Naka Shrine.
Stone steps, neatly aligned, climb in tiers toward a crimson torii that stands at the summit.
Beyond the torii lies a broad courtyard connected to the worship hall, two stone lanterns keep silent vigil on either side of the main gate.
This is one of only two structures left standing in the Uchiha district, the place where Mamoru spends most of his time.
In the open yard, two blurs flash together. One attacks with fierce, whistling palm-strikes, while the other answers calmly, slipping aside or lifting a hand to parry.
"Faster, no hesitation." 'Neji' said, batting aside two sharp blows.
"Attack before you think, let instinct move the body. Then every strike is natural."
"Hah!"
Hinata let out a shout, fine sweat forming on her face. Her strikes grew sharper, her body light and quick, palms whipping the air.
Yet every blow was dissolved effortlessly. 'Neji' seemed to foresee each line of attack, parrying or evading with perfect timing.
"To master the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, speed is as vital as the ability to strike the chakra points."
"Yes!"
Where Hinata was tense and focused, 'Neji' stayed relaxed. A slight shift of his torso or a gentle tap of his hand turned fierce attacks into nothing.
In a flash, 'Neji' stepped forward, his right arm sliding through Hinata's guard at an impossible angle. In an instant, his palm hovered before her face.
Hinata had no time to react—the strike was simply too fast.
The hand stopped five centimetres from her cheek. The wind stirred her hair, strands sticking to her damp forehead.
"Eyes matter too." 'Neji' said, tapping her brow with two fingers.
"Every technique has a flaw. You did well today."
Flushed and breathing quickly, Hinata covered the spot with both hands, a shy glint in her eyes.
She lowered her head, voice barely audible. "It… it's all thanks to Mamoru-kun, practising with me so often."
Mamoru had felt something close to sparring with the real Neji, proof of how far she's come. Keep this up and even that prodigy won't stay out of reach.
Clack... Clack...
Footsteps rang from the foot of the steps and a moment later, a head poked beneath the torii.
"Mamoru, Hinata."
Shino adjusted his reflective shades. "Kurenai-sensei wants us at the mission desk."
"Got it." Mamoru answered.
Hinata nodded, quietly smoothing her dishevelled collar.
With a soft pop and a puff of white smoke, 'Neji' reverted to Mamoru's true form.
He walked over to Shino. "How did you find us, anyway?"
Shino said nothing, only lifting a finger.
A single kikaichū drifted down from the torii, landed on his fingertip, then slipped beneath his skin.
Mamoru shivered and stepped back instinctively. "Your bugs are seriously scary."
Still, Shino's reminder hit home—his Six Eyes don't register plants or insects. To spare his brain, most irrelevant data is filtered out automatically. Only when he chooses to focus does he catch the subtle signs of sensor-types.
—
At the mission-desk gate, the three of them arrived to find Kurenai already waiting. She stood with folded arms, straightening slightly as they approached.
"Everyone here?" She asked.
"Yes." Hinata and Shino snapped to attention.
Mamoru yawned, strolling past her toward the entrance looking half-asleep.
Used to his languor, Kurenai simply sighed. "Let's go in."
"Right." Hinata and Shino followed.
Walking down the corridor, sunlight spilled through the windows across the floor.
Mamoru moved steadily, passing through the beams. Ahead, a figure leaning against the wall caught his eye.
An old man with a white rope round his forehead, face flushed, glasses slipping down his nose, a sake bottle in hand. He took a swig every few seconds. His steps were unsteady and he was practically propped against the wall.
As Mamoru passed, the reek of alcohol made him wrinkle his nose and hold his breath. "Drinking like that in daylight... crazy old man."
Still, the face was familiar: the bridge-builder from the Land of Waves, no mistaking it.
"You fools! Every ninja starts with the simplest missions to gain experience!" Iruka's roar burst from a nearby room, echoing down the hall.
"But those jobs are so boring!" Naruto's yell answered him, followed by a dull thud.
Mamoru pushed the door open just in time to see Kakashi drive a fist into Naruto's back, leaving him grimacing on the floor.
"Enough out of you, idiot." Kakashi muttered, his visible eye twitching with exasperation.
Mamoru slipped inside, arms folded, leaning against the wall beside the door, content to watch the assignments unfold. His entrance, however, has already drawn every eye.
"Mamoru, you're here?" Hiruzen asked, voice gravelly, smoke curling from the pipe in his hand.
Mamoru nodded, gave Team 7 a wink and the ghost of a smirk.
Hiruzen drew on his pipe, exhaling a slow wreath of smoke. "Naruto, let me explain what missions truly mean."
Before he could finish, Naruto clutched his head and rolled on the floor in pain.
'"Listen up!" Hiruzen shouted, rapping his pipe.
Naruto froze, then quieted, pouting like a scolded child.
Hiruzen continued calmly, "The village receives many requests every day, ranging from babysitting to assassination. These missions are classified into various ranks based on difficulty. Konoha ninjas accept appropriate assignments according to their abilities..."
Mamoru listened, bored—every Genin had heard this speech more than once. His gaze drifted around the room and finally settled on a cloud outside the window.
At that moment, Kurenai entered with Hinata and Shino.
Kurenai noticed Mamoru leaning against the wall at once. She rolled her eyes at him, ignored him, and walked straight to the center of the room.
Hinata and Shino moved to stand beside Mamoru—one with hands behind her back, the other with hands in his pockets.
"I had pork-bone ramen at noon yesterday. Today I'll go with miso..."
Watching Naruto sit on the floor and throw a tantrum, Mamoru instinctively turned to Hinata beside him, only to find her gaze secretly fixed on his face. Those pale eyes seemed to hold an indescribable emotion.
Their eyes met in midair and Hinata's face flushed scarlet. She hastily lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers, even the tips of her ears turning pink.
Mamoru scratched his cheek and looked at Naruto, still pouting on the floor.
Hiruzen sighed softly at Naruto's antics, twirling the pipe between his fingers, and finally decided to ignore the sulking boy and let him sit there.
Kakashi stood in place, unconsciously ruffling his perpetually spiky white hair with his right hand, looking a little awkward.
Sasuke crossed his arms, brows knitted, his eyes full of undisguised disgust. Sakura stood beside him, likewise glaring at Naruto.
"Kurenai, you're here as well." Hiruzen's gaze lingered on Kurenai for a moment, then slowly shifted to Mamoru's trio against the wall.
His steady voice continued, "It seems Team 8 is all present. Then let's assign their mission first."
At Hiruzen's words, Hinata and Shino quickly stepped to Kurenai's side.
Only Mamoru remained unhurried, hands in his pockets, strolling forward at a leisurely pace.
As he passed Sasuke, he suddenly threw an arm around his shoulder, ignoring the boy's struggles.
"Let go."
Sasuke frowned and twisted, but Mamoru's arm was like an iron clamp, his tone growing even more annoyed.
"Don't be shy." Mamoru grinned, eyes curving, and even winked playfully.
Beside them, Sakura's eyes sparkled. She cupped her cheeks, pink bubbles practically floating around her.
"Blondie, throwing your weight around in the office?" Mamoru said, nudging the still-seated Naruto with the tip of his shoe.
"Mamoru, what are you doing?" Naruto tilted his head, squinting up. "And who's the blondie?"
"Who else here has yellow hair?" Mamoru flicked his own black bangs, secretly amused.
With that head of hair, if he doesn't train in the Eight Inner Gates, it's a waste—he'd be a dead-ringer for a Super Saiyan.
"..."
Naruto folded his arms, scanned the room defiantly, then slumped. He was indeed the only one with dazzling yellow hair.