Childhood Companion

In the woods of the Training Ground, Higashino Shinichi threw a kunai that snapped a steel wire. The trap was triggered, and seven or eight shuriken shot out from several directions at once.

Higashino Makoto dodged left and right, but still got hit twice. Of course, the shuriken had no sharp edges.

Setting traps was basic knowledge every Ninja had to master, so he naturally knew how. This trap was one he'd set up earlier to train his reflexes.

He'd already gotten used to the number of shuriken and had planned to double it, but today he'd put on Weighted Gear, which slowed him down. That was why he'd been hit twice.

It seemed he'd have to wait until he'd gotten used to the weight before increasing the number of shuriken in the trap.

Once he was used to the number of shuriken in the trap, he'd increase the weight. And vice versa.

Higashino Makoto made a plan in his mind, reset the trap, and continued training his reflexes.

To make the shuriken and kunai fly as fast as those thrown by an ordinary Ninja, Higashino Makoto hadn't reduced the force of the traps. Though the weapons had no sharp edges, after a little while they'd still left him covered in bruises.

But that wasn't a big deal. Superficial injuries like these were easy enough to deal with. Having a Medical Ninja for a mom meant he could be as reckless as he liked.

Afterward, Higashino Makoto endured the pain and continued his usual training routine in his Weighted Clothing.

If a four-year-old from his previous life had done this, they'd have ended up in the ICU. But this was the Shinobi World, where half the population was practically brain-dead. That wasn't a joke.

Why only half?

Because above them was the truly brain-dead Hashirama Senju. And above him was the Otsutsuki Clan, the Digimon who could turn themselves into a compressed file—the "Karma."

Before he knew it, more than a month had passed since their barbecue dinner at Yakiniku Q.

Summer was just beginning. Konoha lay in the southern part of the continent, and the weather was growing warmer.

During the last few days of his vacation, Higashino Jiro trained Higashino Makoto in combat every day. Once his vacation ended, he went back to work.

This time, though, he was carrying out the village's routine missions, heading out early and coming home late like an office worker punching a time clock. Even so, he still had time to teach his son how to fight.

It wouldn't be until his next rotation to the Border Garrison that he'd be away from home for a long time.

Higashino Makoto also returned to his daily routine of training and studying.

After he'd trained Chakra Extraction until it became second nature, Higashino Makoto began working on precise control.

One day, after breakfast, Higashino Makoto was studying the prerequisite knowledge for Medical Ninjutsu, as usual.

A knock sounded at the door. It had been a while since anyone had visited.

He sensed who it was at once.

At that moment, Higashino Makoto was upside down, with his head toward the floor and his feet against the ceiling. He'd used Chakra to stick his feet to the sturdy wooden ceiling and was reading a book at the same time.

When he heard the knock, he couldn't be bothered to climb down. He walked across the ceiling to the wall beside the front door, bent down, and opened it.

The whole process was smooth and effortless, as if he were walking on level ground. It showed off his impressive Chakra Control and balance.

The visitors were Uzuki Yugao and Gekko Hayate.

Once the door opened, the Two Little Ones didn't see anyone at first. They tilted their heads—and spotted Higashino Makoto standing on the wall beside them.

The purple-haired little dumpling, Uzuki Yugao, jumped in fright and landed on her bottom. "Makoto, who stuck you to the wall?"

Gekko Hayate was surprised too. "You're training your Chakra control, right? My father told me about this. Makoto, I didn't realize you were already this good."

"Yeah. I have so much free time every day. It'd be a waste not to train. Anyway, what brings you two here?"

Uzuki Yugao stood up and brushed nonexistent dust off her bottom, sighing with relief. "Goodness, you scared me! I thought you'd been possessed by a ghost, Makoto.

"As for why we're here, we came to play with you, of course! We finally have some time to relax, so we wanted to get out and enjoy some fresh air."

"Speaking of which, didn't you say you'd come visit after our dinner last time? You disappeared for ages. What have you been up to?"

At that, Uzuki Yugao puffed her cheeks out like a beached pufferfish. "It's all your fault."

"Oh? How does that involve me?"

Gekko Hayate explained, "Ever since Uncle Yuwa heard about you, he and my father decided to put us through special training. We've been cooped up at home ever since."

"Oh, training. That's a good thing. We're all going to be Ninjas one day, so we need to be strong. Hayate, you wouldn't want to see Yugao in danger someday and be powerless to save her, would you?"

Gekko Hayate glanced at his companion and nodded earnestly. "You're right, Makoto. You need to be strong to protect your little sister."

Their families had been close for generations, and the two of them had always been on excellent terms. At this point, Gekko Hayate treated Uzuki Yugao like his little sister.

As for how they'd eventually become lovers—childhood friends, right? Everyone knew how it went. As long as no Blondie showed up out of nowhere, they were practically unbeatable.

Uzuki Yugao grew flustered. "Hey, Big Brother Hayate! Weren't we supposed to come play with Big Brother Makoto? You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"

"Ah, well..." Gekko Hayate looked torn. He wanted to play, but seeing how hard Higashino Makoto worked made him want to train too.

After all, he was only a little kid of five, not the Special Jonin he'd become in the future.

Higashino Makoto didn't mind taking the occasional break. There was more to life than training. "I don't mind going for a walk, but I'm not playing any of those silly Ninja games with you."

Gekko Hayate immediately waved his hands and patted the backpack behind him. "We won't! I don't like those games either. We're going to the river to catch fish and have a picnic. I brought the gear and seasonings."

"That sounds like a good idea."

The bustling Central District of Konoha was as lively as ever, with dense forests all around and several rivers flowing through the village.

The largest of them was the Naka River. Rumor had it that the Uchiha shrine stood on its banks.

But the river's terrain was too treacherous, and its current was very fast. A long stretch ran through a deep ravine, making it unsuitable for recreation but perfect for training.

Of course, if you wanted to die, it was also a great place to jump in and drown yourself. The current swept bodies out of sight as soon as they hit the water. After two days, the fish would have eaten them, and not a hair would be left to find.

Higashino Makoto was living quite happily. No one had stolen his eyeballs, so he had no plans to jump in.

They were going to a river near the Naka River, one of its tributaries.

The three of them left the house, crossed the residential area, and made their unhurried way toward their destination. They chatted and admired the scenery of Konoha along the way.

Higashino Makoto had been reborn in Konoha for several years, and he already knew the village like the back of his hand. But when it came to admiring the scenery, a change in perspective could always make even a familiar place feel fresh.

When they reached the river, Higashino Makoto asked, "How were you planning to catch fish? Did you bring a portable net, or were you going to wade in and catch them by hand?

"Just so we're clear, going into the river is dangerous. Where it joins the Naka River, there's a huge drop and a waterfall. If you get swept over, you're done for."

"Don't worry, Makoto. I came prepared. Father said this is a great way to practice patience." Gekko Hayate took off his backpack and pulled out several portable, collapsible fishing rods and bait.

Higashino Makoto was a little surprised. He hadn't expected them to go fishing. Was that really suitable for three little kids aged four or five?

Sure enough, the three of them each took a rod and sat quietly by the river, waiting for their planned lunch to bite.

But before half an hour had passed, Uzuki Yugao couldn't take it anymore.

"Where are all the fish? What a waste of time."

The girl tossed down her rod and ran off to pick wildflowers. Every so often, she came back to stick a few into the boys' hair and check whether there was any hope of lunch.

Gekko Hayate was still stubbornly competing with Higashino Makoto, as if they were seeing who would lose patience with the tedium first.

With wildflowers stuck haphazardly in their hair, the two of them looked like a pair of flower baskets.