"Tomorrow's the first day of the Academy," Minato said, eyes bright with anticipation.
"I heard the Third Hokage himself will give the opening speech. I can't wait to hear it."
"What's there to be excited about?" Sarutobi Reiji muttered, curling his lip.
"It's not like you haven't heard him speak before."
Minato's cheeks puffed up. "That's not the same! Before, we were eavesdropping. This time, we get to listen legitimately!"
"Alright, alright. Let's go train," Reiji said, dragging Minato out the door.
His house was near the Forest of Death. At the outer edge, the two of them had cleared a small open field—their private training ground.
It was still early morning; the streets were quiet, though most vendors had already set up their stalls. When the two boys passed, the villagers greeted them warmly.
"Minato! Reiji! Off to train again? You two are really dedicated!"
A fruit vendor named Uncle Yamamoto tossed them each a piece of fruit. "Just got a new batch in—try one!"
Catching it with a grin, Minato beamed. "Thanks, Uncle Yamamoto!"
Reiji wiped his apple with his sleeve, took a big bite, and raised his thumb. "Thanks, Uncle! Super sweet!"
"Hahaha! As long as you like it!" the vendor laughed heartily.
"We'll be heading off then!"
"Alright! I'll save a few more for you when you come back later."
"Got it!" Reiji waved, then pulled Minato toward the forest.
Reiji had been an orphan since he was three, but he'd learned early that a kind word and a smile could open hearts. If Minato's sunny grin was a light that healed, then Reiji's charm was the warmth that put people at ease. Everyone in the neighborhood adored them—they often got free snacks just for being themselves.
When they reached the training grounds, a man in a green bodysuit was waiting there, thumb raised.
"Young men! We meet again!"
"This… is youth!"
Reiji stared blankly at Might Duy, then turned to see Minato also giving a thumbs-up with a dazzling smile.
Great… Minato's catching the youth bug too.
Sighing, Reiji lifted his own thumb and replied earnestly, "A day without dancing is a day wasted on life!"
"Well said!" Duy's eyes instantly welled with tears.
"This! This is youth!"
"Today—one hundred laps around Konoha! Fail to finish, and you'll do five thousand one-handed handstands!"
And just like that, he bolted off into the distance.
"Uh…" Minato stared after the disappearing green figure, speechless.
Might Duy was infamous in the village—a man who had remained a genin for over ten years, mocked as a failure by many. Hardly anyone spoke to him outside of shop transactions.
"Minato," Reiji said, patting his shoulder with mock solemnity, "never underestimate another man. That guy… is the very embodiment of youth."
"…Alright," Minato said with a small nod, and began his morning training.
Reiji didn't add the second half of that thought.
He's not just the embodiment of youth—he's the Father of Youth itself.
But saying that now would mean nothing.
"Minato, let's see who masters Healing Technique first!"
"You're on!" Minato grinned.
Chakra Refinement was normally only taught after entering the Academy. But Reiji's parents, being chūnin, had left him their own notes—including Chakra Refinement and a few basic jutsu.
Clan-born children grew up soaking in special medicinal baths that strengthened their chakra pathways, allowing them to refine chakra as early as age three. Chakra, after all, was formed from the perfect balance of spiritual and physical energy.
Reiji and Minato, however, didn't have access to such medicines. They had known the technique but hadn't dared to use it, fearing damage to their chakra coils while their bodies were still developing. Luckily, they had managed to refine chakra safely a short while ago—a bit late, but still earlier than most civilian-born students.
While Minato practiced tree-walking, Reiji sank his consciousness into the Duel Arena.
It was time—the Free Recruitment Draw was available!
With a thought, the familiar summoning screen unfurled before his mind's eye. At the center stood Uchiha Sasuke (Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan), his Susanoo looming behind him. Sasuke held a long blade wrapped in black flames that shimmered as they drifted, and beneath him were two A-rank ninja and a cluster of B-rank ninja.
At the bottom were two buttons:
[Free Recruit] [Tenfold Draw]
Reiji's heart burned with excitement. A vortex of fire appeared, swirling brighter and brighter.
Then—a flash of white light!
…followed by a dull thunk as a chunk of blackened metal fell to the ground.
"Figures," Reiji muttered. "Even the free draw gives junk." He spat lightly and tossed it aside.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Chakra-Conductive Metal]
"Huh?" Reiji froze, then hurriedly picked the lump back up.
"Ha! Didn't recognize treasure when I saw it. More of this next time, please."
The piece of metal was about as long as his forearm, dark and heavy-looking but surprisingly light. Chakra-conductive metal—a rare material that could transmit chakra without loss, even amplifying it. In the original series, Sarutobi Asuma's trench knives were made of this stuff—worth fifty million ryō per pair. That was fifteen million more than Reiji's own bounty would be someday. And this chunk was big enough to forge over a dozen trench knives.
"I'm rich… I'm so rich!"
Reiji's eyes gleamed as he lovingly stroked the black metal. With this much, he could craft a long sword, a short blade, and still have plenty left over.
"Reiji, what are you doing?" Minato called, pausing his tree-walking drills when he noticed his friend cradling a lump of metal like a pet.
"Ah—nothing," Reiji said quickly, clutching the metal to his chest. "Let's get started!"
Chakra control was crucial for every ninja, and both of them knew it. They had long since mastered walking on trees and water; now, they were focusing on healing techniques—medical ninjutsu demanded even finer chakra control.
Of course, for practice, they didn't just climb a single tree anymore. They leapt between more than twenty trunks in constant motion, maintaining precise chakra flow. Watching Minato, Reiji sighed. He had already mastered the jutsu his parents left behind—but seeing his friend's determined face, he decided to play along for now.
Minato glanced curiously at the metal in Reiji's arms but didn't press the matter. Instead, he smiled. "I think we'll manage advanced tree-walking by the end of today."
He gestured at the trees around them, their trunks scarred with hundreds of training marks. At the base of each tree lay thick padded mats—safety measures they'd made themselves. After all, if they injured themselves, they wouldn't be able to train for days. And that just wouldn't do.
From the treeline, a single Sharingan blinked—just as the chakra metal in Reiji's hands began to hum.