Soon, Reiki arrived at the place he once called home—the orphanage.
"Makawa!" he called out as soon as he saw a familiar figure lecturing a group of eight- and nine-year-olds.
The man was Ma Chuan, the first person Reiki had met when he came into this world.
"Reiki!" Makawa's initial reaction was to bolt. The memory of their last encounter, when Reiki had confronted him, was still vivid and not a pleasant one. Now that Reiki was Tsunade's disciple and a Chuunin known as a rising genius, Makawa knew that if Reiki wanted to reprimand him publicly, there would be no room for protest.
"Why are you so nervous? I'm not here to fight," Reiki said with a smile. "I want to talk. Do you have time?"
Makawa relaxed slightly. "I have time, but…"
"Let's go grab something to eat. My treat. After all, this was once my home too," Reiki said warmly.
"Really?" Makawa's eyes lit up, and the children around them perked up too.
"Can we get ramen?" one asked.
"I want barbecue!" another chimed in.
Reiki chuckled. "We'll go to Ichiraku Ramen and the barbecue restaurant nearby. Those who want ramen can head to Ichiraku, and those who want barbecue can go to the yakiniku place."
A cheer went up from the group as they set off in high spirits.
---
Meanwhile, members of the Root organization, tasked with monitoring Reiki, were left scratching their heads. His life was straightforward, and his training routines hadn't changed much. But whenever he visited the big clans, they couldn't follow him in.
Today, they'd been observing him since morning, baffled as he fought with children and then decided to take a group out for food. Was this really the life of a Chuunin? It seemed absurd, yet it somehow always affected their reports.
They dutifully recorded his actions and sent updates back to their superiors.
---
Inside the barbecue restaurant, Reiki sat with Makawa, who was still a bit wary.
"Makawa, are you still running the orphanage?" Reiki asked, cutting straight to the point.
"What? No… after you confronted me last time, I stopped hoarding relief funds and resources. I've turned over a new leaf," Makawa said, visibly uneasy. The idea of being grilled over barbecue, only to be grilled by Reiki, wasn't appealing.
"Relax, I'm not here to accuse you," Reiki reassured him. "I just want to know how things are going at the orphanage. Do you still have a say there? Tell me everything."
Makawa's tense shoulders relaxed a bit. "How things are going? It's the same as always—just barely surviving. I'm already 11, but I'm not strong enough to pass the Genin exam. Last month, a few kids who were sick couldn't afford treatment and died in their rooms…"
Makawa's eyes darkened. In Konoha, no one cared for the orphans unless they showed potential. Those who did were picked up by various clans or mentors. The rest were left to fend for themselves.
Reiki's expression turned somber. Though he had Tsunade's mentorship now, the original memories of his time at the orphanage left a deep impact on him, and he couldn't ignore the suffering of others.
"Makawa, I'm giving you an opportunity," Reiki said, leaning forward. "Every day, I want you to train with me or lead practice sessions. I'll provide resources and gear for training, but you need to take this seriously and commit. Can you do that?"
Makawa's eyes widened in disbelief. "You'll provide… resources? For training? For everyone here? But there are dozens of us in the orphanage…"
"Are you worried I can't afford it?" Reiki said with a confident grin. "As long as you stay committed and don't squander the opportunity, I'll make sure you have the best training environment."
Reiki's assurance left Makawa speechless. Providing resources for that many kids wasn't cheap. If it were easy, the village would have done it long ago.
"For something like this… all I can say is, I'm in," Makawa said, determination growing in his voice. "But I don't know about the others…"
"Here." Reiki placed a box on the table and raised three fingers. "This is 1,000 million ryo. Consider it your starting capital. Use it wisely. I'll help with repairs and more resources. You have three days."
"1,000 million ryo!" Makawa gasped. The amount stunned him. "You're serious…"
"If you can't handle it, find people who can help. But make it work."
"I can do it!" Makawa stood abruptly, a plan forming in his mind.
"Good. Then it's settled. I'll come back in three days," Reiki said before disappearing in a flash.
Makawa sank back into his seat, staring at the fortune in front of him. Slowly, the reality set in.
"I need to think about what resources we need. Training kunai, practice shuriken, protective gear, potions… Roy mentioned potions," he muttered as he started jotting down ideas.
---
That afternoon, Makawa's friends, Bells, Kaze, and Tentou, found him still deep in thought.
"Makawa, are you back yet?" Bells called out as they entered the barbecue restaurant, surprised to find him still there.
"Come in," Makawa invited, his eyes shining with excitement.
He explained everything to them, and by the end of it, they were stunned. Bells wiped tears from her eyes, overwhelmed by hope.
For the first time in years, they saw a glimpse of a future that had always felt out of reach.
---
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 420 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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