Konoha, four in the morning.
"You're improving so fast! I've seen it for myself-this is the power of youth!"
Might Duy flashed a row of gleaming teeth and gave him a thumbs-up.
Moonlight Ruyun: "..."
The power of youth?
No, this was the power of equipment.
Still, he had to admit that after spending so much time with Might Duy, he was starting to become a little more youthful himself.
By now, he could hear the words "the power of youth" and easily keep a straight face.
"Yes, Senior Duy! This is my youth burning bright!"
He said it without blushing or missing a beat. All he had done was replace "the Will of Fire" with "youth."
He knew this spiel well.
That was the confidence of someone who had maintained a perfect score in every Will of Fire exam.
"Ruyun!" Might Duy froze in place, his eyes brimming with tears.
A few seconds later.
He spread his arms and charged straight at him like a bear.
Ruyun's mouth twitched. He had thought keeping a straight face would be easy, but there was a second round?
If he had to cling to Duy and sob like Rock Lee and Might Guy in the original story, he really couldn't do it...
Without the slightest hesitation, he darted aside and dodged the rather over-the-top hug.
"...Ahem. Senior Duy, let's keep training."
Although he had already farmed equipment from Might Duy.
He hadn't given up the habit of training alongside him.
Judging by the strength Might Duy, Might Guy, and later Rock Lee had displayed, this training method really had something going for it.
With that in mind, he asked tentatively, "By the way, there's something I'd like your help with, Senior Duy. Would that be all right?"
Might Duy pointed at himself and scratched his head. "Me?"
"That's right."
Moonlight Ruyun nodded. "I'd like you to teach me Konoha Style Taijutsu. Would you?"
This was something he had been planning for a while.
One of the traits on [Might Duy's green jumpsuit].
Only activated when he used Konoha Style Taijutsu.
Since there was a veteran sword-wielding ninja in his family, he had focused on swordsmanship growing up. As for taijutsu, he had only practiced a few moves that complemented his sword techniques.
How could that be enough?
Konoha Style Taijutsu included quite a few moves, such as Konoha Whirlwind, Great Whirlwind, Powerful Whirlwind, and Gale.
After thinking it over, there weren't many people who could teach him, and Might Duy was one of them.
He might as well stick with the same person and go straight to the source.
A rare look of awkwardness appeared on Might Duy's face. "But I'm only a Genin."
"Senior, I believe in you!"
Moonlight Ruyun's gaze was sincere.
So what if he was a Genin?
This was a Genin who had opened the Eight Gates and kicked the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist down to three.
Might Duy considered it, then nodded firmly. "Since you're willing to believe in me, then... all right!"
"Then it's settled. For now, how about... thirty thousand ryo a month?"
Might Duy froze for a moment, then hurriedly waved his hands. "There's no need to pay me."
Watching Might Duy refuse so hastily, Ruyun felt a little wistful.
Because of his odd appearance and habits, along with his title of "Eternal Genin," few people in the village thought much of him.
Perhaps, to Might Duy, a rare bit of recognition was already worth more than enough.
But Might Duy's living conditions really weren't good.
He was a Genin who put himself through punishing training every day and took missions that paid next to nothing.
That little money was nowhere near enough to treat the hidden damage to his body.
Thirty thousand ryo wasn't much, but it could at least improve his standard of living a little.
"Senior, please don't refuse."
Compared with Might Guy, whose kick had nearly brought the whole story to its finale, Might Duy's showing had been far less impressive.
There were many reasons for that.
He had no mentor, no foundation built by the previous generation, and no close friend like Kakashi to spar with and improve alongside.
As for now.
Ruyun really wanted to see whether his involvement could give Might Duy a different outcome.
The Ninja Academy, Will of Fire class.
Moonlight Ruyun propped his elbow on the desk and yawned.
Who on earth had decided to schedule a Will of Fire class every single day?
It was always the same old material, repeated over and over.
Couldn't they at least ask him to help put together the textbook?
Every Will of Fire class was a test of his own Will of Fire!
He looked at Minato, who sat ramrod straight in the front row, constantly taking notes, and felt nothing but admiration.
What a promising little bearer of the Will of Fire.
"Kushina, why aren't you sleeping today?"
Kushina sighed and rubbed her dry eyes. "I haven't finished my mission report," she said weakly.
With that, she lowered her head and went back to scribbling furiously.
He glanced at the densely written report.
A few keywords caught his eye. He paused, then began reading it carefully.
Why was the mission report full of praise for him? That didn't seem right.
Reading it was making him a little embarrassed.
Please, keep it coming!
The account of Minato was relatively objective, though he didn't get much space.
And Nawaki-had he paid someone off?
He had clearly taken out just one bandit before leaving the battlefield to vomit off to the side.
How had that turned into "fearless in the face of danger" in the report?
Granted, that description wasn't entirely wrong. Nawaki had killed the first bandit standing lookout.
But wasn't this embellishing things a little?
"Who taught you to write the report like this?"
Kushina covered the report and gave him a sheepish smile. "Tsunade, with a few personal touches from me."
Understanding dawned in his eyes.
Got it.
Kushina had come up with the praise for him, while Tsunade had taught her how to make Nawaki look good.
He gave a light cough. The style of this mission report seemed oddly familiar...
Kushina smiled mysteriously. "Do you know what rank this mission was?"
"B-rank?"
Konoha's mission system ranged from D-rank to S-rank.
D-rank missions were everyday jobs like catching cats and finding dogs. C-rank missions were generally things like escort duties, with no combat involving ninja.
In the original story, Team 7 had taken a "C-rank" mission to escort Tazuna.
Clearing out bandits was usually C-rank too.
But they had encountered a wandering ninja, which changed things.
Even the weakest ninja was stronger than an ordinary person.
"That's right, B-rank." Kushina sounded a little disappointed. "I'm so jealous. You got to take a B-rank mission on your very first try, and I wasn't there..."
"There'll be plenty of chances later."
He said it casually. Given Nawaki's performance this time, barring any surprises, Tsunade would definitely find a way to arrange more missions to train him.
They wouldn't have to worry about running out of missions.
Having to come back and dutifully attend class after completing a mission, though, might have been a first for Konoha.
Even the teacher delivering his lengthy lecture at the front of the classroom looked at them with approval.
The teacher hadn't been told much. He only knew they had taken leave to carry out a mission.
That alone was enough to delight him.
Carrying out missions before graduation was an even greater distinction than graduating early.
As the teacher who had trained two... no, three geniuses, he had been speaking with much more confidence lately.
In the back row.
A question suddenly occurred to Moonlight Ruyun.
"Do we get paid for carrying out the mission?"
"Yes. Tsunade already collected it. She said she'd hold on to it for us."
"...Hold on to it?"
"That's what she said."
He smiled in resignation.
Seriously? You're pocketing your students' money too?
Before you continue