After having breakfast and saying goodbye to Granny Xiang, Saitama headed out.
At this early hour, the streets were mostly empty. Only a few Uchiha clan members on patrol could be seen yawning as they walked their rounds.
The Uchiha clan held the primary responsibility for law enforcement in the village as members of the Konoha Military Police Force, handling Konoha's daily safety and internal security. Traditionally, most Uchiha joined the Police Force after graduating from the Ninja Academy and rarely took part in broader shinobi missions — though there were always exceptions.
Saitama's home lay on the southern edge of the Uchiha district — not the most prestigious location, but still comfortably within the heart of Konoha. After all, the Nine-Tails Incident hadn't happened yet. The Uchiha clan hadn't been exiled to the outskirts of the village, not yet alienated by the rest of Konoha.
As he walked down the street toward the place Shisui had mentioned the day before, Saitama felt relaxed. With nothing urgent to do, he figured he'd look for Shisui. If he saw him, great — they could grab a bite. If not, he'd just enjoy the stroll.
Having eaten three large seaweed rice balls stuffed with tenderloin, Saitama felt fully satisfied — today was shaping up to be a good one.
Since successfully refining chakra last night, Saitama had been consciously guiding it through his body. He likened chakra to the "inner force" seen in martial arts shows from his previous life, visualizing it flowing through his body's chakra network in continuous loops, or as the scroll had described: circulating through the "chakra pathway system."
If someone were watching Saitama with a Byakugan, they would see a steady, controlled flow of chakra moving through his small frame — a remarkable feat for someone his age.
As he passed by some breakfast shops now opening for business, Saitama instinctively patted his belly. He stopped briefly in front of a familiar dango shop, but quickly shook his head.
"Meatballs in the morning? Too greasy. Forget it."
Eventually, he arrived at the location Shisui had described. Though Shisui had called it "the end of the street," this area was more like the outer edge of the Uchiha district, far from the bustling crossroads of the clan's central compound.
It was probably still early, and Shisui might not even be awake. Saitama didn't want to disturb anyone, so he simply stood outside the gate.
Like most Uchiha homes, the house had a traditional aesthetic, with a wooden gate and a small courtyard inside.
Just as Saitama approached to knock and maybe leave, he heard sounds coming from inside.
"Clang!"
"Ting!"
Sounds like… a blade? he thought, tilting his head. But at five years old, he was too short to peek over the gate.
He hesitated, then knocked gently on the wooden door. He could have just slid it open, but manners first.
"Who's there?" came a young but alert voice from inside.
Saitama recognized it right away — he'd just heard it for the first time yesterday.
"It's me, Saitama!" he called.
The door creaked open almost immediately.
"Ah! Saitama!"
Uchiha Shisui's eyes lit up as he opened the gate, revealing a training yard behind him.
Saitama's eyes widened in surprise. Shisui was already up — and practicing with a small wooden training sword?
Saitama's gaze lingered on Shisui's left hand, which was gripping the sword tightly. Realizing it, Shisui sheepishly shifted the hand behind his back.
"You're up and training already?" Saitama smiled.
Shisui scratched his cheek. "Nah, I was bored this morning, so my mom told me to get some practice in. Just basic sword drills."
He glanced back toward the house, and Saitama followed his gaze to see a light on inside — a silhouette moving in the kitchen.
"Oh, I'm not interrupting, am I?" Saitama asked, arching an eyebrow toward the house.
"No, no," Shisui said quickly, "I was about to have breakfast anyway. Come in!"
He grabbed Saitama's arm and pulled him into the courtyard.
"Have you eaten yet? If not, come eat with us," Shisui said, looking hopeful.
---
A moment later, a young woman in her twenties stepped out from the house. She had a calm, gentle presence and held a pair of chopsticks in one hand.
"Shisui, is that your friend?" she asked, smiling as she glanced toward Saitama.
"Yes, Auntie. I'm Saitama — Shisui's friend!" Saitama said, bowing politely.
Shisui's mother smiled warmly. "How polite! Come in, come in. Have some breakfast with us. You must be hungry this early."
"Thank you!" Saitama replied, nodding.
He ended up eating another rice ball at Shisui's house — even though he didn't really want more food. Still, he couldn't say no to Shisui's mother's hospitality, and politely forced it down.
At the table, he noticed that Shisui's father wasn't present.
"My dad's on early patrol," Shisui explained casually. "He's with the Police Force."
After the meal, Shisui leaned back and patted his stomach with satisfaction. Saitama chuckled and stood up.
"Auntie, I'm going to hang out with Shisui for a bit, if that's alright," he said.
"Go on," she said kindly, "but don't wander too far."