The next morning, Ruichi, holding Qin's hand, arrived at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Qin wore a brand-new outfit today. Her long hair, usually left loose, was tied into a neat ponytail, making her look especially energetic.
The little girl was stiff as a board, her small hand gripping Ruichi's tightly, cold sweat soaking her palm.
"Relax. Breathe." Ruichi chuckled and pinched her cheek. "Don't look like you're heading to your execution. Just think of this place as a slightly bigger playground."
Qin pursed her lips and muttered softly, "But… I heard it's really strict here…"
"Strict, my ass." Ruichi rolled his eyes. "I started skipping classes in my first year—cough, I mean, doing independent extracurricular activities—and I still graduated just fine."
"Ruichi? What are you doing back at school, you troublemaker?" A teacher ran into him and looked surprised.
"Long time no see, teacher. This is my sister, Qin Chui. I'm here to help her enroll."
"Oh, welcome." The teacher leaned toward Qin and lowered her voice. "Study hard. Don't be like Ruichi—sleeping in class, climbing over walls to skip lessons…"
"Ah—teacher, we still need to finish the paperwork. Please excuse us."
Ruichi grabbed Qin and fled as if escaping a disaster.
"Pfft…" Qin laughed, her nervousness finally easing.
The enrollment process went smoothly.
With money smoothing the way, the chūnin instructor handling the registration was extremely friendly.
After walking Qin to the classroom door and watching her turn back every few steps before finally taking a deep breath and entering, Ruichi felt a heavy weight lift from his heart.
Sending Qin to the Ninja Academy wasn't just about teaching her skills—it was about her future.
The academy teachers were responsible people. If anything happened while he wasn't around, Qin would still have someone she could rely on.
And there was an unexpected bonus.
Ruichi recalled the class roster he'd glimpsed.
Neji Hyūga, Tenten, Rock Lee… and Qin actually ended up in this class.
He rubbed his chin, the corners of his mouth lifting unconsciously.
Not bad. Even better if I can get along well with Tenten and learn a bit about doing business.
…
After leaving the school gate, Ruichi didn't leave right away. Instead, he used Earth Release to make a rocking chair by the entrance and lay down, waiting for his "target."
He needed to see Hinata Hyūga.
The afternoon sunlight was warm. Ruichi squinted lazily.
Uchiha, the Third Hokage, Danzo… so damn annoying. Fight your own battles—why drag me into it… huh?
Three short figures snuck out through the school gate: a blond kid, a chubby kid, and one with pineapple-shaped hair.
"Oh? What a coincidence," Ruichi greeted lazily.
"Whoa!" All three jumped, only now noticing Ruichi lying there.
Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. "Brother Ruichi… what a coincidence! Hahaha…"
"Don't scare people like that," Shikamaru complained, patting his chest. "It's bad for your heart."
"If you didn't see me lying here alive and well, whose fault is that?"
Chōji smiled. "Brother Ruichi, long time no see. That mission must've been rough, huh?"
"It was fine. I scraped through." Ruichi waved it off. "By the way, the stuff you helped me get last time was really useful. How about I treat you all to barbecue tonight?"
"Barbecue!" Chōji's eyes lit up instantly.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "That's rare. You're not dragging us into trouble again, are you?"
Ruichi put on a pained look. "Shikamaru, where's your trust in humanity? I helped you out last time—this is just repayment."
"Me too! I want to go!" Naruto raised his hand.
"Sure." Ruichi nodded. "Meet me by the river this evening—my usual fishing spot."
Watching the three bicker as they left, Ruichi lay back down to wait for school to end.
The faint sound of lectures drifted out on the breeze, making his eyelids grow heavy…
He was jolted awake only when the bell rang and students streamed out of the academy.
He stood up quickly, scanning the crowd, and soon spotted a familiar timid figure.
Hinata.
Hinata Hyūga was walking home with her head down when she heard a noise, startled, and looked up.
"Brother Ruichi?"
Ruichi didn't waste time. "I need your help. Is it convenient?"
"Huh? W-what is it?"
"I was on a mission recently and someone used genjutsu on me. I broke out of it, but I'm not sure if anything's lingering. Can you check with your Byakugan?"
"M-mm!" Hinata nodded vigorously, her expression turning serious. "Byakugan!"
As she activated it, veins bulged slightly at her temples. Her pale eyes focused intently on Ruichi.
Her gaze swept over his body, examining him carefully.
"Brother Ruichi's chakra flow is very smooth. There's nothing abnormal, but…"
She unconsciously stepped closer.
"…It feels like you even have chakra pathways in your bones?"
She's thorough. Even checked the bone meridians and found nothing strange. That's fine.
Not wanting to dwell on it, Ruichi quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem. That's nothing to worry about. As long as there's no residual genjutsu, I'm good. There's something else I wanted to ask."
Hinata deactivated her Byakugan and suddenly realized she was almost in his arms.
"Ah…"
Her face flushed from neck to ears. Steam might as well have been rising from her head.
She hurriedly stepped back, covering her face.
Ruichi coughed lightly. "Do you know about the Bamboo Clan in the Land of Fire?"
Hinata froze for a moment, thinking. "I think… Father mentioned it. The Kaguya clan has had dealings with our Hyūga clan."
"Do you know roughly where they are? If it's sensitive, just ignore me."
"It's not a secret. There's a place called Bamboo Cutter Village in the north of the Land of Fire, near the Land of Hot Springs. I've never been there myself, though. I can ask my father when I get home."
"That'd be a big help." Ruichi smiled. "I'll treat you to something good another day. I've been experimenting with new desserts—I think you'll like them."
At the word "alone," Hinata's face, which had just calmed down, turned red again.
"I-I'll ask."
She turned and ran off as if fleeing, then glanced back once more before disappearing, even redder than before.
Ruichi watched her go and rubbed his chin.
"I was planning to treat everyone to barbecue… but forget it. She gets too shy around crowds. I'll treat her separately."
As for whether today would draw the Hyūga clan's attention—since it wasn't classified, it shouldn't be an issue. And there really wasn't a better option.
"If it weren't for the Uchiha mess… tsk."
He stretched and headed toward the market.
After all, he still had to prepare for tonight's dinner.