"Makoto-sensei, where are you taking me?"
Ran followed behind Makoto, asking curiously.
"There's less than a month until the Chunin Exams. You need to do some intensive training during this time."
Makoto walked ahead, "I've found a more suitable Jonin Instructor for you."
Before long, the two arrived together at another training ground on the outskirts of Konoha.
Ran glanced at the sign next to her… it read [Konoha Training Ground 14].
Makoto introduced as they walked: "Konoha Training Ground 14 is specially for training in combat and Taijutsu."
After a few steps, a fighting platform came into view, surrounded by many wooden stakes for striking practice.
On the platform, a boy with a bowl-cut hairstyle wearing a green jumpsuit and a boy with pure white eyes were fiercely exchanging blows.
After several exchanges back and forth, the bowl-cut boy was forced back a few steps, but quickly steadied himself, fighting spirit blazing in his eyes.
"Lee!"
Makoto called out.
Lee, who was about to counterattack, turned his head at the sound. The moment he saw Makoto, a bright and cheerful smile immediately broke out on his face.
He leaped down from the platform and ran over to Makoto in a few steps, familiarly high-fiving him.
"Long time no see, Makoto!"
Lee's eyes sparkled, "I heard you've already become a Jonin!"
His tone was filled with genuine joy, as well as a hint of anticipation for the future.
Because Makoto, like him, was a commoner Ninja with no family background or Kekkei Genkai.
If he could reach such heights, then there was no reason he couldn't do it too, right?
"He's the youngest Jonin in Konoha?"
Neji behind him frowned, sizing up Makoto.
Although he usually didn't say it out loud, he had always considered himself a genius of Konoha's new generation.
He hadn't expected someone even more ridiculous to appear before he even graduated.
Tenten, sensing Neji's thoughts, quietly comforted him: "It's okay, Neji. Second place is still very impressive."
Neji looked utterly speechless… this comfort was worse than no comfort at all.
"Tenten is right, Neji!"
Just then, another figure descended from the sky, landing steadily in front of everyone. It was Guy.
He gave a thumbs-up, revealing his shiny white teeth: "Young people should compete with each other… that's what youth is all about!"
Watching Guy suddenly appear, Ran felt completely unsettled.
Such ugly clothes, such thick eyebrows.
She had thought Lee was already exaggerated enough, but here was an amplified deluxe version.
'Were they father and son?'
Makoto chuckled softly and said, "Guy-senpai, this is Ran, the one I mentioned to you before. This month, I hope you can help teach her."
"No problem!"
Guy showed his white teeth again and gave a thumbs-up, "Lee and the others will be very happy too… young people should interact more!"
Makoto chuckled and turned to introduce Ran: "Ran, this is Might Guy-senpai, an Elite Jonin of the village and Konoha's number one Taijutsu expert. You should be able to learn a lot by following him."
Ran looked at the man with the ridiculously exaggerated appearance before her. She couldn't for the life of her associate the words 'number one expert' with him.
But she didn't think Makoto would lie to her.
She bit her lip and looked at Makoto with a complicated expression: "Makoto-sensei... why, why are you so good to me?"
Makoto looked perfectly natural: "You're my student. If I'm not good to you, who should I be good to?"
With that, he patted Ran on the shoulder, turned, and walked away.
"Alright, good luck."
Watching his departing back, Ran almost couldn't stop herself from slapping herself.
He was so good to her, and yet she had been trying to distance herself from him because of Shinichi, even hesitating about whether to report him?
She really wasn't a good person!
...
Turning his back to Ran as he left, the corners of Makoto's mouth slowly curled up, revealing the same smile as Yagami Light.
During the time since returning from the Land of Snow, he had been secretly observing Ran… just to see her loyalty to him.
To be honest, the result wasn't surprising.
After all, Ran was quite kind in the original work, even kind to the point of being somewhat saintly.
Even when she saw a murderer in danger, she would choose to save him.
That was why Vermouth, that female killer, called her an 'angel'.
But if Ran had actually gone to Hiruzen to report him, Makoto had plenty of ways to deal with her.
But she didn't.
So, Makoto decided to take the next step—
He was going to steal Ran away from Shinichi.
Of course, this wasn't because Makoto was a cuckolder. It was simply because he liked turning male leads he didn't like into cuckolds.
When Shinichi was about to be killed by him, what kind of expression would he make when he begged Ran for mercy, only to be cruelly abandoned?
Makoto was very much looking forward to it.
…
Two weeks passed in a flash.
The day of the official start of the Chunin Exams on July 1st was getting closer and closer.
During this time, more and more candidates and tourists from neighboring countries flooded into Konoha, preparing to participate in or watch the exams.
Because this wasn't just an ordinary exam… it was an opportunity for Konoha to show the younger generation's strength to the surrounding countries.
Among this year's candidates were many children of the heads of Konoha's Ninja Clans.
Not showing them off would be a real shame.
And Mrs. Yukinoshita, who ran the dessert shop, also became busy due to the increase in tourists.
When she first appeared in this world, her identity was just a restaurant clerk. After several years of saving, she had finally opened her own shop and become the family's breadwinner.
Her shop already had many customers, after all, a beautiful female owner naturally attracted plenty of old perverts.
However, many Konoha's Ninjas knew that Makoto frequently visited this shop, so even if some had the audacity, they didn't dare to actually cause trouble.
But tourists and Ninjas from other villages didn't know that.
"Mm~ Delicious! Boss, give me ten more servings of double-skin milk!"
Inside the dessert shop, a boy with light blue shoulder-length hair was savoring the shop's new double-skin milk with a look of pure bliss.
If Makoto were here, he would recognize him immediately… this was Hozuki Suigetsu, a future member of Sasuke's Hebi Team.
At this moment, he was wearing Kirigakure's forehead protector, boldly sitting there feasting.
Clearly, Suigetsu was one of the representatives sent by Kirigakure to participate in the Chunin Exams.
Beside Suigetsu was a boy wearing glasses who looked quiet and scholarly.
He kept his head down, eating his dango in small bites, his movements restrained and introverted.
He was the future Sixth Mizukage… Chojuro.
And across from the two sat a burly Kirigakure's Ninja.
Judging by his appearance, he was clearly already an adult.