That afternoon, the practical training was once again led by Kashima Isamu, who taught them the Transformation Technique.
Although the Transformation Technique was one of the most basic ninjutsu, mastering it took more than a day or two for this bunch of rookies. Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent six whole years at the Academy.
Kashima Isamu went over it with them again and again, until sweat poured from his forehead, but the results were still pretty poor.
Hanfu stood among the crowd with Iruka, Izumo Kamizuki, and Kotetsu Hagane. While keeping an eye out to see whether Kashima Isamu was coming over, they whispered among themselves.
"We didn't learn any new techniques today, so it looks like we won't have homework tonight." Kotetsu Hagane sounded a little excited. "Izumo, Hanfu, Iruka, how about we go play at Senju Park after school?"
"Sure."
Izumo Kamizuki nodded. He and Kotetsu Hagane were inseparable and went everywhere together.
"But we have an exam tomorrow," Iruka said hesitantly.
"So what? We can head home at six." Kotetsu Hagane was completely carefree.
"Okay, then." Iruka was still at the age where he loved to play and couldn't resist his friends' temptation.
"What about you, Hanfu?" Kotetsu Hagane asked, turning to him.
"Well..."
Hanfu hesitated. He did want to go. If they ran into that Old Woman who might be Tsunade again, he could perhaps figure out who she was. But...
"Sorry, I have something to do tonight. I can't go."
There was nothing Hanfu could do. After school, he had to take his little brother home and calm him down. After dinner, he was going to the hospital with Keiko to meet the legendary doctor, Shennong. And compared with the elusive Tsunade, Shennong—who was within easy reach—seemed like the more reliable prospect.
"No problem," Kotetsu Hagane said with a smile. "Then the three of us will go."
"Should we ask Anko and Sasha to come?" Iruka asked.
"Let's skip them this time." Kotetsu Hagane glanced at Anko and Inuzuka Sa, who were whispering to each other in the distance, and lowered his voice. "We guys need some time to ourselves now and then."
As they chatted, the afternoon quickly wore on until three-thirty.
The dismissal bell rang. Kashima Isamu was finally free, and the rookies couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"All right, that's it for today. Class dismissed. Oh, and remember to review when you get home. There's a Theory Exam tomorrow morning! Do your best, everyone!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Got it!"
"Thanks for your hard work, teacher."
After everyone dispersed, Hanfu said goodbye to Iruka and the others, then went straight to their usual meeting spot to wait for his little brother.
When Hayate came out, several friends were with him. They were probably the new friends he'd mentioned before.
"Big brother."
As soon as Hayate saw Hanfu, he dashed over. Then, halfway there, he remembered what had happened the night before. His little face turned fierce, and he gave an arrogant little huff. Deliberately walking right past Hanfu, he headed home first.
"My foolish little brother~"
Hanfu hurried a few steps to follow behind him and coaxed, "Want to learn the Clone Technique?"
Hayate stopped in his tracks, then said loudly, "No! I want to train in swordsmanship."
Hanfu smiled. "Little bro, you won't graduate from the Academy unless you master the Three Body Technique."
"If I can't graduate, then I can't graduate! I'm going to train in swordsmanship!" Hayate said sulkily.
"If you don't graduate, you won't be able to become a ninja," Hanfu continued, playing along.
"Really?"
Hayate turned around and looked at Hanfu. "You're not lying to me, are you, big brother?"
"Of course not. Why would I lie about that? You can ask anyone."
Hanfu put on a serious expression.
Of course, Hanfu left out the fact that the Graduation Exam was random. They might test the Three Body Technique this year, Taijutsu next year, and Ninja Tool Throwing the year after. But it was all too complicated, so he decided to tell his little brother once he'd learned the Three Body Technique.
"Oh..."
Hayate lowered his head, visibly torn.
"Hayate, I know how much you want to inherit the Konoha-Style Kenjutsu," Hanfu said earnestly. "But it's an advanced style of swordsmanship. If you want to inherit it, you first have to become an excellent Genin, or even a Chunin! If you can't even graduate from the Academy, how will you ever inherit the Konoha-Style Kenjutsu?"
Hayate blinked twice, then lowered his head in shame. "Big brother, I was wrong."
Hanfu smiled with satisfaction. "When we get home, I'll teach you the Clone Technique. Then you can write a five-hundred-word reflection."
There was no homework today, but Hanfu knew Kashima Isamu would teach them the Clone Technique in a few days. Then this five-hundred-word reflection would come in handy.
As a transmigrator, planning ahead was just part of the job!
"Oh..." Hayate replied listlessly.
"And you have to keep this a secret, understand?" Hanfu remembered something and quickly reminded him. "Don't tell your teachers or classmates at the Academy, and don't tell Mom either!"
"Why?" Hayate asked, confused.
"Because what I'm teaching you is second-year material!" Hanfu said quietly. "If other people find out, they'll say you're getting ahead of yourself."
"What does that mean?" Hayate asked.
"Let me give you an example. There's a little kid who hasn't even graduated from the Academy or become a ninja, but he keeps going on about training in swordsmanship and inheriting the Konoha-Style Kenjutsu. That's what it means to get ahead of yourself."
Hayate lowered his head in shame once more.
When they got home, Keiko was already up and tidying the house.
"Mom, don't forget to take me to the hospital tonight," Hanfu said, worried she might change her mind.
"Sure. But when we get to the hospital, Feng-chan, you have to stay with me and can't run off, understood?" Keiko said.
Hanfu immediately nodded and promised.
Then he took his little brother to the backyard and started teaching him the Clone Technique.
A little over half an hour later, Hayate had memorized all the key points of the Clone Technique. But his Chakra reserves weren't sufficient, so for now it was all theory.
"Next, you need to write a five-hundred-word reflection on the Clone Technique." Hanfu spoke with righteous conviction. I'm doing this for Hayate's own good. Yep!
"Got it."
Hayate glanced at the wooden post beside him and the wooden sword stuck in the grass, his eyes full of reluctance. Then he lowered his head and went back to the living room, took out his homework book, and bent over the table to start writing.
Hanfu, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on the ground and began refining Chakra.
"Feng-chan, Hayate, dinner's ready!"
A little over an hour later, Keiko finished cooking and interrupted the brothers' hard work.
"Hayate, you've only just started school. Do you already have this much homework?" Keiko asked curiously when she saw him bent over the table writing again.
She remembered that when Feng-chan was in his first year, he hadn't had any homework for months. As soon as he got home, his father would take him to the backyard to train in swordsmanship.
Hayate hesitated, but remembered he'd promised his big brother to keep it secret. He said it was a reflection on what he'd learned at school, to help him remember it better.
Keiko smiled in satisfaction, then gave Hanfu a slightly reproachful look.
"I..."
How did I get dragged into this, too?
Hanfu had lost his appetite.
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