Late March, Konoha Year 42.
Spring was already well underway. The air carried the scent of damp earth and fresh leaves. Morning light, bearing just the right amount of warmth, filtered through layers of foliage, casting shifting patches of light across the road.
It was the start of a new school year once again.
"Kakashi, don't underestimate this child. If he keeps this mindset and persists, that kid will definitely surpass you in the future."
At the entrance of the Konoha Ninja Academy, Hatake Sakumo bent down and rubbed his son Kakashi's head. Watching the retreating figures of Might Duy and his son, he spoke in a serious tone.
Kakashi was unconcerned. Although, at his father's urging, he had asked for Might Guy's name, Kakashi did not take Guy to heart at all, nor did he believe his father truly held Guy in high regard.
That guy was nothing more than someone his father used as an example to warn him against arrogance and complacency.
"He should first make it through tomorrow's make-up exam and actually get into the academy before we talk about anything else. Alright, Dad, hurry up and go inside to handle the enrollment procedures."
Sakumo smiled helplessly. Just as the father and son were about to step through the academy gates—
Step. Step. Step.
A series of heavy yet steady footsteps came from the street corner directly facing the academy entrance. Sakumo let out a soft sound of surprise and stopped, turning toward the source of the noise.
Seeing his father stop, Kakashi showed a hint of impatience, but he still followed his father's gaze.
The footsteps drew closer, thudding dully against the ground.
From around the corner, the first thing to roll into view was a swaying shadow. What entered the father and son's line of sight was a massive stone.
A stone… running?
No.
Looking more closely, one could see that between the bottom of the stone and the ground, a pair of small legs was alternating forward at an extremely steady rhythm.
The stone really was moving.
More precisely, it was a child—slender in build, unremarkable in appearance—carrying it on his back. The stone was nearly three times the size of his torso. Without careful observation, it truly looked as though the stone itself were moving.
Rough hemp rope dug deeply into his thin shoulders. He ran slowly, but every step landed with exceptional solidity, leaving behind faint damp marks. His black hair was soaked through with sweat, clinging to his forehead and obscuring part of his vision. He seemed completely unaware of it, staring only at the road ahead. His lips were pressed into a thin line, his breathing heavy yet rhythmic.
"Whose child is that?"
"Th-That stone… is it real?"
"Carrying something that heavy? That's way too reckless!"
The moment the figure bearing the enormous stone appeared on the street, it immediately drew the attention of everyone at the academy gate. Soft murmurs of astonishment rose from parents who had brought their children to handle enrollment.
"Cheap attention-seeking!"
Kakashi took in all the amazed and curious chatter around him. He gave a light snort—he could already handle this level of weight right now, and could even run faster.
Judging by that guy's appearance and height, he was probably a third- or fourth-year student at the academy. Clearly, the ninja tool shop sold weight-training gear that fit better and was more practical.
Yet he insisted on choosing a clumsy boulder—and even picked a yellow-gray rock like this, the kind with relatively low density and a larger volume at the same weight.
And he had deliberately chosen to come at a time when there were many people registering for enrollment. In Kakashi's view, this was nothing more than a carefully planned, attention-grabbing, crude performance.
"Kakashi."
Just then, Sakumo spoke calmly. His gaze was still fixed on that slowly moving figure, and there was something extra in his eyes.
"Look carefully." White Fang's voice was very light, yet carried unquestionable certainty. "That child… isn't using chakra."
Hearing that, Kakashi's pupils tightened slightly, and he immediately focused again and looked over.
The flow of chakra and the execution of techniques would always produce fluctuations in presence—sometimes strong, sometimes weak; sometimes hidden, sometimes apparent. With that, one could tell whether the other party was using the Transformation Technique as camouflage, or roughly gauge the power of the other party's ninjutsu, and so on.
And in Kakashi's observation—sure enough! There were no traces at all of deliberate chakra flow around that guy's body. This meant that the burden of that stone was being borne entirely by his own physical strength!
Even if it was a lower-density rock like yellow-gray stone, the weight at this volume was still not small.
If he wasn't using chakra, Kakashi thought for a moment, then spoke in a calm tone.
"He's just a bit stronger than average."
Sakumo did not reply. He only lifted his eyes abruptly to glance upward, then shifted them away again without showing anything.
"That child is… Shinichi?"
"It really is him."
It seemed that several parents in the crowd recognized the child carrying the massive stone.
"This kid said he's been strong since he was little—I didn't believe it. I never expected it to be this exaggerated…"
"Last time I heard, this kid said he was coming to sign up…"
"What a shame. The world is short one future master chef…"
"Chef? Isn't this kid working as a helper at the blacksmith shop?"
He's actually a new student, just like me?
A flicker of surprise passed through Kakashi's eyes. From Shinichi's height and appearance just now, he had been certain the other party was a third-year, maybe even a fourth-year student—yet it turned out he was a new student like Kakashi.
'Kakashi!'
'I've finally seen you!'
As he inched toward the academy gate with the massive stone on his back, when his gaze swept past the white-haired, masked boy at the entrance, a trace of barely perceptible heat flashed deep in his eyes, and his heart began pounding uncontrollably.
'Five years!'
'Kakashi, from the day I heard you were born!'
Shinichi drew a deep breath, shifted his gaze away without revealing anything, ran to an open area beside the academy gates, and set the massive stone down. After exchanging a few brief words with several parents he knew, he turned and prepared to enter the academy.
As he passed the Hatake father and son, seeing Kakashi look him up and down, his steps paused slightly, and he gave Kakashi a smile.
That smile was clean and sunny, like a wind without a trace of gloom. His plain, unremarkable face somehow carried a natural friendliness, making people feel close to him without realizing it.
Seeing this, Kakashi froze for a moment, and involuntarily recalled the time last month at Ichiraku Ramen, when he had run into that senior who was famous as a genius. That person's smile had also been this clean and sunny, making people feel close without realizing it.
[Affinity (White): Your words and behavior make people feel relaxed and at ease; when communicating with others, you can more easily gain goodwill and basic trust.]
Shinichi did not care how he reacted. He nodded toward the Hatake father and son, as if he had merely seen an ordinary pair of father and son, and then, without slowing his pace, walked past them.
Just then, Kakashi suddenly spoke.
"Hey!"
Shinichi stopped and turned his head, his expression carrying a hint of confusion.
"If you want to train your body properly," Kakashi's voice carried the bluntness of a genius and a certain taken-for-granted certainty, "then you should go to the ninja tool shop and buy professional weight-training gear. Carrying a stone with such an irregular shape is not only inefficient, the center of gravity is hard to control, and it can also easily cause unnecessary muscle or bone injury."
Shinichi listened carefully, the smile on his face unchanged. He nodded. "You're right. Professional equipment is indeed safer and more efficient. I've been to the ninja tool shop."
His tone was calm, with not the slightest hint of displeasure at being corrected.
"It's just that… for now, I haven't found anything that fully fits my current needs. This stone may be clumsy, but once you get used to it, adjusting it isn't too troublesome. Still, thank you for the advice. Classmate, my name is Higashino Shinichi. And you are?"
How could the ninja tool shop not have anything suitable?
Kakashi frowned slightly. He was familiar with the range of items the ninja tool shop carried; saying that there was "nothing fully suitable" sounded far-fetched. But then he thought better of it—he had already stopped a stranger for no real reason, so why press the matter further? He simply replied flatly, "Hatake Kakashi."
"Kakashi, is it? I'll remember that."
Shinichi nodded, then turned and walked into the academy.
"That child has had it rough—lost his parents when he was young…"
"Most of the money he's earned from part-time work this past year or so has basically been donated to the orphanage…"
"No wonder… a good kid who values loyalty and affection…"
The low murmurs of several nearby parents drifted over.
Kakashi's gaze followed Shinichi's receding back. He was silent for a moment.
"Let's go handle the enrollment procedures, Dad."
...
Shinichi, already far away, knew nothing of what followed. At this moment, he was recalling his earlier exchange with Kakashi.
Professional weight-training equipment?
You make a very good point, Kakashi.
It's just that…
If I weren't carrying that massive stone, how would the world know that I was born with divine strength, different from ordinary people?
A faint curve lifted at the corner of Shinichi's mouth. As his thoughts stirred, a floating panel that only he could see appeared before his eyes.
Name: Higashino Shinichi
Profession: Swordsmanship Apprentice
Talents: Intelligence (White), Diligence (White), Affinity (White), Robust (White), Foodie (White), Tenacity (White), Agility (White), Calm (White)
Draws Remaining: None