Megumi stood in the backyard for a while before finally turning to Samukaze."Fū-chan, be good and stay at home, don't run around, alright? Mama's going to the hospital for a bit. Tonight I'll make you something delicious."
She bent down, gently ruffled Samukaze's hair, then went to the entryway, changed into a different pair of shoes, and turned back to look at him.
Samukaze stared right back at her. The two locked eyes, big and small. Megumi tilted her head. Samukaze mimicked her and tilted his head the same way.
Megumi couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. "Fū-chan, that's not very polite, you know."
"Eh?" Samukaze blinked, confused. He quickly dug through his inherited memories, and suddenly realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. "I get it now, Mama. I'll stay home and wait for you to come back."
Megumi finally smiled. "Then I'll see you later."
Samukaze said nothing.
She opened the door, then turned her head back with a blank expression.
Samukaze's survival instincts flared to maximum. "Goodbye, Mama!!"
Only then did Megumi leave with satisfaction.
As the door shut, Samukaze's face fell into despair. How the hell am I supposed to survive like this?
Half an hour passed. Suddenly, Samukaze remembered something. He crossed his arms like a little adult and muttered to himself:"Since Mama works at the hospital… she must either be a doctor or a nurse."
Pleased with his own clever deduction, Samukaze puffed out his chest and walked back into the yard. He glanced at the wooden practice sword his father had stuck in the grass, then picked up his own thirty-centimeter wooden sword.
He had thought his cheat ability would carry him to the peak of life, but on the very first day, he had suffered three consecutive failures at gathering.
"Guess I still have to rely on myself."
Recalling the stance his father had used earlier when drawing his blade, Samukaze mimicked the form—resting the sword at his left hip, bending forward, then suddenly drawing with a slash at the wooden stake in front of him.
Wham!
A dull crack rang out. The wooden sword bounced back violently the moment it struck, the recoil so strong that Samukaze couldn't even hold on—it flew straight out of his hands.
He froze in the awkward pose of a swordsman mid-strike. The atmosphere was painfully embarrassing.
"Big brother, are you practicing swordsmanship?"
A childish voice suddenly piped up from beyond the wall.
Samukaze turned, spotting a small head poking out from the other side, eyes wide with expectation.
His memories churned. This little brat… that's my younger brother, Gekkō Hayate!
"Hayate, you—" Samukaze barely got the words out before Hayate scrambled up the wall like a clumsy puppy and leapt down, rolling across the grass before hopping to his feet as if nothing happened. He dashed over, sparks of energy trailing behind him.
"Big brother, let's train together!"
Train your big-headed ghost!
Samukaze rolled his eyes, rubbed his sore wrist, and muttered, "You practice. I'll watch from the side so you don't hurt yourself."
"Okay!"
Hayate let out a cheer, grabbed Samukaze's short wooden sword, and began hacking away with all his might.
Samukaze sat down on the wooden veranda, resting his chin on his hands as he watched. Slowly, his thoughts drifted.
He thought about the future. For a seven-year-old, it was laughable to ponder such things—but unlike normal children, Samukaze knew the entire Naruto storyline.
Truthfully, he didn't care that much about what the future held. All he wanted was to survive, no matter the world.
And this so-called "dangerous" ninja world… wasn't really that dangerous at all.
If Samukaze decided not to become a shinobi, he could just seek out Ichiraku Ramen, apprentice under the owner, wake up early every day to make noodles, and live peacefully without illness or disaster. He might even marry the boss's daughter and reach the pinnacle of life!
But if he chose the path of a ninja, it would be different. Missions outside the village—D-rank, C-rank, B-rank, even A and S-rank—the higher the rank, the greater the risk. Especially in wartime, when death lurked at every turn.
So, for Samukaze, there were only two ways to live safely:Either become a civilian, making ramen and riding out the story in peace.Or, if he chose to be a shinobi, he would have to reach the very top—an existence like Uchiha Madara himself. Only then would he avoid being crushed.
If not for his cheat ability, Samukaze would have chosen ramen without hesitation. But… he did have a cheat.
The problem was, this so-called cheat seemed… maybe, possibly, kind of… unreliable. Which was just awkward.
"Big brother, what are you thinking about?"
Ten minutes later, Hayate was drenched in sweat. He turned back and saw Samukaze lost in thought, which made him pout.
"I was thinking about my ch—" Samukaze began automatically, then snapped his mouth shut. He glared at Hayate with mock menace.
Little brother, you're getting bold, trying to trick me into spilling secrets? Outrageous!
But then, a spark flashed through his mind.
Wait… maybe I've been using my cheat ability the wrong way.
He didn't know whether his father was a jōnin or a chūnin, but either way, as a child he was still worlds apart from him. Like a level 0 noob in a game trying to gather resources from a boss—failure was inevitable.
Which meant everything should start small. Especially… the good things.
Samukaze's sinister expression melted into a false smile. "Hayate, my dear little brother… aren't you tired? Let me give you a shoulder massage."
"I-I'm not tired."
Hayate instinctively stepped back two paces, then suddenly tossed the sword aside and scrambled up the wall like his life depended on it.
"Don't run, little brother! Today your big brother wants to bond with you properly!"
Samukaze lunged like a wild dog, dragging Hayate down halfway up the wall.
"Mama! Mama—waaahhh!!"
The poor boy couldn't handle the assault. He burst into tears instantly.
Samukaze froze, pressing Hayate to the ground. Seeing him cry sent a chill down his spine. An image flashed in his head—Megumi, eyes narrowed, staring at him expressionlessly.
Shivering, he quickly helped Hayate up and started massaging his shoulders in earnest.
Actions spoke louder than words. After half a minute, Hayate realized he wasn't being bullied, and his sobbing quieted down.
"Feels good, doesn't it, little brother?" Samukaze asked slyly.
"Mm… yeah. Thanks, big brother." Hayate sniffled, wiped his tears and snot, then turned and stretched out his hand. "Now it's my turn to massage you."
Samukaze stared at the mucus still on his little brother's hand, forcing a stiff smile. "No, no. I'm not tired. You must be exhausted from training. Turn around, let me keep working on your shoulders."
"Really?" Hayate asked hopefully.
"Really," Samukaze said firmly.
Hayate happily turned around, letting his brother continue the massage.
As he kneaded his brother's shoulders, Samukaze ground his teeth and muttered inwardly: This is an investment. I'll get my returns. Tomorrow, I'll make sure you repay me with interest!
Little brother… you have no idea how terrifying this world really is. Tomorrow, your big brother is going to give you your first lesson in adulthood!
…
A new story sets sail—please bookmark and recommend!
(End of Chapter)