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When Uchiha Haru, Yuhi Kurenai, and Uzuki Yugao arrived at the designated meeting point, Sarutobi Asuma, Gekkō Hayate, and Might Guy were already waiting there.
Seeing Haru approach with the others, Might Guy immediately dashed over, his energy uncontainable.
"Haru! I heard you defeated Kurosuki Raiga, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! That's incredible!"
As he spoke, Guy threw an arm forward to wrap around Haru's shoulder in an overly familiar gesture.
Haru's brow twitched slightly, and he instinctively stepped back, deftly avoiding the contact.
Of course, he understood that Guy meant no harm.
But… although they had graduated from the Academy together, they weren't exactly close. Guy's exuberance was a bit too much to handle.
Might Guy's extended arm hung awkwardly in the air for a moment before he let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Haru! How about a taijutsu match? Let's test our strength!"
He gave a dramatic thumbs-up, flashing his trademark gleaming white teeth.
Haru's lips twitched in annoyance.
Beside him, Yugao, Kurenai, Asuma, and Hayate all tried to suppress their laughter. Their faces twitched involuntarily.
Might Guy was as thick-skinned and relentless as ever...
"Guy, enough," Kurenai said firmly. "We still have a mission to complete. We can't afford to waste time with your duels."
Uzuki Yugao added, "Besides, Haru's only here because we asked him for help."
Might Guy looked momentarily disappointed, but quickly recovered with a big grin.
"Alright then! After the mission, we'll definitely have that match!"
"Haru, you must promise not to back out!"
"…Fine," Haru replied.
He wasn't close to Guy, but he respected him deeply.
Might Guy had no famous bloodline. He didn't inherit any kekkei genkai or possess legendary talent.
He was just an ordinary boy born in the Hidden Leaf.
And there were many like him in the village—some gave up becoming shinobi altogether. Others became mediocre Chūnin and lived quiet, unremarkable lives.
But Might Guy was different.
He wasn't blessed by fate. He had no prestigious lineage to rely on.
What he had was willpower. Endless, undying perseverance.
No matter how impossible something seemed, Guy would throw his whole being into it.
Even when hard work didn't yield immediate results, he never lost faith.
If effort didn't lead to success… then he simply pushed harder.
Again. And again.
As long as you gave it your all, eventually… the results would come.
That was Might Guy's creed.
And under that conviction, he rose from being an average nobody to a force recognized among his generation.
Even more than ten years later, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, this same man—once so average that few noticed him—would erupt with a strength so fearsome, it would earn the awe of even Uchiha Madara himself.
How could anyone not respect a man like that?
And for Haru—now possessing an Otsutsuki physique and far more power than before—this was the perfect chance to experience combat with a true taijutsu master.
"Well then, let's have a real fight after this!" Guy repeated, thumbs-up, teeth gleaming like a beacon.
At that moment, Asuma and Hayate joined the group.
The six of them gathered to finalize their strategy for the mission.
"With Haru's help, this should be smooth sailing," Kurenai said, giving Haru a grateful smile.
Yugao nodded in agreement.
This mission wasn't particularly dangerous, but it was tedious—something that would typically never be assigned to a shinobi of Haru's level.
But with one of their teammates still recovering from injury, they'd pulled some strings to get Haru's help.
Both women were sincerely thankful.
"What's so great about that?" Hayate suddenly muttered, sounding a little sour.
Yugao was usually composed and rarely smiled.
But today, her demeanor was different.
She had smiled. A rare, breathtaking smile.
It was the kind of smile that resembled the first thaw of spring, like dew glistening on fresh blossoms.
But tragically, that smile wasn't meant for Hayate.
It was for someone else…
"We've got more than one Jōnin here," Hayate added. "Asuma and Guy were both promoted this year."
At that, Guy struck another enthusiastic pose, flashing his blinding teeth once more.
Asuma, meanwhile, straightened up, puffed out his chest, and declared in a deep voice, "With me here, there won't be any problems."
But when he turned to glance at Kurenai, his expression faltered.
She wasn't even looking at him.
Her gaze remained fixed on Uchiha Haru.
A flame of irritation flickered in Asuma's chest.
Still, Kurenai was right there beside him. He couldn't afford to lose composure in front of her.
And to be fair, Haru had defeated Kurosuki Raiga—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Even if Asuma doubted the exact details, the outcome itself couldn't be denied.
Uchiha Haru's name was already making waves in the village.
Asuma wasn't confident he could beat him.
So he held back.
A confrontation now could end in a loss—public and humiliating.
No, better to prove his worth on the mission. He would perform exceptionally and show Kurenai that he wasn't inferior to Haru.
Kurenai, meanwhile, let out a quiet sigh in her heart.
She had known for a long time how Asuma felt about her.
She had simply pretended not to notice.
He wasn't a bad man—plain in looks, addicted to cigarettes, carrying a handful of minor vices…
But not bad.
He had status—the son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He had talent—among the top of the younger Jōnin.
It would be hard for any woman to ignore someone like him.
And for a while, Kurenai had been tempted.
But ever since their last mission with Haru…
She didn't know why, but the memory of Haru's calm, unfazed expression as he faced Kurosuki Raiga lingered in her thoughts.
And the words he had spoken that day—simple, steady, filled with conviction:
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Whenever she thought about it, her heart felt warm.
And at the same time… more distant from Asuma.
Asuma wasn't a bad man.
He just… wasn't the one she wanted.
She only hoped Asuma would soon realize that, and stop wasting his time and emotions on her.
The same held true for Uzuki Yugao.
If Haru hadn't been around, maybe Hayate might have had a chance.
But now… everything was different.
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