It wasn't far at all from the academy to the Hokage's office building.
Uzumaki Hayashi strolled along with his Ninja Tool Pouch in hand. The after-school sun hung low in the west, stretching his shadow out long. He stepped on his own shadow as he walked, taking things one step at a time.
He still hadn't quite rehearsed how he would bring up Ice Release when he saw the Third.
But before he could get his lines straight, something happened up ahead.
A group was coming toward him.
The man in front wore a blindingly green bodysuit and held a scroll in one hand, striding along with gusto.
Behind him was a boy in an identical green outfit. Next came the only girl among the three students. Bringing up the rear was a boy dressed in white, with pale eyes.
Well, damn. Team Guy, all present and accounted for.
Uzumaki Hayashi shifted almost imperceptibly toward the edge of the road.
He wasn't acquainted with these people. Strictly speaking, he hadn't even met them yet. At a time like this, the safest option was to pretend he didn't know them, keep his head down, and walk straight past-
Unfortunately, that plan fell apart almost as soon as it took shape.
"Oh?"
Might Guy, leading the group, had sharp eyes. He spotted him immediately-or, more precisely, spotted his red hair.
"You-" Might Guy's eyes slowly widened, and his voice rose with them. "You're that member of the Uzumaki Clan, aren't you!"
Uzumaki Hayashi: "..."
Well, there went walking past.
He had just forced out a polite smile and hadn't even had time to speak when Might Guy turned around with one great stride and threw an arm around the green-clad boy behind him.
"Lee!"
"Guy-sensei!"
Master and student embraced right there in the street, tears streaming down their faces as they babbled on about how he had "suffered so much, yet remained so strong" and how "this is youth." One line followed another, with no sign of stopping.
Uzumaki Hayashi stood there with a smile on his face, inwardly speechless.
Seriously?
I haven't even said a word, and these two are already crying? Over me?
What on earth is this performance supposed to be?
He cast a pleading look toward the only person in the group who seemed capable of normal communication.
The girl happened to look his way at just the right moment.
"Ahem." She took two steps toward him, looking thoroughly accustomed to all this. "Guy-sensei and Rock Lee are always like that. Don't take it to heart. I'm Tenten, and this is Neji."
As she spoke, she shifted aside to reveal the white-clad boy behind her.
Neji Hyuga remained where he was and gave him a measured nod.
There was a trace of scrutiny in his gaze. It lingered on his face for a moment before withdrawing, and then he showed no further interest in him.
Uzumaki Hayashi didn't feel much of anything about it and politely nodded back.
The Byakugan, huh. A little arrogance is normal.
Seeing Neji's attitude, Tenten first gave him an awkward smile, then lowered her voice to explain, "They're just like that, so please don't mind them. Guy-sensei heard about your past, too. Otherwise, he wouldn't... sigh."
His past.
The moment those words came out, they seemed to flip some unknown switch-
"The same tragic destiny."
Neji Hyuga, whom no one had been paying attention to, suddenly spoke for no apparent reason.
Uzumaki Hayashi blinked and looked toward the voice.
Neji wasn't looking at him. Those pale eyes stared down the road ahead, and it was impossible to tell whom he was addressing.
"How will you continue down your path?"
Having said his piece, the white-clad boy turned away, leaving him facing the back of his head, and walked off without a backward glance.
Uzumaki Hayashi: "..."
Seriously, dude.
Who are you? This is our first time meeting, isn't it? You open with destiny, then just leave? What is this, the ninja world's resident riddler?
Honestly, if he hadn't known that this kid had an inescapable Caged Bird Seal beneath his forehead protector, if anyone else had dared throw such cryptic nonsense at him-
He really would have wanted to walk over and punch them twice.
"Neji Hyuga!"
This time, Tenten had finally had enough.
She rushed over, smacked Might Guy on the back, then smacked Rock Lee on the forehead. Taking hold of one with each hand, she dragged master and student forward.
"Tenten! Easy!"
As Might Guy was dragged away, the scroll in his hand nearly went flying. Even so, he remembered to turn his head and shout to Uzumaki Hayashi, without even wiping the tears from his face:
"Young Uzumaki! I'll be sure to give you one of my youthful battle suits later-!"
"No thanks! Really, no thanks!"
Uzumaki Hayashi waved his hands in alarm, made himself scarce, and hurried off in another direction.
Guy.
Please keep that ugly green watermelon-rind jumpsuit for yourself. Seriously, only someone who's worn it knows.
Even after he had gone a long way, he could still hear Tenten roaring behind him:
"Guy-sensei! When you act like this, everyone thinks we're weirdos!"
Hearing that, Uzumaki Hayashi couldn't help letting out a helpless chuckle.
Weirdos was a bit much.
It was just that this particular group got pretty boisterous when they were all together.
After he walked a little farther, the Hokage's office building came into view.
The character for "fire" on the roof glowed red in the setting sun.
Uzumaki Hayashi stopped at the entrance and collected himself.
The lines that Team Guy's interruption had knocked out of his head began arranging themselves again.
He had been here once before, so he still remembered the way. He entered the building and went upstairs to the sound of his own footsteps, stopped outside the Third's office, and pushed the door open in one motion.
It creaked.
Inside the office, the Third sat at his desk, staring at the Crystal Ball before him.
The Crystal Ball was hazy, and there was no telling what it had been showing just moments before. Seeing him enter, the Third first raised a hand and brushed it lightly over the Crystal Ball. The image went dark, and only then did he lift his head to look at the red-haired child in the doorway.
"Ah, Hayashi." The old man smiled, his pipe resting beside his hand. "What brings you here?"
Uzumaki Hayashi didn't answer right away.
As he walked farther inside, he sorted out the last few details of his plan.
Just say, "I can use Ice Release now"? No.
An orphan from a wiped-out clan had returned to the village only a few days ago, learned a B-rank jutsu, and then suddenly acquired a Kekkei Genkai out of nowhere. If he mentioned it casually, it would be stranger if the Third didn't start wondering.
Rather than let the old man grow suspicious, he might as well put on an act first.
He would pretend he didn't understand it himself, pretend there was something strange about the whole thing, and let the old man investigate and puzzle it out. By the end, the answer would be ready-made: this poor child had probably inherited something his parents possessed.
Once he had maxed out those sympathy points, wouldn't the scrolls and jutsu just keep coming?
Either way, he wouldn't lose out.
Having made up his mind, Uzumaki Hayashi slowly approached the Third. His little face gradually fell, taking on a bewildered expression.
He looked at the Third and lowered his voice.
"Grandpa Third, I think I'm sick."
Before you continue