For his first meal with Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Kaien chose a simple dango shop.
At this point in time, Ichiraku was still just a quiet teenager—not yet the ramen master known to every shinobi. It wasn't even close to his prime.
The shop had a down-to-earth vibe, and the prices were just as friendly. Kaien had taken care to consider Minato's situation—this was their first meal together, after all.
Right now, Minato was living off of Konoha's public assistance. If he didn't budget wisely, his nutrition would definitely suffer from impulsive spending.
But even at his young age, Minato already understood how to manage his money.
Most of the orphans their age looked pale and underfed, a direct result of lacking self-control. But Minato was different—he had the foresight to plan his expenses carefully. That early maturity of his was already beginning to show.
He even stood out in appearance. Compared to his peers, Minato looked far more energetic, with his golden hair shining brightly and perfectly groomed.
"Boss, ten sticks of dango and two bowls of red bean soup, please."
Kaien's small, fair hand fished out a bill as he stood on tiptoe to pass it to the shop owner.
His little fingers barely reached the counter. The dango shop owner, having stood up and noticed an adorable little girl placing the order, couldn't help but grin. Whose kid is this? She's so cute...
The [Affinity] trait was clearly working. Kaien had made a fantastic first impression.
So much so, the owner added two extra sticks of dango to both his and Minato's servings.
...
"Kaien, had you already been training for a while before we talked earlier?" Minato asked curiously. When he'd first seen Kaien, the boy had been catching his breath, his forehead covered in a fine sheen of sweat.
"Yup! The Academy entrance is coming up soon, so I figured it was time to start moving again. I've been resting at home for so long, I was starting to feel rusty."
"I see... Would you mind sharing what kind of training you usually do? Just the basics is fine—I'd really appreciate it!"
Minato pressed his palms together in a polite gesture of request.
Even though he wasn't officially a ninja yet, Minato already understood that a shinobi's training routine was a highly personal matter. Asking without the proper relationship could easily damage trust.
Still, if it was just the basics, it should be okay.
"Basic training? Stuff like push-ups and other standard exercises. If you start intense training too early, you'll mess up your growth! So up until now, I've mainly just been refining chakra every day."
Kaien shrugged it off like it was nothing.
"But once school starts, I'll probably begin learning the Uchiha-style Taijutsu. If you want, Minato, I can teach you too."
The Uchiha-style Taijutsu were both elegant and deadly—a high-risk, high-reward taijutsu style that danced on the edge of danger. Without the Sharingan's enhanced perception, beginners could easily injure themselves or miscalculate in battle.
But Minato was a rare case. His natural reflexes and reaction speed were off the charts. He might just be able to master the style even without a Sharingan.
"That's... one of your clan's secret techniques, right? I don't think it's something I should be learning."
Minato was clearly tempted, but he knew better than to overreach. He had strong principles and wouldn't let greed get the better of him.
"It's fine, really. The Uchiha have never been afraid of others copying our techniques," Kaien said breezily.
"Because of the Sharingan, a lot of our jutsu are designed to work with it. Without it, most people can't use them effectively. In battle, it could actually put you in danger if you're not careful."
"Then..."
Minato was about to ask why Kaien still offered to teach him.
From what he'd seen during their short time together, Kaien was clearly someone warm-hearted and considerate.
Just the fact that he'd casually pulled out a C-rank jutsu like Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique already spoke volumes.
Yet he'd chosen an affordable restaurant that Minato could comfortably afford—proof that he was thoughtful and empathetic.
There was no way Kaien had any ulterior motives.
"Because I believe in you, Minato."
Kaien gave him a dazzling smile—one so bright, it caught Minato off guard. The boy known for spreading warmth with his own smile was now on the receiving end of one that left him stunned and speechless.
[Affection from Namikaze Minato +2]
"A talent like yours—able to understand most of a C-rank jutsu after just one viewing—you're going to master tons of techniques!"
The unabashed praise made Minato blush. His face turned a shade of pink, and even his ears gave away his embarrassment.
What do I do? She's so good at this!
[Affection from Namikaze Minato +2]
...
The sweet dango soup went down smooth, leaving a warm, cozy feeling in Kaien's stomach.
They both thoroughly enjoyed their meal.
After eating, they parted ways and returned home.
Kaien, ever mindful of not overdoing things, didn't try to push for more time with Minato. Instead, they agreed to train again the next afternoon.
Once he got home, he sprang onto his soft bed in one smooth motion.
"System—start the draw!"
Time for another thrilling round of the lottery. Kaien rubbed his hands together, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
[Draw initiated]
Last time, even with just one draw, he'd pulled a blue-quality trait—[Affinity]. Surely, with two chances this time, his luck wouldn't run out, right?
[Affinity] had already shown its worth—he'd gotten extra dango today because of it!
The familiar roulette wheel reappeared, spinning rapidly before stopping on a white ball and a green one.
Kaien's cheerful expression immediately deflated.
Looks like luck wasn't guaranteed.
[Current Affection: 2]
He poked the white ball first.
[Chakra +5][Maximum Chakra increased to: 25]
Seeing his chakra pool increase, Kaien's frustration quickly faded.
A solid foundation mattered.
More chakra meant better stamina and more refined control. The rarity didn't matter—it was all about steady growth.
Next, he tapped the green ball.
[Acquired Trait: Fake Voice][Fake Voice: Allows the user to mimic a wide variety of vocal tones, useful for generating affection across different social interactions.]
Kaien blinked.
This one sounded... kinda useless.
Still, a free trait was better than nothing. Cheerfully, he began testing it out.
Soon, his room echoed with voices of various styles—mature, cutesy (which was already his default), nasal, and bubbly teen tones.
The supposedly "meh" ability quickly became a favorite.
You mean I can imitate any waifu's voice I want? This is amazing!