My Dream Is to Develop Stealthily

"Hey, Hanfu! I haven't seen you all summer, and you seem to have grown a lot!"

Kotetsu Hagane came over and sat right beside Hanfu to compare their heights. He held up a hand to measure, then laughed. "But I'm still taller than you. Haha!"

"That's because all my height is in my legs," Hanfu said casually.

It was his first time talking to Kotetsu Hagane, but the familiar feeling was impossible to shake.

"What does that mean?" Kotetsu Hagane asked, clearly confused.

"Hanfu means you've got short legs." Izumo Kamizuki came over to lend a hand, striking Kotetsu Hagane right in the heart.

"What?!" Kotetsu Hagane leaped up at once, fuming. "That's nonsense! Everything below my chest is legs. Hanfu, look! Look! My legs are definitely longer than yours!"

Hanfu glanced at him and gave a couple of noncommittal grunts.

Kotetsu Hagane gritted his teeth. This is so frustrating!

"Woof, woof, woof!"

Suddenly, the Ninja Dog Shiromaru in Inuzuka Sa's arms started barking at Hanfu.

"Don't do that, Shiromaru. Don't you recognize Hanfu?" Inuzuka Sa was a little girl with two braids. Red markings shaped like fangs adorned both her cheeks, making her quite adorable.

"Whimper~" Shiromaru whimpered twice, seeming just as puzzled about why he was barking at Hanfu.

"Sa, Shiromaru's growing so slowly. My neighbor's dog grew to knee height in a year, but your Shiromaru doesn't seem to have changed at all," Iruka asked, leaning over.

"Woof!" Shiromaru barked twice in protest.

"That's because Shiromaru is a Ninja Dog, so he takes much longer to grow than an ordinary puppy!"

Hanfu looked up at the little white puppy in Inuzuka Sa's arms, a faint smile on his lips.

Ever since he had replaced Gekko Hayate, his mannerisms and tone of voice had inevitably differed from the original. Even if other people, including his parents, noticed these differences, they wouldn't find them all that strange. After all, Hanfu was still a child, and children were easily influenced by the world around them. It was like how an elementary schooler's catchphrase might be "Oh, man" in first grade, "Damn" in second, and "Holy crap" in third. By fourth grade, it might become "You son of a—"; in fifth, "Pick Lu Ban and I'll carry"; and in sixth, "I'm jungling, do whatever you want." Did that mean a child's parents should suspect they'd been possessed every time their catchphrase changed?

Of course not.

So as long as Hanfu didn't bring trouble on himself, no one would ever guess that another soul had taken over his body.

But for a dog, changes in a person's behavior and mannerisms could feel a little unsettling and unfamiliar. Still, that slight unease would soon fade.

"Everyone, could we put the catching-up aside for a moment?"

Anko couldn't take it anymore. "Let's talk about the picnic after school first! Hanfu and Iruka don't want to go. What about the rest of you?"

Hanfu shrugged and reiterated, "My younger brother started school this year, so I have to take him home after class. I really can't spare the time."

"I have things to do at home too," Iruka added, raising his hand.

Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki exchanged a glance, then said in unison, "Anko, we have things to take care of after school too. Sorry!"

"Aw, why not?" Inuzuka Sa pouted as she hugged Shiromaru. She was a girl too, and she loved sweets. She wasn't into dango, but she really liked red bean soup!

Anko let out a weary sigh and slumped. "If you're all busy today, then we'll have to cancel the picnic."

Hanfu, Iruka, Kotetsu Hagane, and Izumo Kamizuki exchanged glances and smiled in perfect understanding.

"But if today doesn't work, then let's go tomorrow!" Anko's eyes lit up as she called out, "We'll have a picnic after school tomorrow!"

"Agreed!"

"Woof!"

Inuzuka Sa and Shiromaru cheered happily.

"..."

Hanfu and the others looked at one another. Anko's tactics were way too devious!

Just as Hanfu and the others were about to protest, the Homeroom Teacher of Class 8, Kashima Isamu, walked in.

Kashima Isamu was in his early twenties, of average height and ordinary looks. He wore a Ninja Headband and was a so-called "Loser" ninja from a civilian family. But he had inherited the Will of Fire and feared neither hardship nor exhaustion. He was one of Konoha's finest Chunin—at least, according to Kashima Isamu himself!

"Everyone, nice to see you again! Did you have a good Summer Holiday?"

Kashima Isamu folded his arms and smiled. Before any of the students could answer, he continued, "Whether you enjoyed yourselves or not, the new school term is here, so all of you had better perk up!"

"Yes!"

The students answered in ones and twos, listlessly.

"Why are you all so low on energy?" Kashima Isamu called out. "Have you already forgotten your dreams from when you entered the Ninja Academy? Looks like I'll have to remind you!"

With that, Kashima Isamu began calling on students. "Ito Ni!"

"Yes."

Ito Ni was a chubby boy. As soon as he heard the teacher call his name, he jumped to his feet in a panic.

"Loudly, tell us your dream!" Kashima Isamu shouted, looking utterly dramatic.

"..."

Ito Ni looked embarrassed and answered quietly, "Um, teacher, my dream is to become a chef."

Kashima Isamu blinked hard twice. I'm so nervous. "Got it. Sit down. Now, Mitaraishi Anko!"

"Teacher, my dream is to eat dango, red bean soup, and bean-paste buns every day..." Anko stood up without a hint of embarrassment, counting them off on her fingers.

"All right, all right, Anko, sit down."

Kashima Isamu's eyelid twitched. This is so annoying. He looked around the room. "Gekko Hayate, what about you?"

Hanfu stood up and hesitated before answering, "Develop stealthily and don't get reckless?"

"...Pfft!"

"Haha!"

"Hanfu's gotten funnier."

The students leaned over their desks, covering their mouths as they snickered.

Kashima Isamu's mouth began to twitch. He said irritably, "Hanfu, wasn't your dream to inherit Konoha-Style Kenjutsu and become an excellent Jonin?"

Was it?

Hanfu thought back. It seemed that when he'd first enrolled, he really had said something like that during his self-introduction.

Thinking about it now still made him cringe.

Hanfu said aggrievedly, "Teacher, last year I was just a six-year-old kid who didn't know anything. How can you take a child's words seriously?"

"I..."

Kashima Isamu opened his mouth, but Hanfu's argument made so much sense that he couldn't refute it.

"Sit down." Kashima Isamu turned to Iruka, who was sitting beside Hanfu. "Iruka, what's your dream?"

Iruka stood up, his back straight, and said loudly, "Teacher, my dream is to become an excellent ninja!"

"Well said!"

Kashima Isamu was moved to tears. Iruka really didn't let me down. He clapped vigorously, then praised him in a rousing voice. "Students, you should all learn from Iruka. Never forget the reason you entered the Ninja Academy. Since you've chosen to become ninjas, you have to press on through wind and rain! No matter how great the hardships, you must stay resolute and pursue your dreams with courage!"

His passionate speech finally stirred what little fighting spirit the students had. Their eyes gleamed as they clapped.

Kashima Isamu smiled and raised a hand to quiet them. The applause immediately died down.

"Students, to see whether you've been slacking off over the Summer Holiday, all of you will gather at the Training Ground behind the school in ten minutes. Get ready for a test!" Kashima Isamu called out.

"Aaah, no!"

"I hate this!"

"What does it matter? We're all Dead Last anyway."

"I just hope I don't come in last. Hanfu, I'm counting on you."

The students grumbled one after another. One of them even turned around and looked at Hanfu expectantly.

Hanfu's expression stiffened, then he flared up. Listen to yourself! Is that any way to talk?

Just because you didn't want to come in last, that meant he had to take the bottom spot?

They'd been classmates for a year. Was their friendship really so fragile that it could capsize just like that?