Run, Youth!

The afternoon sunlight slanted into the classroom, bathing everything in a warm golden glow.

Shin-chan had finished his Buttocks High Push-up and was sprawled over his desk, his eyes half-closed. Unlike yesterday at this time, he wasn't already counting down the minutes until school let out. He hadn't even said a word.

Uchiha Toru packed up his schoolbag and turned to look at him, feeling that something was off.

"Shin-chan?"

"Mm."

"What's wrong?"

Shin-chan slowly sat up, propped his chin on his hands, and gazed out the window. He looked unexpectedly thoughtful.

"I'm wondering why adults always say, 'If you promise to do something, you have to do it.'"

He sighed, then looked at Uchiha Toru.

"I went to train with Might Guy yesterday, and it was really tiring. When I came to school today, I was actually thinking that maybe I should just go straight home after school."

"And then?"

Shin-chan pointed at his chest.

"There's one part of me that wants to go, and another part that doesn't. They're fighting."

"Which one's winning?"

"I don't know yet." Shin-chan tilted his head, looking troubled. "The one that wants to go says, 'If you promised, you have to do it.' The one that doesn't says, 'I'm so tired.' They keep fighting. It's so annoying."

Uchiha Toru thought for a moment. "Who do you think will win in the end?"

Shin-chan fell silent for a while, then slowly stood up and slung on his schoolbag. "I don't know, but my feet are already walking out."

Then he looked down at his feet, as if he were talking to them.

"I haven't made up my mind yet. Why are you moving on your own?"

His feet didn't answer, of course.

Uchiha Toru blinked and ventured, "So are you still going today?"

Shin-chan looked down at his feet, which were still carrying him forward. His expression was a little helpless.

"Looks like I am."

"Why?"

"Because my feet won't listen to me." Shin-chan spoke earnestly. "I think they've been taken over by the part of me that wants to go."

Shin-chan reached the classroom door and turned back to wave at Uchiha Toru.

"See you tomorrow, Xiao Che."

Uchiha Toru stood in the classroom, watching that red figure disappear through the doorway. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.

At the School Entrance, two green figures, one tall and one small, were already waiting.

"Shin-chan!" Might Guy waved vigorously. "Over here!"

Shin-chan ambled over and looked up at Might Duy.

"Uncle, what are we training today?"

Might Duy crouched and put his hands on Shin-chan's shoulders, his expression serious. "Shin-chan, today we're doing a very important kind of training."

"What kind?"

"A run around the village."

Shin-chan blinked. "What's that?"

"It means running around Konoha." Might Duy stood up and pointed into the distance. "From east to west, from south to north—every street, every corner of the village."

"Okay." Shin-chan sighed. He didn't even ask why they had to run.

Then the three of them began running along Konoha's streets.

At first, Shin-chan was at the back.

Might Guy led the way while Might Duy ran beside him, pointing things out as they went.

"This road leads to the Uchiha Clan Compound. That way is the Yamanaka Clan flower shop. At the next intersection, left takes us to the training grounds, and right takes us to Ichiraku Ramen."

Might Guy ran and memorized the directions, muttering to himself.

Behind them, Shin-chan jogged along in fits and starts, running for a couple of steps before walking, and muttering, "I'm so tired. It's so hot."

Might Duy glanced back and shouted encouragement. "Shin-chan, hang in there! Youth means burning with all your might!"

"My youth... has already burned out..." Shin-chan replied weakly.

They ran a little farther and passed a flower shop.

A young woman stood outside the shop in a floral apron, her hair tied up with a scarf, her fair neck exposed as she arranged a bouquet.

Shin-chan's eyes widened at once.

Whoosh.

Might Duy saw a blur. The red figure that had been trailing behind at a leisurely pace was suddenly at the flower shop entrance.

"Hello."

The young woman looked up and saw a five-year-old boy standing in front of her, his hands behind his back, his face tilted up in a radiant smile.

"Hello, little one." She smiled and crouched down. "Are you buying flowers?"

"No." Shin-chan shook his head and gazed at her earnestly. "I came to tell you that you're prettier than all these flowers."

The young woman froze for a moment, then couldn't help laughing. "What a sweet talker."

"I'm not being sweet. I'm telling the truth." Shin-chan looked perfectly serious. "Big Sister, what's your name?"

"My name's Yumi."

"Yumi Big Sister~" Shin-chan drawled. "Are you married?"

Yumi shook her head. "Not yet."

"Then when I grow up, will you be my girlfriend?" Shin-chan's eyes sparkled.

Yumi smiled and nodded. "Sure. We'll see when you're grown up."

"It's a promise." Shin-chan gave her a thumbs-up. "I'll come find you at the flower shop then."

With that, he turned and ran off.

Yumi stood at the shop entrance, watching the little red figure. Her smile never faded. "What an interesting child."

Shin-chan ran back to the group. Might Guy was still catching his breath, while Might Duy stared at him in shock.

"Shin-chan, you just—"

"Uncle, let's keep running!" Shin-chan was already heading off. "Another Pretty Big Sister is waiting for me."

Might Duy opened his mouth, but no words came out. He could only follow.

Over the rest of the route, they learned what "intermittent sprinting" meant. Whenever Shin-chan spotted a Pretty Big Sister, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

He'd strike up a conversation, tell her she was pretty, ask her name, invite her to be his girlfriend when he grew up, and then run back.

Each time, he was astonishingly fast.

At first, Might Duy was shocked. Then he was confused. Finally, he grew numb to it.

"What kind of constitution does this kid have?"

Might Guy ran beside him, gasping for breath. He was clearly nearing his limit. "Huff... huff... Shin-chan... could you... slow down...?"

Shin-chan seemed not to hear him. He sprinted off again, his voice drifting back from far away. "Pretty Big Sister!"

Might Guy couldn't take it anymore. He stopped to rest, his face full of confusion. "How does he still have any energy left?"

Might Duy patted his son on the shoulder, his expression complicated.

Before long, Shin-chan ran back again, a satisfied smile on his face.

"That Big Sister's name is Rie. She said I can come visit her when I grow up."

Might Duy fell silent for two seconds, then couldn't help asking, "Shin-chan, don't you get tired, running in bursts like that?"

Shin-chan tilted his head, puzzled. "How could talking to a Pretty Big Sister be tiring?"

Might Duy fell silent.

There was... something a little off about this kid.

Might Guy stared at Shin-chan with wide eyes.

The kid would sprint off and run back, covering more ground than he did. And every time he took off, he ran much faster than normal.

How could he not be tired?

In the distance, another beautiful woman appeared.

Shin-chan's eyes lit up, and he shot off at once.

"Youth!!!" Watching him go, Might Guy gritted his teeth and started running too, though his legs were trembling even harder.

Might Duy looked at the two children—one chasing beautiful women, the other chasing youth—and felt a jumble of emotions.

Especially when he looked at that red figure.

That speed, that explosive power...

What on earth was this kid made of?