Hanekawa sprinted along the streets of Konoha, the morning wind brushing against his face.
As a spy, the most important quality was caution.
His plan was simple: run until he reached the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore, then pretend he was tired and go in to rest. Even if someone grew suspicious, he could just say, "I'm just a passing Kamen Rider—no, wait, I meant elementary schooler."
"Hanekawa!"
A familiar voice called from behind.
Hanekawa turned his head and saw a figure so green it practically hurt the eyes.
It was Might Guy, running on his hands.
"Good morning!"
Hanekawa nodded with a polite smile.
After a week of training together, they'd grown somewhat familiar with each other.
"Don't mind me!" Guy shouted.
Hanekawa was still far from being able to keep up with Guy's intense regimen.
"Alright, I'm going to speed up now!"
Might Guy pivoted around a drainage ditch and vanished in the blink of an eye.
"…"
Hanekawa kept jogging in silence.
An hour later, he finally stopped in front of the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore.
He had nearly reached his limit—his body felt completely drained.
"Hanekawa!"
Guy's voice rang out again in the distance.
Here we go again.
Hanekawa sighed and tried not to look completely done with life.
"Did your backup energy system kick in yet?" Guy asked, fists clenched and shaking with passion. "We must give our all and fight to the end to be worthy of youth!"
The nearby pedestrians instinctively took half a step back.
Such a small movement—yet it stung so deeply.
Hanekawa stood there blankly, his face devoid of expression.
It reminded him far too much of those pre-exam mornings back in his previous life, when everyone would yell slogans at the crack of dawn.
This was the downside of becoming friends with Might Guy—he constantly reminded you of your faded youth under a setting sun.
But today, Hanekawa was in no condition to indulge him. He also had a meeting with a Kumogakure operative to attend.
Without a word, Hanekawa stepped into the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore.
Guy didn't seem upset.
For someone to treat him without any strange looks or mocking expressions was already a rare thing. So far, only Kakashi and a few others had managed that.
He turned around and continued his youthful training routine.
Inside the store, Hanekawa glanced around.
He had come early, so the bookstore was still empty.
"Hey there, little guy. Looking for something specific?" a young woman asked with a smile as she walked over.
"Do you have Make-Out Paradise?" Hanekawa asked after a moment's thought.
In his previous life, he had always been curious about Jiraiya's famous work.
Now that he had the chance, why not take a peek?
"We don't carry that," the woman replied with a shake of her head.
No copies of Make-Out Paradise, the signature work of one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya?
This bookstore was practically begging to be demolished.
Then it hit him—Make-Out Paradise wasn't published until Jiraiya was forty-two. It didn't exist yet.
"Actually, I'd like a copy of When Thunder Strikes," Hanekawa said, getting to the real reason he'd come.
When Thunder Strikes—a code phrase used by Kumogakure operatives.
"That one's a private collection of the owner. Let me take you to him," the young woman said, her gaze sharpening just a bit.
She led him up to the second floor of the store.
"Agent 9527, glad to see you're still alive."
Once the woman left, a plain-looking middle-aged man stepped into the room.
What did he mean, "still alive"?
Hanekawa studied him, but there was no trace of recognition in his memory.
"I'm your contact," the man said, noticing Hanekawa's look. "Just call me Tsuchibashi."
He introduced himself and explained his odd greeting.
Not long ago, Kumogakure had attempted a failed kidnapping of Uzumaki Kushina.
The attempt enraged Sarutobi Hiruzen, who immediately launched a village-wide purge—including a sweep through the orphanages.
Hanekawa had been the last survivor of his spy cohort.
"…"
Hanekawa felt a chill run down his spine.
If it hadn't been for the sudden appearance of the system, he'd probably be a corpse by now.
He was beginning to understand just how brutal the life of a spy could be.
"How are things on your end?" Tsuchibashi asked, handing him a cup of water.
Hanekawa took a few sips and gave a summary of his experiences, leaving out the existence of the system.
"You're this talented?" Tsuchibashi asked in genuine surprise, then his expression turned regretful. "If I had known, I never would've sent you in."
Sending a genius in as a deep-cover agent was a waste. Back in Kumogakure, Hanekawa's talents could have made a much bigger impact.
But now that he'd caught the attention of both Hiruzen and Danzo, there was no way to pull him out.
"I'm willing to stay in Konoha," Hanekawa said with conviction. "Everything I do is for the glory of Kumogakure."
He hadn't had a choice before. But now, all he wanted was to become a great ninja.
The light of righteousness seemed to shine on Tsuchibashi's face.
"With youths like you, how could our village not thrive!" he exclaimed.
You're really into this role-playing, huh?
But Hanekawa had to admit, Kumogakure's atmosphere was appealing—less political scheming, more emphasis on strength.
"It's the least I can do," Hanekawa replied smoothly.
Tsuchibashi took a deep breath and calmed himself.
"Your situation has changed significantly, so your original mission no longer fits," he said.
Originally, Kumogakure had arranged for Hanekawa to infiltrate the orphanage and gather intel from the shadows.
But now, with his enrollment in the ninja academy and interest from Konoha's top brass, the plan had to change.
Tsuchibashi fell silent in thought.
To be honest, Hanekawa's current position was far more valuable.
The previous Kushina kidnapping had only succeeded due to help from an Anbu-level mole. But once a mole was used, they were burned.
Kumogakure was in desperate need of fresh agents who could climb the ranks.
"Hanekawa," Tsuchibashi said thoughtfully, "your new mission is to become a true genius."
Hanekawa immediately understood what he meant.
It was the perfect assignment for someone like him.
He had already passed Hiruzen's scrutiny. As long as he didn't slip up, he could rise through Konoha's ranks without anyone questioning him.
And step by step, he could reach the top.
"If anything urgent comes up, come to the bookstore and find me," Tsuchibashi said, patting him on the shoulder. "Be careful. The entire village's hopes are riding on you now."
"I understand," Hanekawa said solemnly.
"Do your best," Tsuchibashi encouraged with a grin. "If all goes well, you might even earn Lord Raikage's personal favor and learn the Lightning Style Body Techniques."
"Thank you, Uncle Tsuchibashi," Hanekawa replied, eyes lighting up with anticipation.
He'd always been drawn to Kumogakure's ninja combat arts.
The Fourth Raikage's style needed no explanation—his feats in the original timeline were legendary.
"When you leave, take a couple books with you," Tsuchibashi added. "Don't want to raise suspicion."
"Can I take a few more?" Hanekawa asked. "I need to bring something back to the orphanage."
Books would make for great gifts—and conveniently cover the lie he told Yuhi Shinku earlier.
"Fine," Tsuchibashi said after a pause. "But don't go overboard. At your age, no one expects you to be able to afford a whole stack."
Now that's a seasoned spy. Every detail covered.
Meticulous, Uncle Tsuchibashi. Respect.
Hanekawa went downstairs, selected seven children's picture books, and exited the bookstore.
Just as he stepped outside, he froze.
Up ahead, a familiar figure appeared—Uchiha Obito.
He was helping an elderly woman cross the street.
Hanekawa paused, then turned away and walked toward the orphanage without saying anything.
"Thank you again, Obito," the old woman said kindly.
She glanced briefly at Hanekawa, and for just a second, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
Then she smiled again, all gentle and grandmotherly.