My Foolish Little Brother

The afternoon class was held at the Training Ground on the school field. Kashima Isamu took the lead, teaching the Transformation Technique.

"The hand seals for the Transformation Technique are simple. Watch closely, everyone."

Kashima Isamu formed the Ram Seal, then walked around the students so they could all get a good look.

Except for a few students like Aburame Yui, Inuzuka Sa, and Hanfu, the rest of the Class 8 rookies excitedly fiddled with their hands, hollering about transforming. They were unbearably chuunibyou.

After all, in the eyes of these rookies, compared to Ninja Tool Throwing, the Transformation Technique was a true "ninjutsu"—an important measure of whether someone was a ninja!

"Iruka, you don't seem very interested in the Transformation Technique." Hanfu noticed Iruka standing beside him with an indifferent expression and found it a little strange.

Iruka smiled. "Actually, I started training in the Three Body Technique last year."

"Really? Who taught you?" Hanfu asked, surprised.

"My parents."

Iruka looked proud. "They're both Jonin of the village!"

"Wow, nice! So how are you doing with it?" Hanfu didn't ask about his family connections; he went straight to the point.

"Uh..."

Iruka scratched his head, looking a little awkward.

Hanfu got the message and didn't ask further. After all, there was no need to rub salt in the wound.

"Everyone, even though the Transformation Technique is the simplest ninjutsu, you won't learn it right away."

Watching the rookies' chuunibyou antics, Kashima Isamu couldn't help laughing. "As you form the hand seals, you also need to picture what you want to transform into, then use Chakra to complete the transformation. Let me demonstrate."

Kashima Isamu formed the Ram Seal, picturing Hiramatsu Daishi in his mind as he called upon his Chakra...

Poof!

Amid a cloud of white smoke, Kashima Isamu transformed into Hiramatsu Daishi.

The rookies were thrilled. Whether they understood what Kashima Isamu had said or not, they started trying again and again.

After explaining everything he needed to, Kashima Isamu began making the rounds.

"Ito, you formed the wrong seal. That's the Tiger Seal, not the Ram Seal."

"Izumo Kamizuki, you formed the Ram Seal backward. What did I teach you last semester?"

After making it halfway around the class, Kashima Isamu, exhausted, couldn't help shaking his head. Half the students in this year's class were genuinely impossible to teach.

Of course, noble students from ninja families like Inuzuka Sa and Aburame Yui had been practicing hand seals since they were little, so Kashima Isamu didn't need to tell them much.

What he hadn't expected was that Hanfu's hand seals were excellent, too. He couldn't find a single flaw.

After all... Hanfu had already collected the Three Body Technique. If he hadn't been reluctant to waste Chakra, he could've instantly put on a poof, a person appeared performance!

Once Kashima Isamu had been dealt with, Hanfu quietly watched the rookies around him. Grassroots students like Ito Nipan were progressing at an excruciatingly slow pace, while Inuzuka Sa and Aburame Yui were already as free as he was, with nothing to do but kill time. The two groups were complete opposites.

At this rate, Aburame Yui and the others might be able to apply for graduation after only two or three years at the Ninja Academy, while Ito Nipan might struggle to graduate as a ninja even after completing all six years.

Thinking of this, Hanfu couldn't help turning to look at Iruka. If he remembered correctly, Iruka was another one who'd spent all six years at the Ninja Academy—and both his parents were Jonin, too.

"Why are you looking at me so strangely, Hanfu?" Iruka sensed a hint of malice.

"Iruka, you're really sensitive," Hanfu said with a smile.

Iruka gave Hanfu a sidelong look. "That doesn't sound like a compliment."

"Yeah, your instincts are right."

"..." Iruka wanted to hit him.

They fooled around until a little after three. Seeing that it was nearly time for school to let out, Kashima Isamu said, "All right, that's it for today. Class dismissed! Oh, right, I almost forgot. Today's homework is a reflection on your Transformation Technique training, at least five hundred words. Put some effort into it, understand?"

"Got it."

The rookies answered listlessly. They'd been practicing with great enthusiasm, but practicing was one thing; doing homework was another.

"Looks like I can't go out and play today," Iruka said glumly.

A five-hundred-word reflection would take him at least two hours to write at his level. How could he possibly have any time left to go out and have fun?

Hanfu was a little troubled, too. Writing essays and reflections was something elementary school kids did. He'd only written yesterday's reflection because he'd had no choice.

Hanfu furrowed his brow in thought. After a while, he suddenly snapped out of it. Didn't he have an elementary school kid at home?

Inspiration struck, and Hanfu came up with a plan!

He'd been worried that his little brother would wear himself out by training so diligently every day. But now, at last, he had a perfectly legitimate way to stop him!

After saying goodbye to Iruka and the others, Hanfu waited for his little brother at the Ninja Academy gates. Before long, the dismissal bell rang, and a large crowd of students poured down from the School Building.

"Big Brother!"

In the crowd, Gekko Hayate spotted his older brother waiting at the school gate and happily ran over.

Seeing his little brother, Hanfu was overjoyed, too. Having a younger brother is great.

Back at home, Hanfu noticed their mother's shoes in the entryway. But when he went inside, he found that she was still asleep, so he took his little brother to the backyard.

"My foolish little brother!"

Hanfu spoke solemnly. "Today, your big brother's going to teach you the Transformation Technique, all right?"

"The Transformation Technique?"

Hayate's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes! I want to learn the Transformation Technique!"

Hanfu nodded approvingly. "Then let's start with the hand seals!"

Hanfu spent half an hour teaching his little brother every detail of performing the Transformation Technique, then encouraged him. "Come on, give it a try."

His little brother scrunched up his face and formed the seals with all his might, then shouted with great chuunibyou flair, "Here I go! Transformation Technique!!"

A while later...

"Big Brother, I don't think it worked." Hayate looked a little embarrassed.

"That's okay. No one in the world gets it right on the first try. Just try a few more times. Keep at it, Hayate! You'll definitely succeed. I believe in you!"

Hanfu poured a bowlful of encouragement down his throat, and his little brother was instantly reinvigorated. He practiced the Transformation Technique again.

After practicing for about half an hour, Hayate seemed to figure out what the problem was. "Big Brother, I don't have enough Chakra."

Hayate's father had already taught him the Chakra Refinement Technique. But kids were restless, and compared to sitting on the ground refining Chakra, Hayate preferred taking a wooden sword and whacking a training post. On top of that, he really did have talent, so Gekko Sekiseki and Hanfu's Cheap Dad were both very supportive. As a result, Hayate had about as much Chakra as Hanfu.

"In that case..."

Hanfu finally showed his true colors. "Write a reflection on the Transformation Technique, at least five hundred words."

"Huh? Why?" Hayate protested. "I still have to practice swordsmanship and throw Kunai."

"I'm making you write a reflection for your own good. That's the only way you'll remember everything I just taught you!" Hanfu said earnestly.

Hayate was reluctant, his little face full of reluctance.

"Gekko Hayate! Do you think you can become a ninja just by mastering swordsmanship?"

When being nice didn't work, Hanfu resorted to being stern. "Naive! Immature! Don't underestimate the Shinobi World!! Go write that reflection!!!"

"...All right."

Seeing his big brother get angry, Hayate backed down. He lowered his head and obediently went inside to write his reflection.

Watching his little brother go inside, Hanfu was very pleased. He turned to the empty air and growled, "Don't underestimate the Shinobi World! Don't underestimate the Shinobi World!!"

Mm, very imposing!

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