Kashima Isamu and Hiramatsu Daishi had invited thirty students from Class 7, Year 5.
As they had discussed earlier, each upperclassman would take two students, one each from Class 1, Year 2 and Class 8. In other words, the three classes would be grouped together for training in equal numbers.
"I want to be in a group with Shisui! I want to be in a group with Shisui! I want to be in a group with Shisui..."
As they were being grouped, Inuzuka Sa clutched the little puppy Shiromaru and kept chanting under her breath. In the end... her dream didn't come true.
The coolest kid in Class 1, Year 2 ended up on a team with Ito Nipan.
"Why Nipan?! Why him? This isn't fair!"
Inuzuka Sa stood there with her head bowed, looking utterly dejected as she glared at Nipan, radiating negativity.
Anko, Iruka, and the other members of the Six-Man Group soon found teammates too. As for Hanfu, he was assigned a student... from the Hyuga Clan!
"My name's Hyuga Itsuki. Nice to meet you."
Hyuga Itsuki, who had cataracts, greeted Hanfu with a reserved, polite smile.
"My name's Gekko Hayate. Nice to meet you."
Looking into those white eyes, Hanfu felt a little resistant. I should've known better than to copy Might Duy. Now... I'm stuck with this!
"Gekko Hayate?"
Hyuga Itsuki asked, "Are you from the Gekko Clan?"
Hanfu nodded. He didn't say who his father was. He didn't want anyone thinking he was relying on his dad—and, more importantly, his dad might not even measure up to Itsuki's.
"Impressive! My father says the Gekko Clan inherited the Second Hokage's Konoha-Style Kenjutsu. It's one of the strongest shinobi clans in the village!" Hyuga Itsuki had shifted into a mutual complimenting mode.
Hanfu opened his mouth, unsure what to say. But faced with Hyuga Itsuki's expectant gaze, he had no choice but to return the compliment. "Not at all. We're nowhere near the Hyuga Clan. The Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist is the strongest Taijutsu in the Shinobi World."
"There's no such thing as the strongest. You're too kind, Hanfu."
Hyuga Itsuki blushed, embarrassed by the praise.
"Itsuki, what are you talking about?"
The upperclassman assigned to Hanfu and Hyuga Itsuki walked over.
Hanfu looked at him and felt even more regretful. The newcomer was, once again, from the Hyuga Clan!
"Big Brother Shinichi!"
Hyuga Itsuki spotted him, quickly wiped the smile from his face, and bowed respectfully.
"Hello, my name is Hyuga Shinichi."
The upperclassman smiled and held out his hand to Hanfu.
"Hello, I'm Gekko Hayate." Hanfu shook his hand and found his palm rough, covered in thick calluses.
Hanfu's heart stirred. This guy must be pretty skilled in Gentle Fist!
"So you're the Hayate I've heard about?"
Hyuga Shinichi asked curiously.
Hanfu was taken aback. "You've heard of me, upperclassman?"
Hyuga Shinichi smiled. "Just now."
The students from Class 1, Year 2 and Class 8 had just been shouting and making a fuss. They'd yelled Shisui's and Hanfu's names the loudest, and the upperclassmen hadn't been standing far away, so they'd heard everything.
Hanfu was speechless and a little embarrassed. "Heh, they were just messing with me."
"Alright, we don't have much time, so let's leave that aside and start training."
Hyuga Shinichi led Hanfu and Hyuga Itsuki to one side. Then he opened his Ninja Tool Pouch and handed them kunai, Shuriken, and Senbon. After that, he began explaining several ways to throw ninja tools.
Compared with Kashima Isamu's explanations, Hyuga Shinichi's were a little less polished, but easier for beginners to understand. Hanfu seemed to understand the purpose of the training session Kashima Isamu and Hiramatsu Daishi had organized.
Unfortunately, Hanfu had already mastered Ninja Tool Throwing. He listened listlessly, occasionally turning to glance at Hyuga Itsuki beside him. Ever since Hyuga Shinichi had arrived, the boy had become much more proper, sitting there like an obedient little angel.
Hanfu guessed it had something to do with the Hyuga Clan's strict Branch House system, but he wasn't tactless enough to ask.
After covering the basics, Hyuga Shinichi began showing Hanfu and Hyuga Itsuki the hand positions, techniques, and force needed to throw each of the ninja tools. Hanfu pretended he knew nothing and quietly followed along.
Before long, half an hour had passed.
Kashima Isamu and Hiramatsu Daishi had been watching from nearby. Seeing that everything was going smoothly, they began strolling and chatting, sharing their teaching experiences. Before they knew it, they had wandered far away.
Then someone started making trouble.
"Everyone, if my information is right, this is your first time having a class with upperclassmen, isn't it?"
A man with face paint like Inuzuka Sa's suddenly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.
The three-person groups stopped practicing and turned to look at him.
Hyuga Shinichi stopped too, watching him with a helpless expression. "Ryota's really something..."
"Upperclassman Shinichi, who is he?" Hanfu asked.
Hyuga Shinichi smiled wryly. "Inuzuka Ryota. He's a friend of mine."
"Inuzuka?"
Hanfu raised an eyebrow and looked at the man's feet. Sure enough, there was a little wolfdog running in circles, chasing and biting its own tail.
"Brother Ryota, what are you going to do?"
Inuzuka Sa was nearby and immediately stepped forward, glaring fiercely at him. "Don't start any trouble!"
"Woof, woof!" The little puppy Shiromaru immediately voiced its support for its young owner.
"Sa, this is a tradition at the Ninja Academy. Don't interrupt."
Inuzuka Ryota let out a strange, cackling laugh, then turned to look around at the second-year students. "As your upperclassmen, as your seniors, we have a duty to let you experience the cruelty of the Shinobi World ahead of time!"
"As seniors, it's certainly our duty."
"Don't be shy, everyone. Feel free to ask your upperclassmen for advice."
Quite a few students from Class 7, Year 5 immediately chimed in, looking rather excited.
But what they got in return was a stubborn chorus of boos from the bronze-tier kids of Class 1, Year 2 and Class 8.
"Boo! Boo!"
"Pulling rank, are you?"
"Shameless."
"What's there to be proud of? You were just born three years before us."
"That guy looks pretty stupid."
"Didn't the teacher stop the match earlier? Does he not know why?"
"Shisui! Shisui!" someone from Class 1, Year 2 shouted. "Teach that arrogant guy a lesson!"
"Gekko Hayate!" Ito Nipan roared at the top of his lungs, for reasons known only to himself. "You're the strongest at the Ninja Academy!"
Hearing Nipan, Anko jumped up and shouted too. "Hayate is the strongest in the Shinobi World!"
The other bronze-tier kids from Class 8 soon caught on too. Led by Anko, Nipan, and the others, whenever the kids from Class 1 shouted Shisui's name, they shouted Hayate's. The competing chants rose and fell, building to the imposing fervor of the Star-Su Immortal's boundless power.
Standing outside the crowd, Hanfu wore an expression like Shiromaru had just bitten him. You bronze-tier kids are really not going to let this go, are you?
Before you continue