Early the next morning.
Masahiko was out for his daily run when he happened to spot Might Guy in the distance. His heart skipped a beat, and a thought immediately crossed his mind. He attempted to trigger the [Low-Rank Skill Copy Card].
[Would you like to use 'Low-Rank Skill Copy Card' on target: Might Guy?]
Uh…
[No.]
Masahiko hesitated, worried that the action might be irreversible, and ultimately cancelled the prompt.
Might Guy didn't stop. In Konoha, morning joggers were a common sight, and running into a few shinobi was hardly a rarity. By around eight o'clock, Masahiko finished his breakfast and headed toward the Ninja Academy.
At the school gates, a familiar figure sat perched on the swing set. She held a drawing board, her pen dancing rapidly across the paper. In just a few moments, the scene of the school entrance began to take shape on the canvas.
A brilliant smile blossomed on her face.
"How does it feel?"
"Huh?"
Kurama Yakumo started in fright. She spun around, and upon seeing that familiar face, her shoulders relaxed. "Masahiko-sensei..."
"Your parents didn't accompany you?" Masahiko asked with a gentle smile. He had spotted the striking young girl the moment he arrived.
Yakumo shook her head lightly, her expression joyful. "I told them I could handle it, so they let me walk by myself." She swung her legs back and forth, gazing up at the school building. "Before leaving the house, I never imagined that just going to school could be something so delightful..."
For a child only eight or nine years old, her words carried a heartbreaking maturity.
Masahiko didn't let his pity show. He simply offered a faint smile. "Have you gone through the formalities?"
"Yes. Kurenai-sensei said that the Hokage-sama already arranged my transfer to your class, so... please take care of me!" Yakumo nervously twirled a lock of hair around her finger.
"Let's go then," Masahiko said warmly. "As it happens, the first period is mine. I'll take you to the classroom and introduce you to everyone."
"Thank you very much!" Yakumo stood up and bowed politely.
Masahiko waved his hand dismissively. "No need to be so formal. Just think of me as a friend."
"Okay." Yakumo smiled sweetly.
As Masahiko led her into the school grounds to register at the gate, he cast a subtle, indiscernible glance toward the shadows in the distance.
If I'm not mistaken...
Although Yakumo appeared to have come alone, there were Anbu hiding in the dark, ensuring her safety. That was for the best.
Once inside the building, Masahiko led Yakumo toward the classroom, though he set a deliberately slow pace.
After following him for a while, Yakumo couldn't help but speak up. "Sensei, you don't need to give me special treatment. I'm fine walking at a normal speed."
Masahiko glanced back, a look of amusement in his eyes. "You misunderstand. I'm not slowing down to accommodate you; I'm accommodating them."
He suppressed a chuckle and explained, "There are always a few students in my class who run late. By walking slowly, I'm giving them a fighting chance to get there before me."
"Oh..." Yakumo's face turned bright red, and she lowered her head into silence.
Upon arriving at the classroom, Masahiko made a "hush" gesture.
The noise inside instantly died down.
Masahiko swept his gaze across the room, a faint, cold sneer touching his lips. "Naruto and Kiba aren't here... Very well. We'll deal with them later."
He looked toward the doorway. "Today, we have a new student joining us."
Kurama Yakumo stepped inside and bowed gently. "Hello, everyone. My name is Kurama Yakumo."
Her complexion usually bore an unhealthy pallor, but her nervousness had brought a rosy flush to her cheeks, making her look surprisingly vibrant. The class was silent for a split second before erupting into enthusiastic applause and cheers.
After all, she was a beauty. Furthermore, a transfer student joining in the middle of the term was a rare occurrence at the Academy.
Masahiko smiled faintly. "Ino, there's an empty seat next to you. Would you mind if she sits there?"
"O-Of course!" Yamanaka Ino hadn't expected Masahiko to call on her specifically. She fumbled for a moment before standing up.
Yakumo hugged her drawing board to her chest, walked down the aisle, and bowed slightly in thanks before taking her seat.
"We are all classmates here. From now on, look out for one another. If I find out that anyone is bullying or ostracizing others..."
Masahiko's gaze swept across the room, concealing a fierce, predatory glint. The original students of the class frantically shook their heads, silently promising they wouldn't dare.
However...
Naruto, standing just outside the door, had a different opinion.
He had rushed over just in time to hear that specific sentence. Look out for one another? No bullying? It was hard to comment on the irony. Just as he was figuring out how to sneak in, a voice drifted out from inside:
"Naruto, Kiba. Don't bother coming in. Go to the playground and run ten laps."
Bullying... Ostracizing...
Yagyu Masahiko is the biggest bully of them all!
Naruto cursed internally, but he had no choice but to turn around and run toward the field. Inuzuka Kiba, seeing that even Naruto was complying obediently, hung his head and trudged after him.
Masahiko smiled, signaling the rest of the class to head to the playground as well.
Taijutsu training wasn't something achieved in a day; it required accumulated effort over time. Although he kept a close eye on a few prime seeds, he didn't neglect the others. Generally speaking, everyone received his attention.
After all, the persona couldn't break.
However, for Kurama Yakumo, physical training was a tall order. Fortunately, he had a solution.
"Yakumo," Masahiko said with a smile. "You don't need to run with them later."
Yakumo looked hesitant. She didn't want special privileges, but on the other hand, she knew her body couldn't handle that level of exertion.
"Instead," Masahiko continued, "I want you to walk along the sidelines and sketch the scene of them running. Can you do that?"
"Of course!" Yakumo's eyes lit up, and she immediately grabbed her drawing board and pen.
The other students looked surprised—especially Ino.
"You can draw?"
"Mhm." Yakumo handed over the board she was holding. "This is what I drew this morning."
"Wow! It's really good!" Ino exclaimed, her eyes widening.
Shikamaru glanced over, and his gaze lingered on the paper. It was the familiar school gate, with parents escorting their children inside. But a second later, he frowned slightly.
The perspective, the composition... it conveyed a sense of profound loneliness, yet a desperate yearning to belong.
Shikamaru looked at Yakumo, lost in thought.
"Alright, let's go." Masahiko clapped his hands, signaling the start of class.
On the playground, Kurama Yakumo held the drawing board with one hand and attempted to sketch with the other while walking.
It's so hard! she thought to herself.
The other students were astonished to see her actually drawing while walking. Even Sasuke seemed intrigued. Their collective thought was surprisingly consistent: You can actually do that?
In the Hokage's Office.
Yuhi Kurenai stared intently into the crystal ball. Seeing the task Masahiko had assigned, surprise flashed across her face, followed quickly by delight.
"I never realized it could be solved like this!"
"Hmm..." The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, pondered for a moment before looking at Kurenai. "I recall that she likes to use painting as a medium to cast Genjutsu?"
"Yes! If she can master sketching while moving, it will be a massive help to her combat capabilities in the future. More importantly, it allows Yakumo to participate without feeling the frustration of physical failure. It's brilliant!"
Kurenai was incredibly excited. She had never considered that Yakumo's integration problem at the Academy could be solved so elegantly. It was simply killing two birds with one stone!
"I also overlooked something," Hiruzen sighed, relaxing slightly. "To make Yakumo a ninja, what she needs isn't just one-on-one Genjutsu tutoring, but to learn how to exist as a normal shinobi among peers..."
Hiruzen had recognized Masahiko's teaching ability, but he had harbored some doubts about whether the man could guide a delicate case like Yakumo in the right direction. Now, looking at the scene...
There was absolutely no problem!
Hiruzen looked up, smiling. "Are you still worried now?"
"Of course not. Thank you, Hokage-sama, and thank you, Masahiko-sensei!" Kurenai beamed.
At the same time, a thought crossed her mind—How should I thank Masahiko?
After thinking it over, she decided...
Perhaps I can try 'exchanging' some insights on Genjutsu with him.