Reconciliation with Kakashi

Kakashi's gaze swept through the shop and quickly fixed on their table. His steps paused, then he walked straight over.

The moment Obito saw Kakashi, he blew up. "Hey! Poker face! What are you doing here too?"

Kakashi glanced at him, his tone flat. "Eating."

"There aren't any seats here! Go somewhere else!" Obito drove him off without the slightest courtesy.

"Oh?" Kakashi's gaze fell on the empty seat beside Arashi. "Isn't this one empty?"

"That's..." Obito still wanted to say something.

"Sit." Arashi patted the seat beside him and raised an eyebrow at Kakashi. "Perfect timing. It's my birthday today. Consider yourself lucky."

Arashi had taken plenty of advantage of Kakashi. Though he said he was annoyed with him, deep down he still felt a little guilty, so his attitude took a complete one-eighty.

Kakashi froze for a moment, then the corner of his mouth hooked up. He did not refuse and sat down directly. "Oh? Then I suppose congratulations are in order."

The atmosphere instantly went from drawn swords to... a strangely harmonious one?

Obito looked at Kakashi, then at Arashi, feeling like the sun must have risen in the west today.

Rin let out a breath of relief and hurriedly greeted him. "Since we've run into each other, it must be fate. Let's eat together."

Might Guy was even more excited. "Wonderful! Companions of youth gathered together! Today's barbecue is sure to be especially delicious!"

The owner soon brought over the barbecue and drinks.

The sizzling grilled meat gave off an enticing aroma.

Obito and Might Guy immediately transformed into masters of devouring rice and dug in heartily.

Rin carefully grilled meat for everyone, adding some to Arashi's and Kakashi's plates from time to time.

Though Arashi and Kakashi did not say much, they no longer had that feeling of being at each other's throats. They only ate in silence, occasionally meeting each other's eyes over the same piece of barbecue Rin handed over, then tacitly splitting it half and half.

"I'll probably be leaving the village for a while next," Arashi said after swallowing the meat in his mouth.

Silence fell over the table...

The grilled meat in Obito's mouth had yet to go down when his chopsticks fell onto the table with a "clack." His eyes went round.

"Leaving the village for that long? You only just graduated, and you're taking a job like that?"

He leaned forward, his tone carrying an urgency he could not hide.

"Is someone leading the team? Don't tell me it's one of those rotten missions where no one looks after you!"

Rin's hand paused around the tongs, the glow of the charcoal reflected in her eyes.

"Outside isn't like the village. You have to take care of yourself..."

Might Guy slammed the table with a bang, his eyes shining like flames.

"This is precisely a trial of youth!"

Kakashi's hand, holding the meat, paused. He lifted his eyes to Arashi. "The mission intel is confirmed?"

Seeing Arashi nod, he lowered his head again. His voice was even, but filled with seriousness. "Don't push yourself."

Just then, a waiter came over carrying a small birthday cake with a single candle stuck into it.

"Happy birthday!" Obito and Rin began singing the birthday song at the same time, and Might Guy loudly joined in as well, though his tune had drifted a little far away.

Arashi looked at the flickering candlelight before him and listened to the somewhat off-key but incomparably sincere singing by his ears. A warm current suddenly welled up in his heart.

A little embarrassed, he scratched his head. Under everyone's urging, he closed his eyes, silently made a wish, then blew out the candle in one breath.

"Whoa! Arashi, what did you wish for?" Obito asked curiously.

"If I say it, it won't come true." Arashi rolled his eyes at him, but the corners of his mouth could not help lifting.

The others' lips curved as well.

Because of this small birthday cake, the atmosphere in the barbecue shop became especially warm and lively.

Everyone ate barbecue, chatted, and bickered now and then, filled with youthful energy and ease.

Maybe having a gathering like this from time to time wouldn't be bad.

Arashi thought to himself, picking up a skewer of barbecue and handing it to Kakashi beside him.

Kakashi froze for a moment, accepted it, and said, "Thanks."

Obito said, "Hey! I want one too!"

Rin smiled and grilled a few more skewers, handing them to Obito and Might Guy.

Laughter spread amid the aroma of barbecue.

The noise and warmth of the barbecue shop had not yet completely faded, but as Uchiha Arashi walked along the road back to the clan grounds, his heart was not as calm as he appeared.

When he had been with Obito, Rin, Guy, and Kakashi earlier, he had indeed felt quite relaxed.

That feeling of being kept in mind and cared for by others was a little unfamiliar, but he did not dislike it.

But the moment he thought of the border mission that was about to come, and of those disasters fated to happen in the future, Arashi's gaze turned cold.

His current strength was overwhelmingly superior among people his age.

Even against chunin, or even some jonin, he had the confidence to fight.

But was that enough?

Far from enough!

The Nine-Tails' rampage, the Uchiha massacre, and that man who would ultimately stand at the peak of the shinobi world...

The enemies of the future were stronger one after another.

The Saiyan blood in his body was boiling, yearning for even greater power.

But recently, he felt as though his growth in strength had hit a bottleneck.

His control over Saiyan Chakra was already masterful, the power of Galick Gun was also steadily increasing, and though his Sharingan was still only single-tomoe, paired with Battle Instinct, its insight was already sufficient.

His Saiyan Physique was also constantly being strengthened through daily Vegeta-style Special Training.

Yet he always felt something was missing.

A method that could instantly break a stalemate and erupt with ultimate power.

A taijutsu technique flashed through his mind, one that would one day shine brilliantly in the shinobi world, yet was now overlooked by most people—the Eight Gates Released Formation.

This forbidden technique, developed by the Hidden Leaf Village taijutsu master Might Duy and eventually carried forward by his son Might Guy, could forcibly break through the limits of the human body and unleash power dozens, even hundreds, of times greater.

The price was tremendous damage to the body. Opening the final gate, the "Gate of Death," was even the user's endpoint.

The risk was enormous, but the reward was just as astonishing.

Arashi's heart could not help speeding up.

This was exactly the power he needed!

Though the "Vegeta Template" was powerful, its current progress was only around 30%, and the abilities unlocked were still very basic.

If he wanted to quickly increase his strength, the Eight Gates Released Formation was undoubtedly a shortcut.

Most importantly, he had Senzu Beans, which could instantly heal all injuries and even hold on to the life of someone on the brink of death.

This undoubtedly gave him the confidence to try the Eight Gates Released Formation.

"Hmph. How could trash who don't even dare challenge their own body's limits possibly understand the charm of this power?" Arashi muttered, Vegeta-style arrogance surfacing on his face again.

He decided that he would go find Might Duy and learn the Eight Gates Released Formation!

Early the next morning, Arashi left the clan grounds.

The training location of Might Duy and his son was quite fixed, in a secluded little grove outside Hidden Leaf Village.

From far away, Arashi heard that signature shout, full of vitality.

"Youth! Burn, youth!"

Arashi followed the sound over, and sure enough, he saw the figure dressed in a green skintight suit.

Might Guy was doing high-knee training. Each time he lifted his leg, it carried the sound of cleaving wind, and sweat flowed down his face like a stream.

Not far from him, a tall middle-aged man, also wearing a green skintight suit but with a steadier and more reserved air, was instructing him.

That should be Might Guy's father, Might Duy.