Unlucky Day

Yami hid behind a tree, observing the scene in front of him. A group of children, all four years old or younger, were playing joyfully in the orphanage yard. Laughter and excited squeals filled the air as they chased each other and played games.

However, Yami's attention was focused on three particular children—two boys and one girl. Unlike the others, these three kept to themselves, sitting quietly on a bench under a large oak tree. A gloomy aura seemed to surround them; their expressions were far more serious and somber than those of the other children.

The first boy, a small, dark-haired child with piercing blue eyes, clutched a worn-out stuffed animal tightly to his chest. His gaze was distant, lost in thoughts that seemed far too heavy for someone his age. The second boy, slightly taller with spiky blond hair and a serious look, fiddled with a wooden kunai, his eyes darting around the yard. The girl, with her long black hair and emerald green eyes, sat between them, hugging her knees and staring at the ground, her expression unreadable.

These three kids were the relatives of some of his former 'companions.'

"It looks like they're doing better than last time; at least they aren't screaming to kill me," Yami thought and prepared to leave. But suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.

"I see that you're still sneaky as always."

Startled, Yami turned to find a hunchbacked elderly woman standing there, her wrinkled face creased with a knowing smile. She wore a simple, worn kimono and carried a basket filled with herbs and flowers.

"Granny Yashi," Yami greeted her respectfully, inclining his head. "I didn't expect to see you here."

The original owner of Yami's body had been an orphan raised by this elderly woman. Yami, who had inherited the body and memories, also inherited the same respect the original owner held for her.

Granny Yashi chuckled softly. "And I didn't expect to find you spying on the children. What brings you here, Yami?"

"Huh," surprised, Yami quickly shook his head in denial. "It's not what it looks like. I wasn't looking at the children."

Yami broke into a cold sweat. Even though his reputation was bad, he didn't want to be slandered with awful things.

"Hmm, did you come to visit me, perhaps?" Yashi asked.

"Yes, yes. I definitely came to see you," Yami quickly said. "Now that I see you're fine, I'm going to take my leave."

Granny Yashi raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced but amused by his flustered state. "Is that so? Well, next time, come inside for tea instead of lurking around the yard."

Yami nodded eagerly, eager to escape the awkward situation. "Sure thing, Granny Yashi. I'll do that."

As Yami turned to leave, Yashi's voice stopped him once more. "And Yami, don't pay any mind to those stupid people. You're an excellent ninja and a good boy. If you ever feel bad and need to talk, you know where to find me."

Yami paused, glancing back at her. "Thank you, Granny Yashi. I'll remember that."

With that, Yami hurried away, his heart still pounding from the close call. "I should have used stealth before coming," he thought, chiding himself. Anyway, putting the matter to the back of his mind, he headed towards his favorite barbecue restaurant for lunch.

The restaurant was bustling with activity, with the savory aroma of grilled meat wafting through the air. Yami's stomach growled as he took a seat at a corner table. A cheerful waitress quickly approached him.

"Welcome, Yami! The usual?" She asked with a bright smile.

"Yeah," Yami replied absentmindedly, his thoughts consumed by planning his evening training.

Shortly after, the waitress brought over a platter of assorted meats, vegetables, and dipping sauces. Yami picked up his chopsticks and began grilling the meat, savoring the sizzle and the mouthwatering smell. As he cooked and ate, he let his mind wander, enjoying the brief respite from his worries.

After paying for his meal, Yami left the restaurant and headed toward his training spot. On the way, he suddenly heard a few familiar shouts coming closer. His eyes widened before he darted to a nearby corner.

"YOUTH! THE FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN BRIGHTLY TODAY!"

Yami peeked out from his hiding spot and saw Might Duy, known as the "Eternal Genin," running with his son, Might Guy. Both were dressed in their usual green jumpsuits, with Duy holding a large sign that read, "YOUTHFUL TRAINING SESSION!"

"Father, we're almost there! Our youthful spirits shall ignite the hearts of everyone in the village." Guy shouted enthusiastically, keeping pace with his father.

"Indeed, my youthful son! Nothing can stop the power of our youth!" Duy replied, his voice full of fervor.

As they ran past, Yami stepped out of his hiding spot and breathed a sigh of relief. He was no stranger to the duo.

Knowing about his limited talent, Yami initially joined the duo for training. They were very passionate and didn't refuse him, but their training regimen was inhumane. After just a week of training, Yami was barely able to move out of bed.

He quickly found out why these two were the only ones who could train in Taijutsu to such a high level. They were built differently. Their physique wasn't ordinary, unlike that of Yami, who looked like he was about to die the next day. They both remained energetic every day, with no sign of exhaustion or muscle pain from all that exercise.

After realizing his physique was even weaker than his ninjutsu, Yami tried to give up and focus on the ninjutsu path. But the father-and-son duo was too passionate and didn't allow him to quit. Every time they met him, they would drag him to training, forcing Yami to enter stealth mode whenever he saw them.

Those terrifying training days were one of the worst periods of his life, and he wasn't eager to repeat them.

"Those two are truly beasts in disguise."

Even though Might Duy held the same Genin rank as him, Yami didn't doubt he would be crushed if they ever faced off.

"That's why you have to act low-key until you have enough strength to protect yourself."

Look at Might Duy. Despite having Kage-level strength, he was still a Genin with no plans to promote. Unlike Yami, who was forced into promotion tests by the Hokage,.

"Damn Sarutobi…" Yami complained in his head as he continued marching toward his training ground.

Just as he was about to reach his destination, the people in front of him suddenly parted ways.

Narrowing his eyes, Yami sighed as he recognized the figure coming toward him.

'Today is a really unlucky day.'

The figure approaching him was the same age as Yami, wearing traditional Konoha police attire. The distinct Uchiha clan crest emblazoned on the back of his uniform caught Yami's eye immediately.

The boy stopped and faced Yami.

"Takeshi," Yami called with no particular emotion on his face. The boy in front of him often liked to pick on the original owner back in school, but now it seemed he had joined the Uchiha's patrol team.

"Yami, what a surprise seeing you here," Takeshi said, glaring at him. "Now that I have met you, why don't you exactly tell me how Daiki died? Did you kill him?"

*****

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Your opinion:

At first I wasn't planning to make Yami have strong physique, but some comments seemed to like Toji and wish the MC has the same physical strength as him. So what do you think? Of course, the MC has to train to get stronger body.