Chapter 32: Applying For Graduation, Buying Ninja Tools

Once he returned home, Tonan flipped open his diary and began writing a doleful entry. Even though his hands did not stop filling in the words, his mind was on those Sharingan in the test tube.

After he finished writing, he sat under the eaves and stared at the Uchiha clan members who occasionally passed by, lost in thought. Right now, all the Uchiha had returned to Konoha. If Orochimaru wanted to get his hands on a pair of Sharingan for his experiments, he could only acquire it from the village.

Tonan had three tomoe and lived at the edge of the clan’s territory. He was a very convenient target.

“The war is completely over. This is really unsettling. If I’d known this would happen earlier, I wouldn’t have refused the Great Elder.”

Tonan rubbed his temples. When he unlocked his third tomoe, the Great Elder planned to have Tonan move to the center of the clan grounds. But Tonan had already sided with Sarutobi Hiruzen at the time, and with so many secrets of his own, he turned down the offer.

“I can only rely on myself,” Tonan murmured. Surveying the courtyard’s layout, he got up and headed to the storage room. One must not wish harm upon others, but one must also not be unguarded against others. Tonan had always adhered to the principle of not provoking others when unprovoked, and vice versa.

He just had to take a little more precaution now.

The rest of the day was peaceful. Tonan didn’t plan on causing any more trouble for the time being. That was also because graduation was coming up.

“Tonan-kun! Are you and that Kakashi going to apply for early graduation?” a surprised Uchiha Obito asked Tonan.

Tonan modestly nodded, and said, “I’m not too sure if I can manage it, but I want to try.”

When Maito Guy overheard the conversation between them, he rushed straight to Hatake Kakashi and asked excitedly, “Kakashi, are you really going to apply for early graduation?”

Kakashi nodded indifferently. Guy clenched his fists and as if flames were burning in his eyes, he passionately said, “Sure enough, you’re worthy of being my arch-nemesis! Youth should burn with passion! Since you want to graduate early, let me join you and we can compete and see who will be able to graduate! The loser must run 500 laps around the field!”

Guy’s voice was so loud that the entire classroom heard it. Many of the girls came over and started speaking with starry eyes.

“Kakashi, are you graduating early?”

“Is Tonan-kun graduating early too?”

“Tonan-kun is amazing! He’s already so confident to be able to graduate early.”

“I can’t even use genjutsu yet but Tonan-kun already has a genin’s skills.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Tonan-kun is the most amazing!”

“No, Kakashi is the most amazing!”

“Tonan-kun!”

“Kakashi!”

There were too many fangirls on both Tonan and Kakashi’s sides, and both sides ended up arguing just like that.

Obito was disgruntled when he saw Rin by Kakashi’s side. He slammed on the table and announced, “I’ve decided, I’ll also apply for early graduation! I’m the future Hokage after all, how can I fall behind?”

But all he got in return was a series of eye-rolls. Only Rin kindly reminded him, “Obito, you have to excel in all three basic types of jutsu and also get straight As.”

“What?! Three jutsu!” Both Obito and Guy covered their faces with their hands at the same time, faces distorted as if they’d eaten dirt. But Guy was the first to come around. With hot tears streaming down his face, he said to Kakashi, “Damn it, as expected of you, Kakashi. You win this time!”

The hubbub was still on when Umino Naoto entered the classroom. He cleared his throat loudly and everyone hurried back to their seats.

With both hands on the table, Naoto announced, “Settle down, everyone. Your final exams are tomorrow, so I hope you’ll do your best. Both Tonan and Kakashi have applied for early graduation. The two of you will take your exams in the grade three’s classroom. Don’t be late. The school will end early today, so go home and rest up.”

“Burn on, youth!” As soon as Naoto left the room, Guy rushed out. From the looks of it, he was going to fulfill his promise of running 500 laps in the field.

“The exam is tomorrow. Do you want to go for dinner this evening? I heard a new ramen restaurant opened up in the shopping street. They say it’s very good.”

“Good luck, Kakashi!”

“See you, Tonan-kun!”

…

When almost everyone had left, Kakashi got up and came to Tonan, passing him a scroll, and said, “Here, it’s inside.”

Tonan smiled and accepted it. The scroll contained something that would greatly increase his sense of security.

“Thanks, Kakashi. How much?” Tonan took out his wallet and asked.

Kakashi lazily put both hands behind his head, and replied, “No need.”

Tonan put on a serious face and earnestly said, “Kakashi, do you see me as your friend?”

“What… what are you asking me that for?” Kakashi blushed and turned his head aside.

“If you think of me as your friend, then take the money. Friends help each other when they’re in need. They don’t leech off each other even if those things are not important to you.”

Tonan slipped cash into Kakashi’s hand. Kakashi looked down at the thick wad of money and froze.

“I won’t feel good if you don’t take it, and I don’t think I could bring myself to trouble you again in the future.”

“Annoying.” Kakashi carelessly stuffed the money into his pocket and asked in a seemingly casual tone, “Are you coming to my house?” There seemed to be a hint of enticement in his voice…

Seeing Kakashi accept the money, Tonan narrowed his eyes in a smile, and replied, “No, I’m planning to rest up at home today.”

Once he returned home, Tonan shut the front gates and went to his room. He opened the scroll, and after forming a few seals, he placed his palm on it.

“Unseal.”

White smoke rose, and the objects sealed inside the scroll appeared before him. Tonan made an inventory. Three damage-proof Explosion Tags, four Fuma (wind demon) Shuriken, two fuel barrels, chakra wire, and a barrel of quick-setting cement.

These things may not seem much, but they were expensive and not something the average person could afford. Especially the three damage-proof Explosion Tags and the chakra wire.

A chunin may be able to afford it because they could earn enough in just a few missions. But he spent almost half of his parents’ death benefits on this. Most of these things were considered controlled products that only ninja could buy.

Of course, if Tonan really wanted to buy them, he could also purchase them from the clan. But he was worried he might draw Hiruzen’s misunderstanding and sour their ambiguous relationship.

Fortunately, though, he had a good brother like Kakashi. He figured that the latter must have asked Hatake Sakumo to buy these for him. There was also the possibility of course that Kakashi took them directly from his home.

Tonan began attaching the chakra wire to the Fuma Shuriken, as well as to the several kunai. After connecting them, he sealed the weapons into a storage scroll.

Once the sky turned dark, he moved the rest of the things into his courtyard. At the same time, the white pigeons lurking around the house activated the Sharingan to avoid anyone from discovering what was happening in the courtyard.