5 a.m.
The sky wasn't fully bright yet.
On the open ground of Training Ground 3 stood three wooden posts.
Naruto Uzumaki was yawning, leaning against a tree trunk with an annoyed expression.
"What kind of stupid rule is this—meeting at five o'clock..."
He rubbed his sleepy eyes, muttering under his breath.
"I stayed up late last night studying ninja theory to prepare for today's training! And now I'm dragged out of bed this early..."
Sasuke Uchiha stood on the other side, arms crossed.
He didn't look happy.
Not because of the early hour.
But because—
"Karin, why do you know Sora-sensei's habits?"
Sasuke stared at the red-haired girl, his tone clearly irritated.
Karin Uzumaki was squatting on the ground, pulling three rice balls out of her ninja pouch.
She looked up and said matter-of-factly, "Because Big Brother Sora is my brother."
"Of course I know he likes to sleep in."
A vein throbbed on Sasuke's forehead.
That reason again.
"Brother" again.
Why does she get to call him "Big Brother Sora" while I can only call him "Sora-sensei"?
Naruto also came over, staring hungrily at the rice balls in Karin's hands.
"Karin! You brought food?!"
"Yeah."
Karin nodded and neatly arranged the three rice balls on the ground.
"Big Brother Sora said that anyone who's late doesn't get breakfast."
"But he didn't say we couldn't bring our own."
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly.
"Karin, you're a genius!"
Sasuke snorted.
"Petty little trick."
He said that, but his gaze still unconsciously drifted to the three rice balls.
Five o'clock.
Five-oh-five.
Five-ten.
The sun had risen.
Sora still hadn't appeared.
Naruto was already getting impatient. He squatted on the ground, drawing circles in the dirt with a small stick.
"That jerk teacher... he didn't forget, did he?"
Sasuke's expression grew colder by the minute.
He hated being stood up.
Especially by someone who claimed he would "train them into the strongest genin team."
Karin, on the other hand, remained calm.
She sat on the grass with her knees hugged to her chest and said softly, "Big Brother Sora must have his reasons."
"Let's wait a little longer."
Just as Naruto was about to explode—
A lazy voice drifted down from above their heads.
"Yo."
The three of them snapped their heads up.
Sora was sitting on a tree branch, one hand propping up his head, the other holding a book.
"Good morning, Class 7 brats."
Naruto jumped to his feet instantly.
"When did you get up there?!"
Sora closed the book and leaped down from the tree.
He landed lightly, as if he were a feather.
"Since the moment you all arrived."
He said with a grin, "I've been watching you the whole time."
Sasuke's face darkened even more.
"Watching?"
"Yeah."
Sora stretched lazily. "I was seeing whether the three of you would sneak off when your teacher was late."
"Luckily, you all have plenty of patience."
Naruto stomped his foot in anger.
"You were messing with us!"
"No, no."
Sora waved his hand. "This is called a test."
He walked in front of the three, his smile fading slightly.
"One of the most important qualities for a ninja is patience."
"Missions can be delayed, intelligence can be wrong, teammates can lose contact."
"If you can't even handle waiting, don't even dream of becoming a proper ninja."
He paused.
"But you all did well."
Sora's gaze landed on the three rice balls on the ground.
"Oh? You brought your own breakfast?"
Karin nodded.
"Because Big Brother Sora said late people don't get breakfast."
"But you didn't say we couldn't bring our own."
Sora blinked, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Not bad, not bad!"
He crouched down, picked up one of the rice balls, and weighed it in his hand.
"Looks like you're all pretty clever."
Naruto immediately scooted closer.
"So can we eat now?"
"Of course."
Sora tossed the rice ball to him. "Go ahead and eat. You'll have plenty to suffer through later."
The three sat on the grass and began eating breakfast.
Sora leaned against the tree trunk and opened his book again.
Naruto, munching on his rice ball, asked curiously, "Sora-sensei, what book are you reading?"
Sora didn't look up.
"Notes on ninjutsu research."
"What ninjutsu?"
"The Flying Thunder God Technique."
Sora's voice was casual, as if he were saying "nice weather today."
But those words made all three young ninjas freeze at the same time.
The Flying Thunder God Technique.
That was the Fourth Hokage's signature move.
Legend had it that only the Fourth had ever mastered it.
"You... you're studying the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
"Yeah, the Fourth's technique."
"The Third Hokage-sama gave me special permission to learn it."
He closed the book, a cheerful grin on his face.
"So, pretty impressive teacher you've got, huh?"
Sasuke said nothing.
But his eyes were filled with shock.
The Flying Thunder God Technique.
That was a technique only the Fourth and Second Hokage had ever used.
Karin simply gazed quietly at Sora.
She had long known that Big Brother Sora was strong.
But every time she heard things like this, she couldn't help feeling proud.
Naruto swallowed the rice ball in his mouth and shouted, "Sora-sensei! Can you teach it to me?"
"The Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Sora raised an eyebrow.
"You?"
"Yeah!"
Naruto stood up and thumped his chest.
"I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"
"I have to learn a technique this awesome!"
Sora looked at him and suddenly laughed.