You Call This a Warm-Up?

Back in the classroom, Houka realized that Guy was in his class too.

But at that point, Guy was just as unremarkable as the other background students, so Houka's "previous self" hadn't remembered him at all.

After morning classes ended, Rin and Kurenai Yuhi came over, along with Obito, looking conflicted, and Asuma Sarutobi, who looked wary.

"Houka, I made you a lunch box. Please try it!" Kurenai Yuhi kept her promise and handed Houka the lunch box she'd made.

Houka took it and opened it. It looked very girly and cute. He picked up a piece of sushi, and it actually tasted pretty good. He was just about to praise it when he noticed Asuma Sarutobi beside him, lips tightly pressed together, wearing the look of a man whose life had lost all meaning after being cuckolded.

Rin took out the lunch box she'd made too, but her eyes were fixed on Houka.

The food he'd made yesterday had completely won Rin over—and Kurenai Yuhi as well, of course.

However he looked at it, Houka felt like he was the one losing out.

Just then, he sensed someone watching him. He turned and saw Guy, who was holding a thick stack of flatbreads. Guy kept glancing at Houka. From his expression, it was clear he wanted to offer him some, but was afraid of interrupting.

Houka smiled and beckoned Guy over.

"Houka!" Guy ran over with a grin. "Thanks so much for this morning! Let me treat you to some flatbread. My dad made it himself!"

Houka took a look. As a three-star chef who'd graduated from New Oriental's beauty and hairdressing program, he could tell at a glance that the flatbread had only been roasted over a fire, with maybe a little salt added. It would taste absolutely suffocating.

"Oh, you really don't have to." Houka hurriedly declined. He wasn't the sort to expect repayment for a good deed. Guy, even if you become Lord Guy someday, don't think you can insult my dignity with a few pieces of flatbread!

Unfortunately, Guy wasn't one to give up easily. When Houka refused, he immediately started pleading and shoved the flatbread into Houka's... mouth.

"Houka, this flatbread is super delicious. I'd never lie to you!"

"Aaah!" Tears welled in Houka's eyes. This flatbread, this flatbread... was way too awful!

Kurenai Yuhi and Rin burst out laughing.

"Hey, Guy, what are you doing?" Uchiha Obito pushed Guy away, clearly displeased.

Houka took the chance to pull the flatbread out of his mouth, nearly choking.

"Obito, this is Guy. I just met him this morning."

"Hey, Guy's been our classmate for a year. Saying you just met him is pretty rude!" Asuma Sarutobi snorted.

"It's fine, it's fine!" Guy hurriedly said.

"Anyway, let's eat together." Houka took out the lunch box he'd made. It seemed like his foodie crew was getting bigger and bigger. He'd have to get serious about training the Shadow Clone Technique, or cooking alone would eat up half his day!

After lunch, Obito rolled his eyes, then hurriedly clutched his stomach and ran off before Rin could say anything.

Rin stared after him in surprise, then put her hands on her hips, exasperated. She turned to Houka and asked, "Houka, does Obito actually not know any Medical Ninjutsu?"

Though she phrased it as a question, her tone was quite certain.

Obito had spent the past year constantly hanging around Rin, so she knew his personality inside out. If he really knew Medical Ninjutsu, how could he have run away in such a panic?

Even so, Houka felt he should say a few good words for his sworn brother.

"Rin, you know Obito. He's either helping an old lady cross the road or on his way to help an old lady cross the road. He doesn't have time to practice Medical Ninjutsu, let alone the Three Body Technique. How could you be so naive as to believe him?"

Obito, you're welcome. It's only right for me, as your brother, to say this!

Houka silently gave himself a thumbs-up.

Across from him, Rin's face flushed red. She puffed out her cheeks and shouted that she'd never believe that guy Obito again.

Houka nodded in satisfaction.

When evening classes ended, Houka told Obito he might be late getting home and that Obito would have to sort out dinner himself.

Obito asked what he was going to do, but Houka kept it a secret.

Houka said he was going to train Taijutsu.

At that, Obito lost interest and didn't ask any more questions.

As Houka ran toward the place he'd arranged to meet Might Duy, Masamune Hyuga hurried home, his face full of embarrassment.

"Father!"

In a spacious Japanese-style estate, Masamune Hyuga lowered his head and reported the morning's events to his father, Hyuga Den, looking aggrieved.

"Did that Uchiha brat really say that?" Hyuga Den was in his early thirties. Dressed in a white kimono, he knelt with his back perfectly straight and mused, "There's no way those words came from a six-year-old child!"

"What do you mean, Father?" Masamune Hyuga asked timidly.

"Someone must have put him up to it!" Hyuga Den glanced at Masamune Hyuga, his expression sour. "Masamune, you fool! You'd already awakened the Byakugan, and yet you still couldn't beat Uchiha Houka. Pathetic!"

"Father, I... Please teach me all of the Gentle Fist. I'll prove myself and defeat Uchiha Houka once and for all!" Masamune Hyuga fell to his knees in fright, not daring to raise his head.

Hyuga Den nodded. "It's a good thing you apologized. Otherwise, they could have pinned that accusation on us... Masamune, I've already informed the Main House that you awakened the Byakugan. They think highly of you, so don't disappoint me again!"

"Yes! I'll train hard in the Gentle Fist and defeat Uchiha Houka. I won't let you down, Father!" Masamune Hyuga shouted, immediately fired up.

"Good. I'll teach you the Gentle Fist tonight!"

Smack! Smack! Smack!

A flurry of blows echoed through a secluded grove in Konoha's southeast. Might Duy stood before a wooden post, his hands blurring as he struck it relentlessly.

"Hmm?" Might Duy's ear suddenly twitched, and he looked to his left. "Is that Houka?"

"Yes, Uncle Duy." Houka ran out, breathing slightly hard, but his eyes were bright. "I'm here!"

"Good. You're not late!" Might Duy grinned and gave him a thumbs-up, showing off his gleaming white teeth. "Sunsets may be brief, but we mustn't waste even a moment! First, let's warm up!"

Houka seemed to see a vast, roaring ocean behind Might Duy.

"A warm-up, huh?" Houka rolled his neck and hips around, three times to the left and three times to the right.

Might Duy's face went dark. "Houka, that doesn't even count as a warm-up. Come on, run ten laps around this grove!"

"Ten laps?!" Houka sucked in a sharp breath. The grove might be small, but a lap around it had to be at least a thousand meters. Ten laps meant ten thousand meters. You call that a warm-up?!

"Of course! If you can't finish ten laps, you'll do ten thousand jump-rope skips!" Might Duy said as if it were obvious.

"..." Houka's eye twitched. He silently told himself not to get angry. Stay calm. Be patient. Guy trained like this in the original story, so what was there to make such a fuss about?

"Th-then I'll start running!" Houka said.

"Wait." Might Duy's ear twitched again, and he roared, "Guy, you're late again, you brat!" (To be continued)