Since that day, Uchiha Hayato had gained a few new "followers" trailing behind him.
First was Dekai, who, by his own admission, wanted to learn from Hayato and redeem himself in the eyes of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. True to his word, he had stopped fooling around with the other boys, and since Hayato found it hard to be unkind to someone wearing a genuine smile, he left him alone.
The other two were Yakushi Nono and Hyūga Ruri. Nonou hadn't intended to join, as she wasn't familiar with the group, but Ruri had practically dragged her along. Her excuse? She wanted to investigate how Uchiha Hayato had "stolen" the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist technique. With no way to refuse her friend, Nonou reluctantly came along.
"Minato, have you learned the Shadow Clone Technique yet?" Uchiha Hayato asked.
Minato's lips curled into a smile. "Of course. It's just the Shadow Clone Technique, after all. But to be honest, it's not all that useful to me right now. My chakra reserves aren't large enough—I can only summon three clones at most, and they don't last long."
"That's more than enough," Hayato replied, shaking his head. "The Shadow Clone Technique isn't just for combat. It's a powerful tool for learning jutsu as well."
Minato's complaint amused Hayato. After all, the Shadow Clone Technique was a B-rank jutsu. Being able to learn it and create three clones already placed Minato among the ranks of geniuses. Not everyone had the massive chakra reserves of the Uzumaki or Senju clans.
"Your chakra reserves are fine as they are," Hayato reassured. "Our next step is mastering chakra control."
He took a light step, seemingly walking on flat ground, but he was actually climbing straight up the trunk of a tree. Turning upside down, he looked at the group from his perch and said, "The first step is tree climbing. By evenly and calmly focusing chakra on the soles of your feet, you can do this."
Hayato flipped midair and landed gracefully. "If you can't maintain consistent chakra control, you'll lose your balance and fall—like this." He gestured dramatically. "Mistakes like that in battle can be fatal."
Kushina raised her hand, mimicking a student in class. "Hayato-sensei, isn't this something genin learn? Isn't it a bit early for us?"
"You're right, Kushina-can, but you all need to learn this now," Hayato replied with a smile before delivering a light flick to her forehead. "You're all geniuses in my eyes. But on the battlefield, geniuses are always targeted first. If you can't survive, you'll just be a dead genius."
Hayato's words hung heavy in the air. Dekai, reflecting on his past antics, felt a wave of shame. While he'd been playing ninja games with the boys in the village, Hayato had been thinking far ahead. Even Minato felt a pang of inadequacy.
"Who wants to try climbing first?" Hayato asked, picking up a stick like a teacher pointing at students.
After a brief silence, Yakushi Nono stepped forward. She was curious to see how far she could go.
"Nono, huh? Alright, take the next half hour to practice climbing," Hayato instructed.
The group watched as Nono began her attempts. She managed three steps before slipping and falling. Undeterred, she reflected briefly and tried again. After dozens of attempts, Nono finally scaled the tree to its top, hanging upside down from a branch.
The group was impressed. Although the trees near the edge of the forest weren't the tallest, for a seven-year-old, it was an incredible feat.
"Impressive, Nono," Hayato said, clapping. "You're living up to your reputation as someone with great chakra control. No wonder you're destined to become the 'Wandering Nun.'"
He grinned mischievously. "Now, for your final attempt, I want you to climb to the top in one go."
Nonou hesitated, sensing something was off, but complied. She took careful steps, each one more confident than the last.
"Now, Blaze—use Ember!"
"Chi!"
A burst of orange flame shot toward Nono, throwing her off balance. Her chakra faltered, and she began to fall.
"Nono!"
Ruri darted forward, catching Nonou before she hit the ground, acting as a human cushion. Checking her friend's clothes for burns, Ruri sighed in relief upon finding none.
She turned a furious glare at Hayato. "What are you thinking, Uchiha Hayato? This is training, not real combat! What if Nono had gotten hurt?"
Hayato's Sharingan spun as he stepped closer. The crimson eyes made Ruri freeze in place, a sense of dread washing over her.
"In real combat, do you think the enemy will give you a chance to act freely?" Hayato asked coldly, pressing a kunai lightly to her neck. "Especially someone like you, a Hyūga. Enemies would love to rip those Byakugan eyes out of your head."
Ruri trembled, her lips quivering as tears welled in her eyes.
"I hope for a world where Pokémon can bridge gaps and turn enemies into friends," Hayato said, his tone softening. "But that doesn't mean we can ignore the need for strength."
He pulled out a vial of medicine from his pouch. "I was prepared for this. I have both healing and burn medicine. Nonou would've been fine."
"This kind of training isn't just for chakra control—it sharpens reflexes and helps Pokémon hone their aim. If you can't handle this, you should go home," Hayato said firmly.
Ruri burst into tears, spinning on her heels and running off. Nonou gave Hayato an apologetic smile. She understood his logic but felt it was important to comfort her friend.
"Hayato, don't you think you went too far? We're only second years," Minato said with a wry smile. Even he wasn't sure he could handle such intensity.
"Maybe…" Hayato stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Was it too much?"
Ruri's retreating form disappeared into the distance. Nono sighed and muttered under her breath, "Such hot-blooded youth."
"Alright then, I've decided—handstand laps around the village, one hundred times!" Hayato declared with mock enthusiasm, breaking the tension.