"Clone Jutsu!"
In a narrow alley.
Ebara formed hand signs, and a figure identical to him appeared at his side.
He controlled the clone to keep running while he leapt onto a nearby rooftop.
Watching Tsunade chase after his clone, Ebara let out a long sigh of relief on the roof.
"Phew..."
"Finally dodged that bullet."
No point going back to school.
Who knows if Tsunade would return to hunt him down after realizing it was a clone?
Going back now would be like walking into a trap.
Besides, the classroom was destroyed.
What class was there to teach?
He'd skip the rest of the day's lessons and head home to lay low.
Even Tsunade, as wild as she was, wouldn't barge into his house.
With his arms behind his head, Ebara hummed a tune as he strolled home.
"The world expects men to be fearless and bold, always facing life with calm composure..."
"Aunt Flo's back!" (I'm home!)
Pushing open the gate to the small courtyard, he saw his father, Ebara Sekawa, lounging on the porch.
Glancing at the sun overhead, his father said in surprise, "Why are you back so early today?"
"I skipped class."
Ebara sat down beside his father.
"Oh, I'll talk to your teacher tomorrow and say you were sick."
His father replied nonchalantly.
"Dad, I am the teacher."
Ebara said helplessly.
"Then no problem."
His father said breezily, returning to admiring the scenery.
Ebara's father was just an ordinary genin.
When he had no missions, he loved lounging on the porch.
Ebara didn't say anything more and sat beside him.
The two zoned out together.
"Son, I heard rumors in the village that Princess Tsunade likes you."
"She just clarified it."
"Oh, what a shame."
"She clarified that it's not a rumor!"
"Huh???"
"Yeah..."
"So, our family's about to rise to the top?"
"I rejected her!"
"What!!!"
"Yeah..."
"Why?"
"I'm sick."
The conversation ended, and father and son sat in silence.
After a long pause, his father cautiously said, "Son, maybe you should go to the hospital."
"Men... can't afford to have problems down there..."
"Especially when you're so young."
Seeing his father's heartbroken expression, Ebara quickly explained, "Dad, it's not that kind of problem..."
"Son, it's okay if you really have an issue. Dad understands."
"On missions, people often get injured there. It's normal."
His father secretly wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Dad, I'm telling you, it's not that kind of problem."
"Your son's got the goods—name's Big Base, courtesy name Huge Root."
Ebara rolled his eyes.
If I whipped it out, it might be bigger than yours.
"Really not?"
"Really not!"
"Then why did you reject Princess Tsunade?"
"Because my brain's got a problem."
"Oh, so it's just a brain problem. I thought it was something serious."
"..."
"Princess Tsunade must be furious, huh?"
"She demolished the classroom I was teaching."
"Tch, tch. As expected of the First Hokage's granddaughter."
"She almost demolished me too. If I died, what would you and Mom do?"
"I'd... attend the funeral feast, sit at the widows' table... You don't know, the widows in our village are hot..."
"..."
"Dad, am I really your son?"
"I wonder too. Maybe you're from next door's Edo River family."
"..."
Ebara's mother finally noticed him.
"Son, don't you have class this morning?"
His mother asked, surprised.
"There was a little incident, so I came back early."
Ebara said casually.
His father, nearby, looked like he wanted to say something but held back.
"Then rest well. Teaching those little monkeys must be exhausting."
"It's alright."
On the first day Ebara became the homeroom teacher for Minato's class, he appointed Minato as class leader.
He called it cultivating Minato's leadership skills, but really, he just wanted to be a hands-off teacher.
Facts proved Minato was worthy of being the protagonist... or rather, the protagonist's father.
Though only five, his abilities were impressive.
He managed the class perfectly.
This was why Ebara could slack off enough to sleep in class.
After philosophizing with his father on the porch for an hour, it was soon lunchtime.
Lunch was lavish—Ebara's mother had been a kunoichi before marriage.
After becoming a full-time housewife, her cooking skills were impeccable.
"Son, grab a bone from that dish for me."
His father, Ebara Sekawa, called out.
Just as Ebara was about to move, three options appeared in his mind.
[Option 1: Tell your father to dream on. Reward: 3 free attribute points.]
[Option 2: Be a good son and give your father a big bone. Reward: 3 free attribute points.]
[Option 3: "Fairly" distribute. Reward: 5 free attribute points.]
Pick the first, and his father would probably slap him on the spot.
The second was fine but gave fewer attribute points.
The most rewarding was the third.
The only question was: what's "fair"?
Ebara's brain whirred, and he came up with an idea.
He stood up, grinning, and said, "I'll divide the bones."
"One for Mom, one for me."
"One for Dad, one for me."
"Another for Mom, one for me."
"Another for Dad, one for me..."
"And finally, one for me."
Ebara's bowl was piled high with bones.
His parents' bowls had barely any.
[Choice successful! Reward obtained: 5 free attribute points!]
"That's how you divide things?"
His father raised his voice a few decibels.
"It's a very scientific and fair method."
Ebara said confidently.
"You..."
His father was livid.
As a middle-aged carnivore, how could a few bones be enough?
He was about to give his cheeky son a lesson in "fatherly love."
But Ebara's mother spoke up.
"I think it's quite fair."
"Look at your belly—it's practically a ten-month pregnancy."
"You're still eating meat?"
"Our son's growing. What's wrong with him eating more?"
"As for you, have some more rehmannia."
His mother scooped half the rehmannia into his father's bowl.
Ebara immediately chimed in with a grin, "Dad, if it's really not working, go to the hospital."
Rehmannia, a favorite kidney-tonic herb among islanders, was like yam or leeks in China.
"Shut your mouth!"
His father snapped at Ebara.
"He's getting mad, he's getting mad..."
Father: "..."
The filial lunch ended, and Ebara returned to his room.
Though he'd secured the reward, he still didn't know what free attribute points were for.