"You want to enter the Ninja Academy?"
Senju Hashirama's eyes widened in surprise, studying Shiranui Itsuki with a strange, unreadable expression.
"I want to become a proper shinobi!"
Itsuki's gaze was sharp, unflinching. Despite his small frame, his eyes blazed with determination and unwavering resolve.
Sensing the boy's sincerity, Hashirama's expression grew even stranger. Does this kid even know what he's getting himself into?
"You need to think carefully," Hashirama said, his tone softening as he recalled his rigid younger brother. "The academy's principal… is Tobirama. You just taught little Tsunade how to gamble; I doubt entering his school will go smoothly for you."
Hashirama made it perfectly clear: Tobirama wouldn't go easy on Itsuki.
Truthfully, the First Hokage had always been a lovable, enthusiastic, big-hearted man who saw the world with wide eyes.
"I know," Itsuki said firmly, "but I must enter the academy!"
For a common ninja without a clan, life outside the academy meant nothing but a lifetime of being cannon fodder. There was no other path forward.
Hashirama looked at him for a long moment before finally nodding. While most of the current students were from Konoha's great clans, anything Hashirama endorsed was essentially law. Itsuki's enrollment was decided.
"I'll arrange it for you. September 10th—just show up and register."
Itsuki wrinkled his nose slightly. Even escaping to the world of the Hokage didn't free him from the nightmare of September 10th.
With his goal achieved, Itsuki politely bowed and took his leave. The First Hokage wouldn't offer him a meal; their relationship wasn't close enough yet.
"Been out long today… Maitewei is probably worried by now," Itsuki muttered with a small smile, realizing for the first time in this life what it felt like to have someone care.
When he opened the worn door to Maitewei's home, the ninja was calm as ever, nodding slightly and lowering his head to sort herbs.
"Hmm…" Itsuki murmured, hesitating before blurting out, "Don't you want to know what I was doing?"
Maitewei didn't pause his work, his hands moving smoothly. "I've known from the start that you're different from ordinary kids. You probably had your own things to take care of."
Itsuki froze. He knew all along?
It made sense. Maitewei wasn't naive—he was perceptive. Over the past few days, he'd seen enough to understand, but he hadn't pried. To him, what Itsuki didn't want to share was none of his business.
"You really are something else…" Itsuki muttered, touched. Finally, he understood why so many people admired Maitewei's quiet, steady character.
"I'm going to train in taijutsu!"
Itsuki handed Maitewei the full 100,000 ryō he'd won from Tsunade.
Maitewei's eyes suddenly sharpened, locking onto Itsuki with an intensity he had never shown before. "Are you sure you want to train with me? This isn't easy—very few can handle it!"
Not just difficult—inhumanly grueling would be more accurate.
"I'm sure!"
Itsuki nodded resolutely. "No matter how tough it gets, I'll see it through!"
Their eyes met—one large, one small—two wills colliding fiercely in the charged air between them.
After a long moment… Maitewei finally seemed to make up his mind. He grabbed the money and ordered, "I'm going to buy the herbs. In the meantime, do 500 push-ups!"
Without another word, he leapt out with frog-like jumps, already moving into the rhythm of Maitewei-style taijutsu training.
Itsuki watched him go, a grin spreading across his face. The legendary, brutal Maitewei family training had officially begun.