Ran Mouri and Utaha Kasumigaoka stared at each other, shock written across their faces.
Even Megumi Kato, whose default expression could best be described as "pleasant screensaver," couldn't hide the surprise that flickered through her eyes.
The three girls followed Makoto Nishikado out of the classroom, each lost in her own thoughts, leaving Squad Seven behind.
Naruto watched Makoto's retreating back with the devastated look of a puppy left at the shelter.
They ended up at a dessert shop.
"Ma'am, four orders of dango." Makoto sat down and ordered without ceremony.
"Coming right up."
Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled as she responded.
She'd built this little shop with four years of savings and a modest investment from Makoto, and it had already carved out a decent reputation in Konohagakure. Her gaze swept across the three girls' faces as they filed in behind him, the appraisal so subtle it barely registered.
Four plates of mochi dango arrived at the table. She seized the opening. "Makoto, are these three your..."
"Mm. The genin I'm responsible for."
"How lucky for them." Her smile didn't waver. "Let me know if you need anything."
The moment she turned away, her teeth caught her lower lip, and something bitter flashed behind her eyes.
Two daughters, and neither one had ended up as Makoto's student.
That old fox Sarutobi Hiruzen... was he targeting her family on purpose?
Makoto tried a dango.
Not too sweet.
More accurately, not offensively sweet. Mrs. Yukinoshita had clearly memorized his preferences.
He'd loved desserts in his previous life, and this one was no different, but his first visit to this shop had nearly killed him with the standard Japanese sugar overload.
Since then, she'd adjusted the sweetness every time he came in. A small thing. He noticed.
He ate and talked between bites. "If you don't want me as your instructor, you can leave now. Just go back to the Academy and repeat a year."
Honestly, seeing these three names on his roster had caught him off guard. He hadn't made any specific requests to Sarutobi Hiruzen beyond "not Naruto and not Sasuke." Throw in whoever, he didn't care.
He'd expected the old man to assign him the Akizuki sisters and pad the squad with some nobody.
Instead, he got this lineup.
Though it made sense when he thought about it. After his own early graduation, Ran Mouri had consistently held the second-highest overall scores behind Sasuke.
Sakura and Yukino might dominate the written tests, but their practical skills were abysmal.
Megumi Kato was the ultimate stealth specialist, maxed out in one stat and invisible in every other sense of the word.
Utaha Kasumigaoka had spent four years becoming solidly above average across the board. The reliable middle-upper tier.
The three girls exchanged a look.
Megumi spoke first. It made sense. Of the three, she was the only one who'd ever had a real conversation with Makoto.
"Nishi... Nishikado."
"Megumi, when we're working, it's 'Sensei.'"
"S-sorry, Sensei..." She paused. "Can I ask you something?"
He nodded, and she drew a long breath. "Back then... why did you kill Sawanaga?"
Utaha and Ran both tensed.
Megumi had a feeling this was the real reason all three of them feared Makoto. Not just her.
If she could get a clear answer, maybe the knot in her chest would loosen.
If it had been Tomoya Aki asking, Makoto wouldn't have bothered answering, or would've tossed out something like "because I felt like it." But those earnest eyes looking back at him were harder to dismiss.
He raised an eyebrow. "I despise rapists."
Yeah, double standards. Sue him.
The way you treated a compelling heroine and the way you treated a garbage protagonist were never going to be the same. Just like how the audience's reaction to a young starlet and their reaction to some sleazy hack would never line up.
Realization dawned on all three faces at once.
So that's what it was.
They had no hard evidence of what Taisuke Sawanaga had done, but they didn't think Makoto would lie about it either.
Someone that powerful had no reason to fabricate excuses for the likes of them.
Utaha's gaze softened a fraction.
She hated that kind of scum too.
Ran hesitated, then asked carefully, "Then... if someone offended you in the future, Sensei, what would you do?"
She was asking on behalf of her childhood friend.
That detective geek who'd been investigating him.
Unfortunately, Makoto had no idea Shinichi had joined the investigation, so Ran's deeper meaning sailed right over his head. His answer came out flat and unbothered. "Kill them."
All three girls flinched.
"If someone's gone and offended me, why wouldn't I kill them?" He said it like he was discussing the weather. "Of course, if there's a more entertaining way to do it, I'm open to suggestions. Like what happened to Kozo Akizuki."
"S-Sensei..." Utaha couldn't help herself. "You're a bit extreme."
"Alright, enough chatter." He waved a hand. "So? Anyone heading back for a do-over year?"
The three girls looked at one another again.
Nobody moved.
The answer was obvious.
Makoto clapped his hands. "Good. Since you're all committed, learn well under me."
He leaned forward slightly. "We sort of know each other already, but let's do proper introductions anyway. Likes, dislikes, dreams for the future. Who's first?"
After a brief pause, Ran stepped up. She was the most outgoing of the three by default.
"I-I'm Ran Mouri. I'm from Shuchiin Academy... oh wait, no, I just graduated from the Ninja Academy." She collected herself. "I like sweet and spicy food, and karate. I hate greasy food and... bugs. My dream for the future is..." She trailed off, and a certain someone's face surfaced unbidden in her mind. But with Makoto sitting right across from her, she course-corrected. "My dream is to become the best karate practitioner in Japan."
Makoto saw through it but let it slide. "That dream's already in the bag. Once you're back in the real world, you'll mop the floor with every fighter in the country."
Megumi went next. "I'm Megumi Kato. I like... well, I liked playing on my phone, but this world doesn't have those, so that's out. My new hobby is studying ninjutsu, even though I'm not great at it. I hate being deceived. My dream for the future... to change myself, I guess."
Last was Utaha. "I'm Utaha Kasumigaoka. I like reading and writing. I hate food that's too rich. My dream for the future..." A beat. "I'd still like to achieve something greater in the light novel world."
A few years ago, she would've tacked on "and I hate a certain blonde loser." But four years had smoothed things over between her and Eriri considerably.
All three turned to Makoto, the expectation clear.
He blinked. "You already know my name. Things I like: power and pretty girls. Things I hate: disgusting idiots like Taisuke Sawanaga who make my skin crawl. Dreams for the future... push past my limits in pursuit of strength, kill the worst of the worst, eat the best food, and bed the most beautiful women."
Their expressions turned complicated.
Everything else aside, the fact that he could say "bed the most beautiful women" with a completely straight face was almost impressive in its own right.
"That'll do for now." He stood. "Tomorrow, eight o'clock. Training Ground Seven, edge of the village. Come prepared. Kunai, explosive tags, blades, whatever weapons you've got. Bring all of it."
He left without looking back.
The three girls chatted for a few more minutes before going their separate ways.
Megumi and Utaha lived together, so they walked home side by side, conversation drifting in and out of comfortable silence.
They were almost at the Sawamura house when both stopped at the same moment.
Someone was standing by the front door.
Tomoya Aki.