"This scene is too perfect."
"I'm a genius!"
Outside the school training field, Ebara snapped photos of Dai training Minato and the others, cackling to himself.
Seeing their miserable little faces, he was over the moon.
Kids were made for teasing, right?
Why else have them?
"When they grow up," Ebara mused, "I'll pull out these photos. Tsk tsk. The looks on their faces…"
"Especially since those bodysuits highlight the boys' 'assets.' Heh heh."
Ebara laughed uncontrollably.
While he was having a blast, Minato and the others were suffering.
"No slacking! Youth doesn't tolerate laziness!" Might Dai shouted, brimming with energy as he ran alongside them. "Feel the boiling blood in your veins! Let it drive your steps! Youth never stops!"
Except for Minato, Choza, Haiichi, and Shikaku, the others were panting, barely able to move.
Even Shino wasn't much better.
He spent most of his time learning to control bugs, not training taijutsu.
"Didn't he say he'd run five times our laps?" Shino gasped.
"Anyone keeping count? Is he slacking?"
"He's run ninety-five laps, exactly five times ours," Minato said, his breathing uneven.
"For real? You didn't miscount?" Haiichi asked, incredulous.
"I've been counting too. Minato's right," Shikaku said, glaring at Dai. "What a freak. Isn't he a genin? How's he not even sweating after ninety-five laps?!"
Shino wailed.
The whole day, Minato and the class endured Dai's brutal training.
As the sun set, the thirty-five kids limped home, supporting each other, completely drained.
"See you, young ones!" Dai called from the sunset, one hand on his hip, the other waving. "Remember, youth never rests!"
"Get lost!" the kids cursed in their hearts.
"Nice work, Dai," Ebara said, slinging his camera over his shoulder.
"Not hard at all," Dai replied earnestly. "Training with these vibrant kids? I learned a ton."
"The Ninja Academy should hire you as a taijutsu teacher," Ebara said sincerely.
"I'd rather be a ninja," Dai said with a grin, then invited Ebara. "Join me in burning youth sometime!"
Ebara didn't hesitate. "Why bother? Youth's all about hand speed. The First Hokage conquered the world with what? Lightning-fast hands! Clap them, and you get anything."
Dai scratched his head, confused by Ebara's logic.
"Forget it. Come on, you worked hard today. I'm treating you to food," Ebara said.
"Awesome! I know a new ramen shop in the village. They say the noodles are long and wide, the bowls big and round, and it's cheap…"
"Skr!"
"What's that mean?"
"It's a big deal. Bear with it."
"You're weird."
"You're not wrong."
Trading jabs, Ebara and Dai reached the ramen shop.
Staring at the sign, Ebara froze.
"This is your ramen shop?"
"Yeah! Cool name, right? Big Poop Ramen! Big portions, cheap price!"
"Ugh!"
Ebara's mind reeled.
How could those two words be "cool"?
Was Dai's brain okay?
"Let's eat somewhere else."
"No way, the owner's ramen is amazing!"
"Please, stop. You're making me gag."
"I'm serious! Freshly made, it's steaming hot…"
"Urgh…"
Unable to convince Ebara, Dai reluctantly left, looking back every few steps.
"Sigh, another customer gone," the ramen shop owner sighed, slumping on the counter. "Ichiraku, is my ramen really that bad?" he asked his eight-year-old son.
"Dad, have confidence," Ichiraku said.
The owner perked up. "With your support, I'm not afraid of anything!"
"Dad, I meant have confidence—it's definitely bad."
"…"
Watching his defeated father, Ichiraku clenched his fists.
Reviving the Teuchi family's honor was his duty!
…
"Barbecue's the way to go," Ebara said, burping contentedly and patting his stomach. "So good."
"Hey, Ebara, I need your advice on something…" Dai's mood shifted 180 degrees, turning shy and fidgety, playing with his fingers.
Ebara stared, dumbfounded.
What the hell? Was this the script for a 6'2", bushy-browed tough guy?
Was Dai… getting frisky after a full meal?
A chill ran down Ebara's spine.
"What's up?" he asked cautiously. "But let me say first—I've got a girl I like."
"You too? Who?" Dai asked, surprised.
"Forget my girl. What's your deal?" Ebara said, relieved.
It seemed he'd misunderstood.
My bad, my bad.
"There's this chick…" Dai said, embarrassed.
"Who's she from?" Ebara asked eagerly.
He was dying to know who Might Guy's mom was.
Dai got a dreamy look. "I don't know, I just know that girl's hot…"
"How old is she?"
"I don't know, I just know she's hot…"
"Is she a ninja like you?"
"I don't know, I just know she's hot…"
"How hot is she to stick in your mind like that? From the Land of Lightning?"
"I don't know…"
"Speak human!" Ebara snapped, veins popping, fists cracking.
Dai finally dropped the lovesick act, thinking hard. His eyes lit up. "I don't know her name, but I know her dad's named Sato! From our village!"