Dan Katō

"W-why would you say that? W-we're comrades, of course I care about you, Sosuke. Don't say such strange things."

At Sosuke's serious gaze, Tsunade couldn't help blushing. She turned her eyes elsewhere, not daring to meet his soul-piercing gaze, and murmured softly.

Sosuke smiled faintly, taking in Tsunade's reaction, then nodded with a smile.

"Alright, alright. I understand."

Then he looked at the boy who had followed right behind Tsunade. He had pale blue hair.

Behind his thick glasses, Sosuke's gaze was gentle.

A warm smile appeared on his face, and he gave Tsunade a questioning look.

"Tsunade, who's this?"

"Oh! I almost forgot. This is Dan, Dan Katō. He's a genius from the Kato Clan!"

Hearing Sosuke's question, Tsunade remembered that she'd been with Dan earlier. Leaving so suddenly without saying goodbye had been rather rude, so she hurriedly introduced them.

Then she turned to Dan, who had just arrived, and apologized.

"Sorry, Dan. I saw a close friend earlier and was rude to you. Let me introduce you—this is Sosuke."

At Tsunade's words, Dan Katō gave her a sunny smile.

"It's fine, Tsunade. You're being far too polite."

Then he looked at Sosuke and smiled faintly.

"Hello, Sosuke. I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to meet you."

Sosuke smiled back and replied politely.

"Nice to meet you, Dan."

Seeing her two friends hit it off on their first meeting, Tsunade was delighted, a pleased smile on her face.

It was certainly something worth celebrating when your friends got along with each other!

An idea came to her, and she said cheerfully,

"Since we've all met today, I propose we go get barbecue to celebrate! But there has to be a wager: whoever gets there first pays. Keeping your word on a bet is sacred, so no backing out!"

She grinned at Sosuke and Dan.

"What do you think, Sosuke? Dan? You're both free right now, aren't you? You don't object, do you?"

Tsunade's expression seemed to say that whoever dared object would be eaten alive, so the two of them quickly shook their heads and agreed without hesitation!

Destination: Konoha BBQ Restaurant!

The three of them set off!

Young boys and girls might not say it out loud, but they still had a bit of a competitive streak.

They sped toward the restaurant.

Sosuke smiled faintly. For him, a relaxed, carefree life like this was a pleasure in its own right.

Along the way, he slowed down considerably, but still stayed ahead of the other two. Out of habit, he quietly observed Dan. He was relieved to see that Dan and Tsunade were nothing more than ordinary friends.

Still, he felt a little uneasy and couldn't help asking himself:

Why am I worried about this? Do I really care who Tsunade is close to? He wasn't sure how he felt about the question.

In the end, he easily beat Tsunade and Dan to the restaurant by half a step.

Making a woman pay wasn't Sosuke's style.

Besides, after several missions, he'd saved up a bit of money. One barbecue meal was nothing to him.

The three of them ate their fill at the restaurant. Though it was Sosuke and Dan's first time meeting, neither felt awkward, and they were all quite at ease with one another.

Since Sosuke's left hand was injured, Tsunade practically fed him herself the whole time. It left Sosuke a little embarrassed, as she kept half-forcing large mouthfuls of barbecue into him!

After the meal, they agreed to meet again and said their goodbyes.

On his way home, Sosuke thought back over his observations of Dan Katō. His table manners and bearing, as well as the way he spoke and conducted himself, had all been impeccable.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help smiling and murmuring softly,

"A child raised by a great clan? He's quite exceptional. I wonder if you've approached Tsunade with some ulterior motive. If you have..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes!

Meanwhile,

Dan Katō had returned home.

He seemed lost in thought, considering the descriptions of Sosuke he'd heard in various rumors.

Arrogant, conceited, disrespectful to his elders? A commoner who looked down on the great clans with the contempt of a lump of mud? Or a hysterical madman hoping to attach himself to the Senju Clan?

Thinking of the Sosuke he'd met, Dan couldn't help smiling.

So rumors really are just rumors. A man like that, even if he's a commoner, must be so proud at heart that he already scorns the arrogant fools from those clans!

His impeccable composure and flawless conversation—he could easily have passed for an elite raised by a great clan.

While talking with Sosuke, Dan had also been observing him: this talented commoner ninja whom certain clans had branded as a disgrace.

The more they spoke, the more Dan noticed how extraordinary Sosuke was.

In the world of ninja, raw strength might be an important measure of a ninja's power, but it was far from everything!

The long history of the Ninja World had already proven it!

Among ninja, those who survived to the very end weren't necessarily the strongest. But they were certainly the most meticulous.

Vast knowledge, keen intelligence, and a mind that left no opening—these might be even more important qualities in determining whether a ninja could succeed!

And Sosuke, a commoner, displayed all three perfectly!

Thinking of the clans trying to make Sosuke submit through their contemptible methods, Dan couldn't help sneering.

They're nothing but frogs in a well. If they could see the world beyond their little village, these people who only know how to scramble for power would realize how ridiculous they are.

But Sosuke also left him puzzled.

The reason children from ninja clans were superior to commoners in so many ways was that they had a deep foundation.

The experiences and lessons passed down through generations, along with precious ninjutsu, gave clan children broader horizons and greater perspective.

That let them take shortcuts on their path to the pinnacle of the ninja world!

He couldn't understand how Sosuke, a commoner, could have reached such heights at such a young age. Could there really be people who were born knowing everything?

Just as he was lost in thought,

"B-big... brother... b-brother..."

"Uncle... Uncle..."

A pair of childish, halting voices suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

Looking at the two tiny, adorable figures toddling toward him, he couldn't help smiling warmly. He gazed fondly at the two little girls who could barely stay on their feet.

"Shizune and Orihime! Come here, let Uncle hold you!"

A woman dressed like a housewife appeared in the doorway of the corridor, smiling as she watched Dan lift the children high and play with them.

"Dan, did you go see Miss Tsunade of the Senju Clan again?"

"Yes, Mother. But today, I also met a remarkable child," Dan replied with a smile.

"Oh? Someone good enough to earn my Dan's praise? Bring him home to meet us sometime," the housewife said.

Hearing this, Dan hugged Shizune and Orihime and smiled.

"Maybe someday..."