Promise on the Cliff

Three days later.

Early morning.

At the entrance of the Ninja Academy.

Guy stood there with his backpack on.

He was still wearing that same green outfit, yet he looked different.

It wasn't his appearance.

It was his aura.

Obito came running from behind, saw him, and paused in surprise.

"Guy?"

Guy turned his head.

"Hm?"

Obito looked him up and down, scratching his head.

"You... where have you been these past three days? Umino said you took leave."

"Training."

"Training? Where did you train?"

Guy thought for a moment.

"A valley."

Obito waited for him to continue.

Guy said nothing more.

After waiting for a long time, Obito couldn't help but ask, "And then?"

"And then what?"

"What did you practice?"

Guy grinned and gave a thumbs up.

"Youth!"

Obito rolled his eyes.

"Fine, that again."

The two walked toward the school.

There were fewer people at the school gate than usual.

Guy scanned the area.

The children who usually crowded together were scattered today.

Many familiar faces were missing.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

Obito lowered his voice.

"You don't know? A lot of people haven't shown up these past few days."

"Why?"

"Called back home, obviously."

Obito curled his lip.

"The war has been moved up. The secret techniques and special training those clans had originally prepared have all been put on the schedule."

"People in my clan said many families have locked their children away to train, not letting them out until they finish."

Guy nodded.

As expected.

Cutting three years down to one and a half meant the time these clans had was also slashed in half.

What they originally planned to teach slowly now had to be crammed in all at once.

The two walked into the classroom.

Sure enough.

In a classroom meant for over twenty people, less than half were seated.

Kurenai was there; seeing Guy walk in, her eyes brightened.

Rin was there too, waving at them.

Asuma was not.

Gekko Hayate was not here.

Uzuki Yugao was not here.

Yamashiro Aoba was not here.

Several others whose names he couldn't recall were not here either.

Guy sat down in his seat.

Kurenai leaned over, looking somewhat worried. "Guy, where have you been these past three days?"

Guy looked at her.

In those wine-red eyes, there was concern.

"Training," he said.

"Training what?"

Guy thought for a moment.

"Taijutsu."

Kurenai blinked.

"Just taijutsu?"

"Mm."

Kurenai didn't ask further.

But the way she looked at Guy was a little different.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what was different.

He just felt that he seemed... brighter?

The bell for class rang.

Ikkaku Umino walked in.

He swept his gaze over the empty seats in the classroom, his expression unchanged.

"Today, we continue with the lesson."

He wrote on the blackboard.

"Those who are here, listen well. Those who aren't, catch up on your own later."

The class was very quiet.

The usual whispering and chatter were completely absent today.

After class ended.

Guy stood up and walked outside.

Kurenai called out to him.

"Guy, where are you going?"

"Blacksmith Shop."

"You're still going today?"

"Mm, I haven't been there for three days, I need to go apologize to Uncle Tao Ye."

Kurenai pursed her lips, then whispered, "Ca... can you not go today?"

"Hm? Why?" Guy was a bit puzzled.

The Kurenai from before had never once tried to discourage him from training.

A look of panic appeared on Kurenai's face, and she hurriedly waved her hands.

"No... it's nothing... then be careful on your way, I'm heading home now."

With that, she trotted away.

Guy watched her go, feeling a bit strange.

Catching sight of Obito about to leave, he followed him.

Seeing him approach, Obito looked at him with a strange expression.

"Why did you come over?"

"Going to the Blacksmith Shop," Guy said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Aren't you going to keep Kurenai company? She won't be coming in tomorrow, you know," Obito said, tilting his head.

"Hm? She's not coming tomorrow?"

Guy was stunned, suddenly realizing why Kurenai had been acting so strangely.

As a member of a genjutsu clan, Kurenai would naturally have to attend intensive training at this time.

"No wonder she was acting like that."

Kurenai had been torn between wanting Guy to keep her company and not wanting to interrupt his training, which was why she had been behaving that way.

Guy chuckled.

He tossed the backpack in his hand onto Obito.

"Help me drop these off at Uncle Tao Ye's place, I'll head over later."

With that, he took off in a flash.

Obito looked at the two backpacks in his hands, his mouth twitching.

"That guy, choosing a girl over his friends..."

By the time Guy caught up to Kurenai, the sun was nearly setting.

Kurenai wasn't walking fast, her head bowed, her black curly hair swaying with each step.

"Kurenai!"

Guy called out and ran over.

Kurenai's footsteps faltered; she didn't turn around, but she slowed down.

Guy caught up to her side, catching his breath. "Why were you walking so fast?"

Kurenai didn't speak.

Guy tilted his head to look at her.

The setting sun shone on her face, her large wine-red eyes fixed on the ground, her eyelashes trembling.

"Were you crying?" Guy asked.

Kurenai shook her head and turned away.

"No."

"Then look up and let me see."

Kurenai couldn't win, and in the end, she had no choice but to lift her head.

She hadn't actually cried, but her eyes were rimmed with red.

Guy scratched his head.

He wanted to say something, but his mouth opened and closed again.

The usual talk about "youth" and "burning" didn't seem right at a time like this.

The two of them just stood there.

The wind blew by, swirling a few fallen leaves.

In the end, it was Kurenai who spoke first.

"Guy, you should go back and train."

Her voice was very soft.

"I'm fine."

Guy looked at her.

Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

Kurenai was stunned and looked up.

"Come on," Guy said.

"Where to?"

"Follow me."

Guy pulled her along as he turned back.

They weren't heading toward the school, but toward the mountain behind it.

Kurenai stumbled slightly as he pulled her along, but she didn't pull away.

The setting sun stretched their shadows long, one behind the other, overlapping.

They passed through the woods.

They skirted around the waterfall.

They ducked into a small path Kurenai had never walked before.

They twisted and turned.

Finally, they stopped at the edge of a cliff.

Kurenai stood still, stunned.

Before her lay an expansive sky.

The sun was just dipping below the horizon, dyeing the entire sky a deep orange-red.

The clouds were layered, looking as if they were ablaze.

Below lay Konoha.

The houses, the streets, and the Hokage Rock were all reduced to tiny silhouettes.

Kurenai opened her mouth.

"This..."

"I discovered it." Guy released her wrist and walked to the edge of the cliff, plopping down.

"Whenever I'm exhausted from training, I sneak up here to space out."

He patted the ground beside him.

"Sit."

Kurenai walked over and sat down next to him.

The two sat side by side, watching that burning red sky.

Neither of them spoke.

The wind blew from over the mountain, carrying the scent of grass and trees.

Kurenai slowly stopped tensing up.

Her shoulders relaxed, and her breathing grew light.

She stole a glance at Guy.

Guy was staring at the sun, his eyes brightened by the light.

That profile, still those Bushy Brows, still that foolish look.

But for some reason, just looking at him was reassuring.

"Guy," she began.

"Hm?"

"Do you come here every day?"

Guy thought for a moment.

"Not every day. Only when I've trained too hard."

He paused.

"The last time I was here was after I kicked that giant bear."

Kurenai blinked.

"That was three months ago."

"Yeah."

"You haven't been tired in these three months?"

Guy turned to look at her, grinning.

"I have. But I didn't have the time to come."

"Why?"

Guy thought about it and said earnestly, "Because there's too much to train; no time to be tired."

Kurenai was stunned.

Then, she couldn't help but laugh.

"You really are a strange person."

Guy laughed too.

"So what if I'm strange?"

He turned back to watch the sunset.

"Anyway, you're the first person to know about this place."

Kurenai's heart skipped a beat.

She lowered her head, staring at her fingers.

Her fingers twisted back and forth on her knees.

"Guy."

"Hm?"

"I... won't be able to come to the academy starting tomorrow."

Guy nodded.

"I know."

"Clan training. It's going to take a long time."

"Mm."

"I might just graduate once I finish training."

"Mm."

Kurenai looked up at him, pouting.

"Is 'mm' all you have to say?"

Guy turned his head to look at her.

His expression remained the same, but his eyes were earnest.

"What else? Should I cry for you?"

Kurenai was left speechless.

Guy turned back to watch the sunset.

"You practice your genjutsu. I'll practice my taijutsu."

He paused.

"We're heading to the battlefield eventually, anyway."

Kurenai fell silent.

Of course she knew.

The war had already begun.

People were dying on the front lines every day.

Their entire class would be sent to the battlefield in a year.

When that time comes...

Guy spoke suddenly.

"Hey."

"Mm?"

"Let's make a promise."

Kurenai was stunned.

Guy turned to look at her.

The afterglow of the sunset shone on his face, his eyes bright.

"When you've mastered your genjutsu, and when I've become stronger."

He reached out his hand.

"We'll team up for missions."

Kurenai stared blankly at that hand.

A rough hand, covered in calluses.

She thought of these hands, punching stones ten thousand times a day.

She thought of these hands, training until the middle of the night.

She thought of these hands, pulling her along that narrow path just moments ago.

"You'll be my genjutsu support," Guy said.

"And I'll be your—"

He paused, grinning.

"Strongest Shield."

Kurenai's eyes suddenly felt a bit hot.

She lowered her head and blinked hard.

Then, she slowly reached out her hand.

Her pinky hooked around his.

"It's a deal," she whispered.

"Mm."

The two of them, fingers hooked, watched the sun sink completely behind the mountains.

A final trace of orange-red remained on the horizon.

Stars began to emerge.

The wind blew, feeling a little chilly.

But Kurenai felt a warmth in her heart.

She stole a glance at Guy.

Guy was staring at the sky, lost in thought.

She pursed her lips and whispered.

"Guy."

"Hm?"

"In the future... don't always carry everything on your own."

Guy turned his head to look at her.

Kurenai didn't look back, keeping her eyes fixed on her fingers.

"If you're tired, come here to zone out. Besides, I won't be at the academy anymore, and no one else knows about this place."

She paused.

"But you have to remember... I'm training. I'm getting stronger, too."

Guy watched her.

Her profile was illuminated by the final rays of light, her eyelashes fluttering.

He suddenly smiled.

It wasn't that "youth-burning" boisterous laugh.

It was a different kind of smile.

Quiet.

Earnest.

"Alright," he said.

"I'll remember."

Kurenai didn't speak.

But the corners of her mouth curled upward.

The sky turned completely dark.

The moon rose, casting its light upon the cliff.

Two small figures remained sitting there.

Neither mentioned leaving.

In the distance, the lights of Konoha flickered on one by one.

Like stars scattered upon the earth.

[Bond Triggered: Promise on the Cliff]

[Reward: Monk Points +40]