Three days passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the vacation for Team 8 ended.
During these three days, Izayoi and the Hyuga sisters had almost visited all the famous spots in Konoha.
The three of them each prepared a photo album, already filled with numerous pictures.
Seeing the smiles on the two girls' faces, Izayoi felt that buying the camera was definitely the right choice.
When the vacation ended, Izayoi threw himself into work with great motivation, working hard like a beast of burden. This surprised both Shino Aburame and Kurenai Yuhi.
Hinata, however, remembered something and felt a bit guilty.
"Izayoi-kun, here's my payment for you."
After Team 8 disbanded, Hinata handed Izayoi an envelope stuffed with cash.
"No need, I'm not starving yet."
Izayoi pushed the envelope back and pinched Hinata's cheek with a smile. "If I ever can't afford food, then I'll come find you, my lady, for support."
"Mm."
This time, Hinata didn't blush or lower her head because her attention wasn't on that.
Seeing Izayoi refuse, she didn't insist but decided to use the payment to buy food ingredients instead.
Only now did Hinata realize that Izayoi had always wanted to buy a camera but simply couldn't afford it.
The reason was his large appetite.
Since Hanabi had come along, the two rarely went out for picnics anymore, and Izayoi often went out to buy ingredients himself.
Living comfortably, Hinata had never really noticed.
Only now did it sink in that Izayoi's situation wasn't comparable to hers at all.
Thinking this, Hinata's eyes moistened, her heart full of gratitude.
She resolved to work harder in the future to help ease Izayoi-kun's burden.
Izayoi didn't know what Hinata was thinking and didn't notice the change in her expression.
His gaze was fixed on someone else.
The person was not handsome or beautiful but an old man with dark, weathered skin.
Next to him was a wooden box, and he held a bottle of sake but sipped it sparingly, unwilling to drink it all.
He sat on a bench as if waiting for someone, or maybe he couldn't afford a hotel.
He was clearly an outsider from another village.
Such outsiders came and went in Konoha every day.
They might be natives from the Land of Fire or foreigners from other countries.
Izayoi had seen countless outsiders growing up.
But none had ever drawn his attention like this old man.
Seeing the old man stirred a long-buried memory in Izayoi's mind, vague to the point of almost being forgotten, gradually becoming clear again.
Though meeting him for the first time, Izayoi could say his name.
Dazna!
The bridge builder from the Land of Waves.
The one who gave Team 7 their first C-rank mission.
A key figure from the first arc and a memorable moment, flashing in Izayoi's mind like a slideshow.
"Izayoi-kun, what are you looking at?"
Hinata's voice pulled Izayoi back to reality.
He smiled and shook his head. "Nothing much, just zoning out, thinking about something."
"What is it?"
"In a little over a month, the village will hold the Chunin Exams. What do you think? Should we participate?"
"Of course."
Hinata nodded firmly, her expression serious. "I want to become a Jonin as soon as possible."
"Oh? Why?"
Izayoi's curiosity was piqued. He hadn't expected Hinata, who never had many ambitions, to have such a goal.
"Secret."
Hinata suddenly mimicked Izayoi, putting her index finger to her lips.
Izayoi was slightly stunned.
"Hehe…"
Seeing Izayoi frozen, Hinata giggled happily.
"Well, you finally learned how to tease."
Realizing this, Izayoi rubbed Hinata's cheek with a mischievous look. "Believe it or not, I'll punish you by making you my hand grip trainer!"
"Wh… What's a hand grip trainer?"
Hinata's voice was muffled as he squeezed her cheek.
"Want to know? I'll tell you at home."
A sly smile spread across Izayoi's face as he prepared to drag Hinata home for training.
At that moment, a greeting came from afar.
"Yo… Izayoi, Hinata, long time no see."
Following the voice, a tall and a short figure immediately came into view for Izayoi and Hinata.
Silver hair with deadfish eyes, golden hair and fox-like features, cold and handsome young man, a cheongsam-loving girl… it was Team 7.
Seeing Naruto Uzumaki waving as he approached, Izayoi raised his hand in greeting and smiled, "Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, long time no see."
Two months had unknowingly passed since graduation.
For Izayoi and the others, it was indeed a long time.
After all, the ninja academy had three semesters a year, and summer break was the only relatively long vacation.
"You two on a date?"
The first words from Uchiha Sasuke as he walked up made Hinata blush deeply.
Haruno Sakura looked at Hinata with envy.
Being on the same team as the most popular guys she liked, when would her relationship with Sasuke ever be like Hinata and Izayoi's?
Izayoi didn't answer but instead asked, "Are you guys heading out on a mission?"
"We're about to accept a mission."
Naruto pointed to Kakashi Hatake walking nearby, openly reading a risqué magazine on the street. "That's Kakashi-sensei, our Jonin instructor."
"Jonin Kakashi."
Izayoi and Hinata greeted politely.
"Yo, hello."
Seeing they were talking about him, Kakashi put down the magazine and greeted Izayoi and Hinata.
He glanced over the two who outmatched Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura in height and physique. Even without his forehead protector, he could sense their chakra easily surpassing Sasuke and Sakura.
So he teasingly said to Izayoi, "So you're the top student, huh? Not bad, not bad. Definitely better than the genius and the weakest of our class."
Kakashi expected Naruto and Sasuke to show displeasure, but the two didn't care at all.
Even Sakura and Hinata thought Kakashi was right.
Seeing this, Kakashi immediately rated Izayoi highly in his mind.
Even Uchiha Sasuke, who had awakened his Sharingan to the second tomoe, could easily use Phoenix Flower and Mighty Dragon Fire techniques, thought it natural to lose to him.
Looks like this generation also has a dazzling prodigy from a humble background.
"Kakashi-sensei, you flatter me," Izayoi smiled modestly, then complimented, "Naruto and Sasuke are both outstanding ninjas, and Sakura is a top student academically. I just happened to lead them by a bit in overall performance."
"Jonin Kakashi is the famed 'Copy Ninja' of the ninja world, who's copied over a thousand jutsus, the 'Konoha technician,' the Fourth Hokage's direct disciple, and the legendary lightning style master who can cut lightning. With Kakashi-sensei training Sasuke and the others, they'll master tons of jutsu in a few months and surpass me entirely."
"…"
Kakashi's deadfish eyes suddenly narrowed, sweat dripping down.
He immediately saw Team 7 staring wide-eyed at him, and his heart sank.
"Kakashi-sensei, you're so amazing!"
Naruto pointed at him loudly. "You're the Fourth Hokage's disciple and know over a thousand jutsus, yet you won't teach us any?"
"Kakashi-sensei, that's too much."
Sakura joined in the teasing.
Sasuke said nothing but looked at Kakashi with a burning gaze.
And a slight… disdain.
Kakashi knew there'd be no slacking off now.
As for Izayoi, the culprit, he had already slipped away with Hinata.