term.

It seemed...

To refer to someone who had remained a Genin for over twenty years without ever advancing to Chunin.

Could that person be Guy's father standing before him?

"Might Duy is called a Perpetual Genin because he can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. He only knows Taijutsu..."

Wasn't that just like our Hyuga Clan?

Hyuga Sho ultimately did not say those words.

After all, the Hyuga Clan at least possessed the Byakugan and could use the Three Body Techniques.

According to the rumors.

Might Duy had not even known the Ninja Academy's Three Body Techniques back then.

Come to think of it...

"Guy seems unable to use the Three Body Techniques either."

Hyuga Sho thought carefully for a moment.

That was indeed how he remembered it.

Then he heard Might Duy continue, "Didn't you accomplish your goal of challenging Kakashi today? That means you've already taken a huge step toward victory!"

"Really?"

Guy blinked and stopped crying.

"That's right!"

Might Duy was clearly a good father.

With a kind-hearted lie, he guided his son to his feet.

After his unrelenting encouragement.

Guy finally showed a smile.

—Though it was a rather forced smile.

Hyuga Sho pondered.

It seemed.

Might Guy was not actually slow-witted.

Rather, he was the kind of person who understood how to live clearly.

Hyuga Sho said, "Father and son encouraging each other, then continuing onward together?"

"Thank you for your encouragement!!!" x2.

The next second.

The father-and-son pair, Might Duy and Might Guy, suddenly turned around.

They gave Hyuga Sho and Hyuga Mami a thumbs-up, flashing a row of gleaming white teeth.

Their smiles brimmed with youth.

Their teeth sparkled brilliantly.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized.

Had they practiced this many times?

Or was this simply the tacit understanding between father and son?

"..."

Hyuga Mami looked left and right.

In the end, she realized.

This father-and-son pair really was thanking them?

But neither she nor Hyuga Sho had done anything.

"You're Hyuga Sho, aren't you?"

Might Duy walked over and stared at the child before him.

Then, he bowed to Hyuga Sho. "Thank you for inspiring Guy!!"