"What's it to you?"
Are you kidding me? Showing up at my door to interrogate me? Who do you think you are?
The masked figure didn't mention that Root operatives had waited for Ayato at the mission desk all day, only tracking him down after someone saw him buying sunglasses.
"The Hokage has ordered you to join a special division of the Anbu," the figure said, invoking the Anbu's name as Root often did to mask their true intentions.
"No way." Ayato waved dismissively, opening his courtyard gate.
Join the Anbu? That's just being the Third Hokage's lapdog. Root is worse—Danzo's slaves don't even qualify as lapdogs. A 'special division'? Everyone knows what that means.
It was like someone showing up at your door to invite you to become a slave. You'd have to be seriously messed up to agree.
"This is the Hokage's order!" the masked figure said sternly.
"Then tell him to come talk to me himself." Ayato didn't care, heading into his courtyard.
The figure followed.
"Defying the Hokage's orders? Do you want to stop being a ninja?" Their tone was flat, but the words dripped with menace.
Ayato pulled his forehead protector from his pocket and tossed it at the figure's feet.
"Here, take it. I'm done with being a ninja."
"What?" The masked figure was stunned. Someone in the Leaf Village not wanting to be a ninja? Unthinkable. They had no experience handling this and didn't know what to say.
"You'll regret this." With a parting threat, the figure vanished in a flicker of body flicker technique, leaving Ayato lounging on his chair.
"Take the forehead protector with you!" Ayato called, but no one responded.
"Ugh, what a hassle. Even Danzo's goons use that cliché line. Can't they learn something original?"
The forehead protector lay on the ground, but Ayato didn't bother picking it up. Being a ninja meant nothing to him. He wasn't short on money, and the role offered no benefits.
As for jutsu, he'd get them from Tsunade when she returned. She was easy to talk to. Worst case, he'd offer her some money. They were family, after all—she wouldn't make him resort to guilt-tripping her, would she?
...
"You're saying he refused?" Danzo's face was full of disbelief. This tactic had always worked. The Will of Fire was drilled into every student at the Ninja Academy. Every kid dreamed of following the Hokage's orders. How could someone choose to abandon their ninja status over joining the Anbu?
And this was the Anbu—directly under the Hokage! Who wouldn't want that?
It didn't add up. Danzo was stumped.
"What else did he say?"
"He said if it's real, the Hokage should come talk to him himself," the masked figure reported truthfully.
"Hmph, cocky brat." Danzo sneered. "Go back to your duties. I'll handle this."
"Yes, sir."
Leaning on his cane, Danzo slowly left the Root's headquarters. He wasn't always holed up there—he had other matters to attend to. He'd hoped to meet Ayato today, but since the kid didn't give him any face, Danzo had other plans to make.
"Let's see how long you can hold out," he muttered, fading into the distance.
Back in his courtyard, Ayato quickly forgot the encounter. If you have no desires, you're untouchable.
He had no interest in power struggles. His only living relative was Tsunade, whose high status made her untouchable by the village's schemes.
As long as no one pulled any dirty tricks, he was invincible.
"No more classes means a lot more free time. Just training my body like before feels like a waste," Ayato mused, thinking about his next steps.
Before, his days were filled with classes, leaving just enough time for physical training and practicing forms. Even with his stamina, it was barely manageable. Now, with classes gone, he didn't know other training methods. Finding a teacher was the best option.
"Tomorrow, then. I'll go find Teacher Kai."
There was no question whether Kai would teach him. All Ayato had to do was act as passionate as Kai, and he'd fit right in.
Worst case, he'd grit his teeth and wear that green outfit!
But with Kai's warm-hearted nature, he probably wouldn't refuse even if Ayato didn't fake enthusiasm. If you needed help, Kai was the guy.
In the end, even the strongest ninja relied on taijutsu. That was undeniable.
The next morning, after washing up, Ayato headed straight to the training grounds of Kai's team.
Finding their training area was easy. The whole team were taijutsu specialists, and their spot had the most training equipment.
Even easier to spot were the passionate shouts of Kai and Lee.
Yelling out their training progress might be part of their practice. Ayato didn't get it, but he respected it. It was Kai, after all.
"Five hundred straight punches, then three thousand kicks!"
"Five hundred handstand push-ups! If I can't finish, two thousand jump ropes!"
From a distance, Ayato heard a deep voice and a youthful one alternating, mixed with the steady rhythm of fists and feet hitting wooden posts.
"That's the place," Ayato thought, strolling toward the sound.
Sure enough, through the grove, he saw two green-clad figures in a clearing. Neji and Tenten hadn't arrived yet—either they weren't as dedicated as these two stamina freaks or they were too embarrassed to show up for this part.
"Yo, young man! Here to join us in embracing youth?" Kai called out, balancing on one hand in a handstand.
"Uh…" Ayato hesitated, unsure how to respond. Kai was really friendly.
Should he play along, shouting, Heck yeah, count me in! to join the Youth Squad, or just be direct and ask Kai to teach him?
After a few seconds of debate, Ayato opted for the straightforward approach.
With two "caterpillars" yelling in his face, he could tolerate it, but joining them in that green outfit? He'd rather not have been born!
"Teacher Kai, I'd like you to teach me taijutsu," Ayato said respectfully.
"Oh?" Kai flipped upright, landing on his feet.
"Where's your team leader?"
"I don't have one."
"I see." Kai nodded. "Then come, let's feel the youth together!" He flashed a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming.
Even though this wasn't an anime, Ayato swore Kai's teeth sparkled, almost blinding, like a flashbang stuffed behind his eyelids and sewn shut.
"Lee!"
"Teacher Kai!" Lee stopped pummeling the wooden post and jumped to Kai's side.
Kai turned back to Ayato. "Are you doing a mission today?"
Ayato shook his head.
"We're heading out for a mission soon and will train afterward. Want to come along?"
"Sure." Ayato figured he could see how missions worked.
"Then let's race to the team's meeting point! First one there wins!" Kai declared, darting off. Lee scrambled to follow.
Ayato stood frozen. Uh, guys? Where's your meeting point?