The Spirit of the Bow-Maker, Tricked

Afternoon.

Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake still came to the Ninja Academy in the afternoon.

Just as he sat down, Yuhi Kurenai poked him with her small hand.

"Yuichi, Umino Ikkaku-sensei seemed very angry when he saw you weren't at school this morning."

Kurenai's voice was soft and sweet, yet tinged with nervousness.

She was worried for Yuki Yuichi.

Umino Ikkaku had looked terrifying when he was angry that morning.

Kakashi Hatake, sitting in front of them, pricked up his ears, preparing to hear how Yuki Yuichi planned to escape this predicament.

He wanted to learn from it.

Glancing at Kakashi, who was leaning against his desk with his head tilted backward, Yuki Yuichi instantly understood his intentions and spoke up immediately: "It's fine, Kurenai."

"When Ikkaku-sensei asks, I'll just say the Hokage-sama took us away for something."

As Yuki Yuichi spoke, he caught a glimpse of Kakashi out of the corner of his eye.

Kakashi had already pulled his head back.

Hearing Yuki Yuichi's words, Kurenai opened her small mouth in surprise, "Yuichi, did the Hokage-sama really ask for you?"

Seeing her expression, Yuki Yuichi flashed a smile.

"Of course."

With that, he pulled a scroll from his robe.

"This is the ninjutsu the Hokage-sama rewarded me with."

Yuki Yuichi handed the ninjutsu scroll to Kurenai.

The scroll Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him bore a specific mark.

It had the character for "Fire" on it.

This indicated that the ninjutsu scroll originated from the Hokage Building or was exchanged by ninjas using merits accumulated through missions.

Ordinary people would not be able to obtain one.

Kurenai naturally knew this; she didn't open the scroll, but instead offered a sweet smile.

"Yuichi-kun, you are truly amazing!"

As she spoke, she handed the ninjutsu scroll back, but Yuki Yuichi didn't take it, instead reaching out to ruffle Kurenai's hair.

"Please keep this scroll for me, Kurenai."

"Let's make Uncle Shinku happy when we get back."

Looking at the scroll in her hands and then at Yuki Yuichi, Kurenai nodded her head earnestly.

"I will definitely keep it safe!"

"Mm! I trust you!"

The two spoke as if no one else were around, while Kakashi and the others sitting nearby all wore bitter expressions.

Six years old!

They were only six years old!

Was it really appropriate for the two of you to show off like this in front of everyone?

Just then, Umino Ikkaku walked in.

He didn't speak upon entering; instead, he stood at the podium, scanned the room, set down his books, and gave a light cough.

"Kakashi Hatake! Yuki Yuichi!"

"The two of you, come to my office!"

Umino Ikkaku said nothing else and headed outside first.

Kakashi Hatake and Yuki Yuichi stood up, exchanged a glance, and followed him out.

"You two, be careful." Uchiha Obito glanced cautiously toward the door and said to them.

"Sensei was really furious this morning."

Uchiha Obito sat not far from them; although he had been beaten up by Yuki Yuichi, he didn't hold a grudge.

Hearing his words, Kakashi Hatake glanced at him, then turned his head away with a haughty air.

He wasn't panicked at all, okay!

He had been summoned by the Hokage-sama!

Not panicked in the slightest!

Yuki Yuichi, however, flashed a brilliant smile at Uchiha Obito.

Seeing his smile, Uchiha Obito shivered, recalling the explosive scene from yesterday when he had awakened his Sharingan while using eye drops.

As Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake walked up to the office door, Umino Ikkaku was already waiting there.

The office was currently empty.

With the school year just beginning, the teachers were all very busy.

"Don't you two think you owe your teacher an explanation?" Umino Ikkaku asked with a gentle smile, forcefully suppressing the urge to lecture them.

However, the smile looked rather strained.

Yuki Yuichi took half a step back, positioning Kakashi Hatake in front of him.

Noticing his movement, Kakashi Hatake curled the corner of his lips, "Teacher, we were called over by the Hokage to help with something."

Umino Ikkaku's fists tightened.

But he didn't say anything, instead looking at Yuki Yuichi, waiting for his excuse to see if he had any new stories.

Seeing him look his way, Yuki Yuichi gave a light cough, bowed ninety degrees, and apologized with the utmost sincerity, "I am truly sorry!"

"I thought you had given me permission for free study, so I made an excuse, but I realize now that I completely misunderstood your intentions!"

Yuki Yuichi apologized once more: "I am really sorry, it won't happen again, Teacher Ikkaku!"

His actions left Kakashi Hatake in a state of confusion.

That is not what you said just a moment ago!

Umino Ikkaku looked at Yuki Yuichi, then at Kakashi Hatake, and took a deep breath.

With Yuki Yuichi's attitude toward admitting his mistake being so good, the anger in his heart dissipated quite a bit.

He liked children who recognized their faults and corrected them.

"Since you have realized your mistake, you may head back now."

"Help me tell the rest of the class to study the Will of Fire on their own; I will be coming to check on you all shortly."

Seeing Umino Ikkaku let him off the hook, Yuki Yuichi felt a surge of joy. He then looked at the still-bewildered Kakashi Hatake with a smile, feigning disappointment as he sighed and shook his head.

Seeing Yuki Yuichi leave, Kakashi Hatake instinctively wanted to follow him.

He had assumed Umino Ikkaku meant for them both to return together.

But just as he took two steps, Umino Ikkaku walked up with a dark expression and shut the office door.

He had originally thought that although both of them had skipped class, they were both literate and knew how to refine chakra, so a simple lecture would suffice.

He had anticipated that they would try to argue, but he hadn't expected Yuki Yuichi to have such a good attitude about admitting his fault.

He could have accepted their excuses, but one should not have seen the light if they were to remain in the dark.

Now, the contrast between Yuki Yuichi's attitude and Kakashi Hatake's was stark.

He was going to have to properly teach this lying child, Kakashi Hatake, a lesson!

After leaving the office, Yuki Yuichi walked down the hallway, where the sounds from their classroom were somewhat noisy.

As he walked into the classroom, everyone's voices fell silent.

Under the gaze of everyone present, Yuki Yuichi strolled up to the podium, cleared his throat twice, and then slammed his hand heavily onto the desk.

"You understand nothing, you learn nothing!"

"The moment the teacher leaves for a while, you all start messing around!"

"This class is the worst batch I have ever had to deal with!"

After saying these words, Yuki Yuichi cleared his throat again, "The words above were what Teacher Ikkaku asked me to convey to you. At the same time, he wants us to study the Will of Fire on our own; he will be coming to check on us later."

Yuki Yuichi's voice had been very loud at the start, carrying through the classroom and reaching the ears of the young teacher next door, whose own lecture paused as he silently marveled to himself.

Teacher Ikkaku's students are truly considerate; knowing their teacher is away, they even take the initiative to maintain order in the classroom.