Moonlight Family Heirloom

After all five Genin were defeated, Konoha's first early Graduation Exam since the village's founding came to an end. Hoshi and the others had become true ninjas in every sense of the word.

Teacher Mitsui looked at the five children now wearing Headbands, his heart filled with complicated emotions. Before this, he had only thought that his five students did not know their own limits.

Now, it seemed that he had been the narrow-minded one, underestimating them. However, Teacher Mitsui did not become discouraged because of it. On the contrary, he felt deeply gratified as he looked at Hoshi and the others.

No matter what, these five children were disciples taught by Mitsui himself. They were a vivid and significant stroke in his teaching career. Why would Mitsui not be excited? He had originally planned to have Hoshi and the others return to the Ninja Academy to give a speech and encourage their classmates to work hard and improve.

However, the Third Hokage stopped him. Five geniuses capable of graduating at the age of six had appeared all at once. If news of this spread and the other ninja villages learned of it, Hoshi and the others would be in danger from then on.

News of Hoshi and the others' graduation would be kept secret for the time being and only announced once they possessed sufficient strength.

With the speech plan falling through, Teacher Mitsui chose to have a meal with Hoshi and the others instead, as a celebration of their early graduation.

After the meal, Teacher Mitsui took his leave and returned to the Ninja Academy. He still had classes to teach that afternoon and could not stay long. The remaining five looked at one another, and in the end, Tsunade spoke first. "Grandma Mito is still waiting for me at home, so I have to head back first. See you at the class assignment meeting in three days."

After Tsunade left as well, only the four of them remained at the table. They looked at one another, none of them knowing what to say.

Jiraiya and the others were all orphans. Whenever they had something sad or happy to share, they would tell the other three, so there was no one they particularly needed to go and share the good news with.

After exchanging glances, the four ultimately headed straight for the training grounds, spending the afternoon noisily playing and training together.

When Hoshi returned home that evening, he rarely showed his childish side. The moment Rie entered the courtyard, he proudly showed off his Headband to her.

When Rie learned that her son had completed the Graduation Exam and become a Genin that very day, she scolded Hoshi for never telling her anything while excited tears streamed down her face.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Rie took Hoshi's hand and said solemnly:

"Come with me, Little Hoshi. Mom is taking you somewhere."

With that, Rie did not even make dinner. She pulled the somewhat bewildered Hoshi into her room.

Since Hoshi had his own room, the Hayate Clan's master bedroom was Rie's room. Hoshi normally did not come here often.

But this was still his own home, so Hoshi was not unfamiliar with it... or so he thought. Why had he never known there was a hidden mechanism in his mother's room?!

Rie looked just like a secret agent from television as she gently turned a small relief pattern on the side of her dressing table. The entire dressing table suddenly emitted the sound of mechanisms shifting.

To Hoshi's stunned amazement, the dressing table slowly rotated ninety degrees, revealing a small compartment specially carved into the wall.

Inside the compartment sat a long wooden box. Rie took it out and gently wiped away the dust that had settled on it, as though caressing a lover.

Turning around, she spoke to the shocked Hoshi.

"This is the Hayate Clan's true heirloom. Today, Mom is passing it on to you. From this day onward, you are the new head of the Hayate Clan."

Though he really wanted to complain that there were only the two of them in the Hayate Clan, so did it really matter who was the clan head, Hoshi still solemnly accepted the wooden box.

As he examined the long, narrow box, Hoshi felt that it resembled the shape of a blade. He turned an inquisitive gaze toward Rie, who gave him a gentle smile.

"Open it and see."

Having received Rie's approval, Hoshi no longer hesitated. He opened the wooden box at once, revealing what was inside.

Just as Hoshi had guessed, the box contained a blade—a Ninja Blade so beautiful it could be called gorgeous.

His father had collected many Ninja Blades, but compared to this one, every other blade would pale in shame.

Even Hoshi subconsciously gentled his movements when taking out the blade, afraid that he might accidentally leave some scratch on its beautiful surface.

The Ninja Blade's scabbard and hilt were primarily blue and gold. It felt exceptionally comfortable in his hand. Hoshi eagerly drew the blade and carefully examined it beneath the lamplight.

The blade was around eighty centimeters long, somewhat too long for Hoshi at his current age. But once he grew up, it should be a very comfortable length.

The section near the hilt curved slightly. The blade was broad near its base before sharply narrowing toward the tip. One glance was enough to reveal a strange beauty, as though one's gaze would be involuntarily drawn to it.

Another unusual feature of this blade was the three crescent-shaped patterns along its edge. They echoed the Hayate Clan's emblem, three progressively larger crescent moons.

As Hoshi continued examining the Ninja Blade, Rie explained its origins at the right moment. "This blade is called Mikazuki Munechika. It is the Hayate Clan's heirloom. Legend has it that your ancestor, Moonlight Yuma, forged it by repeatedly tempering weapon fragments left behind by the Sage of Six Paths with chakra metal and several precious materials.

"It would not be an exaggeration to call it one of the sharpest Ninja Blades in the present-day Ninja World."

Hearing this, Hoshi felt eager to test it. He could not help recalling the sayings from his previous life about blades that could cut through iron like mud and sever hair with a breath.

Hoshi subconsciously plucked out a strand of hair and gently blew it onto the blade's edge. The facts proved that Rie had not been boasting.

This blade truly could sever hair with a breath.

Seeing her son's excited expression, Rie smiled as well. She stroked Hoshi's head and continued.

"Since the Warring States period, this blade has always been the personal weapon of the Hayate Clan's heads. Your father used this blade to fight across the Ninja World back then as well, but after you were born, Eiichi sealed it away.

"He said that no matter what, this blade had to be passed into your hands as a gift for becoming a ninja. I never expected Eiichi's final wish to be fulfilled so soon.

"Little Hoshi, your talent is far greater than your father's. In the future, you must use this blade to make a name for yourself and bring about the Hayate Clan's revival."

Hearing his mother's words, Hoshi subconsciously felt that the blade had become much heavier. Perhaps, in that instant, it came to bear the expectations of every previous head of the Hayate Clan.

Hoshi, who had never possessed much sense of clan pride, also set aside his dismissiveness at that moment and solemnly made a promise to his mother.

The settings for Mikazuki Munechika and the protagonist, Hayate Hoshi, were largely inspired by Mikazuki Munechika from Touken Ranbu, though I have not played the game myself. Interested readers can look it up, and it should give you a proper idea of the protagonist's looks.