After thoroughly mastering his new skills, Hayate Shiranui drifted into a peaceful sleep. Meanwhile, John Wick—having received word that the Elder was safe and the enemies eradicated—lay down with a settled mind, his thoughts already turning toward the official debriefing in New York scheduled for three days later.
The Next Day
Waking up, Hayate stretched lazily before entering the system space for his daily check-in.
[Ding! Check-in successful. Reward: 50 Gold Coins!]
A good day always begins with a system check-in.
After a quick wash, Hayate accessed the system and placed the Ninja Academy - Uzumaki Naruto card into the active combat slot.
[Ding! Do you wish to summon Ninja Academy - Uzumaki Naruto within a 10-meter radius?]
Yes, Hayate thought.
The next second, a figure slowly materialized in the room. Little Naruto's small frame began to solidify.
Upon arrival, Naruto didn't close his eyes to meditate or adjust. Instead, he looked around the lavish room with wide-eyed curiosity before his gaze landed on Hayate.
"Old man, were you the one who summoned me here?"
Old man? Hayate felt a twitch of annoyance. Well, to a student-age Naruto, he probably did fall into the "uncle" or "old man" category.
"Don't call me old man," Hayate replied helplessly. "You can call me Lord Hayate. And yes, it was I who brought you to this world."
"I see! It looks like you really need my help, Lord Old Man! Don't worry, Uzumaki Naruto will protect you!" Naruto flashed a brilliant, toothy grin. It was the first time he had ever truly felt needed.
Looking at the radiant yet thin and small child, Hayate felt a wave of nostalgia. He pulled two steaming bowls of Gourmet Ramen from his storage space and set them on the table.
"Here. Try this. I think you'll find it quite to your liking."
Seeing the hot ramen, Naruto didn't stand on ceremony. He scrambled to the table instantly. "Whoa! Ramen! My favorite! Thanks for the food, Old Man! Chopsticks? Where are the chopsticks?"
Hayate chuckled and handed him a pair. Naruto clasped his hands together and muttered a quick "Itadakimasu!" before diving in.
"Wow! It's hot! So good!"
Watching Naruto yell and slurp, Hayate didn't find it annoying at all. Instead, it felt surreal—like a frame from an anime had come to life in his living room.
However, as he ate, Naruto suddenly began to choke up. Tears started streaming down his face, yet he didn't stop eating, shoving large mouthfuls of noodles into his mouth.
Hayate was startled. "Naruto? Why are you crying? Is it not good?" He quickly handed the boy a pack of tissues.
Naruto wiped his face and sniffled. "It's... it's just that this is the first time anyone has ever treated me to a meal. Thank you, Old Man. I'm just so moved. Is this what it feels like to be recognized? To be needed?"
He looked up with renewed fire in his eyes. "I'll make sure everyone recognizes Uzumaki Naruto!"
Hayate was surprised. Wasn't Iruka-sensei the first person to treat him to ramen? He decided to check the timeline. "Naruto, what were you doing right before you were summoned?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh... I was just finishing up some graffiti on the Great Stone Faces!"
Hayate burst out laughing. This was the legendary opening scene of the series! No wonder the recruitment art showed him with a paintbrush. This was before Iruka caught him and took him to Ichiraku Ramen.
He had effectively intercepted one of the most pivotal moments in Naruto's life.
"Old Man! What are you laughing at?" Naruto huffed. "Don't you think those stone faces need a little color? They've looked the same for years! It's boring!"
Before Hayate could respond, the doorbell rang. He set down his chopsticks and went to answer it. Naruto, left alone, polished off the rest of his ramen in three seconds. He felt a strange warmth spreading through his limbs—a single bowl of this Gourmet Ramen felt more energizing than five regular bowls.
Hayate opened the door to find Sasuke Uchiha standing there.
"Lord Hayate, breakfast is prepared downstairs. Would you like to join us?"
Inside the room, Naruto's ears perked up at the familiar voice. He performed a backflip off his chair and scurried to the door.
"Stuck-up Sasuke! You're here too?!"
Naruto stared up at Sasuke, who was now more than a head taller than him. Naruto stood on his tiptoes to compare heights, his jaw dropping. "Sasuke! How did you get so tall?! You weren't this big at school this morning!"
Sasuke froze for a split second. This idiot... Hayate-sama brought him here too.
Despite his internal surprise, Sasuke kept his expression cold and aloof. "Loser. I should have known you'd end up here eventually."
Naruto's face reddened with anger. "Stuck-up Sasuke! Say that again!"
Sasuke ignored the outburst and looked at Hayate. Hayate just chuckled. "Alright, Naruto, no bickering."
Naruto huffed and shook a fist. "Fine! For the Old Man's sake, I'll let it slide this time!"
Sasuke turned away with his usual "Hmph," but internally he was curious. Why is he wearing those clothes? He looks younger... and he doesn't have a headband. Has he even graduated from the Academy yet?
It was a strange feeling for Sasuke. Since the Chunin Exams, he had acknowledged Naruto as a rival who was catching up to him. Now, looking at this pre-graduation version of the boy, things were about to get very interesting.