The scent of grilled meat filled the air, mixing with the distant sounds of laughter and the rhythmic clinking of plates. Ryūsei sat at a crowded barbecue table, watching the flickering lanterns cast warm light over his new companions. He had spent weeks adjusting to life in Konoha, learning its customs, its people, and the rhythms of the village. But now, a new chapter was about to begin.
In a few days, he would officially enter the Ninja Academy.
"I'm telling you, I'll be the top of our class," Jiraiya declared, shoving a piece of meat into his mouth.
Tsunade scoffed. "You? You'll be lucky if you don't sleep through half the lessons."
Orochimaru smirked, eyes focused on a small beetle crawling along his chopsticks. "Academy rankings are irrelevant. What matters is how we grow beyond them."
Jiraiya waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. But still, you'll see—I'm going to be one of the greats."
Ryūsei listened, quietly taking in the conversation. Unlike them, he wasn't born into Konoha's traditions. His education had already begun long before this, in the secluded halls of his former home, drilled in ancient techniques and the heavy expectations of his lineage. The Academy would be different. It was a chance to observe, to blend in, and to understand the system from the inside.
Tsunade turned to him. "What about you, Ryūsei? You've been quiet."
He paused before answering. "I think the Academy will be… interesting."
Jiraiya laughed. "That's a weird way to put it."
He didn't elaborate. To them, the Academy was just another step in their path to becoming shinobi. To him, it was an opportunity—to learn, to grow, and to better disguise what he truly was.
The next morning, the four of them gathered at the training field, eager to test their skills before the Academy officially began.
"We'll spar in teams," Tsunade announced. "Me and Ryūsei against Jiraiya and Orochimaru."
Jiraiya grinned. "Time to show off, huh?"
Ryūsei took a deep breath. This would be his first real fight with them, and while he had been careful not to reveal too much, he was eager to see what they were capable of.
The battle began.
Tsunade charged forward with raw power, her punches cracking the ground. Ryūsei moved with precision, his speed complementing her strength. Jiraiya countered with chaotic, unpredictable movements, while Orochimaru remained calculated, analyzing and adapting.
A clash of fists. A flurry of kunai. A burst of chakra.
By the end, all four of them lay sprawled on the ground, panting, covered in sweat and dirt.
Tsunade groaned. "Next time, no holding back."
Jiraiya chuckled. "Agreed. That was fun."
Orochimaru simply smiled. "We'll do better."
Ryūsei sat up, looking at them—his first real friends.
He had come to Konoha a stranger, a hidden remnant of a distant war. But here, under the setting sun, he realized something.
For the first time in his life, he belonged.