Picnic

"Jiogan-kun, you came too!"

A pleasant voice drew Jiogan's attention.

"Feiyun, you're a little late," Jiogan replied with a smile.

"I had just finished training. Father only let me come out after testing my results," Kurama Feiyun said.

"Then Feiyun must have used up a lot of energy. Perfect—I just finished grilling fish. Have one." With that, Jiogan handed her a grilled fish.

"Thank you, Jiogan-kun." Feiyun took the grilled fish and bit into it. Her eyes immediately lit up. "Oh my god, Jiogan-kun, this is the best grilled fish I've ever had!"

"Hehe, I'm glad you like it," Jiogan said with a silly grin.

"Hey, Jiogan, that's too unfair. I waited forever for your grilled fish, but you gave the first one to Feiyun, who just got here. You value girls over friends—I despise you!" Inuzuka Yoru's oddly teasing voice rang out beside him.

"Exactly! The moment Feiyun arrives, Jiogan can't even see us brothers anymore," the other students chimed in.

Kurama Feiyun immediately blushed, lowering her head and not daring to look at anyone.

"All right, all right, you can make fun of me, but don't tease Feiyun. There's grilled fish for everyone, and there's plenty today! Come on, one each first." Jiogan came to her rescue, shielding Kurama Feiyun behind him before handing everyone a grilled fish.

Kurama Feiyun looked at Jiogan, and Jiogan turned back to look at her. The instant their gazes met, something called a red thread linked their hearts.

Before long, the picnic reached its liveliest point. Jiogan's grilled fish received unanimous praise, and many people said that getting assigned to a team with Jiogan after graduation would be wonderful. They would not have to eat Military Rations Pills that tasted like chewing wax during missions.

That reminded Jiogan of someone: Maruboshi Kosuke, known as the strongest Genin. His cooking was excellent. In the Anime Timeline, Naruto Uzumaki had once gone on a border patrol mission with him, and many ninja who had worked with Maruboshi Kosuke praised his cooking endlessly. He himself possessed the strength of an Elite Jonin, but when he was young, he had greedily rushed ahead for credit during a mission and caused the deaths of his comrades. Wracked with guilt, he swore to remain a Genin for life. The Second Hokage Tobirama Senju and the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally taught him Water Release Ninjutsu and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu. Thinking about it, Maruboshi Kosuke was still young now, and as a Genin, Jiogan should have a chance to go on missions with him.

"Jiogan-kun, who do you want to be teamed with in the future?" Kurama Feiyun asked, her eyes seeming to imply something.

Jiogan laughed. "Who I'm teamed with is decided by the school and Lord Hokage. It's not up to me. But if I could be teamed with Feiyun, I'd be too happy to sleep."

Kurama Feiyun heard what she wanted to hear, and her eyes curved into crescents.

Jiogan could not help crying out inwardly, She's too cute! She's too cute! She's too cute!

"How do you think everyone will be assigned when teams are formed in the future?" Inuzuka Yoru asked at that moment.

Everyone fell into silent thought.

"I think it'll be based on what everyone excels at, so each team's strengths complement one another. For example, if one person is skilled in Ninjutsu, then if their two teammates each specialize in Taijutsu and Genjutsu, their team will have different tactical options against different enemies and will be less likely to be countered," Jiogan said.

In the Anime Timeline, teams were not actually formed according to such rules. There was the Taijutsu Class Guy Class, the Tracking Class Kurenai Class, and the Hiden Class Asuma Class. But Jiogan felt that such class divisions were too easy to counter. A balanced development of Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu made more sense in the Ninja World.

"Of course, that's only my personal view. Teaming up ultimately depends on how well people work together. People who know each other well understand one another better and can more easily develop coordination, though that may not necessarily fit the balance I just mentioned," Jiogan added.

A few students silently pondered his words and felt that Jiogan made sense. More students, however, paid little attention after hearing him out, loudly naming who they wanted to team up with and who they did not.

Even if the Ninja World forces people to mature early, they're still just a bunch of children, Jiogan sighed inwardly.

"Jiogan-kun, what path will you take in the future?" Kurama Feiyun asked.

"As for me, I'll probably focus on Ninjutsu, with Taijutsu as support," Jiogan said.

Jiogan had considered it long ago. As a ninja from a civilian background, the resources available to him were the Water Release scroll left behind by his father, the knowledge taught at school, and Might Duy's Eight Inner Gates Technique. If he focused on Water Release, used Taijutsu as support for survival at critical moments, and added his mastery of Shuriken Throwing Technique, then at the Genin, Chunin, and even Special Jonin stages, he should have no weaknesses. As for reaching the Jonin stage, he could only take things one step at a time and eat one bite at a time. He would think about it when he got there.

"My clan is skilled in Genjutsu, and even our Kekkei Genkai, if awakened, leans toward Genjutsu. I'll definitely take the Genjutsu path in the future. As for whether I can awaken a Kekkei Genkai, that depends on fate," Kurama Feiyun said.

The Kurama Clan did possess a Kekkei Genkai, but few awakened it. The Kurama Clan barely appeared in the Anime Timeline and seemed to have nearly declined into obscurity. Moreover, Kurama clansmen who awakened their Kekkei Genkai seemed to develop physical problems. Jiogan could not remember the specifics very clearly.

"Even if you can't awaken a Kekkei Genkai, Feiyun, you'll still become a powerful Genjutsu ninja. Look at the Third—he doesn't have a Kekkei Genkai either, yet he could still drive back the Third Tsuchikage, who possessed Kekkei Tōta," Jiogan encouraged her.

"Mhm, I'll work hard!" Kurama Feiyun replied.

"Let's work hard together!" Jiogan said.

Before long, the picnic drew to a close. The sky was darkening, and everyone began saying their goodbyes, agreeing on a time for their next gathering.

"Jiogan, see you next month. Your grilled fish was amazing! Next time, I'm definitely eating a few more!" a civilian student said in farewell.

"No problem. Next time, I'll catch the fish in advance and make sure everyone has enough to eat!" Jiogan waved goodbye as well.

"Jiogan-kun, my family is here to pick me up. I have to go home now. See you next time!" Kurama Feiyun said goodbye as well.

"Okay, Feiyun. I'll personally deliver the Kurama Clan's fruit. See you then!"

After saying goodbye to Kurama Feiyun, Jiogan also started down the road home.

They're all children, and most of them are people who never appeared in the Anime Timeline. It's still far too early for the Anime Timeline, so many records are incomplete. But they're living, breathing people. Becoming part of this, forming bonds with them... it feels pretty good.

Everyone has their fate, but isn't living about struggling against it? Companions, bonds, fate—I only want to become stronger, strong enough to protect my companions, my bonds, and my fate!