The night on Konoha's streets had been dyed amber by paper lanterns. A few dead leaves lay caught in the cracks between the bluestones, crunching softly beneath the feet of passersby clad in animal skins. Copper wind chimes dangling from the eaves swayed, startling the night moth perched atop a lantern; phosphorescent dust shook loose from its wing tips, glimmering a ghostly blue beneath the moonlight.
The bronze fangs hanging over the weapon shop's entrance clinked together. As the door was pushed open, its pine hinges let out a long creak, waking the old cat curled behind the counter. Twelve rows of ebony racks fanned out across the shop. Senbon needles piled in celadon dishes resembled thorn bushes, while concealed weapons in glass cases gleamed with the cold indigo sheen unique to poison coating. On an ironwood rack in the southeast corner, seven katana rested at a slant, each drawn three inches from its sheath, with a trace of silvery frost clinging to its blade.
The three of them entered the brightly lit weapon shop. The cold gleam of the blades reflected off Taiichi's excited face, while Kakashi had already taken a scroll from his Ninja Tool Pouch and unfurled it. The sword-selection principles of Hatake Style Swordsmanship danced across the yellowed silk.
"The spine must be as straight as a pine tree." Kakashi ran his fingertips along the display rack and drew a plain short sword amid a metallic hum. Taiichi's wrist sank slightly as he took it. The red mark pressed into his hand by the birchwood hilt had yet to fade, and now another mark had been added. "Anything over three pounds will affect the path of your swing." The silver-haired boy laid the blade across his palm, its tip and hilt perfectly balanced at the web between his thumb and forefinger. "The best center of gravity is three inches ahead of the guard."
Guy leaned in close, clicking his tongue in wonder at the blade pattern before suddenly punching the sword's body. A clear ringing vibration echoed through the shop. "My father said that a blade forged with tamahagane sounds like a mountain spring flowing over quartz." Kakashi gestured for Taiichi to pour chakra into the blade. Fine Wind Release chakra flowed along its edge, forming a blue-green glow. This was a ninja blade mixed with a small amount of Chakra Metal.
The shopkeeper brought over three swords of similar design, and Kakashi tested each one with a horizontal cutting motion. When the third blade sliced through the air, its sound suddenly became dense and smooth. "That's the one!" Taiichi delightedly discovered that his shoulders and elbows naturally relaxed when he swung it, and the blade's path perfectly matched the diagonal cutting angle recorded in the scroll. Moonlight filtered through the window lattice onto the cloud patterns of the guard, and a smile flickered in Kakashi's eyes—this sword's weight distribution was exactly the same as that of the first practice sword his father had made for him.
"Boss, how much is this sword?" Taiichi asked without hesitation.
"Thirty thousand ryo, sir," the shopkeeper said with a broad smile.
"Can you give me a discount?" Hearing the price of thirty thousand ryo, Taiichi could not help but feel the sting. Not long ago, he had still been racking his brains over how to make money.
"Guest, all our prices are clearly marked. We never haggle." The shopkeeper remained firm, clearly intent on holding Taiichi to the price.
"All right." Taiichi said no more. Saying too much would be disrespectful to the sword.
The three of them left the shop. Taiichi beamed as he stroked the short sword he had just acquired. He then slung it across his back. From now on, he would carry a sword at all times so that he could get used to every posture while armed.
"Kakashi, Guy, come to my house for dinner today. I bought the ingredients first thing this morning."
"Sure! It's been a while since I last tasted Taiichi's cooking." Guy was so moved that tears streamed down his face.
"Then we should go home and let our families know." Kakashi readily agreed.
"Go ahead, then. I'll head back first and start cooking. It should be about ready by the time you get there."
With that, the three of them dashed toward their respective homes.
At home, in the kitchen.
Taiichi bustled about in front of the stove, wearing a dark navy apron. The miso soup bubbled in the iron pot, while white steam from the steamer carried the sweet fragrance of taiyaki, bathing the small kitchen in a warm yellow glow. Teriyaki chicken legs, marinated until flavorful, were neatly arranged on the cutting board. He had specially prepared the sauce in advance with honey and sake.
"The last dish..." Taiichi wiped the sweat from his brow and plated the tempura. Golden shrimp tails curled up from their batter coating, while fried lotus root slices glistened with amber oil. A knock sounded at the entrance just then, and Guy's energetic shout could be heard even through the door. "Taiichi! We're here!"
The moment he opened the door, he saw the two of them. Kakashi stood against the wall with his arms folded, the moonlight frosting his silver hair; Guy eagerly sniffed the aroma in the air, his green jumpsuit covered in dust from training. "Sorry to intrude!" they said in unison. As they removed their shoes, Kakashi's short sword struck the sword rack with a crisp clink.
When the low table was covered in dishes, Guy's eyes widened roundly. Rice balls and tamagoyaki were arranged in a five-tier bento box, grilled Pacific saury had crisp skin dusted with sansho pepper, and even the miso soup held carrots carved into maple leaves. Kakashi's nose twitched faintly beneath his mask. Having eaten his father's terrible cooking for years, he was especially sensitive to the feast before him.
"Time to eat!" Guy's chopsticks swept across the table like a whirlwind, sending a piece of tempura arcing through the air. "This fried shrimp! The batter's so crispy and... hot, hot, hot!" The boy whose mouth had been scalded by hot oil puffed out his cheeks and blew on it, yet could not bear to spit it out. Kakashi calmly scooped up some tofu, but the instant the broth touched his tongue, his pupils contracted sharply—the kelp-and-bonito stock was even more delicious than the signature soup at the Three-color Dango shop.
Taiichi smiled as he refilled their barley tea, its curling steam blurring the ninja painting on the wall. When Kakashi picked up a teriyaki chicken leg for the third time, his face beneath the mask suddenly stiffened. With his mouth stuffed full of rice balls, Guy reminded him indistinctly, "Hey, Kakashi, nobody's going to steal it from you!"
The silver-haired boy's ears reddened, and his fingers hovered at the edge of his mask for a moment in hesitation. As the black cloth slipped down, the moonlight happened to illuminate the sauce at the corner of his mouth. Taiichi and Guy froze at the same time—neither had expected this cold-faced genius to puff out his cheeks like a little animal while eating.
"About the swordsmanship lessons..." Taiichi broke the silence at just the right moment, placing the tail of the grilled fish into Kakashi's bowl. "Today's lesson made me realize how important a good teacher is. Swordsmanship training isn't something you can master through self-study alone."
"Thank you so much for today."
Guy suddenly put down his bowl and chopsticks, pressed his palms together, and bowed to Kakashi. "And thank you for teaching me chakra control! Last time, you said, 'Taijutsu-focused ninja need to distribute their chakra even more precisely.' Now I can kick apart rocks without injuring my ankles from the impact!"
The chirping of insects outside the window suddenly became clear. Kakashi's knuckles whitened around his teacup, and after a long while, he said quietly, "I should be the one thanking you." His gaze swept over the new sword on Taiichi's back. "I want a companion who can practice swordsmanship with me too."
Moonlight streamed through the window lattice and spread across the low table, where the three boys' shadows intertwined on the wall. By the time Guy began his fifth bowl of miso soup, Taiichi and Kakashi were already resting with their hands on their stomachs.
"I'm so full! I can't eat another bite!"
By the time they said goodbye, the street was already blanketed in starlight. Kakashi pulled his mask back over the bridge of his nose, then suddenly turned and tossed out a sentence. "Continue studying tomorrow." Guy struck his classic pose beneath the moonlight. "Tomorrow, twenty laps around Death Forest! Taiichi, want to bet on who finishes first?"
The moment the door closed, Taiichi leaned against his newly bought ninja sword and chuckled softly. The lingering warmth on its hilt reminded him of Kakashi's hands overlapping his as he demonstrated the grip, and of the high-five after Guy's hand had been numbed by testing the blade. The kitchen still held a faint scent of bonito, while the three empty bowls lined up on the low table reflected the moonlight like some silent vow.
After seeing them off and returning inside, it was already very late. Today, he could only practice Basic Taijutsu and meditation at home.
Name: Taichi Matsushita Class: Genin Lv6 (926/1000) Talents: Diligence Makes Up for Mediocrity, Academic Overachiever Age: 6 Constitution: 13 Strength: 15 Agility: 13 Spirit: 20 Chakra: 3100 (5350) Attribute Points: 9 Skill Points: 9 Fire Nature Transformation Lv2 (66/200) Wind Release Nature Transformation Lv2 (36/200) Yang Release Nature Transformation Lv2 (18/200) Skills: Basic Taijutsu Lv8 (1213/1400), Basic Meditation Lv8 (1212/1400), Chakra Refinement Technique Lv8 (1253/1400), Ninja Tool Throwing Lv7 (687/1200), Transformation Technique Lv6 (515/1000), Clone Technique Lv7 (537/1200), Substitution Technique Lv6 (853/1000), Fire Style: Flame Bullet Lv6 (353/1000), Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Lv6 (935/1000), Wind Release: Great Breakthrough Lv6 (712/1000), Healing Technique Lv6 (9231000), Hatake Style Kenjutsu Lv1 (32/100) Evaluation: Learning swordsmanship has made up for your weakness, but you are still Genin cannon fodder.
Watching the data on the panel constantly change, Taiichi was filled with motivation. Training was addictive—perhaps that was exactly how Taiichi felt now. He continued training until dawn before washing up and going to bed.
Before you continue