Looking at Minato scratching his head, Akira's smile curled upward-just slightly-but it was enough for Mito to notice. She knew that expression too well. He was about to set another trap.
She didn't say anything. The one being tricked wasn't part of their own group, so Mito simply observed with amusement. The two younger ones nearby stayed silent, watching the scene unfold without quite understanding what Akira was doing.
Once Akira saw Minato's pride begin to crumble, he finally gave the boy some hope.
"Since you're this pitiful… and you've helped my Kushina, I guess it's not impossible for me to give you one chance."
Minato visibly perked up at that and couldn't hide the smile stretching across his face.
"Lord Akira, please speak!"
Akira thought to himself 'its so easy to fool kids' and didn't bother wasting any time.
"To become my disciple, qualifications matter. I'll give you one month. If you get first place in practical combat, written tests, and weapon throwing classes, I'll accept you."
"Ah? First place in class?"
"What do you think 'first in class' means?" Akira frowned. "Number one in the entire grade."
"Ha?"
Minato was stunned. Excelling overall-maybe. Weapon throwing and physical combat? Those were Uchiha-dominated fields. Even Hyuga only occasionally broke that trend.
He glanced toward Mikoto beside him and grew visibly uneasy. With her competing too, even edging out her scores would be difficult.
"I said I'd test your aptitude," Akira added. "For this month, I'll help with anything you're lacking. You'll have full access to training resources. As for your opponents, Uchiha throwing techniques? Physical combat? Senju techniques aren't any worse. As long as you're not afraid, surpassing them won't be hard."
Minato's face lit up again-this time with hope. Direct guidance from Akira was unthinkable before now.
"Lord Akira-"
Mikoto interrupted without warning. Her arms were crossed tight against her chest, eyes narrowed slightly with frustration.
"I'm right here. Even though I respect you, Lord Akira… it hurts when you speak ill of the Uchiha clan."
Akira raised both hands in surrender the moment she frowned.
"I'm sorry, Mikoto, I was just trying to get under Minato's skin. He wouldn't believe me otherwise."
"Oh? Really now?"
She lowered her guard just enough to cover her mouth in amusement.
"Won't Minato get mad if you say that?"
"No, he's dumb and doesn't understand any-"
"Lord Akira!"
Minato's exasperated groan came from the side. "I'm right here!"
"Aha-my mistake," Akira said lazily. "Thanks for speaking up. By the way-go pack some spare clothes. If you don't have enough, just tell me. I'll take care of it."
Despite the teasing tone, Minato could tell this was Akira playing around with him-not serious disrespect-it felt almost friendly in its own way.
"Spare clothes?"
"Isn't it normal for training to rip one or two pieces per day?"
"One outfit per day? From training?"
Minato gulped at the number. In his situation, even tearing one shirt every three months was already costly. Hearing Akira's expectation made his thoughts spiral fast into budget calculations.
"One full set every three months… four sets per year… now one per day-that's thirty outfits in a month-that's over seven years of savings..."
His jaw dropped open and stayed there. Seven years' worth of clothes for thirty days of training… and that didn't even cover nutrition or recovery time between sessions. With training that intense, he wouldn't even have time to catch fish anymore-no meals and no balance would break him down fast.
Even if it was the opportunity of a lifetime… Minato looked ready to back out.
"Master Akira, I'm sorry-I…"
Before he could finish rejecting the offer, Akira cut in again without missing a step.
"Oh-training will go late every night too-so after school just come back here with Kushina. Don't worry about meals or where to stay, it's just an extra pair of chopsticks."
"Ha?"
Minato froze in place again-his face flushed completely red as he struggled to process what he'd just heard. It felt unreal.
"But I…"
Another excuse started forming in his mouth, but Akira didn't wait for it.
"The family's income's been low lately, so meals might be 'simple'... how does eight dishes per meal sound?"
"What?"
Akira kept speaking casually. "Conditions are tough now-but hey-you're young. If you don't suffer now, how will you make anything great happen later? Don't you agree?"
Minato stopped listening after the word "eight." It echoed in his head until nothing else could register.
"Eight dishes? Simple meals? Hard conditions?"
He blanked out completely-head fuzzy from shock and disbelief-until he noticed Akira staring again with that same fucking grin on his face.
"What? Any other questions?"
"I…"
"That's fine," Akira waved it off. "After school tomorrow, bring your clothes and toothbrush. No worries if you forget it, you'll be using Kushina's things instead."
"Uncle!" Kushina cut straight in with outrage painted across her face.
Akira handed her annoyance right back with indifference. "Fine, you don't have to share but the cost comes out of your pocket money."
Kushina immediately caved.
"I-I don't mind! He… he's free to use whatever! I have extra anyway!"
"Is this what rich people are like…?"
Minato stared wide-eyed for several seconds before suddenly shaking his head and stammering-
"A-Akira-sama! Don't trouble yourself! I'll patch up anything torn!"
"That works too," Akira said flatly. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
Without waiting for any reply, he snapped forward with instant movement and dumped Minato outside using Shunshin.
Boom!
When the massive gates of Thousand Stars closed behind him with finality, Minato stood frozen on the path-his mind was spinning so fast nothing made sense anymore.
"…Wait… wasn't I just here to convince Kushina about school stuff…?"
"…How did this turn into becoming someone's disciple?"
╭(#°Д°)╮
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