Deskmate

The girl wore a slightly oversized dark outfit that made her frame look somewhat thin. She propped her cheek on one hand, her short black hair casually falling by her ears, staring tiredly at the rising sun outside the window.

"Really, he said he'd take good care of me for Uncle... but then he got that drunk, making a mess until late at night. In the end, who's taking care of who?"

The black-haired girl yawned, her face weary, as a certain golden-haired figure's chaotic state from last night flashed through her mind. She silently complained.

"Hello, classmate. Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

A gentle, clear voice came through.

The girl turned her head at the sound, still seeming lost in her thoughts, her eyes carrying a dazed look as she snapped back to reality.

She glanced at Shinichi, then at the empty seat beside her. Her face showed no particular expression, only a slightly weary nod, her voice soft: "Yeah, sure."

"I'm Higashino Shinichi. And you, classmate?"

"Shizune." Shizune responded weakly, her voice light as if floating in the air. She lifted her eyelids slightly and looked at Shinichi again.

This ordinary classmate had a smile that was unexpectedly pleasant, like the harmless morning sun. But that warmth quickly faded; her mind was now full of another troublesome matter.

Just thinking about that drunk woman waking up and making a mess of the house again, leaving her to clean up, made Shizune's temples throb with a dull ache. Even the classroom and this new deskmate beside her felt a bit unreal.

Shizune?

Right, I remember Shizune and Kakashi are the same age and year.

Looks like this is indeed a good thing.

A faint smile curved at the corner of Shinichi's mouth. His gaze calmly fixed on the podium, waiting for the teacher to arrive, but his mind was already spinning with new ideas from this unexpected discovery of his new deskmate.

A few minutes later, the teacher still hadn't shown up. The classroom door slammed open with a bang, and a figure rushed in hurriedly, bringing a gust of dry wind.

The newcomer had dark skin, a build noticeably sturdier than other kids his age, and was drenched in sweat, as if he'd sprinted all the way.

He panted heavily, his eyes under thick brows quickly scanning the classroom. Spotting the only empty seat left—a three-seater by the window in the far right corner—he strode over without hesitation.

"Good, made it!" He plopped down in the empty seat next to Shinichi, letting out a long breath, then muttered with some dissatisfaction: "Seriously, Teacher Chen has no sense of time. First day and he's already..."

Mid-sentence, he seemed to realize he hadn't greeted his new deskmate yet. He turned abruptly, flashing a mouthful of white teeth, his smile bright and unclouded: "I'm Ishizuka Takashi. Just call me Takashi! What's your name?"

Takashi?

A certain meme flashed through Shinichi's mind, but he didn't show it. He returned the friendly smile: "Higashino Shinichi. You can call me Shinichi."

As he spoke, he sized up Takashi's solid build and the casual mention of Teacher Chen earlier, forming a guess. He spoke casually: "Takashi, judging by your look, you're good at taijutsu?"

"Not really!" Takashi waved his hand, his smile carrying a frank self-deprecation, but his eyes sparkled: "More than good at it, I'd say it's all I've got. I barely passed the entrance exam thanks to taijutsu make-up tests. My master always says someone who can't use ninjutsu can't be a ninja and tells me to give up. But I'm determined to prove to him that even with just taijutsu, I can become a great ninja."

"What do you think, Shinichi?"

"Of course. Taijutsu itself is an amazing path. It can even create miracles."

Shinichi's tone was sincere, without a hint of falsehood, because taijutsu truly could create miracles. Might Guy was the best example.

"Hahahaha, well said! Miracles! Yeah, miracles!" Takashi's grin widened at that, clearly pleased. Then he eagerly continued: "By the way, Shinichi, are you interested in taijutsu too? You've got a solid frame. Want to spar sometime? Teacher Chen always says real combat is the best practice!"

It really is you!

Only taijutsu, Teacher Chen...

Combining those two key pieces of information, Shinichi understood clearly. This black, sturdy boy with the bright smile and a hint of recklessness was likely the disciple from the anime who never appeared on screen—the one Teacher Chen mentioned who only knew taijutsu and died in the Third Great Ninja War.

The thought surfaced in his mind, but he only nodded with a smile: "I'm definitely interested. If there's a chance, please guide me."

On the far right, Shizune, who had barely been noticeable, seemed disturbed by the sudden surge of enthusiasm beside her. She silently glanced at the two chatting animatedly, pouted almost imperceptibly, then buried her chin back in her arms, exuding an aura of self-isolation.

On the podium, the homeroom teacher finally appeared, and the classroom gradually quieted down.

The teacher began the routine speech, introducing school rules, class schedules, and so on.

Shinichi sat upright, his gaze fixed on the podium, appearing to listen attentively, but his mind was already racing.

He pondered how to interact with these two deskmates—more precisely, how to use them to connect with the people behind them.

One was Konoha's strongest taijutsu ninja, known as the Wooden Leaf Dragon God, Chen Baojun. If he could get in touch with Teacher Chen through Takashi, even just a bit of guidance would be invaluable for solidifying his foundation, expanding his taijutsu horizons, and even shaping his future taijutsu persona.

The other was one of the Three Legendary Sannin, Konoha's strongest medical ninja, Tsunade. Chakra control, medical ninjutsu, monstrous strength, even the Senju clan... that was another priceless treasure trove.

Takashi and Shizune were the keys to unlocking these two vaults.

Just like I said before, this is a good thing!

Shinichi's focus returned to the podium. Beneath it, pairs of eyes looked on—some expectant, some clueless, some excited. But deep in Shinichi's clear eyes lay a calm, calculating ocean.

Soon, the morning classes ended with the teacher's explanations and the new students' varied emotions. It was lunchtime.

Students began pouring out of classrooms, converging in the hallways and paths leading to the playground. The space filled again with chatter and laughter.

Shinichi walked unhurriedly with the crowd, his gaze calmly sweeping over faces both unfamiliar and vaguely familiar.

It was in this flow of students that he first clearly saw those "acquaintances" who had only existed in his memory.

Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Might Guy, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara...

These names that would one day shine across the ninja world were now just ordinary kids mixed in the crowd. Shinichi's gaze passed over them flatly, not lingering on anyone for even a second.

Even Obito Uchiha, who would later stir up massive waves, drew no extra attention from him.

At this moment, his eyes held only one person. His gaze, as if pulled by an invisible magnet, pierced through the noisy crowd and locked precisely onto that silver-haired figure.

Kakashi!