He slept all the way until noon.
Maruyama Shin's life had once again settled into a comfortable rhythm. Hardly anyone ever wandered into the morgue to bother him.
Even Asuma was probably teaching class around this time.
For some reason, Shin didn't really feel like seeing him these past few days. Not out of guilt or anything, he just wanted to give Asuma and Kurenai a bit more space. Let the future in-laws work things out.
If he remembered right, in the original series, Asuma and Kurenai never even got married, and yet Kurenai ended up pregnant... only for Asuma to die shortly after.
Tsk, tsk...
Sprawled lazily on his rocking chair, basking in the gentle warmth of the afternoon sun with a cigarette between his fingers, now this was living.
The salted fish lifestyle was just too comfortable.
But peace never lasted long.
Asuma didn't show up to bother him today, but someone else did. Someone both expected and unexpected.
Hatake Kakashi.
His arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and as always, his dead-fish eyes were unreadable. He said nothing when he arrived, just silently pulled over a chair and sat down beside Shin.
Basking in the sun together.
Shin shot him a sidelong glance, a little surprised.
Was the sun rising in the west today?
Kakashi, the mission-addicted maniac, wasn't out training or doing a mission? He actually came to sit in the sun with him?
Still, since Kakashi wasn't speaking, Shin didn't feel like starting a conversation either.
Talking was exhausting, especially with a mentally unwell brat like this one.
But while Shin had no trouble keeping quiet, Kakashi eventually broke.
With a human chimney puffing smoke nonstop right beside you, who wouldn't lose their patience?
"You know smoking is extremely bad for injured people, right?" Kakashi lifted his bandaged arm and waved it slightly.
After their recent mission, Kakashi's bias toward Shin had softened quite a bit.
Especially after returning to the village and hearing how Shin had stood guard over a gravely injured and unconscious Kuriyama Imai, refusing to retreat even against a Mist Jonin's assault, getting himself seriously hurt in the process.
For some reason, that story stirred something in Kakashi's heart.
"Is that so? I feel just fine, actually. Thanks for the concern." Shin ignored the injured arm Kakashi had so subtly displayed, took a long drag, and exhaled a smoke ring right into his face.
"..."
Kakashi wondered how he'd ever felt even the slightest goodwill toward this maniac. He must have lost his damn mind.
"Want one?" Shin opened his cigarette case, flicked out a stick, and held it out in front of Kakashi.
Kakashi glared and turned his head away immediately.
What kind of person was this?
He was still underage.
Shin didn't think anything of it though. Age meant nothing in the ninja world.
Kids under ten were already finding girlfriends and had hands stained with blood.
Was that normal?
Seeing how dull Kakashi was acting, Shin curled his lip.
Asuma was more interesting.
And yet, even after being treated like this, Kakashi didn't leave. He simply scooted his chair a bit further away.
Suspicious. Definitely suspicious.
Shin's gut told him something was off with Kakashi today.
Before he could dwell on it, a green blur shot toward them, kicking up clouds of dust as it approached at high speed.
A man in a tight, ridiculous green bodysuit came to a sliding stop right in front of them, giving a thumbs-up and flashing a dazzling white grin beneath those thick, jet-black eyebrows.
"Yo! Kakashi! So this is where you were hiding! Come! Let's have a youthful showdown between men!"
So that's why Kakashi had come here. To escape this guy.
Probably the only person in the entire Hidden Leaf Village capable of pestering Kakashi like this.
Might Guy.
Konoha's future "Blue Beast," the man who nearly kicked the final boss into oblivion with one leg.
Kakashi looked toward Shin with pleading eyes.
Shin simply turned his body to the side, showing him his back.
"..."
No help there.
Looking completely dead inside, Kakashi sighed and said, "Next time, Guy. I'm injured."
Guy finally noticed the bandages. "Huh? Kakashi, you're hurt?"
In Guy's mind, Kakashi was the unrivaled genius he'd been chasing his whole life. Someone actually managed to injure him?
Kakashi glanced at Shin, who looked like he didn't give a damn.
"Maruyama-senpai!"
Target successfully switched. Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief.
"It really is you, Maruyama-senpai! You're my idol!"
Idol?
Shin raised an eyebrow.
He was just a bottom-of-the-barrel ninja who barely graduated and ended up working in a morgue, yet he was somehow this future legend's role model?
"We're both considered dead last by others. Useless. Failures who'd never make it as shinobi. But you made it! You've proven them wrong! I swear I'll follow your path and become a great ninja too! I will!"
"..."
If Guy's face weren't so damn sincere, Shin would've decked him right there.
This kind of compliment didn't bring any joy at all.
Only you, Emperor Guy.
"He took down two Mist Chunin on the last mission," Kakashi muttered nearby.
Guy's eyes lit up instantly, gleaming like a 100-watt bulb, his teeth practically shining.
Pure, unfiltered worship.
"Maruyama-senpai! How did you do it?"
Good job shifting the heat, Kakashi.
Shin waved it off. "It's not that big a deal. One of them left to get barbecue, the other... well, he turned into the barbecue. It's not as impressive as it sounds."
He sat up slowly. "Guy, I'll let you in on a little secret for becoming a ninja fast."
"What is it?" Guy leaned in, laser-focused.
"Challenge him. Once a day. Maybe even more. Even if you lose, don't give up. You're a hardworking genius who can surpass the natural-born ones." He pointed at the stunned Kakashi.
Hmph. You wanna mess with me? You're still too green, Kakashi. Shin chuckled inwardly.
"A hardworking genius..." Guy repeated in a low voice.
Then suddenly leaped to his feet. "Kakashi!!"
"..."
Kakashi was dying inside.
Thinking fast, he asked, "Guy, don't you have class today?"
"Oh, I've got outdoor training this afternoon."
Usually, he trained alone during outdoor sessions. The teachers had given up on trying to match Guy's physical capacity.
At least Kakashi had managed to derail him. Guy didn't press further.
Kakashi exhaled silently. Close call.
"Guy, training isn't something you rush. Persistence is great, but you also need to rest properly. Otherwise your body won't hold out."
Having fully embraced the salted fish lifestyle, Shin couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable seeing someone as intense as Guy.
You're working this hard? What are the rest of us supposed to do?
"Mm-hmm." Guy nodded earnestly. His father, Might Duy, had told him the same thing. That's why he always got enough rest and had medicine to help him recover.
Otherwise, anyone would've collapsed under his training regimen.
"Beyond the big flashy workouts, you need to focus on the little things too. Details decide the outcome."
"Mm-hmm." Guy listened like a model student.
"Cleaning is a good practice. It teaches you to spot tiny things in every corner, like dust. Just like catching a brief weakness in your enemy's defense."
"Mm-hmm."
"I can give you the opportunity to train that way."
"Really?"
"Guy, be confident. Drop the 'really.' You deserve this kind of challenge."
"Yes!"
"Help me clean the morgue. It's a temporary resting place for the departed. They deserve respect. I hope you'll treat them the way I do."
"Respect the dead! Train myself!"
Watching Guy eagerly grab a broom and start scrubbing every corner of the morgue with burning passion in his eyes...
"..."
Kakashi had lost count of how many times he'd widened his eyes in disbelief today.
How was this real?
He just... talked his way into this?
The guy just spewed nonsense... and it worked?
One willing to say it, one willing to believe it.
Yeah. Of course it was these two.
************************
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 450 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!