"Huff... huff..."
"For Dad, I can definitely do this..."
"..."
At the Ninja Academy training ground, Might Guy had been running nonstop since noon and had nearly exhausted his stamina. His breathing grew heavier and heavier, and now he could only keep going through self-encouragement.
More and more people gathered nearby to watch the spectacle. Some of the boys who had successfully enrolled immediately mocked Might Guy when he suddenly collapsed.
"You said five hundred laps, but you can't even make it to one hundred!"
"What an idiot, talking to himself!"
"If you failed the test, you should've gone home already..."
The jeers from the crowd did not affect Might Guy. After climbing back to his feet, he continued running. It was as if he had broken through his limit; compared to before he fell, he was actually getting faster and faster.
When they got no reaction and failed to see the scene they had been hoping for, the onlookers gradually dispersed. No one truly wanted to see Might Guy complete his "self-challenge."
When the sun began to set, Might Duy, who had been quietly watching his son from behind the fence, once again burst into tears.
Though he believed this was the wrong method, he still encouraged him in his heart.
"You chose the wrong method, Guy, but keep going..."
"..."
In the woods beside the training ground, after an "exhilarating" game of kicking the can, everyone had collapsed from exhaustion.
Their bodies were tired, but they had enjoyed themselves all afternoon. After resting for a while, the boys laughed and said their goodbyes.
Genma Shiranui lay sprawled on the ground with dead fish eyes from exhaustion. He took the drink Ebisu handed him, gulped it down, and complained, "I'm alive again!"
"Why can Shu always find people so easily? And your stamina is way too ridiculous!"
Kakashi, still wearing his usual blank expression, stared at his shriveled wallet. Then he glanced at Shu Furukawa, who was handing out drinks nearby, and answered curtly, somewhat unwillingly, "Because he can sense our positions."
"Isn't that cheating?"
Hearing his friends complain, Ebisu pushed up his little sunglasses. Looking proud of himself, he replied righteously, "Ninjas are supposed to cheat. This counts as a genius's 'privilege.'"
"You're the one who needs rescuing every single time! That's what Shu should be saying!"
Genma Shiranui got up and began shouting, quickly bickering with Ebisu.
Ignoring their childish behavior, Kakashi moved closer to Shu Furukawa. Looking together at Might Guy on the training ground, he said quietly, "You could definitely sense my chakra!"
"Who told you to keep hiding at the top of the nearest tree..."
After playing "games" all afternoon, Shu Furukawa reflexively mocked him.
The silver-haired boy was far too competitive. He had forcibly dragged out the game, and by the end, it had become a battle between just the two of them.
"Next time, I'll definitely rescue more teammates than you!"
"..."
Hearing Kakashi's serious declaration, Shu Furukawa nearly lost it. If he remembered correctly, when they had first met two months ago, Kakashi would never have played such childish games.
Ebisu, who had followed over, saw Might Guy collapse onto the ground and said sympathetically, "I remember his ninjutsu and genjutsu are both terrible. Only his athletic ability is passable."
"There's no need to wear himself out like this."
Genma Shiranui sighed as well. Hearing the two whispering gossip, Kakashi recalled meeting Might Guy and his father outside the school gates after the entrance test. He questioned inwardly, Is this the rival Father talked about? This guy still hasn't shown any outstanding talent.
Falling, getting up, over and over again. After watching for a while, Kakashi found it boring. Among kids his age, he still believed Shu Furukawa was his only true rival.
After all, Kakashi had gathered "intelligence" for a long time before enrolling. He trusted his own judgment, temporarily put his father's words out of mind, and waved goodbye.
"It's getting late. Bye!"
"Bye!"
As Genma Shiranui and Ebisu smiled and said goodbye, Shu Furukawa noticed that Might Guy had been unable to get up for a long time this time. He walked over, handed him a drink, and said, "Amazing stamina. Someone else is paying today, so don't hold back!"
"I'm already five years old, but I still can't even run five hundred laps around the training ground... I let down Dad's support..."
After finishing the drink, Might Guy got to his feet and muttered through choked sobs. Shu Furukawa had wanted to offer some encouragement, but a dark figure suddenly flashed out behind him.
"Guy, you idiot!"
Might Duy shouted as he punched his son flying. Shu Furukawa dodged aside, and the corner of his mouth twitched when he saw the scene.
"Don't cry over your efforts! You only used the wrong method to discipline yourself!"
"..."
With tears streaming down his face, Might Duy began a "father-son lesson." The two occasionally let out passionate cries, and in the end, they hugged each other and cried together.
Overwhelmed by awkwardness, Shu Furukawa tried to quietly slip away. But the father and son suddenly appeared beside him, quickly bowed, then immediately raised their thumbs and shouted, "Thank you for supporting him again!"
"Guy, through your own efforts, you gained friendship. That is youth!"
After the father and son embraced again, their "gushing" tears had already soaked part of their green jumpsuits. Shu Furukawa pretended not to see it, nodded in acknowledgment, and finally let out a sigh of relief after a brief exchange of pleasantries.
On his way home, he occasionally greeted familiar shopkeepers. Thinking of his failed attempt today, Shu Furukawa sighed helplessly in his heart, Sure enough, I have no talent for Talk no Jutsu!
"..."
Late at night, Might Guy, unable to sleep because he was worried about the supplementary admission list, discovered that his father beside him was still awake as well. After hesitating for a moment, he carefully asked, "Dad, if you don't have talent for ninjutsu, can you really not become an outstanding ninja?"
"Guy, your youth has only just begun. Youth should never retreat, and hard work will definitely bring rewards."
Hearing the encouragement, Might Guy said nothing more. Though he always acted confident outside, he understood his father's circumstances. Tears appeared in his eyes again as he secretly wished, If only I had outstanding ninjutsu talent too.
--
The last day of March, Year 42 of Konoha.
"Shu, I really want to watch you grow up healthy..."
"I don't want to die, Shu. I want to see you again so badly."
"..."
Shu Furukawa woke with a start and instinctively covered his forehead. The two people lying in pools of blood in his dream made him gasp uncontrollably for air.
Noticing that it was not yet six in the morning, Shu Furukawa looked at the photo frame beside his bed.
In the photograph, the young man and woman named Ichiro and Aoi were only twenty-two. They held the child between them, their smiles especially radiant, their happiness plain to see.
Ever since the two had died on a mission at the beginning of January, Shu Furukawa had triggered his "talent" through a rather hellish method and completed his first [Collection].
"Aoi, once this mission is over, Lord Sakumo will recommend me for promotion to Jonin! I'll be able to earn even more money in the future."
"See, Shu? This is the Shadow Clone Technique! Haha, usually only Jonin can master this B-Rank ninjutsu!"
"As expected of my child. You love reading at such a young age. One day, you'll definitely revive the Furukawa Clan..."
"Once we have a little more savings, I want to seek a job with the Medical Corps and peacefully watch Shu grow up."
"What an adorable child. You even get shy at home!"
"..."
The nightmare made memories of his time since arriving in this world rise uncontrollably in Shu Furukawa's mind. The warm scenes that surged forth only gradually faded after he sat down at the dining table.
Milk, fried eggs, and sandwiches. Shu Furukawa silently ate breakfast as his thoughts wandered. He suddenly recalled scenes from the anime he had watched in his previous life and mocked himself inwardly, Does this count as some alternative version of Tsukuyomi? A remake of Uchiha Sasuke's experience.
After finishing breakfast alone, Shu Furukawa began his routine summary of his "golden finger" in a notebook. After nearly three months, he had basically figured out some of its functions.
"It has been confirmed that only the Collection ability remains from the nostalgic web game of the XX world."
"Under normal circumstances, living people cannot be collected? Collection grants part of their ninjutsu insights and training experience, allowing me to improve quickly."
"Collection definitely improves mental strength, and the sensing range is also increasing. The side effects are very obvious."
"Plants can be collected. The composition of the 'essence' is uncertain and requires experiments?"
"Collect Kekkei Genkai?"
"What is the essence of Collection?"
"..."
After finishing his daily summary in Chinese characters, Shu Furukawa unconsciously spun the pencil in his hand. He tried hard to recall the anime episodes he had watched on Star TV and Youku in his previous life.
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have skipped those flashbacks!"
When he was young, he had only cared about Naruto and Sasuke's storyline.
After starting work, he had graduated from the world of anime.
By the time he turned thirty, he had become an electronic eunuch who only wanted to play idle games.
Still unable to organize any information useful for this point in time, Shu Furukawa burned the paper with his notes and continued looking through the scrolls and records left in the house.
B-Rank—Earth Style: Earth Wall.
B-Rank—Water Release: Water Wall.
C-Rank—Earth Style: Earth Release: Return to Earth.
C-Rank—Water Release: Wild Water Wave.
D-Rank—Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu.
Besides these thoroughly documented ninjutsu, there were also notes on Lightning Release: Ground Walk, the Shadow Clone Technique, nature transformation, and shape transformation.
Shu Furukawa had already basically mastered Earth Release: Return to Earth, Water Release: Starch Syrup Capturing Field, and D-Rank basic ninjutsu were even easier for him.
This differed somewhat from his original memories. Civilian ninjas did not have that many techniques.
Ichiro, who seemed qualified to be promoted to Jonin, had apparently excelled more in taijutsu, shuriken techniques, and mission performance. He had only mastered Water and Earth nature transformations, and most of his specialties were support and defensive ninjutsu.
"Chakra really is a marvelous kind of energy!"
Although ordinary ninjas could not store chakra, once they learned to extract it as a bodily instinct, even children could run across walls and roofs.
Perhaps because he had absorbed the "Collection rewards," Shu Furukawa could clearly feel himself growing. His body was gradually turning the acquired experience and insights into instinctive reactions.
The Ninja Academy would officially begin tomorrow. For an even greater goal, Shu Furukawa began considering some plans he had made.
"With Water, Earth, and Lightning affinities, if I can successfully learn medical ninjutsu, joining Konoha Hospital might save training time."
Before leaving, Shu Furukawa put on his clothes and protective gear, then looked at the photo frame once more. Thinking of the dreams he had had these past few months, he let out a long breath and murmured, "I'll live a wonderful life. Life should not be this fragile."
--
At the Ninja Academy, cherry blossoms bloomed on both sides of the road.
The father and son in green jumpsuits, who had been waiting early in front of the notice board, saw Might Guy's name appear and embraced again as they cried with excitement.
The parents around them who were watching the supplementary admission list all took a step back at the sight. Beaming, Might Duy crouched down, placed both hands on his son's shoulders, and loudly instructed him, "Guy, you have no talent for ninjutsu. In my eyes, that is something worth celebrating."
"Once you know your weakness, you can make your strength shine. Your taijutsu has already begun to sparkle!"
Seeing his father's confident smile and raised thumb, Might Guy nodded again and again. Having successfully entered the Ninja Academy, the boy had gained much more confidence. He now loudly cheered himself on.
"I'll work hard! Once I complete five hundred laps around the training ground, I'll challenge Shu and Kakashi!"
"That is youth, Guy!"
"..."