"Everything's okay now."
Just three words, yet they were incredibly reassuring at that moment.
Gekko Hayate looked at him, his lips moving.
He wanted to say something.
But nothing came out.
Uzuki Yugao supported herself against the tree trunk and slowly slid down to sit.
She lowered her head and looked at her trembling hands.
Just moments ago, she had truly thought she was going to die.
Then this guy had appeared.
Like a green whirlwind.
She looked up at Guy.
Her eyes were a little red.
Just then, a figure rushed out of the woods.
Ikkaku Umino.
He was panting heavily, his face pale.
He froze when he saw the scene in the clearing.
Gekko Hayate was covered in blood, but still standing.
Uzuki Yugao was leaning against a tree, but alive.
The child lay on the ground, seriously injured, but his chest was still rising and falling.
In the distance, a scar-faced man was embedded in a tree.
He did not move.
Ikkaku Umino's gaze shifted to Guy.
That seven-year-old child.
His entire body was drenched in sweat, and the right leg of his pants was scorched black.
Ikkaku Umino walked over.
He stopped before the tree with the embedded man.
He took a look.
A Chunin.
A rogue Chunin from Iwagakure.
Dead.
He looked again at the three trees that had been snapped apart.
"How much force would that take?"
He turned to Guy.
Guy was looking at him too.
He grinned.
"Teacher Umino, everything's okay now."
Ikkaku Umino fell silent for two seconds.
Then he spoke.
"You did this?"
Guy nodded.
"Yeah."
Ikkaku Umino did not ask anything else.
He looked at Guy.
That seven-year-old child.
Faint green steam still lingered around his body.
That was... some kind of special taijutsu?
And the power of that kick...
Ikkaku Umino took a deep breath.
He suddenly remembered what the Third Hokage had once said.
"There are several remarkable children in this class."
Now it seemed they were far more than merely remarkable.
He looked at Guy.
There was something indescribable in his eyes.
Shock.
Appreciation.
And a trace of... awe.
Yes, awe.
A seven-year-old child had kicked a Chunin to death.
What kind of concept was that?
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But in the end, he only said three words.
"Save him first."
He headed toward the badly injured child.
Guy remained where he was, watching Ikkaku Umino's back.
Then he lowered his head and glanced at the system panel.
[Mission completed: Eliminate the bandit group] [Obtained: Monk Points 100, Random Intermediate Gift Pack ×1] [Open?]
Guy did not rush to open it.
He looked up at Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao.
At their faces after surviving a disaster.
Then he looked at the child being carried away.
Still alive.
Being alive was good.
He slowly sat down.
His legs finally gave out.
He dropped onto the ground.
Panting.
Ebisu walked over and stopped beside him.
He looked down at him.
"Y-you... are you okay?"
Guy looked up.
He grinned.
Still wearing that same expression.
"I'm fine. Youth can still burn."
Ebisu's mouth twitched.
He wanted to say something.
But when he saw Guy's pale face, he swallowed the words back down.
Genma walked over and bent down to pick up the toothpick that had fallen to the ground.
He put it back in his mouth.
He looked at Guy.
He was silent for two seconds.
Then he spoke.
"That kick."
He paused.
"Not bad."
Guy smiled.
He gave a thumbs-up.
"Of course."
Moonlight shone over the clearing.
In the distance, Ikkaku Umino was stopping the child's bleeding.
Nearby, Guy sat on the ground, with Ebisu and Genma standing beside him.
Uzuki Yugao held onto the tree and slowly stood.
She walked over to Guy.
She looked down at him.
"Thank you."
Her voice was soft.
But earnest.
Guy looked up.
At her.
"What are you thanking me for? We're classmates."
Yugao pressed her lips together.
Gekko Hayate walked over as well.
He clutched his chest and coughed twice.
Then he looked at Guy.
"I owe you my life."
Guy waved his hand.
"Don't make such a big deal of it. Just treat me to a meal later."
Hayate froze for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"All right."
Guy turned and looked toward Scarface, embedded in the distant tree.
An Earth Release Chunin.
A rogue ninja.
He had nearly killed Guy's classmates.
But now he was already dead.
Guy clenched his fists.
Perhaps it was a ninja's resolve.
Perhaps it was because of the man's identity.
Guy did not feel the discomfort of killing someone for the first time.
He only felt that it was not enough.
He needed to become stronger.
Next time, he could not let something like this happen again.
Next time, he had to be faster.
Because as long as it was a mission, there was no absolute safety.
People could die.
Guy had always known that.
He had that resolve.
But what he wanted was to never watch his companions die before his eyes!
After treating the child's injuries, Ikkaku Umino stood up.
He walked to the center of the clearing and looked at everyone.
"Mission complete."
He paused.
"Everyone, rest where you are. Before dawn, clear the battlefield and count the prisoners."
He glanced at Guy.
"You, don't move. Get some proper rest."
Guy nodded.
"Yes."
Ikkaku Umino turned and walked toward the woods.
After taking two steps, he turned back.
He looked at Guy.
Moonlight fell across his face.
His expression was complicated.
"That kick—"
He paused.
"I'll remember it."
Then he vanished into the woods.
Guy sat on the ground, looking in that direction.
He grinned.
So what if he remembered?
He would only grow stronger anyway.
Moonlight spilled over the clearing.
Seven people—alive, wounded, lying down.
And the corpse embedded in a tree in the distance.
It was very quiet.
But Guy knew.
This was only the beginning.
The war had only just begun.