After breakfast, Higashino Megumi went to work as usual.
Higashino Makoto was only just over 4 years old, after all. With an adult at home, he wasn't needed for household chores, so the job of washing dishes naturally fell to Higashino Jiro.
Fortunately, although the system in the Ninja World is relatively backward, the ideology of the ninja group is relatively advanced, with relative equality between men and women.
The Higashino family was just commoners, not a large ninja clan. Higashino Jiro was not the type of patriarchal head of the household at home; he was also an expert at household chores.
"Makoto, are you still studying at home today?"
"Yes, Father. Is there anything you need my help with?"
"Mn... not really. Since yesterday was your birthday, I came straight home and haven't reported to the village yet.
"Besides that, the rest are private matters, but I might not be back for lunch."
Theoretically, ninjas must report first when returning to the village from a mission. However, for someone like Higashino Jiro who went home first for his son's birthday, the village wouldn't criticize him harshly.
After all, it is not wartime now, and Higashino Jiro is not the Jonin in charge of his ninja team. He doesn't need to report detailed intelligence during the garrison period.
On the contrary, this deep love for his son is also a manifestation of the Will of Fire, a form of political correctness.
"Don't worry about me. You know, Father, I will take care of myself."
"I believe that very much, but I think you are too withdrawn. You should go out more, meet some friends your age, and play ninja games. I think it's good for your mental health."
"Did you play when you were young? Was it fun?"
"..."
It was fun. Thinking back now, it's full of childhood memories.
But now he is a mature ninja and a father. After seeing the expression of contempt for childishness on his son's face, he suddenly didn't want to answer.
Precocious children really make parents feel both relieved and helpless.
After his father went out, Higashino Makoto sat alone in the study, quietly thinking about problems.
The fatigue from cultivating Chakra was completely different from the weakness when Chakra was exhausted before. Currently, his Chakra amount was limited, and he should avoid letting that situation happen again. Otherwise, if it happened too often, it might affect his physical growth.
Another thing was the direction of future cultivation.
With Chakra, should he go practice the useless Three Basic Techniques and the family's ninjutsu?
Higashino Makoto quickly denied this idea. There was no need to rush. Only brats who didn't understand anything would be eager to learn powerful ninjutsu.
Regarding Chakra, he should cultivate the extraction technique until it became a bodily instinct first. Having to sit down and form the Ram seal every time he needed to use it was too "low."
At the same time, he could start practicing Chakra control ability. This was the most important foundation. As long as he could achieve precise control, learning any ninjutsu would yield twice the result with half the effort, including medical ninjutsu.
Yes, although Higashino Makoto would not become a full-time medical ninja, medical ninjutsu was also within his study plan. Who let him have a Tokubetsu Jonin in medical ninjutsu at home?
With a ready-made teacher right in front of him, he couldn't waste the opportunity.
This was also the reason why he started learning basic knowledge of the human body before.
Medical ninjutsu cannot be used just by learning it. One must also master enough prerequisite knowledge, understand the operating mechanism of various human tissues, the mechanism of medical Chakra, the effect of contact with different human tissues, pharmacology of drugs, various common poisons and their mixed mechanisms, etc.
Among all ninjutsu in the Ninja World, medical ninjutsu might require the most prerequisite knowledge.
After confirming the direction, Higashino Makoto immediately began studying.
First, extract Chakra. Before the Chakra in the meridians dissipated naturally, he could read books.
Alternating like this, no time in between was wasted.
As for training Chakra control ability like tree climbing and water walking, he could arrange to start practicing shortly after.
At noon, Higashino Jiro indeed did not return. Higashino Makoto moved a stool to the kitchen and cooked a meal for himself.
If the couple suddenly came back at this time, they would definitely find that the food made by their son was different from theirs, and even different from the style of this world.
Because he made Chinese food. His cooking skills were quite good in his previous life.
As for the Ninja World cuisine here, it was the same as the Japanese style in his previous life. He actually knew a little bit of it, but since he was cooking himself, the taste of the past made him more nostalgic.
After the meal, he continued to be immersed in cultivation and reading, unable to extricate himself.
Time flew, and the sky gradually darkened.
Higashino Makoto looked up out the window and suddenly realized his parents hadn't come back yet. Were they avoiding him to go on a date?
Just then, a rare knock sounded outside the door.
Inside Konoha Village, Higashino Makoto wasn't afraid of any danger. He opened the door with doubts and saw two little ones standing there.
One boy and one girl, both about the same age as him.
The girl had semi-long purple hair and looked very cute. The baby fat on her face made her look like a bun. She was slightly shorter.
The boy had black hair that covered his ears, with a strand hanging on his forehead. He was about the same height as Higashino Makoto, just a bit thin and weak, and his complexion didn't look very healthy.
"Hello, this is the Higashino house. Who are you looking for?"
The little girl stood behind the boy, her face flushed, but not out of shyness; she didn't avoid Higashino Makoto's gaze sizing her up.
The boy was much more composed and asked, "Are you Higashino Makoto?"
"I am. You are?"
"I am Gekko Hayate."
"I am Uzuki Yugao."
Higashino Makoto was stunned for a moment. So it was these two. He actually met legendary plot characters and didn't recognize them for a moment just now.
After all, the difference between anime and real humans is still quite big.
"Oh, hello. Is there something you need?"
"Cough, cough." Gekko Hayate coughed lightly twice and said, "Uncle Higashino asked us to come notify you to go to Yakiniku Q for dinner."
"Oh, okay. Sorry to trouble you. Wait a moment, I'll go change clothes and then leave."
Walking on the road, Higashino Makoto curiously sized up Gekko Hayate, thinking to himself, does this bro have a root cause of illness since childhood? To be able to reach Tokubetsu Jonin in his early 20s like this, his talent is acceptable.
Gekko Hayate felt embarrassed being looked at by him. His personality was relatively shy and slightly traditional. Worried that he was being rude, he asked weakly, "May I ask if there is any problem with me?"
"No, there isn't." After Higashino Makoto replied, he looked at the two curiously again and asked with a face full of bad taste, "Brother Hayate, is the one next to you your girlfriend?"
Little Hayate's face turned red. "Ah? How is that possible? Yugao is only 4 years old, and I am only 5."
Uzuki Yugao stared with innocent big eyes. "Ne, Brother Hayate, what is a girlfriend?"
Gekko Hayate: "..."
Higashino Makoto: "So you are one year older than me?"
"Hey, you two, haven't said what a girlfriend is yet?"
Higashino Makoto: "It's a wife when you grow up."
"Eh? Ah?" Uzuki Yugao was stunned, and her face instantly turned red as if steam was about to come out.
Sure enough, children in the Ninja World are generally precocious. What a sin.
For the rest of the way, the two little ones didn't talk to Higashino Makoto anymore.
It wasn't that they hated him, but they felt that although the other party was about the same age as them, his tone of voice was like an adult's, making them not know how to communicate.
Soon, the three arrived at Yakiniku Q.
Higashino Makoto looked up at the sign, thinking this was also a famous Konoha landmark. Unfortunately, he didn't awaken a check-in system; otherwise, he should have at least gotten an S-rank ninjutsu drop.