"Naruto."
Shihui Aburame slowed his steps and asked, "Did you remember what I just told you?"
"I did!"
Rather than finding the strange man in green off-putting, Naruto Uzumaki felt a faint, inexplicable sense of kinship with him.
"Go ahead, Naruto."
Shihui Aburame patted his shoulder and said, "Good luck."
"Uncle Guy!"
Naruto Uzumaki jogged up and shouted.
Might Guy stopped moving his arms as he ran.
He leaped up, performed a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree Thomas flare in midair, and landed. Then he struck a strange pose as he looked at Naruto Uzumaki.
His teeth gleamed in the sunlight.
"So cool!"
Naruto Uzumaki applauded with heartfelt sincerity.
That actually left Might Guy at a loss. This was a first for him.
Everyone else recoiled when they saw him. A guy like this had to be nuts.
Of course, Might Guy didn't care.
"Who are you?"
Might Guy scratched his head and asked, "How do you know me?"
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto Uzumaki suddenly felt a little nervous and uneasy.
Although Shihui Aburame had said Might Guy wouldn't mind his identity, he still couldn't help worrying.
"That sounds a little familiar."
Might Guy rubbed his chin and tilted his head in thought for a moment before giving up outright. "What did you need me for?"
"Uncle Guy, I want to learn Taijutsu."
Naruto Uzumaki paused, then declared loudly, "I'll stake my youth on it! I'll definitely master it!"
The moment Might Guy heard the word "youth," it was as if some switch had been flipped.
His body began to tremble, his hands clenched into fists.
Was something coming?
Naruto Uzumaki's eyes widened.
Tears came streaming out.
"I'm so moved! Boo-hoo!"
Might Guy cried until tears covered his face. "I'm fired up! Is this the power of youth?!"
Naruto Uzumaki froze for a moment.
For the first time, he had met a ninja stranger than himself.
"Want to learn Taijutsu? No problem! Run with me!"
Might Guy stood on his hands again and roared, "Yeah!"
He rounded the corner so quickly that he immediately vanished from sight.
"See you tomorrow, Shiki!"
Naruto Uzumaki hurried after Might Guy.
Shihui Aburame smiled.
Watching him run beneath the setting sun reminded him of the youth he had lost in his previous life.
Pretty darn nice.
[Achievement unlocked: Might Guy's "More hype than Boruto." Reward obtained: Flower Boar Gu.] [Flower Boar Gu: a rank-one consumable Gu that temporarily grants a Gu Master immense strength.]
More hype than Boruto?
Shihui Aburame had never watched Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
He had heard it got hype later on, but he wasn't sure whether it really did. All he could say was that it was supposedly hype.
Not a bad reward.
The only shame was that it was a single-use Gu.
But at a critical moment, it might have an unexpected effect.
He was already quite satisfied to have earned an achievement.
Shihui Aburame turned and headed toward Konoha.
He had to go to Tsunade's house to practice Medical Ninjutsu.
After he left, a figure appeared. It was Kakashi Hatake, wearing an Anbu mask.
"He actually found Guy?"
A rare hint of fluctuation entered his voice.
Kakashi Hatake looked thoughtful.
No one understood Might Guy better than he did.
The two had been close friends and lifelong rivals for who knew how many years. They knew each other inside out.
Others might not know, but he understood how frightening Might Guy's Taijutsu was.
Especially his Eight Gates Released Formation.
Even he might not be able to withstand it.
Had Shihui Aburame done this deliberately, or just stumbled into it?
Kakashi Hatake thought it over and decided to leave the decision to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Personally, he was happy to see Naruto Uzumaki learn Taijutsu from Might Guy.
Although his close friend seemed unreliable, he was actually extremely dependable. Kakashi Hatake flickered away toward the Hokage Building.
A short while later, he landed and knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up.
"Lord Hokage."
Kakashi Hatake got straight to the point. "Just now, Naruto asked Guy to teach him Taijutsu. Guy has agreed."
"Guy?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe, and the image of Might Duy surfaced in his mind.
He was Might Guy's father.
Back then, the lack of importance placed on Taijutsu had left him a Genin his entire life.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Kirigakure had sent the renowned Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist on a surprise attack.
At the cost of his life, Might Duy had kicked them down to a trio, with only three lucky enough to escape.
Might Guy had inherited his final wishes and devoted himself to studying Taijutsu.
Of course, more importantly, there was nothing wrong with his Will of Fire.
"Then let him learn."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with a genial smile.
"Yes, sir."
Kakashi Hatake turned and left.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took out his crystal ball, formed hand seals with both hands, and cast the Telescope Technique.
A moment later, Might Guy and Naruto Uzumaki appeared in it.
The two ran one behind the other along the streets at the edge of Konoha, drawing countless looks.
Neither paid them any attention.
"Naruto!"
Might Guy shook his bowl-cut head and asked, "Do you still have enough stamina left?"
"Yes!"
Drawing strength from who knew where, Naruto Uzumaki shouted his answer.
"Good! Very spirited!"
A satisfied smile appeared on Might Guy's face.
This little kid who had turned up out of nowhere was very much to his liking.
"Naruto, I'm speeding up!"
Might Guy waved and said, "Don't fall behind!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned off the crystal ball.
His expression was a little odd.
Although they got along unexpectedly well, after enough time, Naruto Uzumaki would probably change so much that even his parents wouldn't dare recognize him.
At the thought of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, he let out a long sigh.
The old Senju residence.
Shihui Aburame reached out and turned the doorknob, but the door wouldn't open.
He then took out his key and opened it.
"Off gambling again?"
Shihui Aburame walked into the living room and saw the note on the table.
He shook his head.
I, Mr. Huang, am sworn enemies with gambling and drugs.
Shihui Aburame went to the kitchen and brought out his old companion, the carp.
Half an hour later, the door opened again.
"Shiki, come here."
Shizune smiled as she said, "Your big sister bought you something tasty."
"I'm not a child."
Shihui Aburame glanced at her and spoke calmly.
"You're only six. If you're not a child, what are you?"
Shizune wasn't angry. Instead, she found his attempt to act like a grown-up adorable.
She walked over and handed him a skewer of three-color dango.
Three-color dango was one of Konoha's signature snacks in the original story.
Its fans included Uchiha Itachi and Mitaraishi Anko.
Shihui Aburame had never tried it. He took it and bit into it.
An intense sweetness burst across his mouth.
No wonder Mitaraishi Anko ended up becoming Mitaraishi Sweet Potato.
"And you say you're not a child."
Shizune smiled, reached out, and ruffled his hair.
Touching my head again?
Shihui Aburame handed the three-color dango back to her and said, "Too sweet. I don't want it."
He was firmly in the savory-and-spicy camp, the sort who even put chili in tofu pudding.
Another chapter will be up shortly. It's Tuesday, everyone, so remember to keep reading! If you have time, please leave some comments or pictures in the review section-not the chapter comments-like some pretty pictures of the female leads. It's too quiet there. Those of you who still have investment slots can invest, too.
(End of chapter)