New Friends

Xian Yu really had no choice. He'd already been all set to show off during the assessment and make a name for himself.

Even against Uchiha Ishihara, he wouldn't claim he was sure to win, but he was confident he could pull off some flashy Three Body Technique tricks and leave everyone in awe.

After all, the Sharingan didn't have the Byakugan's powerful observational abilities. And Uchiha Ishihara hadn't even awakened his yet.

Tossing a shuriken, leaving a clone in place, then using the Substitution Technique to appear behind his opponent and launch a sneak attack—that was all basic stuff.

But against the Byakugan, there was nothing he could do... At least until he learned a few more powerful ninjutsu, and as long as his Taijutsu wasn't better than theirs, he'd be better off staying as far away from those blind-eyed freaks as possible... He wasn't a masochist, after all.

"Group Eight, Jiraiya and Yamanaka Yuri, please step onto the platform."

"Well, Jiraiya, it's your turn! And your opponent's a cute girl, too. Try not to lose too badly." Xian Yu grinned, clearly enjoying Jiraiya's predicament.

"Ah... Why do I have to fight a girl? Teacher Yuichi, can I get a different opponent?" Jiraiya climbed onto the platform, glanced at Yamanaka Yuri, and immediately pulled a long face.

"Are you looking down on girls?" Yamanaka Yuri snapped.

In an instant, she rushed at Jiraiya, her long, shapely leg whipping toward him like a steel lash.

Jiraiya might have been at the bottom of the class in theory, but his instincts in a fight weren't bad. Faced with the leg cutting toward him, he immediately raised both arms to shield his face.

He blocked Yamanaka Yuri's roundhouse kick with both arms and, as if nothing had happened, continued to complain. "Teacher Yuichi, can I get a different opponent? Ow, that hurts! Ow! Yuri, go easy on me! You're going to kill me!"

Yamanaka Yuri's face turned livid. The louder Jiraiya whined, the angrier she got!

She was Yamanaka Yuri, and she had her pride. He dared to get distracted while fighting her—and wouldn't even fight back? Did he think she wasn't there?

With that thought, Yamanaka Yuri's attacks grew harder and fiercer.

"Thwack!" Her punch landed right on target!

The dull sound alone made it clear that the punch had packed a wallop! Yet Jiraiya only swayed his head a little, then covered the bruised side of his face and ran around the platform, rubbing it as he went.

Xian Yu suddenly understood why Lady Tsunade so often used her monstrous strength to beat up Jiraiya in the original story.

Maybe it was because... the guy really could take a beating?

In the end, with several shuriken stuck in his chest and back, Jiraiya reluctantly conceded defeat.

Seeing Jiraiya in such a sorry state, our kindhearted classmate Xian Yu immediately went over to bring him medicine and offer some comfort. He helped treat the wounds on Jiraiya's back.

Orochimaru helped out too.

"Disgusting.jpg. Anyone who hangs out with Jiraiya has to be a no-good loser," one of the girls said.

"Yeah, yeah! Ishihara-kun is the handsomest."

"Right? Hitomi-kun is cute, too."

Women were so fickle.

Xian Yu didn't think much of the little girls' disdain. After all, how could girls compare to his bros?

On his first day at the academy, Xian Yu had already made two friends: Orochimaru and Jiraiya. He invited them out for ramen.

Even though he now had the Treasure Chest System and might have an unlimited future ahead of him, having powerful allies was still important.

A person without foresight would have worries close at hand.

Besides, Xian Yu was in despair over this damn pay-to-win system. Maybe he'd be so poor that, even with a cheat ability, he'd still end up a useless slacker?

It was hard to say whether Orochimaru would follow the same path as before. But being Jiraiya's close friend could come in handy in the future.

Come to think of it, being the son of Danzo, the Hokage's advisor, might be useful now, but who knew what would happen in a few years? If he was still just a Mizuki by then... he'd be as good as dead once Danzo died.

Oh, and there was Tsunade, too...

Based on his memories from his previous life, Tsunade would definitely join Team Seven. Since she wasn't there now, she'd probably transfer in later.

As long as he was careful not to become her sidekick or lover, she should still be a reliable ally.

"Xian Yu, you said you'd treat us to ramen. Is it that new Ichiraku Ramen place?"

Jiraiya caught up with a spring in his step and asked.

Orochimaru followed behind them without saying a word.

"That's the newly opened Ichiraku. I heard their ramen is delicious!" Xian Yu turned and replied with a smile.

"Idiot." After watching Jiraiya bounce along, Orochimaru gave him a fair assessment, then asked Xian Yu, "Xian Yu-kun, your surname is Shimura. Are you a noble, too?"

"Oh, right. Teacher Yuichi's surname is Shimura, too. Could you be Teacher Yuichi's son?" Jiraiya's eyes lit up as if he'd discovered something amazing.

Xian Yu hadn't expected Orochimaru to ask that. He'd thought the Serpent Sannin was only interested in immortality.

"A noble? I suppose so... My father is Shimura Danzo, the Hokage's advisor. Teacher Shimura Yuichi is my uncle from the Main Family."

"..."

Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged glances. There was a hint of dejection in their eyes.

"Ah, don't worry about that! The three of us are good friends, anyway! A hero's origins don't matter." Having lived two lives, Xian Yu could easily guess how they felt. He immediately put an arm around Orochimaru and another around Jiraiya, speaking cheerfully.

You two are both big shots in the future. I'm the real little brother here. What are you getting all insecure about? Xian Yu grumbled to himself.

Inside Ichiraku Ramen, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Xian Yu sat in a row on a bench.

Jiraiya held his bowl and slurped away without a care for his manners.

Orochimaru and Xian Yu ate much more politely.

"Boss, one bowl of ramen." Just then, a boy with a watermelon-shaped haircut and a tight green jumpsuit plopped down beside them.

"Yo, that's the spirit of youth! Let's have a fiery ramen-eating contest!" The watermelon-headed boy seemed to think Jiraiya looked promising, so he pointed at him.

"..." Orochimaru.

"..." Xian Yu.

"..." Jiraiya.

"You're the new academy students who enrolled today, right? My name's Might Duy. I'm in Class Five, Year Three at the Ninja Academy." The watermelon-headed boy was very outgoing.

"Uh... Hello, Duy-senpai. I'm Shimura Xian Yu."

"My name is Jiraiya."

"Orochimaru."

Xian Yu really hadn't expected to run into the father of Might Guy, the man who'd nearly kicked his way to the end of the story.

In the end, thanks to Xian Yu's generosity, he paid for the whole meal.

There was just one little surprise when the Ichiraku owner brought the bill. Xian Yu had eaten one bowl, and Orochimaru had eaten one bowl.

Might Duy had eaten twenty-two bowls!

Jiraiya had eaten twenty-three bowls!

"Jiraiya-kun, you're truly brimming with the spirit of youth! I acknowledge you. You're worthy of being my lifelong rival!" Might Duy said, holding up his thumb. With a "ding," his teeth seemed to flash with a dazzling gleam.