He had already mastered the jutsus of two Hokage. Was there really any need to start from scratch?
"You really don't need to teach me!" Shigeo said awkwardly.
By his calculations, there were still three years before the Third Great Ninja War would end. Before then, he didn't want to hold anyone back.
Hearing this, the two fell silent, as if a blazing fire had suddenly been doused with cold water. In this small town, finding a child who could even mold chakra was already rare. The two of them had been living here for seven or eight years, their lives as plain as water, dull and uneventful.
Finally, they had found a promising student—yet he didn't even want their guidance.
Though they wanted to argue, no words came. Shigeo also remained quiet. Yet the fire that seemed extinguished reignited only moments later.
"Aha! I get it—you must not even have chakra, that's why you're rejecting our training. You should know, we're pretty famous around here. We're none other than…"
Suddenly, the two leapt up—one fat, one skinny. The fat one crouched low while the skinny one jumped on his shoulders, spreading his arms like a crane.
"The Iron Pot Duo! Heroes of the Ninja World! Feared across the land! Crushing all weaklings before us!"
As they performed their routine, the three of them walked into the town. The sight of their exaggerated pose made a few children jump and cheer:
"Iron Pot Duo! Iron Pot Duo!"
Shigeo had originally thought about showing off a bit of ninjutsu, just so they'd stop insisting on teaching him. But when he saw the children's reaction to the duo's silly antics, he realized—if he showed off now, he'd look just as ridiculous as them.
He sighed, shaking his head, and dropped the idea.
After having breakfast together in town, Shigeo's eyes gradually turned completely black with the rising sun. That was when Daisuke and Naoki finally realized—during the day, he was completely blind.
"Ah?! I'm so sorry! I misunderstood you. I'm really, really sorry!" Naoki lowered his head, his face full of sincerity.
Daisuke waved his hands, also apologetic. Once he confirmed the boy really couldn't see, he finally understood why Shigeo had been sent here. This… was a disability. How could someone like this possibly train as a ninja? Even with chakra, it would be impossible!
Back at the residence, the courtyard was filled with training equipment—horse benches, sandbags, wooden stakes, everything. Naoki quietly moved objects out of Shigeo's path while exchanging an awkward glance with Daisuke.
Using his Mirror System, Shigeo clearly saw their gestures and chuckled.
"There's no need to treat me differently just because I'm blind. I'm actually doing just fine."
Just then, several children came running into the courtyard.
"Good morning, Teacher Naoki! Good morning, Teacher Daisuke!"
"Good morning, students!"
"Teacher, is that our new classmate? He's so cute!" one of them asked.
Naoki turned and glanced at Shigeo. "Shigeo, we're instructors of ninjutsu. Would you like to study with us?"
He remembered how Shigeo had already said he wasn't interested. But if he wanted to try, they could still teach him. They couldn't discriminate just because he was blind—but ultimately, the choice was his.
Shigeo pointed at his eyes, shook his head, and said, "It wouldn't be convenient for me."
With that, he turned and felt his way back into the house. Daisuke had prepared a private room for him, giving him space to study the medical notes Tsunade had left behind.
Outside, the students whispered:
"He's blind? He really can't see?"
"Looks like it… poor guy."
Shigeo paid them no mind, but Daisuke felt guilty. He worried the others would exclude Shigeo, so he clapped his hands.
"Alright, everyone, let's begin class. Oh—and how about we welcome our new classmate properly? Even if he doesn't want to train, it's fine. Let's include him anyway, okay?"
He just didn't want the boy to feel hurt.
Inside, Shigeo sighed. Meanwhile, Daisuke entered cautiously and asked:
"Why don't you come meet everyone? You'll be studying together from now on. If you always hide in here, it won't do you any good."
Daisuke had clearly mistaken him for a child ashamed of his disability. If Shigeo refused again, he really would look like a pitiful outcast.
"Alright, I'll meet them," he agreed.
The rest of the day passed pleasantly. The children were friendly—even the two tall boys who usually bullied others treated him politely. Shigeo could still sense the sympathy in their eyes, but at least there was no malice.
When training in taijutsu began, Shigeo sat in the shade, quietly feeling their movements. But two kids tugged at him, pulling him toward the wooden stakes.
"Come on, join us!"
He thought to refuse, but realized it had been a while since he trained his body. He really should practice, so he agreed.
At the training post, he clenched his fists, preparing to strike. A tall boy rushed over.
"Little brother, you're holding your fists wrong! You need to grip tightly, with strength—like this!"
He shouted a few times and began punching the stake fiercely.
Shigeo glanced down at his own small, soft fists. They didn't look strong at all, which probably gave the impression he was weak. But in truth, his strikes were heavy—hadn't the boy noticed?
Sigh… kids really do underestimate the small and blind.
"Dali, just focus on your own training. He's still little, don't push him!" a pretty girl spoke up, then turned to Shigeo with a warm smile. "Shigeo, take your time. Don't rush."
"Mm." He nodded.
After two periods of taijutsu practice, it was time for academic lessons—writing, math, and even agriculture. Daisuke explained about crops, since this village relied on farming. Training ninjutsu was to protect their home. Learning cultivation meant that, even if they failed as ninja, they could still inherit the work of their ancestors.
And so, the day quietly passed.
That evening, Shigeo sat in his room, flipping through Tsunade's notes. They were filled with detailed records of medical ninjutsu and unusual case studies. He found them deeply fascinating.
(End of Chapter)
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