"Besides."
Hyuga Sho's tone shifted, carrying a trace of chill.
"If someone says you can't be a ninja if you can't use Ninjutsu... then if someone tells you to eat shit, why don't you go do it?"
"!"
Might Guy froze in his seat.
He opened his mouth.
Yet in the end, he could not say anything in rebuttal.
Because...
"Hyuga Sho's presence is so overwhelming... He's so confident... I want to become just as dazzling as him..."
A moment later.
Hyuga Sho left the classroom, leaving behind only Might Guy, quietly striving to think things through.
"I never expected you to encourage someone else."
In the hallway.
Hyuga Mami gave Hyuga Sho a rather surprised look.
Hyuga Sho smiled, looking honest and simple. "Because Young Lady encouraged me like that back then too."
I encouraged you?
Encouraged you to eat...
Hyuga Mami's eyes widened slightly, somewhat surprised.
Because she could not remember when she had encouraged Hyuga Sho to eat... that sort of thing.
"Young Lady, you said I had talent for fighting, and you said I worked very hard too..."
Hyuga Sho helped Hyuga Mami recall those things.
"I did say that..."
Hyuga Mami's gaze went slightly unfocused as she sank into memories.
Encouraging him to eat shit obviously had never happened.
Five months...
Nearly five months.
That dead last of the Hyuga Clan had already become the kind of model student who could set an example for the other students.
A transformation...
Perhaps encouragement really did work.
"Then do you still need my encouragement now?"
Hyuga Mami asked.
At that moment, their eyes met.
Her clear, ethereal eyes met Hyuga Sho's bright, spirited gaze.
"Of course."
Hyuga Sho, who remained committed to raising a loli, answered decisively.
"Then..."
Hyuga Mami turned and started walking.
"Hyuga Sho, please defeat Kakashi for me."
"No problem."
At noon.
After lunch, Might Guy trained with his father, Might Duy.
"Dad... I failed every review of the Three Body Techniques this morning. I'm sorry..."
"..."
Might Duy fell silent.
A moment later...
"Guy, you idiot!!"
Might Duy punched his son in the face, turning five-year-old Might Guy into a meme-worthy expression.
Might Guy spun three hundred and sixty degrees through the air before crashing onto the ground with a bang.
"I-I'm sorry, dad... I've been in school for nearly half a year, but I still haven't learned the Three Body Techniques..."
The punch hurt too much, and Might Guy was too ashamed.
He could not stop the tears from flowing.
"Don't apologize...! I'm not angry because of that!"
Might Duy was crying too.
Though... no one knew why.
"Don't apologize for your efforts. That would be deeply disrespectful to your hard work, Guy!"
"Dad!"
"Guy!!"
The two immediately embraced and wept together.
"That father and son are doing that again..."
"Those green bodysuits are so disgusting..."
The passersby who saw this whispered among themselves.
"Thank you for your encouragement!!" x2.
The next moment, they saw the father and son raising their thumbs and flashing hearty smiles.
Naturally, there were also their gleaming white teeth.
After the passersby had been scared away...
"Dad..."
Might Guy lowered his eyelids.
"That wasn't encouragement. They were mocking us..."
"Ahh~ Don't sweat the details! Guy, listen up, your youth has only just begun... Youth never looks back, just like me!"
Might Duy encouraged his son.
"The fact that you can't use Genjutsu or Ninjutsu actually makes me happy... Knowing your weaknesses lets your strengths shine! Right now, you..."
Might Duy revealed a huge smile.
"Your Taijutsu has already started to shine!!"
"..."
Might Guy fell silent.
Then... he smiled.
"Dad, Hyuga Sho said something similar this morning too. He encouraged me. Maybe... Taijutsu really is my strength."
"That's right~~~!"
Might Duy struck while the iron was hot.
"Hyuga Sho is a fine example... What he said makes perfect sense, exactly like what dad thinks! You should follow his example and work hard! One day, just like how he challenged young master Asuma, you'll be able to defeat Kakashi too!"
The father and son's conversation got off to a good start.
But the next moment.
Two discordant voices joined in.
"Huh? Isn't that the eternal Genin, Might Duy?"
"You're still playing training games with children? You eternal Genin sure are impressive, hahaha!!!"
Two ordinary Konoha Chunin were passing by.
Even if they were ordinary, they were still much stronger than Might Duy, who had been a Konoha Genin for twenty years.
"Thank you for your encouragement!"
Might Duy's response was...
To give them a thumbs-up.
But Might Guy... wore an angry expression.
A few minutes later.
After parting ways with his father, Might Guy caught up to the two Konoha Ninja.
He threw a small stone.
It struck one of them in the back of the head.
"Ow!"
The two turned around.
"What are you doing, brat?!"
"Huh? Looking closely, isn't that Might Duy's kid? What do you mean by this?! Huh?!"
Faced with their questioning.
Might Guy took a deep breath and clenched his tiny fists.
"Stop looking down on my dad!!"
That afternoon, at the Ninja Academy.
"Might Guy has been hospitalized."
Funano Daihoku looked rather grave.
He did not explain the specific reason.
After thinking it over, Hyuga Sho made a decision.
The next day.
It was a day off.
Hyuga Sho slipped out of the Hyuga Clan mansion and headed toward Konoha Hospital.
On the way.
He spotted two familiar faces.
"Hyuga Sho, what are you looking at?!"
The one speaking was Ebisu.
He was acting arrogantly.
Of course, most of that arrogance was just an act.
Hyuga Sho clearly saw Ebisu trembling.
He was obviously forcing himself to hold on.
Beside him, Shiranui Genma had a toothpick in his mouth, with a bead of sweat Seeping Out on his forehead.
One second later, he said, "W-what are you looking at?"
Hyuga Sho looked at the two lying on the ground and expertly searched their waist pouches.
The money in their wallets was just enough to buy some fruit to visit Might Guy.
"What if I'm looking at the two of you?"
With a calm face, Hyuga Sho left those words behind and strode away.
Before you continue