"Then I have another candidate, but I'm not sure if he's in the village."
"Nawaki, come here."
Tsunade was lost in thought, and her sudden shout startled the two boys fishing nearby.
Thinking they were caught red-handed, Nawaki quickly handed Minato his wooden sword and ran over to his sister with a grin.
"What's up?"
"Is your Sensei in the village?"
The candidate Tsunade was referring to was Orochimaru, the most outstanding disciple of the Third Hokage. Orochimaru not only learned quickly but was also adept at applying his knowledge in various situations. It was no exaggeration to call him a genius.
Kawakaze's eyes lit up at the mention of him. He had completely forgotten about such an influential figure.
"Sensei said he'd be back tomorrow for a short visit," Nawaki replied honestly. One was his sister, and the other was his future brother-in-law—there was no reason to hide anything.
"Tomorrow, we'll go visit your Sensei together," Tsunade decided.
"Sensei will definitely be happy. He even said Big Brother's horse stance is impressive, and his Kenjutsu is extraordinary. He mentioned wanting to visit the Hatake Clan if he gets the chance."
Nawaki was relieved they hadn't noticed his earlier mischief and felt even happier to be surrounded by those closest to him. Their camaraderie was something worth cherishing.
"Your Sensei has a good eye," Kawakaze commented with a smile, clearly pleased by the praise.
"Alright, go practice."
Tsunade and Kawakaze moved on, but Nawaki suddenly froze in place as realization dawned—he hadn't escaped his sister's notice at all.
Just then, Sakumo and Nayuki returned, with Onimaru trailing behind them, looking utterly defeated.
When the pair spotted Kawakaze, they brightened immediately. Whether the training had been successful or not didn't matter—as long as everyone was safe.
They brought Onimaru over to the stone table and sat down.
"Onimaru, were you scolded?" Kawakaze teased, his playful tone making Onimaru glare at him sideways.
I swear, I want to bite this guy to death.
"No," Nayuki interjected. "Your Big Brother's taking him home to breed. Onimaru is one of the few prized dogs in my Inuzuka Clan."
Kawakaze glanced at Onimaru, who looked completely drained. From his weary state, it was clear the dog hadn't been rested much during the trip.
"How was your Senjutsu training?"
Sakumo looked at Kawakaze with curiosity, eager to hear about his progress now that he had returned safely.
"I finished in one day. You know, your little brother is so talented—why don't you call me Big Brother and celebrate?"
Tsunade choked on her tea, coughing uncontrollably as she burst out laughing.
"You won't stop until you've driven me to my grave, will you?" Sakumo growled. "Let's duel, you little brat."
Sakumo had managed to keep Kawakaze in check all these years only because of his refusal to acknowledge the Big Brother title. Agreeing to it now would mean throwing away the last shred of his dignity.
He downed the rest of his tea, frowned, and grabbed Kawakaze by the collar, dragging him to the center of the dojo.
"Have they always been like this?" Tsunade asked in disbelief, pointing at her temple in exasperation.
Nayuki sighed, already used to the sight. At first, she had even wondered if the Hatake Clan had a history of mental instability.
"They're brothers who depend on each other, so they're used to bickering," she explained.
Tsunade glanced at the luxurious mansion and spacious dojo surrounding them. Living together? This looked more like two people living in excessive comfort.
"Oh." That one word conveyed all her thoughts.
Neither of them paid any attention to the two men in the middle of the room. The brothers clashed swords without any semblance of grace, their duel lacking the slightest aesthetic.
The two women resumed drinking, unconcerned. After a while, Kawakaze returned to his seat, looking smug. Predictably, he hadn't held back, leaving Sakumo in the dust. Yet, Sakumo refused to call him Big Brother—this was his unshakable bottom line.
Once Kawakaze sat down, Sakumo followed, settling at the stone table with a dissatisfied grunt.
"Big Brother isn't worth holding back for, huh? You're such a loser," he muttered, glaring.
As the chaos subsided, the group started chatting casually. Sakumo gradually calmed down, realizing it wasn't worth getting angry at Kawakaze. If he did, he'd probably die of frustration long before his little brother gave in.
...
The next morning, Kawakaze carried a finely crafted sword from the Hatake weapons workshop, with Minato trailing behind him. Together, they headed to the Senju residence to meet Tsunade and Nawaki. The group planned to visit Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru has returned to the village. What about Jiraiya?" Kawakaze asked, recalling the eccentric "Pervy Sage." Since he had also inadvertently disrupted Dan Katō's marriage plans, he felt no guilt over it.
"He went to Mount Myōboku to train," Tsunade replied.
"I assume he's working on Senjutsu," Kawakaze remarked.
Tsunade nodded. The disciples of the Third Hokage remained close, so it wasn't surprising she knew Jiraiya's whereabouts.
"I'm just afraid it won't come easy for him," she added.
Kawakaze, familiar with Jiraiya's journey, knew it took him nearly ten years to master Senjutsu—a testament to his diligence.
"He's the most hardworking ninja I've ever met," Tsunade said, her tone filled with rare praise. Jiraiya, born to a commoner's family with average talent, had carved his path through sheer effort. Still, his recent behavior grated on her, or Kawakaze might still have some work.
As they talked, Kawakaze noticed a fat cat leaping toward him. Decked out in gold and silver jewelry, it looked like the pampered pet of a wealthy Konoha wife. He reached out and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck.
But then, he felt another hand briefly touch his own before withdrawing with lightning speed.
Kawakaze looked up to see a young man with shiny black hair, neatly parted down the middle, and dressed in green tights.
"Genin Might Duy, reporting for duty to Lady Tsunade," the man announced.
This was none other than Might Guy's father—the first man to master the Eight Inner Gates Formation.
"Hello," Tsunade said, clearly not recognizing him, but politely returning his greeting.
"Hello, I'm Kawakaze Hatake. Pleased to meet you." Kawakaze's curiosity was piqued.
"Hello." Might Dai seemed startled by the respectful tone. As a Genin performing mundane tasks, he was unaccustomed to such courtesy, especially from someone of Kawakaze's stature.
"You're here for this cat, right?" Kawakaze handed over the plump feline.
"Thank you, Lord Kawakaze," Dai said, taking the cat and turning to leave. It never crossed his mind that someone significant would help with such a trivial matter.
"Wait." Kawakaze stopped him. "I noticed your speed just now. Your Taijutsu must be impressive."
This was a deliberate question—Kawakaze already knew Duy had mastered the Eight Inner Gates Formation. No one could achieve such speed without rigorous Taijutsu training.
"It's okay," Duy replied, flashing a dazzling smile, his white teeth gleaming.
"With skills like yours, why are you still doing Genin tasks?" Kawakaze asked, puzzled. How could someone capable of opening all Eight Gates remain at such a low rank?
"I only know Taijutsu, so I can't pass the Chūnin Exam," Dai explained. Promotions in Konoha were rigid, and for those without connections, advancement was challenging. If Dai belonged to a major clan, his abilities would've been recognized long ago.
"I see," Kawakaze said thoughtfully. "I'll see what I can do to help. Let's be friends. Come visit the Hatake Clan sometime."
Kawakaze had no qualms about befriending someone like Might Duy—an earnest and capable man.
"Thank you very much." Dai gave him a spirited thumbs-up, his trademark smile beaming. "Youth will always be by your side!"
No wonder he's Guy's father, Kawakaze thought.
Meanwhile, Nawaki and Minato exchanged bewildered glances. This odd man seemed to have charmed their usually reserved Big Brother with ease.