Going to School

At five years old, Riyue was much taller than other children his age. After half a year of training, he had become highly proficient in the Gentle Fist, and his skill at striking pressure points had grown increasingly precise. He had already practiced three wooden training dummies to pieces.

Because of the Caged Bird, Riyue couldn't use the Byakugan for long periods. Still, thanks to his tireless training, its effective range had reached 700 meters. After opening his eyes for five seconds, he no longer needed the Byakugan's assistance and could attack directly with the Gentle Fist.

After training with thrown weapons, he could now launch nine kunai at once, striking nine targets. He hadn't neglected the Three Basic Techniques or Hand Seals, either, though he wasn't satisfied with managing three seals per second. What was worth noting was that Riyue's Senju bloodline had greatly increased his chakra reserves. He could now keep the Byakugan active for ten minutes. He had begun Tree Climbing with weights, and his Water Walking training had progressed to crossing rivers. Riyue was very pleased with how much he'd improved over the past six months.

Apart from the occasional visits from Hiashi and Hizashi when they returned from missions, Riyue was mostly on his own. During his breaks, he explored all of Konoha. There weren't many people in the streets during wartime, and Red Eye patrols from the Uchiha Clan passed by from time to time. For the most part, the village was still peaceful and tranquil.

One day, while Riyue was eating at Mizuki's home, Hizashi came to see him.

"Brother Hizashi, what brings you here?"

"Riyue, the Ninja Academy is about to open for the new term. Lord Hokage has announced that children who have turned five can enroll. I came to let you know."

"Don't you have to be six?" Riyue asked, scratching his head.

"The Shinobi World War is growing more intense, and Konoha has suffered heavy casualties. The Third Hokage decided to send children to school early so that we won't be short of talent after the war," Hizashi explained.

"Okay, I'll sign up. Thanks, Brother Hizashi," Riyue replied.

"Do your best. Hiashi and I are heading to the front soon, so take care of yourself." Hizashi nodded.

After Hizashi left, Riyue considered the question of school. I'm already at a Genin's level. There's not much I can learn at the Ninja Academy. But there are people there I want to meet: Namikaze Minato, Kushina Uzumaki, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. I wonder if they've graduated yet. Kakashi, Obito, and Might Guy are probably still babies. I'd love to get to know all these people. Besides, there's one advantage to attending the Ninja Academy: once I graduate, I can become a Genin. It's the proper path to becoming a Konoha Ninja. I should go. The school might have some useful things, too. In the end, Riyue made up his mind.

So, two days later, Riyue went to the Ninja Academy to enroll. The registration area was packed with people. It seemed everyone knew that becoming a ninja in these chaotic times offered an extra measure of security, and that the strong enjoyed much higher status than ordinary people.

All those signing up were children, with no parents accompanying them. The school required them to register on their own, perhaps as a test of sorts. If you couldn't even manage to enroll, how could you become a ninja? Riyue suddenly remembered university registration in his previous life, when entire families—parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles—would accompany a student. Heh.

Riyue quickly completed the registration process, including the physical examination and assessment. They mainly wanted to see whether he had the aptitude to become a ninja, but it was all a piece of cake for him. The Hyuga Clan also received preferential treatment from Konoha in this regard: basically, anyone with the Byakugan could get through. The list of successful applicants was posted that afternoon, and after that, Riyue just had to wait for school to start.

As he walked home, Riyue looked at the shops lining the road and thought, I should open a clinic someday—or maybe a restaurant. I'll serve Sichuan food! Sigh, Ichiraku Ramen won't open for years. I'll be thirteen or fourteen by then, right? Actually, I want a bowl of Lanzhou ramen... Just thinking about it made him hungry.

Riyue spotted a newly opened barbecue restaurant by the street. Its pristine sign read "BBQ Q." He was a little excited. "This place wasn't here a few months ago, was it? BBQ Q? Could this be Choji Akimichi's favorite barbecue place? Heh! I might as well give it a try."

Riyue went inside. Business was indeed booming. Smoke rose from the grills at every table, and the aroma of barbecue filled the air. Riyue waited a while before a table opened up. He ordered a serving of barbecue and eagerly started grilling. Slices of meat covered the grate, while the glowing coals below radiated heat. Beads of golden oil gradually seeped from the well-marbled meat, sizzling enticingly. The savory aroma wafted all around him.

Riyue picked up a tender slice, pale with a hint of yellow, dipped it in barbecue sauce, and chewed. "Mmm! Delicious!" He nodded. The meat was crisp on the outside and tender within, with a satisfying crunch. Paired with the slightly spicy, subtly sweet sauce, it was perfectly balanced—rich but not greasy, smooth and chewy with just a little crispness. It was fresh and delicious. Riyue kept reaching for more, thoroughly enjoying himself as he thought, This barbecue really is great, though it's a little high in calories. Hmm, opening a teppanyaki restaurant someday would be a pretty good idea.

Just then, three boys around thirteen or fourteen walked in.

"The mission's finally over! Barbecue! I want barbecue! Tsk, tsk!" exclaimed the plump, reddish-brown-haired boy with tiny eyes. He smacked his lips as if he were about to drool onto his clothes. A "Food" symbol was emblazoned on his stomach.

Beside him, a boy with a tuft of black hair tied behind his head and silver earrings rubbed his forehead helplessly. "So many people. What a pain," he drawled lazily.

Behind them, another boy, his pale blond hair tied in a ponytail, shook his head. "Sigh, it looks like there aren't any seats. We'll have to wait a while." The three glanced at the dozen or so people sitting by the entrance, waiting for a table.

"Choza, why don't we go eat something else?" the blond boy asked, looking at the plump boy.

"No! I'm not giving up on barbecue! Gulp!" Choza shook his head like a rattle. The aroma reached him, and he swallowed hard.

"Sigh! We'll have to wait ages. What a pain!" the black-haired boy complained. He glanced over the tables and said to Choza, "Choza, I have a way for us to get barbecue right away. It'll just cost a little extra. Are you up for it?"

"No problem. What's the plan, Shikaku?" Choza asked eagerly, his tiny eyes fixed on the glistening barbecue.

"Look, there's only one kid at that table over there. We can join him and treat him to the meal. Problem solved," Shikaku said, pointing to a table not far away.

"Yeah! Great idea! Here I come, barbecue!" Choza nodded and pulled the other two through the crowd.

The three approached Riyue's table. He had only eaten a few pieces of barbecue, and when he looked up, he saw three boys standing before him. Riyue froze. What a coincidence! I came here for barbecue and ran into the famous Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino's fathers. He'd always liked these three. Shikaku's cleverness, Choza's kindness, and Inoichi's warm, capable nature had all made a good impression on him.

"Can I help you?" Riyue asked calmly.

"Hi. Are you the only one at this table? Could the three of us join you? This meal's on us," Inoichi said. Choza looked at Riyue with eager anticipation, while Shikaku remained as laid-back as ever.

"Sure. Come on and join me," Riyue said, gesturing for them to sit.

"Great! Great! Barbecue! Let's get started!" Choza immediately sat down without a hint of shyness. Shikaku and Inoichi took the seats opposite him, and Riyue promptly called over a server to order more food.

"Let's start with ten servings of barbecue. No, fifteen!" Choza excitedly jabbed at the menu. Shikaku couldn't help but feel exasperated by Choza's enthusiasm.

"Barbecue! Barbecue! Let's eat!" Before long, the barbecue arrived, and flames blazed in Choza's eyes. His chopsticks flew as he set up a "wandering dragon" formation on the grill. He added fresh slices at one end and snatched the cooked meat from the other. His chopsticks moved so quickly they blurred, and the barbecue vanished at a visible pace. He kept eating and adding more meat without wasting a second.

Like father, like son. Choji's a barbecue-eating machine because he inherited it from his dad. These three have the same temperaments in their youth as their children do. Riyue marveled at the thought. Shikaku and Inoichi also felt a little embarrassed by Choza's behavior. He was being far too undignified in front of Riyue. Fortunately, Riyue didn't mind. When he noticed the barbecue was almost gone, he ordered another round. The four of them soon grew more familiar with each other.

"Hi, you're from the Hyuga Clan, right? What's your name? I'm Shikaku Nara. This is Inoichi Yamanaka, and that's Choza Akimichi," Shikaku introduced them.

"I'm Hyuga Nichigetsu, from the Hyuga Branch Family. I'm five, and I just started at the Ninja Academy. It's nice to meet you," Riyue said with a smile.

"The three of us have already graduated. We're Chunin on the same team," Inoichi added.

They started chatting. Choza loved food, and Riyue was a foodie too, so the two began discussing all kinds of delicious dishes. Choza was very curious about the kung pao chicken Riyue mentioned, so Riyue generously invited him to come over sometime and try his cooking. Choza didn't have many friends because of his appetite and size, but Riyue didn't mind at all, which made Choza very happy.

Shikaku was a master at shogi. Riyue didn't know Japanese shogi, but he was pretty good at Chinese chess, international chess, and Go. He planned to make a set of international chess pieces sometime and play a few games with Shikaku. They were both clever, and they got along well.

Inoichi liked flowers and plants; gardening was his favorite hobby. Riyue explained everything he knew about cuttings, grafting, greenhouse cultivation, and other techniques. Inoichi grew so excited that he nearly dragged Riyue home on the spot to hear more. Inoichi was a gentleman with a mild personality, and Riyue had been a doctor in his previous life and was also fairly gentle. They hit it off.

Before long, the four of them had become good friends. They could talk about anything, and it felt as though they'd known each other for years. After the barbecue, Riyue didn't let the others pay for him. The four pooled their money and paid the bill together, though Choza still got the best deal. Then they walked down the street, chatting and laughing.

"I'm going to open a flower shop someday," Inoichi said, pointing to a spot along the street as he shared his dream.

"Yeah. I'm going to open a clinic someday, then put Konoha Hospital out of business. People visiting patients will buy flowers at your shop, then put them beside the beds in my clinic! Heh!" Riyue nodded, then turned to Choza. "I'm going to open a restaurant too. Be sure to come by, Choza!"

Choza answered between burps, "Ugh! Once I've digested all that barbecue, I'll come! Ugh! Kung pao chicken, mapo tofu, boiled fish. Ugh!"

Shikaku shook his head helplessly. "Hey, Choza, you're already stuffed and still thinking about food. What a pain."

"Hahahaha..." The four of them burst into laughter.