In the world of ninja, all of the drama started at the rank of Genin. This rank holds the meaning as a person that steps onto the path of the bloodbath, under no path can a person avoid blood. The rank after hold no meaning, as the path towards a ninja is something easy to understand.

"The stronger you are, no matter what ranks you're in, you can be deemed as an S rank nin… that's why, the rank such as Genin, Chunin, even Jonin hold no meaning aside for formality…"

Utter the teacher to his hatchling, based on his experience, the world of shinobi isn't some lukewarm place that holds dear of the hatchling like them. The world prey on them, like a tasty meat leaving nothing else but sorrow…

Hotaru's eyes harden at the words, understanding the history of the ninjas, especially those from the founding era, he's reminiscing the book he read in the library that day…

While the same couldn't be said to Hiura, Erika profoundly listening to the explanation calmly while rubbing her forehead.

Thus, the explanation over after some time, with Hiura sleeping soundly and Erika in melancholy. Looking at the drooling Hiura, Hayate ties him up in a whip and hang him on a nearby tree. A smile blossomed on Erika's face, while awakened Hiura struggling under the tree.

There's no end to Hiura's punishment, until the start of Hayate's swords training until the end Hiura hanged up in the tree. While Hotaru tried to release Hiura he smacked by Hayate, and ordered to let it be, and let the brat think about it himself.

As if enlightened, Hotaru's face brightened and smiles at Hiura and saying a hint to him "Think of the best course of action, in this occasion you can think that you're being held hostage by an enemy, and being a bait to call out your allies. Thus, what'd you do?"

Hiura's face still expressing confusion, while Erika plopping her fist in her palm, and Hayate smiled at Hotaru's words.

"He wouldn't be dumb enough to stay there for a night, right?"

"well, even if he does I believe sensei will accompany him, right?"

"Why'd I do that again?"

"Eh, you wouldn't?"

"No"

At the blatant reply, Hotaru's mouth widens and his eyes filled with disbelief. Looking at the expression, Hayate chuckle, and resumed the training. Stabbing his swords towards Hotaru, while sweeping to Erika.

Astonished, Hotaru counters the attack while Erika dodges the swipe.

"That's cheating sensei!" yell Erika

"You need to be ready at any time, this kind of cheap attack will always accompany your path in Ninja duty" Hayate said while repelling Hotaru's chop.

Each and every one of them using wooden swords, so even if they're being hit the worst will be a bruise. Still, a bruise isn't something that can be healed in a day or two.

Lucky a medical ninjutsu can help to increase the speed of cell regeneration, although it's still pricey to visit the hospital, it's still better than aching all over your body.

Their training continues even after lunch, at some point in time, Hiura yelled out loud "I'm hungry! Give me foods! This is breaching humans' right!".

"What're humans', right?"

"Dunno, leave the idiot spout nonsense, I'll leave, for now, you can eat all you wish…"

""Okay""

After Hayate leave, Hotaru and Erika taking a look at their surroundings. Seeking Hayate's hiding spot, knowing he's not around for real Erika and Hotaru divide their meal in ¼ giving some to the idiot hanging in the tree.

They release him for a little time and hang him again only to hear him grumble. Erika that's being pissed of his grumbling kick Hiura over and over like some sandbag. The brat crying for help, only to see Hotaru giving him some sideways glance.

"I leave for a while, and you already bullying your friend huh?" said Hayate as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and tell them to leave aside from Hiura that being tied.

They follow his order and end the training that day, while hearing Hayate's order "tomorrow will be mission day, remember to sleep early…"

"Will it be another yard clearing?"

"No"

"" Okay then…""

"it won't be some missing cat missions, again right?"

"no, Hiura… You need to start to think because you'll be staying the night here if you don't think about your situation…"

"Wait, you'll really leave me here sensei?!"

Turning his back, Hayate leaves the boy seriously and shunshin'd as fast as possible. While Erika and Hotaru leave him, after giving him a sigh.

"Eh?! You guys leaving too?! At least unbound me first! Oh! It's untied…" astonished the Uchiha kid, while looking at the distant teammates of his.

Hotaru's already loosening the tie after lunch, and he should be able to release himself up for several hours earlier. Never do Hotaru expect this Uchiha will be so stupid and lazy that he doesn't even try to unbind the rope earlier…

…

"You're back?"

"I've just arrived sis…"

"Go and wash my little ninja!"

"On the way! My dear beautiful sister!"

Teuchi smiled at his children's conversation, having a heartwarming scene like this is his long wish that being buried after his wife's death. Unknown to him that this very day, no… the day he receives Hotaru into his family will bring him much joy.

After washing himself clean, Hotaru then go to the kitchen helping Ayame and Teuchi clean up the wares. While organizing the tables using Clone, after a while, the shop's cleaned, and Teuchi preparing some dishes while Hotaru sat in the table after organizing the plates.

The dishes served, they eat while telling stories about their day. Although Ayame and Teuchi are been in the same shop over, they held different stories from different perspectives.

"So, the customer today tried to fool us up by adding a cockroach to the dishes. Then, Naruto along with his Jonin leader that eat in the shop gave him a smack in the head and make him leave the store…"

"That's not it, dad! The swindler isn't in the wrong, it's another customer that doing an idiotic thing like putting a cockroach in the customer's plate, so Naruto and the others trick the person that put the cockroach in the bowl to speak only to leave soon after. Not long later, they kick the bastards in the ass after knowing he's a person sent by the shop in the other street that jealous of us…"

"So, what's up with the kicked and victimized customer?"

"Oh, I gave him a coupon for free 3 times eating here along with an apology…"

"You do that?"

"Yep! Ain't I a good child?"

"You're smart sis!"

"Hahaha! As expected of my daughter!"

The conversation then changed their view to Hotaru's training about the training he spent, he told them about Hiura and Erika.

"So, this Uchiha Hiura have a black hair and with a hue of brown, while having a dark black-eyes like a normal Uchiha clan person, while Shisui like hair-style, he's so stupid that even after I loosened up his ties he stays put in the tree until we got home…"

"Tell me more about the brown-haired, bun-styled girl in your team"

"Why?"

"I'm a little bit interested in her…"

Seeing the glint his sister's eyes Hotaru said "Uh… I'll pass that", while cleaning the wares from the table and put them in the sink, after doing so he tells them a good night and sleep in his bed soundly. The taxing day he spent training attacking him that he fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the bed.