Wolverine

The advance release. This line will be removed after editing. Repeat downloads will not be charged again.

Year 45 of Konoha, on the eve of the Third Shinobi World War.

The autumn air was crisp and clear.

At the Ninja Academy's target range.

Aburame Jianxing leaned against a tree trunk, the afternoon sunlight warming his body. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes narrowed contentedly, his long lashes seeming to cradle streams of golden light.

It was so comfortable it made him want to go: meow, meow, meow.

Beside Jianxing squatted a delicate-looking black-haired boy. He wore an utterly carefree expression, a blade of grass between his lips, looking roguishly handsome. Holding a twig, he diligently drew on the ground.

Hyuga Ryosuke, a member of the Hyuga Branch Family and one of Jianxing's few friends. His defining traits were a handsome face and a wildly unreliable soul.

"What are you drawing?" Jianxing asked curiously.

"Can't you see for yourself?"

"I did. I asked because I couldn't understand it."

Ryosuke stared at the drawing on the ground and pondered for a moment. "Sorry, it's too abstract. I can't understand it either. It can be whatever you think it is."

That was just how unreliable he was!

"Being a ninja is such a waste of your artistic talent," Jianxing said sincerely.

"I think so too."

Ryosuke strongly agreed, then laughed without a shred of shame. He tilted his head slightly, and sunlight fell across him from the side as though he had ten levels of beauty filters on, drawing shrieks from the female fans.

"So handsome!"

"I'm dying! I'm dying... He looked over here!"

"Relax, he was looking at me. Get lost, ugly!"

"..."

Ryosuke put on a troubled act while secretly feeling delighted. Two words described him perfectly: secretly smug.

"Shallow." Jianxing looked