Chapter 276: Chapter 276: In the Name of Partner!
Within moments, all the children from the orphanage had gathered around Reiki, their faces beaming with joy and energy. He couldn't help but smile at their transformation.
A month ago, these children were malnourished and frail, reminiscent of Naruto's childhood struggles with hunger and neglect. The orphanage had been a place marked by hardship, where some even succumbed to poor health.
Now, they looked healthier and more vibrant. Among them, Hanyu Azawa stood out the most. Once a small, undernourished child, she had grown taller and exuded a newfound strength. Even the chakra levels he sensed from them had improved significantly.
"Ahem, you don't need to call me 'boss.' We're all equals here," Reiki said warmly. "Just call me by my name. I see you all as my partners!"
A wave of emotion rippled through the crowd. They were the same kids who had faced harsh times together, and now they were thriving. Reiki couldn't help but feel a sense of pride; these changes were the results of his efforts and theirs.
"Partners?"
"Boss Reiki…"
"Wow…"
Some of the children's eyes welled up, and even the tough ones like Ma Chuan blinked away tears. They had been so focused on their training and newfound comfort that hearing the word "partner" from Reiki made them realize the true bond they shared.
"Uhm... Don't make it too emotional, or I'll feel awkward when I beat you in training next time," Reiki said, scratching the back of his head. "Nozuki, I see you there—come join us. Are you ready?"
"Of course, if this is for your partners, I had to come and watch," Nozuki said, approaching with a smile.
"Alright, everyone, let's get back to work," Reiki announced. "We'll conduct a combat training session. I'll team up with Nozuki, Kurenai, and Shizune. The rest of you will form the opposing team. The top ten performers today will receive a bottle of advanced body-building potion as a reward."
He opened a small box, revealing ten shimmering bottles of the prized potion.
"Yes!" Ma Chuan shouted, tying his forehead protector tighter. Lingdang, Hanyu Azawa, and Feng quickly followed suit, ready for the challenge.
"You've already passed the genin exams?" Reiki's eyes widened with surprise.
Ma Chuan nodded, grinning. "We haven't been assigned jonin instructors yet, but we made it."
"Alright, let's begin." Reiki picked up a practice kunai, ready for a sparring session that would push them all to their limits.
The children's excitement was palpable. "This is our chance to prove ourselves!" "If we're to be partners with Boss Reiki, we can't let him down!" "I've learned a new jutsu, and I want him to see it!" "I'm taking the genin exam next month—consider this my test run!"
Energy surged through the group as they launched into battle.
"Bang, bang, bang…"
Ten minutes later, everyone lay on the ground, panting but smiling. It was clear they had given their all.
"Shizune, your turn," Reiki said, starting the post-training treatment alongside her.
Kurenai watched with a contemplative expression. During these sessions, she had grown stronger, thanks in part to the potions Reiki provided. She had reached genin level but hadn't officially taken the test yet. Today's display rekindled her resolve.
"I knew I heard Boss Reiki's voice!" A familiar voice rang out, followed by, "Let him finish his work first, then we'll call him."
It was Hatake Kakashi's voice. Sure enough, Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi, and Nohara Rin appeared, having come over when they discovered Reiki wasn't at Tsunade's courtyard.
"You're here too?" Nozuki greeted them with a friendly wave. The four were well-acquainted through their time spent training together.
Reiki's treatment was complete, and he looked up to see the trio approach. "It's been a while. You've all grown stronger. Want to join our training?"
Obito's eyes lit up, but Kakashi interjected, "We'll wait. Kai and Asuma should be here soon; they had other tasks to finish."
"Boss, I'm stuck," Obito said with a sigh, his face falling.
"Stuck? Is it about using your Sharingan or something else?" Reiki asked, recalling the unique challenges of the Uchiha's abilities.
Obito glanced around before leaning in conspiratorially. "Come over here for a second." He pulled Reiki aside, looking embarrassed. "It's... about Rin. I feel like we're at an awkward stage. We're not exactly distant, but I don't know how to move things forward..."
Reiki stifled a laugh. "Obito, have you ever seen a fist as big as a sandbag?"
"Huh? Fist? Is that some new tactic for winning her over? I—"
"Bang, bang, bang!"
Before Obito could finish, Reiki's fists spoke for him. This was what had been weighing on Obito's mind? Reiki couldn't help himself—Obito needed a wake-up call.
Half an hour later, Reiki dragged a dazed and battered Obito back to the group, passing him to Shizune for treatment.
Nohara Rin, worried but trusting Reiki's judgment, approached Obito. She glanced between the two of them, finally piecing things together.
Obito is such an oblivious fool, she thought, shaking her head with a soft smile.
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