The one approaching was a little boy with a youthful face. He looked even younger than Hatake Sakumo, no more than five or six. His expression was cold, and despite his adorable appearance, he seemed unapproachable.
Hatake Sakumo felt that this boy would be difficult to get along with. Still, anyone who came here should be a fellow student under the same teacher. He stepped forward and said politely, "I'm Hatake Sakumo. You're here to study under Lord Kazemori too, aren't you?"
The boy nodded slightly, his narrowed eyes fixed on Hatake Sakumo. With an expressionless face, he said, "So you're Hatake Sakumo. I've heard of you. You went from being a samurai to becoming a ninja, yet you still earned high praise from the teachers at the academy."
Although the boy did not look particularly friendly, his tone was quite mild. Hatake Sakumo relaxed a little. He certainly did not want any unpleasantness between fellow students. Smiling, he said, "No, it's just..."
Before he could finish, the boy spoke again. "But don't think that gives you anything to be smug about. Being a ninja isn't as easy as you imagine."
Hatake Sakumo froze for a moment. He had not expected such an abrupt change in attitude, and it caught him off guard. Still, he soon answered with a smile, "That wasn't what I meant. I still have a great deal to learn about becoming a good ninja."
"Hmph. I hope so." After saying that, the boy introduced himself. "My name is Heizo Hattori. I look forward to learning alongside you."
Hearing that name, Hatake Sakumo immediately recalled what his father had told him about Konoha's clans. The Hattori family was one of the ninja clans that had joined Konoha Ninja Village shortly after its founding. Among the many clans,