Buying a Sword and Dinner Gathering (Please Bookmark, Follow, and Vote)

Konoha's streets were dyed amber by paper lanterns in the night. A few dead leaves lay caught in the cracks between the bluestones, crunching softly beneath the feet of passersby wrapped in animal skins. Copper wind chimes hanging from the eaves swayed, startling the moth resting atop a lantern. The phosphorescent dust shaken from its wings glimmered an eerie blue beneath the moonlight.

The bronze fangs hanging above the weapon shop's door clinked together. When the door opened, its pine hinges gave a long creak, waking the old cat curled behind the counter. Twelve rows of ebony racks spread out in a fan shape. Senbon needles were piled like thornbushes in celadon trays, while concealed weapons behind glass displayed the cold indigo sheen characteristic of poison coating. On an ironwood rack in the southeast corner, seven tachi were propped at an angle, each drawn three inches from its sheath, a hint of silvery frost clinging to their blades.

The three of them stepped into the brightly lit weapon shop. The cold gleam of the blades reflected in Taiichi's excited face. Kakashi had already taken a scroll from his Ninja Tool Pouch and unfurled it, revealing the principles of sword selection for Hatake Style Swordsmanship written across the yellowed silk.

"The spine of the blade must be as straight as a pine." Kakashi ran his fingertips over the display rack and drew out a plainly fitted short sword amid a metallic hum. Taiichi's wrist sank slightly as he took it. The red mark left by the birchwood hilt had not yet faded, and now another mark was added. "Anything over three jin will affect the sword's trajectory." The silver-haired boy laid the sword across his palm. Its tip and pommel balanced perfectly at the web of his thumb. "The ideal center of gravity is three inches ahead of the guard."

Guy leaned closer, clicking his tongue in wonder as he studied the blade pattern. Then he suddenly punched the blade. A clear vibration rang through the shop. "My father said that blades forged with tamahagane sound like mountain springs flowing over quartz." Kakashi motioned for Taiichi to channel Chakra into the blade. Fine Wind Release Nature Transformation Chakra flowed along the edge, casting a faint cyan glow. This was a ninja sword mixed with a small amount of Chakra Metal.

The shopkeeper brought over three similarly shaped swords, and Kakashi held them level one by one for test swings. When the third blade cut through the air, the sound of it parting the wind suddenly became denser. "This is the one!" Taiichi discovered with delight that his shoulders and elbows naturally dropped as 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 flashed in Kakashi's eyes—this sword's weight distribution was exactly the same as 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 that it cost thirty thousand ryo, Taiichi could not help feeling the sting. He had only recently been wracking his brain over how to make money.

"Customer, all our prices are clearly marked. We never haggle." The owner remained firm, clearly certain he had Taiichi cornered.

"All right." Taiichi said no more. Saying too much would be disrespectful to the sword.

The three of them left the shop. Taiichi wore a delighted expression as he stroked the short sword he had just acquired. He then strapped it to his back. From now on, he would carry a sword with him at all times, getting used to every posture while armed.

"Kakashi, Guy, come to my house for dinner today. I bought the ingredients early this morning."

"Sure! It's been a while since I tasted Taiichi's cooking." Guy was so touched that tears streamed down his face.

"Then we should go home and let our families know," Kakashi agreed readily.

"Go ahead. I'll head back first to cook. It should be ready by the time you get there."

With that, the three of them dashed toward their respective homes.

At home, in the kitchen.

Taiichi, wearing a dark blue apron, busied himself before the stove. The miso soup bubbled in the iron pot, while white steam spilling from the steamer carried the sweet fragrance of taiyaki, tinting the cramped kitchen warm yellow. Teriyaki chicken legs, thoroughly marinated, 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 the batter, while fried lotus root slices glistened with amber oil. A knock sounded at the door just then, and Guy's spirited shout could be heard even through the door. "Taiichi! We're here!"

When he opened the door, he saw the two of them. Kakashi stood against the wall with his arms crossed, moonlight turning his silver hair frosty white. Guy eagerly sniffed the fragrant air, his green jumpsuit covered in dust from training. "Sorry to disturb you!" 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 packed into a five-tier bento box. The crisp skin of grilled Pacific saury was sprinkled with sansho pepper, and even the miso soup had carrots carved into maple leaves floating in it. Kakashi's nose twitched faintly beneath his mask. Having long endured his father's terrible cooking, he was especially sensitive to the feast before him.

"Let's eat!" Guy's chopsticks swept over the table like a whirlwind, lifting a piece of tempura that traced an arc through the air. "This fried shrimp! The batter is so crispy and... hot, hot, hot!" The boy whose mouth had been burned by the hot oil puffed out his cheeks and blew on it, yet could not bear to spit it out. Kakashi calmly scooped up some tofu. The instant the broth touched his tongue, his pupils contracted—this stock, brewed from kelp and bonito flakes, was even more delicious than the signature soup at the Three-color Dango shop.

Taiichi smiled as he refilled their barley tea. Rising steam blurred the ninja painting on the wall. When Kakashi picked up a teriyaki chicken leg for the third time, the face that had been hidden behind a mask all year suddenly stiffened. With his mouth 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. His fingers hovered at the edge of his mask for a moment before it finally slipped down. Moonlight happened to illuminate the sauce at the corner of his mouth, and Taiichi and Guy both froze—neither had expected this cold-faced genius to puff out his cheeks like a little animal when he ate.

"About the swordsmanship lessons..." Taiichi broke the silence at the right moment, placing the tail of the grilled fish into Kakashi's bowl. "Today's lesson made me realize how important it is to have a good teacher. Swordsmanship training can't be done through self-study alone."

"Thank you so much for today."

Guy suddenly set down his bowl and chopsticks, pressed his palms together, and bowed to Kakashi. "Thank you for teaching me Chakra control too! Last time, you said, 'Taijutsu-focused ninja need to distribute their Chakra even more precisely.' Now when I kick apart rocks, I don't injure my ankles from the recoil anymore!"

The chirping insects outside the window suddenly seemed clearer. Kakashi's knuckles turned white around his teacup. After a long silence, he said softly, "I should be the one thanking you." His gaze swept over the new sword on Taiichi's back. "I also want a companion who can practice swordsmanship with me."

Moonlight flowed through the window lattice and across the low table, while the shadows of the three boys intertwined on the wall. By the time Guy started on 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 streets were covered in starlight. Kakashi pulled his mask back up to the bridge of his nose, then suddenly turned and tossed out a sentence. "We continue learning tomorrow." Guy struck his classic pose beneath the moonlight. "Tomorrow, twenty laps around the Death Forest! Taiichi, want to bet on who finishes first?"

The instant the door closed, Taiichi leaned against his newly bought ninja sword and chuckled. The warmth lingering on the hilt reminded him of Kakashi's overlapping hands when demonstrating how to hold a sword, as well as the clap of palms after Guy's test swing numbed the web of his thumb. The lingering aroma of bonito drifted from the kitchen. Three empty bowls sat side by side on the low table, reflecting moonlight like some silent oath.

After seeing the two off and returning indoors, 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 (923/1000), Hatake Style Kenjutsu Lv1 (32/100)

Evaluation: Learning swordsmanship has made up for your shortcomings, but you are still Genin cannon fodder.

Watching the numbers on the panel constantly change, Taiichi was filled with motivation. Training was addictive—this was probably what they meant. He trained until dawn before washing up and going to bed.