The Squad Is Formed

A tear fell to the ground. Teuchi, who had kept his head lowered, looked up and saw the worry in his father Maruda's eyes.

"What kind of man cries like that? I believe you can do it."

"Thank you, Father. I've accepted reality, too. It's all right if I can't become a ninja. I want to learn how to make ramen from you."

"So you're giving up just like that?"

"Yeah. Being a ninja isn't right for me, and I've found a new goal. I want to become a chef whose skills are every bit as good as yours, so our customers can taste delicious ramen and smile from the bottom of their hearts."

Seeing that his son wasn't discouraged by failing the exam and had even found a new goal, Maruda smiled even more broadly.

"Oh? Being a chef isn't any easier than being a ninja. You've thought this through, right?"

"Yeah!"

Maruda looked in the direction Hyuga Shinichi had gone. Shinichi had come by to support his business before, and now he'd helped Maruda's son grow. He could tell Teuchi had truly made up his mind. He really had to thank Shinichi.

He'd offered to treat him to ramen, but Shinichi had insisted on paying, saying it was a way of showing respect for him as a chef. Then from now on, he'd give him an extra-large serving of chashu for free. Yes, that was it.

Hyuga Shinichi, who had left the ramen cart, had no idea what had happened inside. He also had no idea that because of him, the future ramen legend would set out on the path of ramen.

"Minato, you have to go back to class this afternoon, right? Then I'll say goodbye here. If you have any problems, come find me. I live in the big house at the very back of the Senju Clan Compound."

"Shinichi, do you have another mission?"

"More or less. I also need to visit an elder."

"Then be careful on the way, Shinichi. Have a safe trip."

Hyuga Shinichi smiled and ruffled that thick mop of blond hair, thinking how nice it felt.

After saying goodbye to Namikaze Minato, he returned to the Senju Clan Compound, which was also Hyuga Shinichi's home now.

"Grandma, I'm back."

Hyuga Shinichi entered the living room and saw Uzumaki Mito sitting there drinking tea. Four years had passed, and a few more wrinkles had appeared on her face, but she was still hale and hearty. The reason lay in what she was drinking.

Since becoming a Chunin, Hyuga Shinichi had been able to take missions alone or with a team. Over the years, he had discovered all sorts of good things while traveling.

For instance, he had found some excellent, old ginseng. Thanks to its Natural Energy, it was extremely nutritious, though nobody had discovered its benefits. There was plenty of it growing on the mountain, so Hyuga Shinichi dug it all up and brought it back for Grandma Mito to slice and brew as tea.

"Back from your mission?"

"Yeah. This A-rank mission wasn't very difficult, so I got back quickly."

"Listen to you brag. How's your Yin Seal coming along? It's been three years, so it should be nearly done."

A year after becoming her disciple, Hyuga Shinichi had told Uzumaki Mito about his Byakugan: Pressure during a training session and shared his theory with her.

After studying it for a while, Uzumaki Mito had taught him the Yin Seal. It could store chakra, and he wondered if the problem was that he wasn't using enough chakra. So he had learned the Yin Seal to store chakra as a backup while he studied other methods.

"I can feel that I'll get it this month."

Uzumaki Mito glanced at the gear Hyuga Shinichi was still wearing and the Listen-to-Wind Sword slung across his back.

"Judging by the looks of you, you're heading out on another mission?"

"Yeah. I'm teaming up with Gai and Tomohiro this time. We took an escort mission to the Land of Iron. We leave at sundown."

Over the years, as Hyuga Shinichi's talent had begun to shine, Inuzuka Gai and Aburame Tomohiro had also worked hard at their training, determined not to be left behind.

When Hyuga Shinichi took the Chunin Ninja Exams at age five, the two of them, then six, also graduated early from the Ninja Academy. Recently, they had passed the Chunin exams and become Chunins. They had agreed to form a team once they all became Chunins.

As for nine-year-old Nawaki, he had recently graduated from the Ninja Academy, too. After meeting Orochimaru at a gathering with his sister Tsunade, he had become Orochimaru's student and started working with him. Shinichi hadn't seen him in months.

"Ah, you're leaving me all alone at home again. Tsunade and you are off on missions, and Nawaki's gone off to study with Orochimaru, Tsunade's teammate. Ah, everyone's busy, so busy. It's good to be busy."

"Grandma, after I finish this mission, I'll take a few months off. I'll soak your feet and wash them every day."

Since Uzumaki Mito was getting older and didn't sleep very well, Hyuga Shinichi had started soaking and washing her feet with hot water over the past few years. It always helped her sleep soundly.

After all their years together, Uzumaki Mito and Hyuga Shinichi were no longer merely teacher and student. They had come to see each other as family—as grandmother and grandson.

Tsunade was often away, and Nawaki was careless, so ever since Hyuga Shinichi had come to live in the house, he had taken it upon himself to look after Uzumaki Mito.

This made Uzumaki Mito very happy. Hyuga Shinichi always brought back something interesting or useful from his missions.

He knew she couldn't leave the village, but was curious about the things beyond it.

"Haha, I'll stop teasing you. Since you're leaving at sundown, go get some rest."

Although Uzumaki Mito made herself sound like a lonely old woman whose children had all left home, there would always be someone to look after her, even if no one else was around. After all, she was the village's Jinchūriki and the First's wife, so the Anbu took care of her. Her life was as comfortable as ever.

At the gates of Konoha, a merchant caravan was already waiting. Inuzuka Gai and Aburame Tomohiro stood among them. The talkative Inuzuka Gai was chatting with the caravan leader, while Aburame Tomohiro leaned against a post without saying a word.

"Hey, everyone! Sorry I'm late."

"Hahaha, not at all! We just gathered early. You got here well before departure, Shinichi."

The speaker was the client for this mission and the caravan leader, a man named Yamagami. Hyuga Shinichi had taken one of his escort missions before, and since Shinichi was outgoing and easy to talk to, the two knew each other.

The mission was to travel to the Land of Iron to buy goods. Since the Land of Iron was neutral, it wasn't very dangerous for merchants. They only had to watch out for bandits along the way.

Inuzuka Gai, wearing a specially made mask, stepped forward and slung an arm around Hyuga Shinichi's shoulders.

"You're something else. I heard you're about to become a Special Jonin. Then you'll be able to take S-rank missions."

"Hahaha, can't help it. It's talent, Gai. You can't learn that. Hahahaha!"

"You punk."

Aburame Tomohiro stepped forward and stopped the two before they could start messing around.

Hyuga Shinichi, Inuzuka Gai, and Nawaki had all stayed childish from the day they met. Only Aburame Tomohiro had grown more mature. He was only talkative with his friends.

In truth, he was excited about this team mission. He just didn't know how to express it.

But Hyuga Shinichi saw right through him and called him a "tsundere Tomohiro," making Inuzuka Gai burst out laughing.

Hyuga Shinichi pulled the two of them close, then held his hand out between them, palm down.

"All right, we've finally made good on what we said before and formed a team together."

Inuzuka Gai grinned and put his hand on top of Hyuga Shinichi's.

"Yeah, we've waited so long for this. Too bad Nawaki's off learning ninjutsu with someone else."

Aburame Tomohiro adjusted his black goggles and placed his hand on top of Inuzuka Gai's.

"Yeah."

"That's all you've got? Just 'yeah'?" X2

"Hm?"

Hyuga Shinichi and Inuzuka Gai stared at Aburame Tomohiro's slightly upturned lips, speechless. Their taciturn friend had started fooling around because of their influence, too.

Finally, Inuzuka Gai lifted his other hand and picked up his Ninja Dog, Black Charcoal. Black Charcoal put a paw on top of everyone's hands, too.

"All right! The Eye-Nose-Ear Squad is officially formed!"