The Next Morning
Might Dai's training wasn't just intense—it was insanity incarnate. This wasn't training. It was a death march in the name of youth.
Fenghuo had lost count of how many times his legs cramped up. His arms were numb, his chest ached, and his heart pounded like a war drum. One more squat and he was sure he'd see the Sage of Six Paths in person.
Under a tree nearby, sandbags meant for weighted resistance training were strewn about. They felt like anchors dragging him to the bottom of the sea.
"Fenghuo, giving up already?" Might Dai's voice thundered, brimming with overflowing optimism. He raised a bowl of moral-boosting "poisoned chicken soup" and beamed. "Look up! The sun is rising, and the earth breathes anew. This is the power of youth—let it ignite in your heart!"
Burn in hell, maybe. I'm really dying here!
As a budding medical-nin, Fenghuo understood his limits far too well. Push any harder and he might collapse with internal bleeding. Not even a full chakra infusion could save him if Dai kept this up.
Kai wasn't faring any better. He was collapsed on the ground beside him, unmoving, his eyes spinning like pinwheels. The two of them had hit their physical limits more than once this morning. They'd made progress, sure—but the strain, especially on joints and muscle tissues, was dangerous. If they weren't careful, the damage could leave lingering injuries.
Still grinning, Dai poured another motivational quote onto his unconscious son. It bounced right off.
"All right! That's it for this morning!" Dai flashed his signature sparkling grin. "Hurry to school, you two! After class, we meet here for Devil Training!"
Fenghuo groaned and covered his face with one trembling arm.
By the time they arrived at the Academy, both boys had burned through their last dregs of chakra. They slumped over their desks like corpses, completely out of commission for the morning lectures.
Fenghuo closed his eyes and focused, cycling chakra slowly through his meridians to ease the swelling and soothe the strained muscles in his limbs. Compared to this, all his previous holiday training was child's play—like pretending to fight with toy kunai.
No wonder Kai was so strong later. He kicked Six Paths Madara in the face… With a background like this, it was earned.
At lunch, Obito, Kai, Kuroyuki, Rin, and Sarutobi Asuma all gathered to share the bento Fenghuo had prepared.
"Hey, Fenghuo, you've been out of it all morning. Did you overtrain?" Obito said mid-chew, spraying bits of rice everywhere.
"Training?" Rin blinked, dodging a rice grain. "What kind of training?"
"Taijutsu," Obito answered proudly. "Fenghuo's been training outside before dawn—real early."
Asuma glanced at the two. Kai was still breathing heavily, and Fenghuo looked like he'd aged five years. He frowned.
Wait… were they training with Might Dai?
Asuma had heard of Dai, of course. Everyone had. The man was famous—infamous, really. The eternal Genin. Konoha's laughingstock. Why would anyone train with him?
Fenghuo met his stare with perfect calm. "Yeah, it's tough, but it's nothing worth fussing over."
Yūhi Kurenai tilted her head. "My father said that taijutsu training like that can hurt your body. You should rest more."
Fenghuo smiled softly. "Thanks. That means a lot."
Kai, whose eating speed rivaled Obito's, chimed in between bites. "Don't worry! With my father overseeing everything, nothing bad will happen to Fenghuo!"
"Your father?" Rin, Obito, and Kuroyuki all froze.
Obito's jaw dropped. "Wait. You mean to tell me—Fenghuo, you're training with Might Dai?"
Fenghuo nodded.
Obito looked completely betrayed. "Seriously? Him?! The eternal Genin?!"
Kai's eyes flared. "Don't look down on my dad! He's an amazing taijutsu user!"
To a kid, a father is always a hero—even if the world doesn't see it. Despite being mocked constantly by Jonin instructors like Hyūga Shinko, Kai's belief in his father never wavered.
"I think Uncle Dai is amazing too," Fenghuo added firmly.
Kai turned toward him with teary-eyed gratitude.
Obito opened his mouth to say more, but then—
A ruckus outside the classroom broke the mood. Angry voices and clomping footsteps approached.
"Uchiha Fenghuo! Get out here!"
Several rough-looking kids stood at the door. Leading them was a familiar face.
"You again!" Obito stood up, glaring. "Uchiha Ragna!"
Over the break, Ragna had ambushed Obito with his cronies. Fenghuo had stepped in and wiped the floor with them. Apparently, the boy hadn't learned his lesson.
Ragna swaggered in—but when his eyes landed on Asuma seated beside Fenghuo, he hesitated.
Damn it! Sarutobi Asuma? What's the Hokage's son doing here!?
He coughed awkwardly. "Ahem… I was just saying hi!"
But his pride wouldn't let him back down fully. He pointed a trembling finger at Fenghuo. "This isn't over, Uchiha Fenghuo! The holiday payback still stands!"
Then he turned and bolted like a coward. His gang exchanged confused looks before scrambling after him.
Fenghuo gave Asuma a sideways glance, then shrugged and returned to his meal. "Well, that was pointless."
Meanwhile, at the Hokage Building's Mission Assignment Hall…
It was busy as always. Chūnin and Jōnin bustled about, collecting assignments and submitting reports.
At the front desk, Might Dai stood stiffly, fists clenched.
"Ueda, please! Let me take the B-rank mission! I swear I'll complete it flawlessly!"
Matsushima Ueda, the mission clerk, frowned. "No, Dai. You're a Genin. You can only accept D or C-rank missions."
"But this one's perfect for me! It's mostly physical labor—no combat! I can handle it!"
"Might Dai," Ueda slammed the table. "Those are Lord Hokage's rules. Are you saying you'll break them? Know your place, Eternal Genin!"
Dai's face twitched. He looked like he wanted to argue—but he swallowed his pride and stepped back.
Just then, a mocking voice cut in.
"Tch. A Genin begging for B-rank missions? Don't make me laugh."
A Hyūga stepped forward, sneering. "You can barely fight. Why don't you give up already? You'll never make Chūnin."
"What did you say?" Dai trembled with rage.
"I said you're a weakling. You should quit while you're still walking."
He turned to Ueda with a grin. "I'll take that mission instead."
Dai's fists clenched tighter. His entire body shook.
Then—
A hand landed on his shoulder.
Dai's instincts flared. He hadn't even noticed anyone behind him. Whoever it was, they'd gotten close enough to slit his throat without him noticing.
He turned, heart racing—and froze.
Standing behind him was a man with silver hair and a calm, sharp gaze. A man whose name was feared even by the strongest shinobi.
Konoha's White Fang—Hatake Sakumo.