Chinatsu offered him another piece of fruit.
"Genya-kun, would you like more?"
Genya opened his mouth and ate it.
"Mm."
Akari kept fanning him, while Akane handed him some juice.
Genya enjoyed their attention, but his gaze rested on the blond boy in the middle of the training ground.
Sweat, shouts, and eyes that refused to give in.
Even knowing how vast the gap was, he never gave up.
That was Naruto.
He suddenly thought of Hashirama.
The old man must have been like that when he was young, too.
Passionate, determined, and unwilling to give up.
That was how he had ended an age of turmoil and founded Konoha.
That was how he had inspired so many people to follow him.
Genya looked away and turned his eyes to the sky.
The sunlight was dazzling, but warm.
Though he was invincible, though he was utterly alone at the top.
Watching these passionate idiots work so hard made it all seem a little less boring.
Beside him, Chinatsu spoke softly.
"Genya-kun, what are you thinking about?"
Genya shook his head.
"Nothing."
He paused.
"I just think that kid Naruto really knows how to inspire the people around him. He's the same sort of person as old man Hashirama, the First Hokage."
Chinatsu blinked, then looked at Naruto on the training ground.
The boy was drenched in sweat, throwing punches with everything he had.
Then she thought of Hashirama-the old man who laughed as he lost money, laughed as he competed with Guy, and laughed as he told stories to the children.
They... really do seem a little alike, don't they?
Akari asked curiously.
"Genya-kun, do you mean Naruto-kun could become someone like Lord First?"
Genya smiled.
"Who knows?"
He looked at Naruto.
"But at least he has the potential."
On