The Low-EQ Might Guy

"Kakashi just so happens to be home training. You're right on time." Hatake Sakumo smiled as he led the three—one adult and two children—inside.

As Uchiha Mai walked, he took in the layout of the Hatake home. Compared with the Uchiha Compound, it really was much smaller. But if only two people lived there, it was far too spacious.

Apart from a few flowers and plants, the yard was filled with all kinds of training equipment, proof that this was a ninja family with a long tradition.

Kakashi, with silver-gray hair and a mask, was in the yard gripping a short sword and practicing Hatake Style Kenjutsu. He swung and thrust, drenched in sweat.

Many people said the swordsmanship Kakashi practiced as a child hadn't helped him much. That was a misunderstanding.

The Chidori, Raikiri, and other techniques Kakashi developed later did have little to do with Hatake Style Kenjutsu. But using those techniques effectively in actual combat required the principles of Hatake Style Kenjutsu.

You could think of the lightning blade formed by gathering Lightning Release Chakra in your hand as a strengthened, upgraded short sword.

In BIBoruto: Naruto Next Generations/I/B, after Kakashi lost his Sharingan, his visual perception declined significantly. Raikiri, which relied on short-range thrusts, was also modified into Shiden, a technique focused more on slashing. That made a foundation in Hatake Style Kenjutsu all the more important.

"As expected of my rival, Kakashi! Even when he's home alone, he trains so hard!

"I've decided! After we get back from dinner tonight, I'll sprint ten kilometers. If I can't finish, I'll do a thousand push-ups. If I can't finish those, I'll do a thousand sit-ups..."

Might Guy had moved himself to tears again as he enthusiastically planned his evening workout.

"You shouldn't do strenuous exercise right after eating," Namikaze Minato said with a smile.

At the familiar voice, Kakashi snapped out of his sword practice and looked up. He spotted Uchiha Mai and Might Guy behind Minato.

Minato-sensei said he was going to the Ninja Academy today to take on two new students. Were they the ones?

Kakashi remembered Mai and Guy quite well.

The former had been the one who outshone him with his looks at the Ninja Academy. He had several times as many female admirers.

The number of admirers didn't accurately reflect their looks. Kakashi was probably half as handsome as Mai, but he'd already been wearing a mask when he enrolled.

Many people said Kakashi had buck teeth and sausage lips. Those unfounded rumors had badly damaged his reputation and led to his admirers being thoroughly outnumbered.

As for the latter, since meeting him over a year ago, Guy's strength had improved at a staggering pace. He'd gone from a rookie who couldn't use ninjutsu and was mediocre at taijutsu to an outstanding ninja who could threaten Kakashi—at least in taijutsu.

So this is my future team? Oh, how interesting.

"Hi."

Uchiha Mai waved with a smile, friendly and warm in a way that hardly seemed Uchiha.

"Mm." Kakashi nodded, acknowledging them.

"Kakashi, Mai and Guy will be your teammates from now on. You should already know them.

"If there's nothing else, get ready and let's go to dinner," Minato said.

"Okay, sensei. I'll take a shower first." Kakashi put away his sword and headed straight for the bathroom.

While Kakashi showered, Uchiha Mai used his honeyed tongue to strike up a rapport with Hatake Sakumo, conveying Fugaku's sincere regards and concern on his behalf.

Hatake Sakumo and Minato were both relatively straightforward people, unlike schemers such as the Third Hokage and Danzo. They were easier to get along with.

Besides, Mai had no ulterior motives. He only asked about little things and Sakumo's mission experience, acting exactly like a normal admirer.

Before long, Kakashi came out after showering and changing into a fresh set of clothes.

As they were saying goodbye to Hatake Sakumo, Uchiha Mai suddenly asked, "Senior Sakumo, if a teammate were in danger while you were on a mission, would you continue the mission or give it up to save your comrade?"

"I'd save my comrade first, then continue the mission," Hatake Sakumo answered without hesitation.

Great! Uchiha Mai was filled with admiration. Sakumo was a fellow believer in having it both ways, just like him. But that wasn't the answer Mai wanted.

"The mission is urgent. If you save your comrade, you'll miss your chance and the mission will fail." Mai added a few more conditions.

"Mai, why are you asking that?" Namikaze Minato asked, puzzled.

"I've had some questions lately about how to understand the Will of Fire, so I wanted to ask for advice from an esteemed senior in the village who's carried out many missions."

Uchiha Mai made up another story on the spot. What a joke. The Will of Fire—who would believe in something like that?

Hatake Sakumo was silent for a long while. After thinking it over, he seemed reluctant to answer. "If you ever face a choice like that, I hope you'll leave your teammate behind and carry on with the mission.

"We're ninja. Carrying out missions is our duty."

As the Anbu Captain, Hatake Sakumo couldn't give Uchiha Mai a clear answer. His answer would inevitably conflict with his duties as Anbu Captain.

Anbu—the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad—reported directly to the Hokage. Their main duties were protecting the Hokage and carrying out missions to guard against external threats.

Some fanfiction stories claimed there had been a conspiracy behind Hatake Sakumo's guilt-driven death, with someone manipulating public opinion. In fact, his mission hadn't even been important.

Uchiha Mai disagreed. There had definitely been a conspiracy, and someone had probably manipulated public opinion.

But given the timing and the nature of the Anbu's work, Hatake Sakumo must have been carrying out an extremely important mission—so important that even his death to atone for failing it wouldn't have been an overreaction.

Other villages had made similar rules about encountering Hatake Sakumo and Namikaze Minato being allowed to abandon their missions. Shippuden also hinted that when escorting a merchant caravan, ninja could abandon their charges and save themselves if they encountered powerful enemies.

Carrying out missions was a duty, but abandoning them was also commonplace. Whether to fulfill one's duty or protect oneself depended on the mission's importance.

Hatake Sakumo wasn't an idiot. He wouldn't have been so guilt-ridden that he killed himself to atone over some trivial little mission.

"I understand." Uchiha Mai nodded, though in truth, he hadn't understood at all.

The four of them left the Hatake home and headed toward Konoha's shopping district in the evening light.

Namikaze Minato rummaged through his wallet. "What would you all like to eat tonight?

"I heard a new ramen shop just opened in the shopping district..."

Ramen was cheap. Even with all kinds of side dishes, it wouldn't cost much. Master Minato was good at managing money—and he'd already decided to marry Kushina.

As a Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, Kushina couldn't go on missions. Minato's mission pay was the only source of income for their "family."

They needed money for the wedding and renovations on their new home, so Minato had to hand over his mission earnings and could only get a little spending money from Kushina each month.

"Oh!"

Might Guy clapped his hands, delighted. "I know, I know! Across from that ramen shop, there's a really popular barbecue restaurant.

"Dad says a lot of the village's senior ninja go there to get together. You're taking us to that barbecue place, right, Minato-sensei?"

So tactless.

Namikaze Minato's smile froze. The hand gripping his wallet suddenly trembled.

Uh... what was he supposed to do now?