Kakashi's Birthday (Part 2)

"Bang, bang, bang." A sudden knock sounded at the door.

"Excuse me, is Kakashi-senpai home?" A familiar voice followed. Menma knew who it was as soon as he heard it.

Kakashi went to the door once more and opened it.

"So it is you, Tenzō." Kakashi smiled at Yamato.

"We have quite a few guests today, so let me introduce you." As he spoke, Kakashi led Yamato over to the others and began making introductions.

"Everyone, let me introduce Tenzō. He used to work in Root, and now he serves in the Anbu directly under the Hokage. We worked together in the past, and he's a friend of mine..." Kakashi introduced Yamato to the others, and soon they were all chatting and laughing together.

A warm, harmonious atmosphere filled the room. Sunlight streamed through the windows, scattering patches of light across the floor like a golden carpet.

"Root? That old geezer Danzo." Menma made no effort to hide his loathing for Danzo, frowning as he spoke.

"Menma, what's gotten into you today?" Might Guy swatted Menma and spoke with some irritation.

"My bad, my bad, Guy-sensei. I'm just fed up with Root and Danzo, that's all. I didn't mean anything else." Menma quickly explained. He'd realized that he was acting strangely today, as if he could say whatever came to mind without a second thought.

"Why do you feel that way?" Kakashi asked. The others all looked at Menma too, their eyes full of confusion as they tried to figure out what was behind his words.

"It's simple. Danzo has his eye on Naruto and me, and I have my eye on him. I even killed some Root shinobi last night. That's all there is to it." Menma spoke unhurriedly, as though he were describing something completely ordinary.

"What?" Everyone was shocked. They stared at Menma with wide eyes, unable to believe what they'd heard.

"What happened last night?" Kakashi asked urgently, looking at Menma.

"Danzo had his eye on Naruto. He came to our house sometime during the day, though I don't know when. He left in a hurry and left behind some traces..." Menma recounted everything that had happened the night before, but didn't mention that he had used Impure World Reincarnation on Kushina.

"Danzo-sama reached out to a Jinchuriki? What could he possibly be after?" Kurenai said angrily, her eyes burning with fury.

"Kurenai, watch your tone," Asuma reminded her, his eyes carrying a hint of warning.

"Danzo's only real ambition is to become Hokage. But Root is supposed to stay buried underground; it shouldn't be allowed to affect Konoha in the sunlight. Now Root has reached its hands into the Konoha that lives in the sunlight, blocking it out. Without sunlight, Konoha can only wither in the dark." Menma's words carried a deeper meaning, and everyone understood what he was getting at.

Silence fell. They looked at one another without speaking, their faces weighed down with concern, as if a dark cloud hung over them.

"I'll tell the old man about this. Menma, don't worry. We'll make sure you and Naruto get answers. Just don't do anything reckless," Asuma said, his gaze earnest and resolute.

Menma had wanted to bring up the Nine-Tails Attack, but remembering that it was Kakashi's birthday, he swallowed the words.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. Your birthday party was going so well, and I ruined it." Menma stood and apologized to Kakashi, his face full of remorse.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm just happy you all came to spend time with me. It's getting late. Why don't we find somewhere to eat?" Kakashi looked around at everyone and suggested with a smile.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Kakashi.

"I know a good place. Follow me." Asuma led the group outside.

Before long, they arrived at a hot pot restaurant. Red lanterns hung above the entrance, swaying gently in the breeze, and several potted plants added a touch of life to the storefront.

"Ah, hot pot. That's a good choice too," Kakashi said, looking pleased.

After entering, they sat around the biggest table, all nine of them forming a circle.

As they began ordering, Menma glanced around, then seemed to fall into thought.

How can a village as big as Konoha not have a decent restaurant? If I opened one, the first floor could have open seating, the second floor could have private rooms for ten or twenty people, and I could even set up a huge private room for fifty. Tsk, it really does sound great. If I opened restaurants throughout the Shinobi World, I could make money while lying around every day... Menma couldn't help grinning to himself. The more he thought about it, the more perfect this way of making money seemed.

"Menma, why are you grinning to yourself?" Naruto waved a hand in front of Menma and asked.

"Yeah, Menma, what's got you so excited? Tell us so we can enjoy it too," Kurenai asked curiously.

"I thought of a great way to make money." Menma looked around at everyone, an air of secrecy in his eyes.

"Oh? Let's hear it. If it sounds good, you won't mind me investing, will you?" Asuma said with a smile.

Menma shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it here. What if someone outside hears? I'll tell you later. I guarantee it's a great idea." Menma was brimming with confidence. After all, five-star hotels in the modern world made a lot of money.

"You little rascal. I bet you're worried we'll hear your idea and beat you to it. I'm telling you right now, I wouldn't steal something from a youngster," Asuma declared confidently.

"As his senior, shouldn't you show your support, Asuma?" Kurenai teased.

"If my student has an idea, I'll support him! Menma, I believe in you." Might Guy struck his signature pose, giving a thumbs-up as his pearly white teeth flashed, as if he were about to declare, "That's youth!"

They chatted and laughed until the hot pot they'd ordered was brought to the table.

The afternoon passed in the blink of an eye. Everyone else had things to do, so in the end, only Naruto and Menma stayed with Kakashi.

"I didn't expect even Bushy Brows-sensei to have plans this afternoon. I was going to spar with him in Taijutsu." Naruto sounded dejected, his lips pursed.

"You were going to spar with Guy-sensei? What's gotten into you?" Menma looked at Naruto as if he were a hopeless dreamer. He wouldn't dare spar with Might Guy in Taijutsu; to him, Naruto was just a naive young calf unafraid of the tiger.

"Yeah! I'm going to show Bushy Brows-sensei what I've accomplished all this time." Naruto had spent this past while playing around, but he hadn't forgotten to practice Taijutsu. He had already mastered the Rasengan, though he still couldn't use it one-handed like Menma and needed a clone to help him.

"Let's make a bet, Naruto. Guy-sensei could kick you to death with one kick. Believe it or not?" Menma gave Naruto a teasing look, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"What's that supposed to mean? What kind of bet is that? Why would you say Bushy Brows-sensei could kick me to death with one kick? Don't be so discouraging." Naruto was genuinely a little angry, his face turning red. Menma realized he'd put his foot in his mouth.

Ever since using Impure World Reincarnation on Kushina, Menma had changed. He'd become somewhat reckless, saying whatever was on his mind.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I went too far." Menma hurriedly apologized.

Kakashi also thought Menma had gone too far. He'd noticed that Menma was acting strangely today too—saying whatever came to mind without thinking, as if he didn't consider what he should and shouldn't say.

"Ah, I'm sorry, okay?" Menma continued apologizing.

"I'm not talking to you." Naruto turned his head away in a sulk.

"Come on. Your big brother was wrong. Why don't you give me a beating?" Menma kept trying to soothe Naruto.

"Bang!" Naruto punched Menma hard in the stomach.

"You... you really... hit me." Menma clutched his stomach and groaned in pain.

"You told me to hit you. I was just granting your wish." Naruto looked at Menma, his arms crossed over his chest.

"As long as... you calm down..." Menma knelt halfway on the ground, still clutching his stomach. Naruto had really packed a punch. Menma felt dazed; he even thought Naruto had unconsciously put chakra into that blow.

Menma lifted his shirt, revealing a red fist-shaped mark on his stomach.

"Why'd you hit me so hard? It hurts." Menma coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Are you okay, Menma? I didn't mean to hurt you." Naruto panicked at the sight, his eyes full of worry.

Kakashi was taken aback too. Did he really hit him that hard? He hurried over to check the injury, but suddenly noticed that the mark on Menma's stomach was healing at a visible rate.

"That's incredible self-healing," Kakashi said, looking at Menma with a hint of surprise.

"No need to be too surprised. The Uzumaki Clan already has powerful life force and healing abilities. On top of that, we both have the Nine-Tails inside us. An injury like this is nothing—but it still hurts," Menma explained.

"I'm sorry, Menma. I shouldn't have hit you so hard." Naruto felt guilty. He'd never meant to hurt Menma.

"It's not your fault, big bro. But you're really strong. You unconsciously gathered chakra in your hand when you punched me just now." Menma didn't blame Naruto. He was still wondering whether Naruto had a talent for learning Monster Strength. With Naruto's huge chakra reserves and the Nine-Tails as a living battery, he could probably smash Susanoo with one punch someday.

The more Menma thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He even felt tempted to learn it himself. With that thought, Menma stood up and looked at Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei, since we're free this afternoon, why don't you teach us some ninjutsu?" Menma looked at Kakashi expectantly.

Naruto's expression changed when he heard that. He too looked at Kakashi with eager anticipation.

"You two are impossible. Well, I suppose I could. First, let's test your chakra natures." Kakashi took out two sheets of Chakra Paper. He'd wanted to teach them for a while, since he'd realized that Naruto and Menma were very talented—especially Menma—so he'd prepared the paper long ago.

"Hold this paper in your hand, then channel chakra into it." Kakashi handed a sheet to each of them.

"Like this? Seems pretty simple." Naruto took the paper and began channeling chakra into it.

Menma was eager to find out his own chakra nature too. He took the paper and began channeling chakra into it.

"When you channel your chakra into the paper, it will react according to its nature. If it's Fire Release, the paper will burn. If it's Wind Release, the paper will split down the middle. Lightning Release Chakra will make it wrinkle. Water Release will make it damp, and Earth Release will make it crumble," Kakashi explained.

Naruto placed the paper in his palm and channeled chakra into it. When he opened his hand, he found that it had split in two.

"Looks like your chakra nature is the rare Wind Release," Kakashi said.

"What about mine?" Menma opened his hand and showed Kakashi the paper in his palm.

The paper showed four different reactions at its corners, and it had split in two as well.

"Menma, you have all five chakra natures!" Kakashi stared at Menma in disbelief.

Naruto came over too, looking at Menma with envy.

"So I can use ninjutsu of all five natures, just like you, Kakashi-sensei?" Menma already knew, but he asked anyway. He hadn't expected his good fortune to arrive so suddenly.

"That's right," Kakashi replied with certainty.