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Daichi quickly reached the academy. By the time the whole ordeal with the enemy ninjas was over, it was already noon. When he reached the academy the students were on their lunch break. Daichi quickly found Naruto and the others sitting in their usual spot under a tree in the corner of the academy grounds.

"We then gave the information to the Hokage and I quickly came here."

Daichi heard Naruto describing the tail end of the incident to his friends. As he got near the group Kiba noticed Daichi and greeted him.

"Daichi! You're back.!" "Arf!" Kiba's exclamation drew everyone's attention from Naruto to Daichi. Most of them had an awed expression on their face as they looked at Daichi.

"Hey guys. I see Naruto here has filled you all in on the details." Daichi sat down under the shade.

"Are you alright Daichi? Did you get hurt fighting them?" Ino's worried tone was evident in the question. She got near him and checked him for any wounds.

"I'm fine Ino. Don't worry." Daichi smiled but inwardly he was troubled. 'I'm not sure how to deal with this predicament. Should I tell Ino that I'm not interested? That would definitely hurt her and it could affect my friendship with her and probably others… For the moment I'll let things be like this. After graduation we won't have time for things like this. Not until after…'

Daichi slightly shook his head as if to rid of the future memories of the war and events that's to come.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm good Ino. Really." Daichi said with a wide smile reassuring the Yamanaka girl.

"Hey Daichi! Can I ask you something?" Shikamaru looked at Daichi with an unusually serious demeanor.

"What is it?"

"Why did you stay with us?"

The question confused Daichi and everyone else.

"What are you talking about Shikamaru?" Naruto asked the young Nara.

Shikamaru ignored Naruto's question and focused on Daichi. "I'm sure Daikoku sensei saw just how strong you are during your last Taijutsu spar with Sasuke and now you've proven that you can defeat adult ninjas."

"Where are you going with this Shikamaru?" Daichi asked.

"I'm certain Daikoku sensei must have informed the Hokage of your strength and he most certainly would have recommended you for advancing a grade and going higher. I thought for sure you would have taken that chance and you'd be in the grade above us. It's the logical thing to do. But you're here! Why?"

Shikamaru wanted to know why someone like Daichi who prioritized training and getting stronger over everything else wouldn't make use of such an opportunity and get ahead.

"Why does that matter?"

"Yeah, what gives Shikamaru?" Ino and Naruto were indignant at the question.

Some others like Sakura and Shino looked at Daichi and waited for an answer. The rest were curious but didn't care either way. They all knew Daichi's goal and were curious to hear his answer though.

Daichi smiled as he heard the question. "Would you believe me if I told you that I wanted to stay among my few friends."

"No. Try again." Shikamaru crossed his arms and gazed at the boy.

"You don't have to answer him Daichi. He doesn't know what he's talking about." Ino glared at Shikamaru for putting Daichi in such a spot.

"It's ok Ino. He just wanted to know. It's no big deal."

Daichi sat down and gently petted Akamaru who was lying near him. "Yes it's true. The Hokage asked me if I wanted to jump ahead and skip a year. But I didn't take the offer…"

Daichi took a moment before he continued. "I didn't lie, you know. Aside from you guys I don't have anyone here I can call my friends. If I had skipped a grade then I'd be kind of lonely and I would have to make some new friends all over again and in your words… That would be such a drag… But as you've probably guessed, that's not the whole reason I stayed."

Daichi looked at everyone and he turned serious. "The reason I stayed is to buy some time for myself. The moment I put on the leaf headband I'd be walking into danger on every single mission. If I'm not prepared, then there is a great possibility that I could die. Being strong here in the academy doesn't mean much out in the real world. So I need as much time as I can get before I start on that dangerous path… That's why I stayed."

"Yeesh, you're being too grim Daichi. You're going to be fine. We all are." Naruto said with a slight smile.

Daichi looked at Naruto with a complicated expression. There were many things he wanted to say to the blonde boy but he refrained from speaking them. Instead he wanted to see if he could get Naruto to understand the dangers of the world and start taking his training more seriously.

"Itachi Uchiha massacred the entire Uchiha clan except Sasuke in a single night. Nobody thought something like that could happen. Someone killing scores of people inside the village and then getting away with it. So what makes you so sure that we'd be safe outside the protection of these walls."

Naruto's smile dimmed and he didn't have an answer for that.

"The first Hokage created this village to stop conflicts but instead it created great wars. 3 of them have already ravaged the lands and people. And there will be a fourth one in our lifetime. Not to mention the countless dangerous missions we'd be going on after we become genin… If we're not prepared we will die. Or we'll have to watch the people we care about bleed to death in our arms. I'm going to make sure I'm ready to face those days when they come."

Daichi's speech turned the mood solemn. Shikamaru looked at Daichi and then sat down without saying a word. Seeing that he spoiled their mood for lunch, Daichi decided to take a walk.

"I'm gonna head to the library. Need to check some things out."

Daichi walked away before anyone could say anything. He thought about the things he said. 'It's true. The Rasengan wasn't the only thing that affected my decision to stay. I need to make sure I'm as strong as possible when I become a genin. I still have much to learn. Most of my choices since I was reborn here are because of my fear. My greatest fear. Fear of death. I know it's inevitable but… I don't want to die before my time like…'

Daichi let out a long sigh. He didn't want to remember the final day of his past life.

As Daichi turned around a corner he saw Hibachi with his two friends. Daichi narrowed his eyes as he saw the class bully laughing without a care.

There was no one around and Daichi made a choice. He walked towards them.

One of Hibachi's friends saw Daichi coming and pointed to him.

"Daichi!? W-what do you want?" Hibachi asked him in a nervous tone.

Daichi didn't say a word to him. Instead he looked to the other two near him. Daichi released a bit of killing intent. Even though it was only a fraction the three became terrified.

"I'm only gonna say this once. Get lost." Daichi looked at the two and spoke.

Without wasting time Hibachi's two friends scrambled from the place.

"Y-You… W-What are you…?"

Before he could even complete the question Daichi placed his right hand on the boy's shoulder. Daichi had a menacing tone as he spoke.

"I could say something like, if you do this again I'll kill you or something… But you and I both know that won't happen…"

Hibachi was petrified as he felt the killing intent and the chilling sound of Daichi's voice. The grip on his shoulder tightened. To the point it was beginning to hurt.

"What I'm going to say is this… If you do something like this again, I'm not gonna kill you Hibachi… I'm going to break you. Not your body. No… I'm going to break your mind. In ways you couldn't fathom. In ways not even the best Yamanaka will be able to put you back together. And by the time I'm done you'd be nothing more than a living corpse. And if you had even a piece of yourself intact… then you'd spent every second wishing for death…"

Daichi slightly increased his killing intent to get his point across. Tears, snot and sweat fell down Hibachi's face. He had never experienced such a terrifying feeling before. He was totally petrified and couldn't even move or say anything.

Daichi let go of his killing intent. "Nod if you understand."

The moment the intent was lifted Hibachi gasped for air and then frantically nodded.

Daichi didn't say a word and kept looking at him for a few more seconds. He let go and took his hand off the boy's shoulder.

"Get lost."

Hibachi ran like a bat out of hell from the area.

"Che…" As Daichi was about to leave, someone else spoke up.

"That was a little harsh, don't you think."

Daichi was startled and swiftly whirled around while he took a kunai in his hand. It took a second later for him to recognize the voice and then the face of the person that spoke.

Daichi saw Kakashi reading his usual orange book with the same laid back expression.

Daichi held in a breath he didn't even know in his chest. 'Shit! Is he following me? I didn't even sense him.'

"Was that really necessary? What you did to that boy?" Kakashi asked while keeping his eyes fixed on his book.

Daichi slightly relaxed and put his kunai back in his pouch. He then answered.

"He used my name and sent Naruto into a place he knew could have enemies. Naruto could have died there. I'm not someone against harmless pranks but this was anything but. So yes! This was necessary… And I didn't hurt him. I just needed to put the fear of God in him. I'm sure he won't pull something like that again."

"Hmm…"

"Why are you following me?" Daichi asked Kakashi after a few seconds of silence.

"You're mistaken. I wasn't following you."

"Oh really? Then you're here because…"

At that Kakashi looked at Daichi and then put on his iconic eye smile. "I just got lost… on the road of life."

Daichi's eyes widened and his jaw dropped at that line….

"Y-You…"

The Jonin chuckled at Daichi's incredulous face. Before Daichi could say anything Kakashi vanished from his view.

Daichi stood there with a slack jawed face. 'I can't believe that just happened.'

Daichi shook his head and regained his composure. He didn't see a notification that said reputation decreased with Kakashi. So he concluded that Kakashi wasn't necessarily against what just happened. He checked the nearby area and found no trace of Kakashi.

'He's really gone this time.'

With that Daichi left the place and went back to his classroom.

—-

Kakashi was outside the academy grounds and walked down the streets. He thought about what he had learned about the kid.

Kakashi silently followed him and heard him speak to his friends and heard the reason he stayed behind. As someone who fought in the third world war he could agree with Daichi's reasoning.

Kakashi tensed when Daichi released his killing intent but he wanted to see what the child would do. He was impressed with the tactic used. At least for a child who hasn't left the academy.

There was also a reason he revealed himself to Daichi. He wanted to know if the kid had sensed him and was just ignoring him or if he was able to evade Daichi's senses this time. And watching Daichi's genuine reaction Kakashi found the answer.

'It seems after the battle and around his friends he let his guard down. And it looks like his sensing ability is not something that automatically activates. It seems like he'll have to consciously search to find chakra signatures like most.'

Kakashi closed the book and put it back in his pocket. He recalled the information in the boy's file and everything he learned a few minutes ago.

'I think I'm starting to have a better understanding of you… Daichi Hekima.'

Author’s Note:

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