As Shen Mo mentioned the red envelope…
Hiju leapt onto the table, swishing her tail at him.
"Meow meow."
She wanted a red envelope too.
That'd buy heaps of dried fish.
"You? Wait till you can turn human," Shen Mo said, exasperated. "You can't even talk."
"Meow—" Hiju deflated, flopping onto the table, utterly bored.
Ikaros, eyeing Hiju's round, fluffy form, reached out, mimicking Shen Mo, and gently petted her head.
Hiju turned, glancing at her.
No sound, but she squinted in contentment.
It felt nice.
Ikaros's expression was intensely focused.
"You really love round things, don't you?" Shen Mo said, laughing.
"Meow—!?"
Hiju's ears shot up, indignantly swatting Ikaros's hand away.
She wasn't round!
With agile grace, she hopped to her little bed, sulkily nibbling her secret stash of dried fish.
Ikaros wasn't upset, just a touch disappointed.
"Alright," Shen Mo said, suddenly looking toward the door. "Seems something interesting's happening."
When members were close, he could sense it.
Like now.
Team 7—minus Kakashi—was still together.
But on the other side…
Hyuga Neji.
They'd crossed paths?
Shen Mo blinked, grabbing Ikaros's hand. "Come on, let's introduce you to some clients."
He closed the doorless room, scooped up Hiju, and vanished.
This time, an empty alley.
Unexpectedly, three groups were here.
Neji, alone.
Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura.
And… Gaara's trio!
How'd this encounter happen?
Shen Mo and Ikaros, invisible, perched on a tree, Shen Mo holding a bag of chips, offering some to Ikaros.
"Master, what's this?" Ikaros took a chip, puzzled.
"Watching a show," Shen Mo said without thinking, then glanced at her, correcting himself. "Observing clients' after-sales status and scouting new client opportunities."
"Oh."
Ikaros nodded, unsure if she understood, then sat beside Shen Mo, mimicking him, popping a chip in her mouth.
Her eyes widened slightly.
This taste…
"Pretty good, right?" Shen Mo said, chuckling. "Lots of things to enjoy."
"Enjoy…" Ikaros seemed to grasp something, delicately picking up a chip and offering it to Shen Mo's mouth. "Master, want to enjoy?"
"Uh." Shen Mo paused, then realized.
Ikaros hadn't given up on being an entertainment angel.
He ate the chip. It felt nice.
Ikaros squinted, smiling—she'd made her master enjoy something.
Meanwhile…
The group below hadn't noticed Shen Mo.
Sasuke eyed the others, hand on his chest, focusing on Neji.
His badge was warming.
It signaled…
This boy, his age, was a can-opener!
And those eyes…
"Hyuga clan?" Sasuke said, voice low.
"Correct," Neji said, looking at Sasuke. "Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, I'm here for you."
Neji had sought them out.
He glanced at Haku.
His badge showed Haku was a can-opener too, but unfamiliar—not from the village.
Gaara's trio, meanwhile, showed no intent to leave, watching the group.
From their age and headbands, they seemed like Konoha genin.
"Looking for me?" Naruto said, hands behind his head, oddly thrilled. "What's up?"
For Naruto, strangers his age rarely approached him.
Sasuke eyed Neji, questioning.
"You know the Chūnin Exams are coming, right?" Neji glanced at Gaara's trio. "Those three are likely examinees from the Hidden Sand."
"Hmph." Sasuke glanced at them, smirking faintly. "I've got zero interest in a kids' exam."
They'd just heard about the Chūnin Exams from Kakashi.
But they didn't want to join.
With his strength, facing genin was pointless.
"Hey, hey!" Kankuro stepped forward, provoked by Sasuke's look. "Konoha genin are all this arrogant? Calling it a kids' exam? Ridiculous!"
"Heh." Sasuke chuckled twice.
But he said nothing, ignoring Gaara's trio.
Ordinary genin, not can-openers?
No interest.
Only this Hyuga can-opener deserved his attention.
"You're right," Neji said, nodding in agreement. "Exams like this are meaningless for us. But—if I'm not mistaken, your teammate's different."
Neji pointed at Sakura.
Sakura stepped back, head lowered.
She was indeed far behind Sasuke and Naruto.
"Konoha ninja work in teams of three. The Chūnin Exams require team registration. I have my own teammates," Neji said, narrowing his eyes. "So, I'll join. And… I hope you will too. That's why I'm here."
"Oh?" Sasuke seemed to understand.
"Otherwise, this competition's too dull," Neji said calmly. "Right now, only you qualify to face me."
In truth, Neji lacked worthy opponents.
His current strength…
Only his teacher, Gai, could spar with him.
But after learning of the Fate-Witnessing Stage, he knew his future foes would likely be can-openers.
"True," Naruto nodded enthusiastically, grinning smugly.
He sold chakra every night before bed, recovering by morning.
"Annoying!" Kankuro's face darkened, stepping closer. "Konoha genin are all this conceited? You're giving me goosebumps. I can't stand self-important brats like you!"