After lingering on the rooftop for a while, Shirō finally left.
There were quite a few people he needed to meet, but not all of them were familiar with one another, so the gatherings had to be arranged separately.
For now, Shirō was heading to meet Chong Jie and Qing Yu.
Although the two of them had rarely contacted him since becoming Chūnin, they were still important companions—people who had once fought alongside him.
That was why, after receiving the Third Hokage's approval, Shirō chose to meet them first.
It was worth mentioning that Chong Jie and Qing Yu were no longer part of Yamada's squad. They had already transferred into civilian positions.
After all, they had seen no hope on the path of being ninja.
Naturally, they didn't intend to waste any more time clinging to it.
By transitioning into civilian roles now, after a few more years they could at least become reliable pillars within their respective fields. That wasn't a bad outcome.
While they would never reach the upper echelons of society, striving for a stable lower-middle class life was realistic—and more importantly, secure.
Honestly, if Shirō didn't have the system, his own plans would probably have mirrored Chong Jie's.
He wasn't someone with unyielding persistence by nature.
If not for the low-tier system that allowed him to grow stronger through effort—visible growth, at that—he likely wouldn't have been able to persevere either.
Because of that, Shirō wasn't surprised by Chong Jie's choice.
In fact, he supported it.
The ninja world was never just about hard work.
Take Rock Lee, for example. He trained harder than almost anyone, yet he lacked talent in ninjutsu and genjutsu. Even so, his talent in taijutsu was undeniable—otherwise, he would never have survived Gai's brutal training.
As for people like Shirō, who possessed limited chakra and mediocre ninjutsu talent, there was simply no future without some extraordinary opportunity.
Lost in thought, Shirō arrived at the barbecue restaurant.
Yes—again.
Because, frankly speaking, he really couldn't think of anywhere else.
By the time he arrived, Chong Jie and Qing Yu had already started grilling the meat.
The moment Shirō pushed open the door to the private room, a rich aroma assaulted his senses.
"Tsk, tsk. It really is better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early," Shirō said casually as he sat down, immediately picking up his chopsticks.
"You really have the nerve to say that?" Qing Yu shot back.
"You said you were gathering us, yet you still made us wait. How shameless."
"Tsk. If it were Chong Jie who was late, Qing Yu, you wouldn't be talking like this, would you?"
"Hmph! Do you think Chong Jie is like you?" Qing Yu said proudly.
"He wouldn't be late—and even if he were, it'd be because he went to buy me a gift. Right, Chong Jie?"
"…"
Chong Jie, who had been happily chewing on grilled meat, froze mid-bite.
He clearly hadn't expected the battlefield to suddenly expand.
They were supposed to be on the same side!
But this was a crucial moment—one that demanded loyalty.
Having learned from countless painful experiences, Chong Jie quickly seized the chance.
"Of course," he said confidently.
"What kind of person do you think I am? How could I ever be late?"
"You're not just worried about money and didn't want to buy a gift, right?" Shirō added with a grin.
Chong Jie's eyes twitched.
Looking at Shirō's smiling face, he felt a deep sense of regret. Still, gritting his teeth, he replied, "No problem! I'll buy you anything you want, Qing Yu!"
The reason his heart ached was simple—Qing Yu had recently found a dress she really liked.
She had been saving for it, and the price was just painful enough to sting, but not enough to ruin him completely.
The moment Shirō spoke, memories of Yamada's past "encouragements" flashed through Chong Jie's mind.
A bad premonition surfaced.
And sure enough—
"Then, Chong Jie," Qing Yu said sweetly,
"I saw a dress I really like recently, but I'm still a little short. Could you help me make up the difference?"
As expected… Shirō, you bastard! My pocket money!
Though his heart screamed in despair, his mouth didn't hesitate in the slightest.
"Of course," Chong Jie said firmly.
"Use your money to buy something good to eat. I'll handle the dress."
"Chong Jie, you're the best!" Qing Yu beamed.
She immediately picked up a large piece of grilled meat and fed it to him.
It was a blatant display of affection.
Shirō silently ate the dog food—and found it surprisingly satisfying.
In truth, Chong Jie wasn't completely devastated. He had already checked the price beforehand.
It would hurt, yes, but it wouldn't bankrupt him.
Still, after buying it, he'd be left with savings only—no pocket money.
So he chose to remain blissfully ignorant.
After all, it was too late to say anything now.
The conversation gradually shifted to mundane topics—interesting little stories from the past.
For a moment, it felt as if they had returned to their earlier days.
But no matter how enjoyable the gathering was, farewells were inevitable.
And Shirō could sense it clearly.
Their paths would intersect less and less from now on.
From today's meeting alone, he could already feel the difference between Chong Jie and himself.
Chong Jie and Qing Yu now focused on living well—on building a stable present and future.
Shirō, on the other hand, barely thought about such things anymore.
His mind was filled entirely with cultivation.
That was the difference.
And with time, it would only grow larger.
They wouldn't become strangers.
But gatherings like this would become increasingly rare.
Watching the two of them walk away, Shirō let out a quiet sigh before turning to leave.
---
The Next Day
Shirō woke up early and began making his final preparations.
After gathering with Nakamura and the others at noon, he would depart.
Since Nakamura, Kushina, Miyue, and their respective groups were all familiar with one another, they could gather together without the atmosphere becoming awkward—saving both time and effort.
As usual, the location was a barbecue restaurant.
This time, however, Shirō arrived early.
He wasn't about to hear any complaints again.
"One private room, please," Shirō said casually to the waiter.
Since it was still noon, the restaurant was mostly empty, so there was no need to reserve in advance.
After confirming the location of the private room, Shirō returned to the lobby and waited.
Minato was the first to arrive—along with two companions.
They appeared instantly, using Flying Thunder God.
It was efficient.
And undeniably cool.
"Are you really set on this?" Minato asked.
"Won't you reconsider?"
"I've already thought it through, Minato-ge," Shirō replied calmly.
"Don't worry. My ability to survive is extremely strong."
Minato sighed, then took out a three-pronged kunai.
"If that's the case, then take this.
I originally planned to give it to you only after it was fully perfected."
Shirō accepted the kunai and examined it, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"A Flying Thunder God kunai?"
"Didn't you already give me one, Minato-ge?"
"This one is different," Minato explained.
"The marking is more stable, and the effective range is much farther."
"If something unexpected happens, inject chakra into it.
The formula embedded inside will alert me immediately."
Shirō raised an eyebrow. "Then what about the perfected version?"
"Injecting chakra will allow you to instantly transfer to a preset location."
"…Without knowing Flying Thunder God?" Shirō asked incredulously.
"That's right."
"…"
My parents are terrifying.
Seeing Shirō's stunned expression, Minato chuckled.
"Don't be shocked just yet. It's still only a concept—far from being realized."
That was the difference between a genius and everyone else.
Shirō had countless wild ideas of his own, but he wasn't sure he could ever bring them to life.
For Minato, however, it wasn't a matter of if.
Only when.
Visit patreon.com/MexxyWave to get access to 30+ chapters