After School, Come to My Room

Beep, beep, beep.

A soul-stopping demonic sound drilled into his brain.

Hikawa stretched out a hand, broke the seal of his blanket, and turned off the alarm.

Technology in the Ninja World was rather skewed. There were computers, refrigerators, and air conditioners, so of course there were alarm clocks too.

He checked the time. It was exactly six o'clock.

Though he wanted to see Konoha at four in the morning, he was still a child and had to get enough sleep.

Hikawa changed clothes and headed out.

His plan was to run for half an hour to an hour, according to his limits.

If someone who had not exercised in a long time suddenly trained intensely, that was no different from repeatedly hopping across the gates of hell.

He had never had such a wonderful start. He did not want to enjoy it for only three days.

Hikawa began running along the streets.

He had gotten up fairly early, so there were few pedestrians and no real obstacles on the road.

As time passed, Hikawa's breathing grew heavier. Sweat poured down like rain, and even his vision began to blur.

Just then, a green flash shone across his face.

Hikawa instinctively glanced over.

He must have gotten up too suddenly!

He saw a pair of legs kicking wildly through the air.

After steadying himself, he realized it was Might Guy running upside down.

"Are you running too?"

Might Guy asked excitedly.

He felt the thrill of encountering one of his own kind.

In the current Ninja World, taijutsu ninja occupied the lowest rung and were looked down upon.

His strange training methods always drew plenty of ridicule.

One could see it from Might Guy's father, Might Duy.

He had kicked the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist into the Lucky Trio by himself, yet he had been only a genin.

Hikawa nodded, too exhausted to speak.

"You look familiar."

Might Guy blinked, then suddenly recognized him. "You're the transfer student from yesterday. Your name was Hane... something."

"Hika... Hikawa..."

Hikawa said between gasps.

"What kawa?"

Might Guy had not heard clearly and asked again.

"Hikawa!"

Hikawa raised his voice.

He finally understood how Kisame Hoshigaki felt.

"Hello, Hikawa. I'm Might Guy."

Might Guy flashed his gleaming teeth. "Just call me Guy."

"Mm."

Hikawa paused slightly, then said, "You go on ahead. I'll rest for a while."

Aside from reaching the limit of his Body Energy, there was another reason: the system had given him a notification.

"All right."

Might Guy did not force the issue and waved at him.

Of course, the main reason was that Hikawa was not his lifelong rival.

If it had been Hatake Kakashi, he would definitely have squeezed out every last bit of his Body Energy.

"What kind of alien physique is that?"

Watching him run on one hand, Hikawa could not help complaining.

He plopped down on the nearby steps, then opened the talent panel with a thought.

E-Rank Talent Entry: Strong Physique (Not Obtained).

Trigger Condition: Physical ability reaches the minimum level of a genin.

Current Progress: 1%.

Since it was the minimum level, it could not possibly mean a genin like Uzumaki Naruto.

Hikawa felt that the trigger condition for this entry was not particularly difficult. The key was persistence.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and closed his eyes.

"Hikawa, I'm back!"

Might Guy's voice was as full of vigor as ever.

Hikawa opened his eyes and saw him doing frog jumps.

He smiled and waved back at him.

After Might Guy left, he got up and ran toward Yuhi Kurenai's home.

By seven o'clock, the streets had begun to grow lively.

Hikawa spotted Konoha Knowledge Bookstore, the meeting place with the Kumogakure ninja, but he did not enter in case anything went wrong.

When he passed a dango shop, he thought of Yuhi Kurenai and bought a box of takoyaki.

Hikawa returned home just as Yuhi Shinko opened the door.

"Did you go running?"

Yuhi Shinko looked at Hikawa, who was panting and drenched as though he had been fished out of water, with surprise on his face.

Was he already working this hard at such a young age?

Combined with his Yin Style talent, this child was bound for greatness.

"Good morning, Uncle Shinko."

Hikawa explained, "My body is rather weak, so I decided to train by running."

Just then, a door nearby opened.

Barefoot and with messy hair, Yuhi Kurenai walked out onto the carpet.

She yawned and asked, "Why are you two up so early?"

"Kurenai, you should learn from Hikawa."

Yuhi Shinko put on a stern face. "Stop sleeping in every day."

"Huh?"

Yuhi Kurenai looked around, still somewhat dazed.

What was going on?

She looked exactly like a little kitten that had just woken up.

"I bought you some takoyaki."

Hikawa smiled and handed her a paper box.

He had never expected that one day he would become someone else's model child.

"Not bad. You're already a considerate little brother."

Yuhi Kurenai's eyes sparkled as she looked at the takoyaki.

"...?"

Yuhi Shinko wore a subtle expression.

He felt as if some blond brat were nibbling away at the cabbage he had raised.

It had to be an illusion.

Yuhi Shinko shook his head. They were both children. What was he thinking?

"I'm only thanking you for lending me your study notes."

Hikawa explained solemnly.

"Abba abba."

Yuhi Kurenai chewed her takoyaki while spouting incomprehensible gibberish.

If it had been anyone else, they might have been cursing viciously, but with her, it only came off as cute.

After breakfast, Hikawa and Yuhi Kurenai headed to the Ninja Academy.

"Hikawa, did you finish yesterday's homework?"

Yuhi Kurenai turned to look at him and asked.

"Do you want to copy it?"

Hikawa raised an eyebrow.

"How could I?"

Yuhi Kurenai put her hands on her hips. "I mean, if there are any questions you don't understand, I can help you."

"I actually do have some."

Hikawa had already figured out her personality, so he went along with her.

"Since you've asked so sincerely, I'll tell you."

The corners of Yuhi Kurenai's lips curled up. Her eyes narrowed into crescents, and she looked extremely pleased.

Hikawa asked questions as they walked.

He had enrolled two months late, so he had guessed his way through some of the questions.

If there were three long and one short, choose the shortest. If there were three short and one long, choose the longest.

Eiichirō knew his situation anyway, so he would not blame him.

"Do you understand now?"

Yuhi Kurenai licked her lips and asked.

"I understand, but not completely."

Hikawa smiled.

"It's always like that at first."

Yuhi Kurenai spoke with the air of an experienced senior. "Come to my room after school. I'll teach you properly."

Please don't, Sister Kurenai.

Hikawa returned to his seat.

After greeting Shizune, he opened the talent panel.

E-Rank Talent Entry: Scholar (Not Obtained).

Trigger Condition: Rank first in theoretical classes during the first semester.

Current Progress: 1%.

Hikawa rubbed his chin.

This entry had most likely appeared because he had just had a study-related exchange with Yuhi Kurenai.

He just did not know what use a Scholar would have in the world of ninja.

In the original story, Haruno Sakura had been a top-tier Scholar, but before becoming Tsunade's apprentice, she could only hold the team back.