"Gekko Hayate, you... are a child of the Gekko Clan, aren't you?"
In a corner of the Ninja Academy's playground, Hiramatsu Daishi sized up the young lad before him, his gaze carrying a hint of admiration.
Under the middle-aged man's scrutiny, Hayate smiled modestly. "Yes, Teacher Daishi. My father is Gekko Hoshino."
"I see! You're that lord's son. No wonder you're so good at throwing ninja tools!"
Hiramatsu Daishi asked casually, "So, did your father teach you all that?"
Hayate shook his head. "No, I just practiced on my own."
"..." The muscles at the corners of Hiramatsu Daishi's mouth twitched. You've got to be kidding me.
Hayate wore a stiff smile. What is this, a background check? You think you're Uchiha or something?
Hiramatsu Daishi took a deep breath, suppressing the curses in his heart, and asked, "Hayate, as far as I know, your grades at school were very poor over the past year. Why is that?"
Hayate was prepared for the question, so he wasn't flustered at all. In a slightly aggrieved tone, he replied, "My father wants me to inherit Konoha-Style Kenjutsu, so whenever I get home, he makes me practice swordsmanship. I don't have any time to review my other lessons."
"I see."
Hiramatsu Daishi put on a look of sudden realization, but he had a strange feeling that the boy wasn't telling the truth.
However, he wasn't Hayate's Homeroom Teacher, and Hayate's father had already gone to the battlefield. Pressing him about it now would be unreasonable, so Hiramatsu Daishi didn't ask any more questions.
"Hayate, your ninja tool throwing is already far beyond that of your classmates. But being a ninja takes more than just learning how to throw ninja tools. You'll need to study more and master more techniques, so keep at it!"
"Thank you, Teacher Daishi," Hayate said modestly. "I'll keep working hard."
"Good. I was worried you might get conceited, but it seems I was mistaken."
Hiramatsu Daishi smiled. "All right, off you go."
"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Daishi!" Hayate bowed in gratitude, but didn't leave. Instead, he put on an awkward expression.
"Is there something else?" Hiramatsu Daishi asked, curious.
"Um, Teacher Daishi, I was wondering if I could ask you about a few things?" Hayate rubbed his hands together shyly. He felt a little embarrassed about trying to collect from someone he'd only just met.
Hiramatsu Daishi had no idea what Hayate was thinking. Smiling, he replied, "Of course. What would you like to ask me?"
Tree Climbing? Water Surface Walking?
Of course not.
The point of practicing Tree Climbing and Water Surface Walking was to gain better control of Chakra, but Hayate had poor talent and could refine too little Chakra to meet the requirements for training!
So there was no point collecting either of those skills right now.
What he really wanted to collect was...
While "counting stars" last night, Hayate had noticed that the incomplete Kunai Throwing Technique he'd collected from Anko had disappeared. Thinking of what had happened earlier with Tōton, he'd guessed that the pale blue Light Spot had been merged with Ninja Tool Throwing!
And to confirm this...
"Teacher Daishi, I'd like to ask about Chakra refinement."
Hayate had already collected the Chakra Refinement Technique from his big brother, Gekko Ryofu. If he could collect it from Hiramatsu Daishi too and merge the two, he could confirm his theory!
"Refining Chakra?"
Hiramatsu Daishi was a little surprised that Hayate hadn't asked Kashima Isamu, but he patiently answered his question. "Of course! Chakra is formed by combining the Spiritual Energy and Physical Energy within the body. To refine Chakra, you need to..."
As a teacher, Hiramatsu Daishi naturally didn't hold back from his students. In less than half an hour, he'd shared all the essentials of Chakra refinement.
Hayate took the opportunity to collect it!
The green light in his mind churned rapidly, then a pale blue Light Spot emerged!
Hayate quickly enveloped it with his consciousness. Once he confirmed it was the Chakra Refinement Technique, he was overjoyed. He focused all his attention on the other pale blue Light Spot representing the Chakra Refinement Technique.
A few seconds later, the two pale blue Light Spots seemed to recognize each other. As they floated around the Green Light Orb, they slowly drew closer, touched, and then merged. It all happened as naturally as water flowing into a channel. There was no spectacular vision of flowers raining from the heavens or golden lotuses springing from the earth.
Hayate also noticed that this newly Merged Light Spot was brighter than the others.
Merged... strengthened! My theory was right!
Overjoyed, Hayate exclaimed, "Thank you for teaching me, Teacher Daishi!"
"No need to thank me, Hayate. If there's anything you don't understand, you can come to me anytime," Hiramatsu Daishi said with a smile.
"Really?"
Hayate was delighted. "Then please explain it all again, Teacher Daishi!"
"Uh..."
Hiramatsu Daishi's smile froze.
What the...?
If you didn't understand, why were you so excited just now?
"Please, Teacher Daishi!"
Hayate bowed.
"Well..."
Hiramatsu Daishi glanced at the other students. Anko, Inuzuka Sa, Aburame Yui, and the others had split into two groups again and were tossing ninja tools at each other. They were having... ahem, training hard, and had no time to pay attention to what was happening here.
In that case, he'd explain it one more time.
Hayate wasn't deliberately messing with Hiramatsu Daishi. His mind worked quickly, and while the Chakra Refinement Technique was merging in his head, he'd thought of something else.
When he'd collected from his little brother, he'd collected Tōton three times!
Did that mean he could also collect the same technique three times from other people?
Hayate needed to test it!
Half an hour later, Hiramatsu Daishi finished explaining the Chakra Refinement Technique again. He couldn't help licking his lips; he was a little thirsty.
But Hayate didn't seem to notice. He pleaded loudly, "Teacher Daishi, please explain it one more time—the last time, I promise!"
In Hayate's mind, the pale blue Light Spot representing the Chakra Refinement Technique he'd just collected was Merged with the previous one once again. Its brightness seemed to increase by the tiniest bit.
I really am a genius!
Hayate felt incredibly inflated—not, incredibly excited!
So what if my talent is poor?
So what if I'm inefficient at refining Chakra?
If I collect three Chakra Refinement Techniques a day for a whole year, there's no way I won't reach the heavens!
"Are you... serious?"
Hiramatsu Daishi was parched and felt like he might storm off.
"Teacher Daishi, my talent isn't great, but I believe hard work can make up for that. So, sorry for the trouble, but please explain it one more time!" Hayate said forcefully.
"..."
Hiramatsu Daishi gritted his teeth. "One last time!"
Hayate nodded vigorously. "Mm-hmm, thank you, Teacher Daishi. You're so kind!"
"Heh, that's what everyone says." Hiramatsu Daishi's smile was a little strained.