The world was still asleep, shrouded in a soft, pre-dawn mist, as Ryu made his way through the silent streets. He arrived at the Sarutobi estate to find a scene of profound peace. Hiruzen was on his veranda, a cup of tea in hand, but he was not alone. Lounging beside him, looking as ancient and immovable as the stones of the garden, was a large, powerfully built primate with wise, knowing eyes and white fur. The Monkey King, Enma.
"You have a student who keeps better time than you ever did, Hiruzen," Enma rumbled, his voice a deep, gravelly sound, though he didn't move a muscle.
Hiruzen chuckled. "He is a special case." He gestured for Ryu to approach. "Welcome, Ryu-kun."
Ryu bowed low, his gaze respectful. "Sensei. Enma-sama."
Enma's ancient eyes appraised him. "Hmph. He has the same fire you did at his age. All sharp edges and a will that could cut stone." The Monkey King's lips curled into what might have been a smirk. "You were far more annoying, though."
Hiruzen laughed, a genuinely embarrassed sound that made him seem younger. "Thank you for the glowing endorsement, old friend." He turned to Ryu, his expression becoming serious yet filled with excitement. "Now, for the reason I summoned you. Your graduation present."
Ryu's heart leaped, his posture straightening with anticipation.
"As my student, it is only fitting you have access to the same allies as I do," Hiruzen said, unfurling a massive, ancient scroll. The parchment was worn and heavy with history, covered in a complex array of names written in blood. "This is the summoning contract of the Monkey clan. Your gift is the chance to form a pact."
Ryu stared, speechless. "Really?"
"Really," Hiruzen smiled. "But remember, the contract is only a door. Who answers on the other side will depend entirely on you—on the nature and strength of your chakra, and the conviction in your heart. You may summon a great warrior, or you may summon a flea-bitten scamp. The choice is not yours to make."
Ryu nodded, his expression firm. He bit his thumb, smearing a line of blood beside his name on the scroll, and then, with Hiruzen's guidance, went through the sequence of hand signs: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram. He slammed his palm onto the scroll. "Kuchiyose\ no\ Jutsu!"
A huge plume of smoke erupted in the garden. As it cleared, it revealed not a fearsome warrior, but a monkey exactly Ryu's height, with a tuft of unruly brown hair and wide, incredibly curious eyes. The monkey blinked, looked at Ryu, then spotted the Monkey King. His face lit up.
"Grandfather!" the monkey chattered, his voice high and fast. "What are you doing here? Is this the human world? It smells like tea and old people! Did you see that bird? It was huge! Do they have ripe mangoes here?"
A comical sweatdrop appeared on Ryu's, Hiruzen's, and even Enma's foreheads.
Hiruzen sighed. "Ryu, this is Enra. He is… the prince of the Sage-Monkey Woodlands."
"As you can see," Enma grumbled, "he is an airhead."
Ryu, however, just smiled. He walked up to the chattering prince, who was now trying to catch a butterfly. Ryu reached into his pouch and pulled out one of the cookies Mebuki had packed for him. He held it out. Enra stopped, his nose twitching. He looked at the cookie, then at Ryu.
Ryu knelt down to his level. "My name is Ryu Haruno," he said softly. "I'm the one who summoned you. Would you like to be my partner?"
Enra looked at him for a long, silent minute, his head tilted. He snatched the cookie, took a big bite, and his eyes went wide with delight. He swallowed. "Okay!" he chirped. "But you have to give me cookies every time! It's a deal!"
"It's a deal," Ryu agreed, laughing as he gently petted Enra's head.
He received the scroll from Hiruzen, his heart soaring. He now had a partner. A goofy, cookie-loving, princely partner. He bid farewell to his master and the Monkey King and made his way home.
The Haruno kitchen was filled with the warm, comforting scent of miso soup and frying eggs. Mebuki was at the stove, but Ryu gently took the spatula from her hand.
"Mom, sit down. Please," he insisted. "You should be resting."
"Oh, don't be silly, my baby, I'm perfectly fine," she started to protest, but he guided her to a chair.
"I can do it," he said, expertly flipping an omelet. "Besides, I have news. I went to see Sarutobi-sensei this morning. I, uh… have a summon now."
Mebuki's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes going wide. She looked at her son, at the confident set of his shoulders, the easy way he moved around her kitchen, and her eyes began to well up with tears. "Look at you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "My baby boy. Already a Genin, with a summoning contract from the Hokage himself…"
Seeing her tears, Ryu immediately abandoned the stove and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, kissing her on the cheek. "It's okay, Mom. I'm still me."
"I know," she sniffled, hugging him back. "You're just growing up so fast."
"And look at how handsome he's growing up!" a booming voice declared. Kizashi strode in, dressed in his finest jonin-style flak jacket, though he hadn't been an active shinobi in years. He struck a dramatic pose. "Ready to see my genius son become an official Genin of the Leaf!"
Mebuki wiped her eyes and gave her husband a wry look. "Are you meeting the Daimyo or going to your son's graduation ceremony, dear? You look ridiculous."
"A father must look his best!" Kizashi proclaimed, puffing out his chest. Their loving banter filled the room as they sat down to a happy, chaotic breakfast.
The Academy grounds were buzzing with proud families. Ryu found himself in a pleasant conversation with Mikoto and Tsume while his own parents chatted with Izumi's. The ceremony began when Minato Namikaze appeared on the podium, his presence instantly commanding a respectful silence. His speech was not long, but it was full of hope, speaking of the village's future and the vital role this new generation would play in protecting their home.
Then, he began to call them up, one by one.
When his name was called, Ryu walked onto the stage. Minato smiled, the warm, genuine smile of a leader who cared deeply for his people. He took a brand-new forehead protector, the metal glinting in the sun, and tied it securely around Ryu's head. The cool metal was a solid, comforting weight, a symbol of his new life.
"Congratulations, Ryu-kun," Minato said. As Ryu turned to leave, he caught sight of his parents in the crowd. They were both crying, tears of pure, unadulterated happiness streaming down their faces as they watched their son take his place as a shinobi of the Leaf.
Later, Minato found him. "How is your training with Lord Third progressing?" he asked, his voice friendly.
"It's incredible, Lord Hokage. He pushes me harder than I thought possible."
"I can imagine," Minato chuckled. "He was my master, too."
"If you don't mind me asking, sir," Ryu said politely. "How is Lady Kushina doing?"
Minato's entire demeanor softened, a fatherly warmth radiating from him. He reached out and ruffled Ryu's hair. "She is doing wonderfully, thank you for asking. Complaining about her back, mostly." He looked at Ryu, his blue eyes full of a sincere hope. "I have great expectations for you, Ryu. I know one day you will be a very strong ninja, a true pillar of this village."
The day ended, as all great days did, at Ichiraku Ramen. The four newly-minted Genin sat at the counter, their new headbands glinting under the lights.
"I can't believe we're finally Genin!" Hana cheered, slurping her noodles with gusto. "So, what now? When do we get to go on awesome, S-rank missions and fight giant monsters?"
"I believe we start with D-rank missions," Itachi said calmly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Like catching cats and pulling weeds."
Hana's face fell, and the others laughed.
"So, what are we going to do?" Izumi asked, looking around at her friends.
Itachi's expression was resolute. "Get stronger. Serve the village."
Hana grinned. "Train like crazy so I can become the best Inuzuka clan head ever!"
Ryu looked at his friends, at the steam rising from his ramen, at the peaceful village outside. His answer was simple, echoing the promise he'd made to himself and his master.
"I'm going to get strong enough to protect my precious people," he said, a quiet determination in his voice. And for the first time, looking at the faces of the three people beside him, he knew that family was so much bigger than he had ever imagined.