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  Daichi smiled and waved at the academy instructor as if there was nothing wrong. 'Man, such a faker. Makes me wanna kick his teeth in. But I 't let him know that I'm on to him.'

  When the Genin saw Mizuki leave the smile fell from his face as if it was here to begin with.

  Shikamaru, atg the whole iion from the er of his eyes, slowly got up. He had a frown on his face as he recalled his teacher's fabsp;'There was no doubt about it. That ure hatred. And the fact that he tried to cover it up… He could be up to something…'

  The young Nara's gaze then turowards his Genin friend. 'Did he know about Mizuki? Is that why he distrusts him?'

  His eyes then focused on Naruto. 'Why does everyoe you so much? It 't be because of the pranks… So why?'

  At that moment Daichi spoke looking at Naruto and the others. "Well, since you've learned a chakra trol exercise meant fenin I'd say this calls for celebration. My treat. You pick the pce."

  "hanks Daichi." Kiba and Choji were excited to go out a with their friends.

  "Awesome. Let's go to Ichiraku Ramen." The blond boy said with a smile.

  "Seriously, Ramen?" Ino and Sakura sighed expeg that predictable response.

  "e on. Once you've had a taste you'll never pin about Ramen again. It's the best pce. And old man Teuchi and big sis Ayame are really oo. They make the best Ramen in the vilge…" Naruto had a wide smile as he tried to vihem of the deliciousness of the food served.

  "Hahaha… I figured you'd say that." Daichi smiled. "Alright Ichiraku Ramen it is…"

  And so the group of future rookies slowly made their way to the Ramen stand.

  As they walked through the streets the more observant ones in the group noticed how the people were looking at them with a smile and then their ge in expressiohey looked at Naruto.

  Shikamaru frowned as he thought about the situation. He looked at Daichi and saw the small frown on his fabsp;'So he noticed the looks too… And I have a feeling Daichi knows the real reason for all this animosity the vilgers are showing Naruto.'

  He turned his attention to the blond boy and saw a wide smile on his face. But he had been around his friend long enough to know that it was just a weak facade.

  Shikamaru sighed and tried to distract his friend. "So tell us Daichi, are you really treating us just because Naruto learhe teique or is there something else?" The Nara asked his friend, trying to draw attention away from Naruto.

  Daichi looked at his friend and he realized what Shikamaru was trying to do. The young gamer chuckled and quickly replied. "Well, I did get some ued additional reward for my mission… And it's been a while since I've seen you guys. So I figured why not…"

  "Oohh tell us all about your mission Daichi. What was it like?" Ino was excited to hear the details and so was everyone else.

  "Well the t came to us with a k mission…" Daichi begaory of how he and his sensei were hired to track down the heirloom and the subseques.

  They soon made their way to the Ramen stand.

  "So wait, you're telling us that you guys found the identity of the Phantom Thief?" Kiba was shocked. He had heard stories of the great thief.

  "Yeah… It was tough but the clues were there…"

  "Naruto, good to see you. And I see yht your friends along too…" Teuchi greeted everyoh a smile.

  "Yeah. It's Daichi's treat. Hit us up with your best old man." Naruto said as he excitedly got on his seat.

  "That sounds like a challehe Rameook everyone's order and quickly got to work.

  All of them got settled and focused their attention ba Daichi and listeo his adventure.

  Daichi expined how he and his sensei first found the secret room. The students were amazed when Daichi told them how he found the clues hidden ieapot and finally how the team mao find the great treasure.

  "And when we looked around, everything that was stolen was kept perfectly preserved. We found the Phantom's hidden treasure." Daichi cluded his story with a grin

  "Oh man… That's awesome." Naruto and Kiba had stars in their eyes at the end.

  "Oh wow. I want to bee a Genin and go oing missions too. It sounds totally awesome. Believe it!" Naruto said, pumping his fists in the air.

  "I assume the reward you mentioned is for finding the treasure…" Sakura asked Daichi.

  The boy nodded his head. "Yup. The Hokage figured we deserve it for solving that case."

  "Just you wait, Daichi. When I bee a Genin I'm gonna go on even more awesome advehan you."

  The Genin chuckled hearing that. "It's not a petition, Naruto. And you have to be a Genin first. Which will only happen if you study and train some more…"

  "Do you know the chemical position of the special invisible ink used? That's a great way to se messages." Sakura asked.

  "I do. But Lord Hokage told me not to disclose that information."

  "I see."

  At that moment Teuchi came with everyone's order. "Here you go. Enjoy."

  "Thank you for the meal."

  Everyone began digging into their food and they were all surprised.

  "You know Naruto, I may have misjudged your taste… This ramen is really good…" Ino said as she slowly ate her food.

  "See I told you. This is the best food in the world."

  "I wouldn't go that far." Ino mumbled with a sweatdrop as she looked at her friend's antics.

  "Even though this Ramen is good I say Yakiniku BBQ is still the best." Choji said as he dug into his bowl.

  "No way. Ramen is the best!" Naruto wolfed down the remaining food and gred at the Akimichi.

  "BBQ!" Choji finished his meal and looked at his friend defending his favorite meal.

  "Ramen!"

  "BBQ!"

  Then as ohey both turowards Daichi who eacefully eating his ramen and enjoying the taste trying to ignore everything else around him. He suddenly stopped eating and looked up to see two eyes b holes into his head.

  "Ehh…"

  "Daichi, which is better? Ramen or BBQ?" Naruto asked.

  "Please don't brio this…" The young gamer said with a sigh.

  "But we have to decide…" Choji spoke up.

  "Well, I'll treat you to a BBQ ime and then we'll e to an agreement. Right now, just enjoy the food."

  Naruto and Choji looked at each other and then ordered more. Choji ordered more in the name of tasting different fvors while Naruto just loved Teuchi's food.

  About an hour ter the group finished ahe ramen stand with happy smiles on their faces. They said their goodbyes to Daichi and soo. Except for two.

  Shikamaru and Hinata stayed behind with Daichi.

  "Should I be worried about Mizuki sensei?" Shikamaru asked his friend.

  Daichi looked at the Nara and sighed. "You saw that huh."

  "Um… I saw it too… Mizuki sensei was really angry… But… He pretended not to be when you looked at him." Hinata spoke in a low tone.

  "You too?"

  "You didn't ahe question. Should we be worried about him? I noticed that he really hates Naruto. Do you know something?" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.

  "When I first saw him, it was just a gut feeling. But after today's iion… I have a feeling he's going to be trouble." The Genin replied.

  "Should… Should we tell the adults or… or maybe the other teachers?"

  Daichi shook his head at Hinata's suggestion. "Ahem what exactly. We don't have any proof that he's doing something wrong. We don't even know if he's doing anything wrong. And as for hating Naruto, half the vilge does that. No one's going to take us seriously if we tell someohout any proof. And if he finds out that we made baseless accusations about him, then who knows what he'll try…"

  "So what are you suggesting we do?" Shikamaru asked, crossing his arms.

  "For now, nothing. As far as he knows, you guys didn't see his anger and hate and think nothing more of him than your average teacher. But be careful. If he does something that you think is straell me or Iruka sensei. You trust him."

  The Nara sighed and nodded his head. 'Normally I wouldn't bother with something like this but… Since he has a problem with Naruto, I guess I have no choice.'

  Seeing Shikamaru agree, Daichi then turo Hinata. "You 't tell anyone what you saw. Please keep this a secret."

  Hinata relutly nodded her head and soon was on her way home. Shikamaru asked one more question before he left.

  "Do you know why they hate him so much?"

  The Nara didn't specify who, they or why but Daichi knew what he was talking about. "I do. But I 't say." Daichi had a somber expression and when Shikamaru saw that he didn't press any further for information a.

  Daichi sighed and slowly made his way home. 'I wonder how things will turn out? Will things happen like it did in or has everything goo hell already… I suppose only time will tell…'

  —-

  "Yosh! I'm so pumped. Are you ready Daichi?" Lee was excited at the prospect of sparring with his friend again.

  Daiodded his head and tossed a stone up in the air. Both of them were iraining field where they first met. Lee had found Daichi meditating and insisted on a spar which Daichi agreed to.

  The stone reached its apex height and began to fall down to the earth. The sed it touched the ground Lee and Daichi vanished from their spots.

  Both Geni in mid air with Daichi blog Lee's fist and sending a fast punch aimed at the boy's chest.

  Lee was uo dodge the pund so decided to attack at the st moment. He sent a swift kick aimed at Daichi's abdomen just as he was hit and both of them fell ba to the ground and skidded several feet.

  Daichi didn't take any damage from the attad was pletely fine. He looked at his friend as Lee stood up. 'His battle instincts are gettier aer. I was right. Even with just training you 't improve that fast if you don't have some hidden talent… It's only been a few months. Time to see how far you have e.'

  With that thought Daichi made the move. He rushed at Lee and they begaaijutsu spar.

  Lee was surprised at the initiative Daichi took. 'He usually waits for me to attack but now… He must have been looking forward to this just as much as I have…'

  Lee desperately blocked every attack Daichi sent his way but that was the best he could do. 'He's not giving me a ce to ter. His speed is incredible and it's taking everything I have just to parry his strikes. His Taijutsu form is fwless. I 't take any advantage.'

  Daichi wasn't going all out but he was fighting with much more iy than he ever did during their previous spars. 'I o push him. I o know where he's at and see if I get him even strohan in .'

  Sweat started to slowly form on Lee's face as he pushed himself to stay itle. 'His punches feel a lot more powerful. So he was holding bauch during our previous spars…'

  Lee blocked another pund gripped Daichi's fist that was aimed to take his breath away a a high kick towards his oppo's face. The gamer tilted his body to the side to avoid the inirike. At that moment Daichi felt the grip on his wrist tighten and sehe weight shift. He saw Lee letting go to attack him with a spin kick.

  Lee slightly jumped a a spinning kick at his oppo only for Daichi to get under him a an attack at his leg i on taking his mobility away temporarily.

  Rock Lee sehe attaing and just before Daichi's strike nded he used a leg teique his sensei Guy taught him to avoid the blow and unch a ter strike.

  Daichi quickly raised his hands to defend himself. He felt the kid on his forearm and before he could throw a ter Lee back flipped away and gained some distance.

  Daichi looked at his sparring partner who was taking several deep breaths of air. 'There is no way this kind of battle instinct be obtained with just trainiher he's fighting Guy everyday of the week or he was born with a warrior's battle sense…'

  Daichi smiled as he looked at his friend. "You see that I'm not holding back much. In all our other spars you would have gotten knocked out by now. But look at you now. Even with me upping the iy you're still standing. You've e a long way since we first met my friend."

  Rock Lee smiled hearing the sincere pliment ing from his best friend. It only motivated him to keep going. "But I still have a long way to go before I catch up to you."

  Daichi smirked after hearing that response. "If you wanna catch up to me…" the smile on the Gamer ninja's face fell and he became serious again. "Yonna have to train a lot harder."

  Both of them took their respective Taijutsu stances and their round of battle began…