Shortly after Hayate left the training room, Hotaru and the others finalized the structural framework for the new base and adjourned their meeting. Sasuke, however, found his way to the training room.
Watching Rock Lee as he recalibrated his newfound explosive power, Sasuke felt a surge of competitive interest. He stepped forward to challenge the "thick-browed" ninja to a spar. The outcome of that battle remained a mystery to the rest of the household, but the state of the training room—left in a near-total shambles—spoke volumes.
The night passed in silence.
Hayate Shiranui was awakened by a knock on his door. It was Hotaru. Before even rolling out of bed, his consciousness dove into the system for his daily check-in.
[Ding! Sign-in successful. Reward: 2 Secret Scroll Vouchers!]
Note: Upgrade to VIP 9 to double your rewards.
Hayate's lip twitched. VIP 9 was a distant dream. For now, he'd have to settle for the monthly double-reward days granted by his current VIP 1-3 status.
Opening the door, he found Hotaru standing there with her usual poise. "What is it, Secretary Hotaru?"
"Boss, didn't you complain last night about us not calling you for dinner?" she asked with a slight smile. "Well, breakfast is served."
Hayate chuckled. "Fair enough. Go on down; I'll be there in a moment."
After a quick wash, he joined the group in the lounge. Looking at the spread of bread, fried eggs, bacon, and milk, he raised an eyebrow. "Wow, which master chef prepared this? Don't tell me it was you, Hotaru."
He assembled a quick sandwich with eggs and bacon, taking a large bite. "Mmm, impressive! Great job, Hotaru."
Hotaru beamed at the praise, while the others ate in quiet discipline.
"In the future, though," Hayate added, "let's get a dedicated staff for this. You're my right and left hands; using your time on kitchen duty is a waste of talent."
After breakfast, Hayate summoned Pakkun. "Hey Pakkun, did you get all those gifts Stark sent you?"
Pakkun looked up, his paws planted firmly. "Lord Hayate, I've moved everything back to the Summoning Realm. I have to say, those gourmet snacks are excellent for a treat, but they're sadly lacking in energy."
Hayate laughed. "Pakkun, things with actual energy are hard to come by in this world—especially the edible kind. Come on; today we're going to pay a visit to that enthusiastic 'rich dog owner'."
He pulled out his phone and dialed Tony's private number—the first time he had used it since Stark's return from Afghanistan.
In his lab, Tony Stark was busy welding a component for his leg armor. "Dum-E, you're an idiot! Stop moving!" he barked at the robotic arm.
Just as he finished the piece, JARVIS's voice filled the room. "Sir, you have an incoming call on your private line. It is Hayate Shiranui."
Tony stretched his neck, cracking his joints. "JARVIS, patch him through."
"Hi, Tony," Hayate's voice came through the speaker.
Tony looked at the profile photo of Hayate appearing on a virtual screen. "Hey there, pal. It's been nearly a month; I'm surprised you remembered I existed."
Hayate smiled. Most people would have been groveling at Tony's feet for a chance to call him, but Hayate wasn't "most people."
"Tony, I wanted to thank you for the gifts you sent Pakkun. He really enjoyed them."
"Say hello, Pakkun."
"Good morning, Mr. Stark. Thank you for the treats!" the pug chimed in.
Hearing the talking dog, Tony's mind immediately went into high gear. He dropped his tools. "Hayate, why don't you come over to my lab? I've got a new project—something a bit more advanced than what you saw in the desert. Bring Pakkun along; I'd love to take another look at him."
Tony was happy to show off his masterpieces to Hayate. After all, Hayate was mysterious himself, had saved his life, and had already seen the Mark I. There were no secrets to keep from him.
The ninja dog really is the hook, Hayate thought.
"Tony, how about we meet at Stark Industries first?" Hayate suggested. "If there's still time, we can head over to your lab afterward."
Hayate's true goal was the massive Arc Reactor at the headquarters. He needed to see if it could be converted into system gold. If it worked, he'd consider the cost of building a few for himself. He certainly didn't want to test the theory by touching the miniature one on Tony's chest; he wasn't interested in being misunderstood as a creep.
Tony was confused by the detour but shrugged. "Fine. We'll meet at the entrance of Stark Industries. Just don't forget the dog!"
After hanging up, Tony Stark began changing his clothes. "A little break to clear the head before I get back to the Mark III," he muttered.
"Ninja dogs, Pakkun, summoning techniques... I wonder how many more of these things Hayate is hiding. He's a fascinating guy. Maybe the world isn't as simple as I thought."
A confident smile spread across his face as a sudden idea struck him. "Maybe I should officially hire his agency for a 'Ninja Dog Protection Mission' just to see how they operate..."
He headed to his garage, bypassed his many supercars, and settled on his silver Audi R8. He fired the engine and sped off toward Stark Industries.
Meanwhile, Hayate climbed into his own car with Pakkun in the passenger seat, heading for the same destination. He wasn't meeting a billionaire for small talk; he was scouting for his next major "top-up."