"Whoosh—!"
Four figures moved swiftly through the dense forest, their bodies flickering from branch to branch like shadows dancing beneath the canopy.
Leaves rustled in their wake, and the occasional startled bird took flight as they passed.
After a brief period of treatment and recovery, the group had wasted no time. They were already on their way back to the village, eager to complete the mission and put the dangerous encounter behind them.
Despite the lingering fatigue, smiles could be seen on all three students' faces.
This mission—
Had been a huge success.
Kakashi had taken charge of distributing the spoils. Out of the five chests of money they discovered in the bandit stronghold, he claimed two for mission reporting and village allocation, while the remaining three were split among Aoki Yoru, Kenta, and Yui.
Each of them received one chest.
And even a single chest—
Was equivalent to the reward of an S-rank mission.
For newly graduated Genin, this was nothing short of a windfall.
As for the remaining goods—the weapons, food, herbs, and various supplies—they were all handed over to the village without dispute.
The Anbu had already arrived at the stronghold and taken control of the scene. The three Genin had no objections; after all, they knew the rules.
Still—
Aoki Yoru was extremely satisfied.
This is what a reasonable leader looks like…
If Kakashi had been the rigid, old-fashioned type, they wouldn't have seen even a fraction of this money.
In places like Amegakure or Kusagakure, all spoils would have been confiscated under the justification of "village contribution."
Victory would be credited to leadership.
And the rewards?
They would flow upward.
The thought made Aoki shake his head inwardly.
Compared to that, Konoha—
At least under certain individuals—
Still had some degree of fairness.
As they continued moving, Kakashi suddenly slowed down.
He turned his head slightly, glancing back at his students.
"With your strength…" he said lazily, "your Academy rankings shouldn't have been mediocre, right?"
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
"Hahaha!!!"
The three burst into awkward laughter almost simultaneously.
They exchanged glances, as if silently acknowledging each other.
Aoki scratched his cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
"Kakashi-sensei… you have to understand something."
He sighed lightly.
"Students from ninja clans have deep foundations. Secret techniques, inherited knowledge, specialized training…"
He spread his hands helplessly.
"The Academy is full of hidden talents. Civilians like us… can't really compete in that environment."
Kenta nodded vigorously.
"Exactly! Those clan kids have been training since they could walk!"
Yui gave a small smile but didn't deny it.
Kakashi stared at them for a moment.
Then—
"…Is that so?"
His tone was flat, but his eyes held a trace of amusement.
"These days, even the Academy produces monsters…"
He didn't pursue the topic further.
Instead, he casually pulled out his small orange book and began reading again.
From time to time, a suspicious smile appeared beneath his mask.
Aoki glanced at him and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
As expected… Kakashi is still Kakashi.
By the time they reached the village, the sun was already leaning toward the horizon.
Dust clung to their clothes, and their bodies carried the weariness of battle.
Kakashi waved lazily.
"I'll go submit the mission report."
"Rest well."
With that, he disappeared.
The three of them stood at the entrance for a moment before naturally parting ways.
"See you tomorrow!"
"Don't oversleep!"
"Take care!"
Simple words, but filled with a sense of camaraderie that hadn't existed before.
Aoki walked alone toward the western outskirts of the village.
This area was home to many civilians—simple houses, narrow streets, and a quiet atmosphere far removed from the bustling center.
As he passed by, neighbors greeted him warmly.
"Oh! Back already?"
"You look exhausted—here, take this!"
Before he knew it, he had been handed a few warm rice balls and some freshly cooked food.
Aoki smiled.
"Thank you."
This—
Was something he cherished.
Even in a dangerous world, there were still small pieces of warmth.
When he finally returned home, the sky had darkened.
The familiar wooden door creaked softly as he pushed it open.
The house was simple.
Quiet.
But it was his.
After placing his things down, Aoki washed up quickly. The cool water helped wash away the fatigue clinging to his body.
Today had been—
Too intense.
Bandits.
Explosions.
Enemy ninja.
Life and death had been separated by only a thin line.
Even for someone with two lifetimes of experience, it wasn't something to take lightly.
After drying himself, Aoki sat cross-legged on the floor.
He closed his eyes.
Calming his breathing.
Emptying his mind.
Then—
He began to sense the natural energy in the air.
This was his most important practice.
The foundation of his strength.
Slowly, carefully, he guided the natural energy into his body.
It merged with his spiritual and physical energy.
The process was delicate.
Like walking on a tightrope.
One mistake—
And the consequences could be severe.
But—
His progress had improved.
The battle from earlier had sharpened his senses and strengthened his spirit.
Now, he could control the flow of energy more smoothly.
The fusion felt more stable.
And for brief moments—
He could even use it.
This… is my trump card.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
His strength—
Had increased again.
The next morning—
Sunlight streamed into the courtyard.
Aoki was already awake.
Holding a wooden sword, he stood in the open space.
Then—
He moved.
Raise.
Strike.
Turn.
Step.
Each movement was simple.
But precise.
He repeated them again and again.
Sweat soon formed on his forehead, but his expression remained focused.
Although his parents had only left behind basic swordsmanship, Aoki never underestimated it.
Basics—
Were everything.
As long as the foundation was strong, he could build anything on top of it.
With his comprehension, he could analyze and replicate most techniques after seeing them once.
And eventually—
He would create his own.
After breakfast, Aoki stepped out with a clear goal in mind.
We have money now.
For the first time in a long while—
He wasn't poor.
His destination—
The largest weapon shop in the village.
He had been eyeing something for a long time.
A chakra metal blade.
Just thinking about it made his heart stir.
Weapons like Asuma's chakra blades—
Capable of channeling chakra directly.
Their power was far beyond ordinary weapons.
But—
Reality was harsh.
Aoki walked out of the shop a few minutes later, shoulders slumped.
His expression looked like a defeated rooster.
"Profiteers…"
He muttered under his breath.
"Chakra metal costs several times more than gold?"
He sighed deeply.
Even with his recent windfall—
He could only afford a few dozen grams.
Not nearly enough to forge a proper blade.
"It seems… that dream will have to wait."
He looked up at the sky helplessly.
"Asuma probably got his weapons through connections…"
Otherwise, even a Jonin might struggle to afford them.
As he walked down the street, still grumbling inwardly—
Someone tapped his shoulder.
Aoki turned.
"Kenta?"
Standing behind him was Kenta, grinning widely.
Beside him were three smaller children, peeking shyly.
Aoki immediately understood.
"You're out shopping?"
"Yeah," Kenta nodded. "Taking them to buy clothes and food."
Only then did Aoki notice—
Their clothes were worn and patched.
Their faces slightly pale.
Signs of long-term hardship.
This—
Was the reality of civilian life.
"Want to join us?" Kenta asked. "There's a new dessert shop."
At the mention of desserts, the children's eyes lit up instantly.
Aoki smiled.
But shook his head.
"You go ahead. I still need to buy some equipment."
"Alright!"
Kenta waved.
As they walked away, the children skipped happily beside him.
Aoki watched them for a moment.
Then smiled softly.
Kenta's life will improve now.
Becoming a ninja—
Was one of the few ways civilians could change their fate.
Aoki continued walking.
Eventually, he entered another weapon shop.
"Welcome!"
A cheerful voice greeted him.
Behind the counter stood a girl with her hair tied in buns, wearing a neat outfit and smiling brightly.
Aoki paused.
That's… Tenten.
One of Konoha's future rising ninja.
"I'm looking for a ninja blade," he said.
"I'll browse first."
He walked toward the display wall.
Rows of blades gleamed under the light.
After careful selection, he picked one.
Drawing it slowly—
He tested its balance.
Smooth.
Reliable.
"This one is forged from refined steel," Tenten explained. "It has excellent durability and flexibility."
Aoki nodded.
"I'll take it."
He also purchased explosive tags, soldier pills, kunai, and shuriken.
When he stepped out of the shop—
He felt… different.
Heavier.
But also—
Safer.
Patting the equipment at his waist, Aoki finally relaxed.
Before—
He had been so poor that he relied entirely on his parents' old tools.
But now—
He was properly equipped.
If he had possessed these resources earlier—
The previous battle might have been even smoother.
For example—
Attaching an explosive tag to a kunai and eliminating the enemy instantly.
No risks.
No surprises.
Just efficiency.
Aoki exhaled slowly.
The road ahead was still dangerous.
But step by step—
He was becoming stronger.
And better prepared.
To survive.