Tono Hōsuke was in his early twenties this year and was still a genin. In the Shinobi World, being that age with that rank basically meant there was no future to speak of. Yet Tono Hōsuke truly loved being a ninja, like those utterly unsuccessful writers who lived solely on attendance bonuses yet still stubbornly kept up two updates a day.
However, some things could not be changed through persistence and faith alone. No matter how hard Tono Hōsuke trained, his ninjutsu remained firmly at the level of a genuine genin.
Give it up.
Many friends, even relatives, had advised him that way.
Tono Hōsuke had not been entirely unmoved.
When he had reached the depths of despair, his current superior—the one who loved smacking the back of his head—discovered his talent for research and dragged him into the Science Division, half pulling and half hauling.
Within the Science Division, Tono Hōsuke, who had no talent whatsoever for ninjutsu, discovered a whole new world: using scientific methods in conjunction with traditional ninjutsu to develop new techniques.
Unfortunately, Tono Hōsuke's seniority was too low, and he was severely lacking in funds and resources. He found himself constrained at every turn, and the stress sent his hairline steadily retreating.
He had only come over today to help calibrate some equipment, yet a windfall had fallen right into his lap.
Researching scientific ninja tools?
Leading an independent team?
It was practically a dream.
Even now, he had yet to recover from the overwhelming surprise.
"Why are you helping me?"
As they left the training ground, Tono Hōsuke found an opportunity to quietly ask Hayato.
Hayato smiled. "Why do you think I'm helping you?"
With the particular dazed innocence of a tech nerd, Tono Hōsuke asked in surprise, "Aren't you helping me?"
Rather than