By the time the instructors dismissed the academy for the day, the courtyard had already turned into a storm of voices.
Students spilled out through the gates in clusters, arguments breaking out before they had even reached the street. Everyone seemed to be talking about the same thing at once. Some were replaying their fights loudly for anyone willing to listen, others were complaining about referee calls, while a few were already speculating about tomorrow's matches.
Roen stepped away from the crowd without much hurry.
He had almost reached the academy gate when footsteps hurried up behind him.
"Hey!"
Aoi's voice carried easily through the noise.
Roen slowed slightly as Aoi caught up, Kagehiro walking beside her with his usual relaxed expression while Daigo jogged the last few steps to close the distance.
"You just walked off like nothing happened," Aoi said, crossing her arms. "You realise you made the top twenty, right?"
Roen glanced at her.
"I noticed."
Daigo stared at him in disbelief.
"That's all you've got?" he said. "You dropped a fifth-year Uchiha in front of the entire academy!"
"He wasn't that impressive," Roen replied.
Daigo stopped walking for a second.
Kagehiro sighed quietly.
"You really shouldn't say things like that," he said calmly. "It only encourages people to challenge you."
Aoi rolled her eyes.
"He already has people challenging him. Did you see Tatsuya's face after the match?"
Daigo laughed.
"I thought he was going to explode."
They moved away from the academy gate and into the street leading toward the village center. Other students were walking the same direction, conversations overlapping as different classes mixed together on the road home.
Roen noticed the occasional glance from passing students.
Some recognised him immediately.
Others whispered just loudly enough for fragments of conversation to carry.
"That's the Shinra kid."
"The one who beat Tatsuya?"
"I heard he fought three sixth-years before."
Another voice answered quietly.
"Itachi made top twenty too."
The name passed through the crowd easily.
Roen continued walking.
A few minutes later Aoi nudged his shoulder lightly.
"Speak of the devil."
Roen followed her gaze.
Two familiar figures were walking down the opposite side of the street.
Itachi walked slightly ahead, his posture calm and composed as always, while Izumi walked beside him talking about something animatedly.
Izumi noticed them first.
"Oh," she said, waving lightly. "You guys too?"
The two groups slowed naturally as they met in the middle of the street.
Daigo immediately pointed at Itachi.
"You made the list."
Izumi laughed.
"You say that like it's surprising."
"It kind of is," Daigo replied defensively. "You guys were ridiculous in the shuriken test."
Izumi tilted her head.
"You're just jealous."
"Of course I'm jealous," Daigo said. "You people hit the center like the targets were magnetised."
Aoi folded her arms.
"I almost beat my opponent."
"Almost," Kagehiro said quietly.
Aoi shot him an annoyed look.
"I slipped."
Kagehiro shrugged.
"Which is how losing works."
Izumi laughed again while Daigo clapped a hand over his mouth trying not to laugh too loudly.
They began walking together without really deciding to.
The conversation shifted easily as they moved down the street.
Kagehiro eventually spoke again.
"The matches tomorrow will be interesting," he said thoughtfully. "Once the bracket starts narrowing, the upper-year advantage will matter more."
Daigo groaned.
"Don't start analysing already."
"I'm not analysing," Kagehiro said. "I'm observing."
"That's the same thing."
Izumi glanced toward the academy behind them.
"The list looked stacked," she said. "Uchiha, Hyūga… and Roen."
Daigo grinned.
"Exactly. The top twenty is basically two clans and one problem."
Roen ignored him.
Someone's stomach growled loudly.
Everyone looked at Daigo.
"What?" he said immediately. "Today was exhausting."
Aoi raised an eyebrow.
"You lost in the first round."
"That still counts," Daigo protested. "I ran two kilometers, threw shuriken, and got kicked in the ribs. That's a full day."
Izumi covered a laugh.
"We should eat somewhere."
Daigo brightened instantly.
"Yes."
Kagehiro sighed.
"You were going to suggest that no matter what happened."
Daigo pointed down the street.
"Yakiniku."
Aoi blinked.
"You're serious?"
"I'm always serious about food."
A few minutes later they were seated around one of the low charcoal grills inside Yakiniku Q.
Warm smoke drifted lazily through the room as strips of meat sizzled over the small metal grates built into each table. The smell of grilled beef, soy marinade, and garlic filled the air so strongly that even Roen could feel his appetite stirring.
Daigo had already ordered far more than anyone else.
Plates of thin sliced beef, marinated short rib, and small bowls of rice covered the table while a server placed another dish of sesame-seasoned vegetables beside the grill.
The first pieces of meat hit the hot grate with a sharp hiss.
Fat crackled immediately, releasing a rich smell that made Daigo lean forward like he hadn't eaten in days.
He grabbed his chopsticks.
"Finally."
Aoi immediately slapped his hand away.
"It's still raw!"
Daigo stared at the grill.
"It looks ready."
"It is very clearly not ready."
Kagehiro calmly turned one of the slices with his chopsticks, letting the meat cook properly as the surface darkened and the smell deepened.
"If you eat it now," he said calmly, "that will be your own fault."
Daigo waited exactly three seconds before grabbing a piece anyway.
Izumi laughed while Aoi groaned.
"You couldn't even wait five seconds?"
Daigo shrugged while chewing.
"It's still food."
Kagehiro watched him for a moment before shaking his head slightly.
"Your strategy lacks patience."
"It's food," Daigo repeated.
Izumi sighed.
"You're hopeless."
Across the table, Itachi listened quietly while the conversation continued around him.
The topic eventually returned to tomorrow's matches.
"I wonder who's fighting who," Aoi said.
Kagehiro rested his chin lightly against his hand.
"Probably random draws."
Daigo looked between Roen and Itachi.
"I hope you two fight."
Izumi nudged him with her elbow.
"You just want to see chaos."
"Of course I do."
Roen said nothing.
Itachi didn't respond either, but his eyes shifted briefly toward Roen before returning to the table.
By the time they finished eating the sky outside had darkened.
The group stepped back into the night air together before gradually splitting off in different directions as their paths home separated.
Roen walked a short distance before noticing footsteps still beside him.
Itachi.
For a few moments neither of them spoke.
Then Itachi said quietly,
"Your fight earlier was strong."
Roen glanced at him.
"You won yours."
Itachi gave a small nod.
They walked another few steps before the road divided.
Itachi turned down one path toward the Uchiha district.
Roen continued toward the Shinra compound.
Tomorrow's matches waited for both of them.
Neither of them needed to say it aloud.