Are you bribing me?

The shopping street, a dessert shop.

"My treat."

Uchiha Jin shared the freshly bought tricolor dango in his hand with the boy with the bowl cut, who was drenched in sweat.

"Thanks."

Flattered, Might Guy accepted the two skewers of dango and polished them off in no time, then gave him a thumbs-up and flashed a mouthful of white teeth.

Training all morning had indeed left him a little hungry.

Some sweets to replenish his sugar would put him in even better shape for afternoon training.

It looked like he could increase the intensity by another "tiny hundred-millionth."

"Boss..."

Black Cat stared fixedly at the last skewer of dango, looking about ready to drool.

"Mom said you need to lose weight. You can only have one."

True to its name, tricolor dango had only three dumplings. He had originally wanted to enjoy a skewer during a break from work.

But he had forgotten about the fat cat on his shoulder.

Reluctantly, he pulled off one dumpling and tossed it into Black Cat's mouth. A satisfied expression immediately appeared on that chubby feline face, eyes narrowing slightly as a contented purr rumbled out.

Now this was living!

There had been no chance to enjoy good food while dieting lately.

For a cat in this situation, even a single sweet dumpling was a divine delicacy.

Nearly ninety-nine percent pure. Rare stuff!

Afraid the fat cat would ask him for more, Uchiha Jin stuffed the remaining dango into his mouth in two bites, then casually tossed the skewer into the nearest trash can.

Sure enough, eating sweets regularly could lift a person's spirits.

"My benefactor, it really has been a long time."

Might Guy excitedly gripped Uchiha Jin's shoulders, his eyes shining with admiration and gratitude.

The two had first met at the Ninja Academy.

Might Guy had inherited his father Might Duy's constitution. His chakra reserves were extremely low, and he had absolutely no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu.

The Konoha Ninja Academy entrance examination tested the three basic disciplines: ninjutsu, genjutsu, and Taijutsu.

It had been wartime then, and the unspoken admission requirement was mastery of basic ninja ninjutsu and genjutsu. Might Guy could not manage either, failed the exam, and did not make the first admission list.

But with his father's encouragement, he refused to give up. He honed his Taijutsu like mad day after day, training to his limits year-round without a break. Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi took notice of this extraordinary perseverance.

In the end, he made an exception and specially admitted Might Guy to the academy.

Guy had thought life at the academy would be wonderful, but reality proved he had been far too naive.

As the academy's only student with no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu,

he naturally became a target for the other students' bullying. On top of that, Might Duy's title of "eternal Genin"

left him suffering his classmates' bullying and ridicule every day.

Although Might Guy turned a deaf ear to the mockery and continued diligently honing his Taijutsu, it would have been a lie to say the slander and ridicule did not hurt.

Just when he thought he would be mocked all the way to graduation,

a black-haired boy holding a black cat suddenly appeared.

"Hey, guys, bullying someone without inviting me? Do you really think that little of me?"

Uchiha Jin looked at them with a faint, ambiguous smile, then handed the black cat to the boy with the bowl cut and approached his bullies, cracking his knuckles.

"Looks like I really need to give you a good bullying."

That day, Might Guy stood there holding the black cat, watching the black-haired boy beat the bullies away in no time.

Before he could thank him, the boy took the black cat and left.

Afterward, the students at the academy who usually enjoyed mocking and bullying others suddenly began behaving themselves.

Only after asking around did Might Guy learn that the boy was behind it.

After asking Obito Uchiha in his class, he finally learned that the benefactor who had helped him was named Uchiha Jin!

His father was a Genin and could only take low-level missions within the village.

As a result, his family was not very well-off...

Might Guy wanted to thank Jin in person for his help, so he set aside an hour after school every day to work odd jobs, intending to earn enough money to buy him a thank-you gift.

After a month, he finally earned the money. At his classmate Obito's suggestion, he bought a Kunai forged from the finest material, but Uchiha Jin had already graduated early.

Later, the Third Shinobi World War broke out in full, and fresh graduates like them also went to the battlefield.

His only regret was that he never saw that black-haired boy on the battlefield.

"Yeah, it's been a while."

Uchiha Jin smiled, but as he looked at the boy with the bowl cut and the skintight outfit before him, the corners of his mouth could not help twitching.

This guy's taste was as terrible as ever.

He wouldn't make my little sister wear something like that too, would he?

He imagined his usually sweet, adorable little sister wearing the same green bodysuit...

What a spectacular sight that would be!

To be honest, he was starting to feel a little reluctant to make this guy Izumi's teacher.

Of course, he dismissed the thought as soon as it arose.

Might Guy's perseverance and self-discipline were beyond question. Having his little sister train with him would do more good than harm.

"I'd like to ask you a favor..."

Uchiha Jin explained that he wanted him to be Izumi's teacher.

"Can I really do that?"

Might Guy pointed at himself in disbelief, overwhelmed by the honor.

Was a dead-last like him, with no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu, really qualified to help teach his benefactor's little sister?

If he accidentally messed things up, his benefactor would surely be disappointed.

"Of course." Uchiha Jin nodded. "As far as I'm concerned, you're perfectly suited to be Izumi's teacher."

"If my benefactor doesn't mind having me, then I certainly won't refuse!"

Might Guy thumped his chest excitedly, flashing a row of straight, gleaming white teeth.

"I'm duty-bound to fulfill my benefactor's request!"

"I'll train her strictly and let her own blazing youth bloom!"

"Burn, youth!"

The smile froze on Uchiha Jin's face as he watched this display of adolescent theatrics.

Izumi was only five. Her outlook on life had yet to take shape.

Training with this guy wouldn't lead her astray, would it?!

He pictured Uchiha Izumi wearing a green bodysuit, following Might Guy around and shouting about youth.

Tsk... she'd practically be a delinquent girl!

"That probably won't happen, right?"

"My benefactor, what did you say?"

Hearing his quiet muttering, Might Guy scratched his head in confusion.

"Nothing."

Uchiha Jin shook his head, dismissing the images in his mind.

He hoped his worries would not come true.

"My benefactor, wait here. I'll be right back!"

As though something had occurred to him, Might Guy called out and dashed away.

About ten minutes later, he returned panting, carrying an exquisite gift box.

"My benefactor, this is for you!"

"What's this?"

Uchiha Jin accepted the gift box and opened it. Looking at the Kunai inside, tied with a bow, he raised an eyebrow.

"Are you bribing me?"

This kid looked so honest with those thick brows and big eyes. Who knew he was so calculating!

He even knew to bribe a captain of the Konoha Military Police Force Troops.

Tsk, tsk. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover!

Might Guy: "???"

He blinked, scratched his head blankly, and said with some embarrassment,

"It's not a bribe. It's to thank you for helping me before. Please accept it."

Uchiha Jin nodded, not rejecting his kindness.

This guy had run so fast just now.

So he'd gone to the ninja tool shop to buy a Kunai.

But couldn't he have chosen a better gift box?

The box and the ribbon on it were both faded...