Is this the feeling of a partner?

Morning, a gentle breeze blew softly.

The ship slowly left the dock. On the deck, Kyohiko sat at the bow, feeling the movement of chakra within him.

After a moment, he formed a one-handed seal.

Splash!

Water splashed everywhere.

Immediately after, the sound of "plop-plop" echoed on the deck.

A fish leapt onto the ship.

"Extra meal," Kyohiko said.

"Great!"

The sailors around him cheered enthusiastically, quickly picking up the fish and slamming it onto the floor to ensure it was dead.

"This is already the third fish you've caught!"

Young Kurenai looked incredibly excited.

As an eight- or nine-year-old girl, her curiosity about everything was immense. Seeing this novel application of water jutsu, she couldn't resist getting involved.

"How did you do that?"

"This technique is similar to the detection method used in Kirigakure no Jutsu. If we encounter ninjas from the Hidden Mist, mastering this technique will be very useful."

Kyohiko explained.

Chakra detection was a basic technique he found in Tobirama Senju's notes. The notes contained an in-depth analysis of the core techniques of Kirigakure no Jutsu.

He had read about the technique many times before but had only now decided to practice it.

Fortunately, thanks to his exceptional chakra control developed through training in techniques like Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred Technique, mastering this skill wasn't too difficult.

As for the technique of making the fish jump onto the deck, it was a unique application of the Water Collision Wave.

Kurenai smiled with delight.

While they were chatting, a small explosion sounded above.

"Boom!"

"It seems Kakashi succeeded!"

Kurenai sensed a massive chakra wave coming from the room where Kakashi was training.

"Let's check it out," Kyohiko said, quickly gathering his belongings.

Compressing chakra was dangerous because a slight mistake could result in injuries to the hands. Kyohiko guessed that Kakashi had likely been practicing relentlessly since yesterday without resting.

Meanwhile, although Jiraiya was a responsible teacher, he could sometimes be too laid-back. At the moment, he had vanished somewhere—likely enjoying entertainment like music and dance with Matsuyama Ichiro.

---

They knocked on Kakashi's door, but there was no response for a long time.

Kyohiko and Kurenai exchanged glances before finally...

Bang!

They kicked the door open.

Inside, they found Kakashi, still wearing his mask, sprawled on the floor. His body was limp, and only his eyes could move. He stared blankly at the doorway, then shifted his gaze to the ceiling.

Despite his exhaustion, a sense of warmth passed through him.

"So this is what having comrades feels like?" he thought before fainting completely.

Kyohiko quickly checked Kakashi's condition.

"His chakra is completely drained," he said worriedly.

"Help me hold him up. I'll use chakra to manipulate water and help him swallow a soldier pill."

"Got it!"

---

Once Kakashi was stabilized, Kyohiko and Kurenai stepped outside. From a distance, they could see a coastline that wasn't very long.

"That's the Land of Waves," Kyohiko said, pointing ahead.

Kurenai gazed at the view with interest. Then, she sighed softly.

"To be honest, I used to think Kakashi was just a genius. I always thought it was natural for him to be better than us because of his talent. But now I realize..."

Kyohiko nodded in agreement. "Being a genius isn't scary. What's scary is when they're also hardworking."

Kurenai turned to him with a confused expression.

"How can you say that?" she thought, feeling Kyohiko was being too modest.

Kyohiko cleared his throat. "I work hard too, but I'm just an ordinary person."

Kurenai couldn't take it anymore. "I'll check if Kakashi is awake!" she said, walking away.

She couldn't bear to listen to Kyohiko downplay himself any further. "If this is what ordinary looks like, I want to be like him too!"

---

Kyohiko remained outside to maintain his physical condition. The journey to the Land of Waves wouldn't take much longer.

When they finally arrived, Jiraiya returned with a faint scent of alcohol and immediately praised them.

"Well done! You handled the emergency well, even without my help. Looks like you're ready to take on missions by yourselves."

"Sensei, if you knew about the explosion earlier, why didn't you come?" Kurenai asked, glaring at him.

"Who said I didn't come?" Jiraiya replied with a calm smile. He snapped his fingers, and a seagull perched outside Kakashi's window suddenly turned into a puff of smoke.

Kurenai was stunned. It had been a Shadow Clone!

Jiraiya then summoned a large toad with armored arms using Summoning Jutsu. After giving instructions, the group prepared to continue their journey to where Kado was.

As they moved through an area filled with trees and morning mist, an unsettling feeling began to rise.

"Kyohiko, I sensed a very faint chakra wave. Did you feel it too?" Kurenai whispered.

Kyohiko shook his head. "No, but I believe you. If there's a threat, our teacher will definitely detect it. Let's not act rashly."

They continued their journey cautiously, waiting for Jiraiya's orders. When they reached a puddle ahead, Kyohiko finally noticed something.

"There," he muttered, his gaze fixed on the puddle.

---------

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