Moonlight Hayate!
At the ninja school, Uchiha Nanaya, Uzuki Yugao, and Moonlight Hayate were contemporaries. However, their paths diverged significantly after graduation.
Now, Moonlight Hayate had become a Special Jōnin, Uzuki Yugao had joined the Anbu elite, and only Nanaya remained a repeat student at the academy. To someone like Hayate, who had risen to prominence, Nanaya's lingering status as a repeater seemed beneath notice.
"Cough, cough..."
Hayate's characteristic cough broke the silence. His pale face, evidence of his chronic illness, looked even more weary under the daylight. Despite his frailty, his eyes carried a trace of disdain as they flicked between Nanaya and Yugao.
"Yugao, are you free? Perhaps we could go for a walk together," Hayate said, his tone soft but unmistakably laced with intent.
Izumo and Kotetsu, who were watching from a distance, exchanged knowing glances.
"Looks like Hayate has his eye on Yugao," Izumo whispered with a smirk.
Uzuki Yugao, however, remained as stoic as ever. Her icy demeanor was an unyielding shield.
"Hayate-kun, the village has been through a lot recently, and there are still many Anbu missions I need to handle," she replied coolly, effectively declining his offer.
Rejected.
Izumo and Kotetsu observed the interaction, grinning like spectators enjoying a melodramatic play.
But then, Nanaya made his move. Without hesitation, he gently placed an arm around Yugao's slender waist, pulling her closer. Leaning in, he whispered softly: "Yugao, take care of yourself during your Anbu missions."
The gesture happened so quickly that Yugao barely had time to react. On the outside, she maintained her composure, but inside, her heart raced uncontrollably.
For Nanaya, this was more than an affectionate gesture. It was a clear declaration of his place in her life, leaving no room for Hayate—or anyone else—to misunderstand.
With that, Nanaya bid her farewell and walked away.
Yugao, too, disappeared in a puff of smoke, using the Body Flicker Technique to leave the scene.
Left behind, Moonlight Hayate stood frozen. His already pale face turned a sickly shade of gray.
"Uchiha Nanaya, you b*****d..." Hayate muttered under his breath, his fists clenching as his teeth ground together audibly.
Meanwhile, Izumo and Kotetsu, who had been gleefully observing the scene, were left stunned.
"Wait... did Yugao just reject Hayate for Nanaya?" Izumo asked incredulously.
"Looks like it," Kotetsu replied, equally shocked. "The Anbu's icy beauty with a perpetual repeater? Unbelievable."
Nanaya's move had left an impression. While Hayate's status as a Special Jōnin stood out, in other aspects, Nanaya had him beat.
Izumo and Kotetsu whispered to each other, comparing the two men.
"First off, Nanaya's appearance is leagues ahead," Izumo began.
"True," Kotetsu agreed. "Hayate looks half-dead most of the time with his constant coughing."
"Exactly! And Nanaya? He's strong, healthy, and has this confidence about him."
Feeling their gaze, Hayate glared at the pair.
"What are you two staring at? Get back to work!" he snapped before storming off.
Later, Nanaya returned home. The Uchiha clan's district, still sealed off due to the massacre, forced him to stay in a temporary residence allocated by Konoha leadership.
Exhausted, he collapsed onto his bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The night passed quietly, and the morning sun filtered through his window. A new day had arrived.
When Nanaya woke, he felt... different. There was a newfound strength coursing through his body, as though he'd been rejuvenated overnight.
Ding!
Congratulations, Host, on a good night's sleep. Your eight ninja stats have reached 10, and your Frozen Fruit ability has awakened.
Nanaya blinked, absorbing the system's announcement. He immediately accessed his data.
Name: Uchiha Nanaya
Clan: Uchiha
Age: 17
Ability: Frozen Fruit (Awakened)
Status: Repeat student at the Ninja Academy
Stats:
Ninjutsu: 10
Taijutsu: 10
Genjutsu: 10
Spirit: 10
Yin: 10
Speed: 10
Strength: 10
Stamina: 10
Nanaya smirked. All his stats were maxed out, yet his current designation as a ninja school student seemed laughably outdated.
"Still no Mangekyō Sharingan, huh?" he mused.
Curious to test his newfound abilities, Nanaya decided he needed a sparring partner. After freshening up, he headed to the ninja academy.
At the academy, Nanaya found Iruka in the office.
"What? You don't want to be a ninja anymore?" Iruka asked, surprised.
"Yeah, Iruka-sensei. I'm just not cut out for it," Nanaya replied with a shrug.
Iruka studied him for a moment, then smiled knowingly.
"Nanaya, I get it. You don't want to hold back Naruto and Sasuke. At your age, it must feel awkward to still be here."
Nanaya nodded, grateful for Iruka's understanding.
"But," Iruka continued, "Lord Hokage has made an exception for you."
"An exception?"
Iruka's grin widened.
"Yes. Considering your unique situation, the Hokage has approved you as a Special Genin. You can leave the academy and join missions as an official ninja."
Nanaya raised an eyebrow.
"Special Genin? That's... new."
As the realization sank in, a mischievous smile crept across his face.