You Disturbed the Darkness of the Shinobi World

Obito agreed a little dejectedly, then looked at Kakashi again. "Kakashi, now that you're back, you won't be leaving the village again anytime soon, right? I'm challenging you tomorrow! Stay home and wait for me. Don't go anywhere!"

"Heh heh."

Kakashi shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to leave.

"Argh!! This is infuriating, you smug Kakashi!"

Obito looked utterly exasperated.

Seeing this,

Yuhi Kurenai, who had remained by the roadside, edged closer to Mikami Yu and asked in a low voice, "Are those two always like this?"

"No."

Mikami Yu shook his head and pointed at Might Guy in the distance. "All three of them are always like this. You'll get used to it."

"Well, it's getting late. Let's all head home. See you again at the graduation ceremony in a couple of days."

As Mikami Yu spoke, the last few people who had yet to leave turned and went their separate ways. Mikami Yu himself left Barbecue Q alongside Nohara Rin, each heading home to rest.

That night.

Deep underground in Konoha.

Inside a vast hollowed-out space.

Candle flames flickered faintly, casting dim yellow shadows across the walls.

A gloomy-looking man sat in the room, reading a report in his hands. Thick bandages were wrapped around his head and body, leaving only one eye exposed. A wolfish glint flashed in that eye, enough to send chills down anyone's spine.

This man was none other than Konoha's Hokage advisor, the leader of Root, the future 5.5th-generation Pot Kage, Tobirama Senju's disciple, the Darkness of the Shinobi World—Shimura Danzō!

Suddenly.

The sound of wind came from outside.

Then, a Root ninja wearing an animal mask appeared in the room. Kneeling on one knee, he presented a scroll with both hands. "Lord Danzō, this is the ranking from this year's Ninja Academy graduation exams, along with detailed information on every student. Please review it."

Shimura Danzō did not take it immediately. "Get to the point."

"Yes."

The Root ninja continued, "The top-ranked graduate this year is named Mikami Yu, a nine-year-old civilian. His academic scores are outstanding. During the practical assessment, he single-handedly defeated Kaimon Hyuga, Nara Zhenyuan, and Sarutobi Asuma in succession. He specializes in the Three Techniques, Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu, Wild Water Wave..."

"Oh? A civilian?"

Shimura Danzō was finally interested.

Generally speaking, Root could not simply reach into the Ninja Academy and take people whenever it wanted.

After all, the Ninja Academy taught the Will of Fire. The children who graduated from it formed the foundation of the Hokage's faction. Successive Hokage disciples and shadow guard squads were almost all selected from among them, and others were not allowed to interfere freely.

But...

Not being able to take them freely did not mean he could not take them at all. He simply had to wait for the right opportunity.

For instance, Kakashi, the so-called genius from a few years ago. Shimura Danzō had approached him in secret before, but there had not been enough darkness in the boy's heart, so he had not immediately accepted Danzō's recruitment.

Now.

Shimura Danzō took the scroll and unfolded it, glancing through it.

"Is his background clean?"

"Both his parents grew up in Konoha. His father is a Chunin and the first ninja of the Mikami Family. He has spent the past two and a half years stationed at the border. His mother works at the Konoha Library. Our preliminary assessment is that his family background is clean, with no unusual connections.

"Also, he has recently been attending medical training classes at Konoha Hospital. Yakushi Nonō teaches that course and may know more about him."

The Root ninja answered with meticulous precision.

"Clean... powerful... not yet fully formed..."

Danzo lightly tapped his fingers against the tabletop. "Hiruzen is still as naive as ever, fond of leaving promising seedlings beneath the sunlight. A rough gem like this can only be polished in Root's darkness before it reveals its true edge..."

After a pause, Danzo raised his head. "Bring Nonō to me. Tell her I wish to discuss something with her. As for this Mikami Yu... have someone keep an eye on him and monitor his recent movements. If the right opportunity arises, I will speak with Hiruzen."

"Yes!"

The Root ninja answered, his figure silently melting into the shadows.

The next morning.

The morning light was faint, and the thin mist had yet to disperse.

As he had done for some time now, Mikami Yu appeared at the village entrance on schedule. He took a deep breath of the crisp winter air and began his morning run of ten laps around the village.

He had actually wanted to take two days off.

After all, before graduating, he ran around the village every day to grow stronger. Now that he had graduated, if he was still running around the village... hadn't he graduated for nothing?

But the problem was...

[Eight Gates: Wow! You're this motivated so early in the morning? Looks like you really took my words to heart! I like that determination to follow through on what you say! Keep it up! (She stood with her hands on her hips, baring a row of white teeth in a grin, as though phantom flames danced around her)]

"...Heh."

Mikami Yu did not really want to talk to this stingy taijutsu skill that only talked without giving him any favorability.

Soon.

Sweat soaked through his training clothes.

But Mikami Yu's steps remained steady, and his breathing even. The boost from his 16 points of physique, combined with his hard training over this period, meant he was no longer as bedraggled as before.

Along the way.

Two familiar green figures sprang out from a side path.

"Ooohhh! Yu! I knew you'd be here! The graduation exams just ended, and you couldn't wait to start training again! Truly worthy of being my lifelong rival!"

Guy ran on his hands, his legs swinging alternately. He was somehow no slower than someone running normally, and his face wore that signature dazzling smile.

Might Duy followed close behind, also moving upside down, his voice loud as a bell. "Seeing Yu-kun work so diligently has set both Guy's and my youthful blood ablaze! Ah! This is the resonance of youth!"

Mikami Yu twitched the corner of his mouth. "Morning, Uncle Duy. Guy."

"Haha, morning!"

Might Duy continued loudly while running, "Guy told me that during yesterday's exam, you fought three opponents alone and defeated children from the Hyuga and Nara families, as well as the Hokage's son. Is that true?"

"I just got lucky."

"Haha, that wasn't luck. It was the brightest radiance of youth! Your effort and sweat have received the finest reward!"

Might Duy declared.

"Mm-hm, Dad's right!"

Might Guy chimed in, then shouted again, "Yu! Yesterday, I was too busy fighting that dead last, Obito, so I didn't get to have a proper match with you! After we finish running, let's have a blazing taijutsu duel and test each other's youth!"

"...Let's put the duel aside for now. What did you just call me? Your 'lifelong rival'?"

Mikami Yu caught the key point. "Isn't that Kakashi?"

"As for Kakashi, of course he's my lifelong enemy! One day, I will defeat him!"

Might Guy gave a thumbs-up, grinning as his full mouth of white teeth gleamed brightly.

"...Fine."

Mikami Yu did not dwell on those titles any further. They were all just ways of saying it, anyway.

And he was happy to accept Guy's challenge. Compared to his Ninjutsu, taijutsu was actually one of his weaker areas, while Guy specialized in it. He would make an excellent sparring partner.

About an hour later.

The group stopped beside a forest in Konoha.

Mikami Yu had barely sat down to rest for a moment when he saw Might Guy flip to his feet. His eyes burned brightly as he looked at Yu and assumed a fighting stance. "Yu, come on!"

"...Your recovery is ridiculous."

Mikami Yu took a deep breath. Knowing he could not avoid this fight, he rose to his feet as well. He clenched his fists, chakra surging through his body and forming a pale green outline around him. "Eight Gates, First Gate: Gate of Opening... open!"

"Come on!"