After taking a few steps, Minato suddenly remembered something and stopped, turning back to look at Gintoki.
"You deliberately said those things in the Hokage's office because you were worried about your old teammates and squad leader, weren't you? You wanted to make us dislike you so you could go back to your original team, right?"
Though he'd been seen through, Gintoki showed no sign of panic.
He picked his teeth with the leftover skewer and stood up.
"Let me tell you a secret. Gin-san here has something called 'protagonist halo' inside him."
"Hahaha, I don't really get that, but you're really a kind person, Gintoki."
Hearing this, Gintoki simply turned around and waved dismissively as he walked away.
"Feeling lucky today. See you later."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Minato nodded and turned to leave, but suddenly thought of something.
Wait! feeling lucky?
What exactly was he planning to do!
Driven by curiosity, Minato secretly followed Gintoki and eventually spotted him in a casino, gleefully playing dice and betting on high or low.
A seven-year-old child...?
This kid was more enthusiastic than a seasoned gambling uncle and you're telling me he's a seven-year-old?!
When Gintoki lost all his money and was about to bet his clothes, Minato quickly stepped in and dragged him out.
Any longer, and he'd really be left with nothing!
"Hey, hey, what's the big idea? Gin-san's next roll is definitely gonna turn things around! Next one's gonna be triple sixes—a leopard! I'm telling you! Just watch!"
As he was being dragged away, Gintoki pointed at the gambling table and shouted at the person pulling him.
"One, two, three—six points, small!"
"Where's the leopard you promised?" Minato asked with a twitch of his lips.
....
The next day.
"Hmph, ahem! Hmph!"
Kakashi, wearing his Leaf Village forehead protector, paced back and forth in front of Gintoki several times before he left the house.
His goal was probably to show off that he, too, had graduated as the top student in just one year and become a Leaf ninja!
Sitting at the entrance, Gintoki yawned as he put on his shoes, only noticing Kakashi's odd behavior just before stepping out.
"What's wrong? Sore throat? Or maybe constipation? If it's the latter, hurry up and go. Holding it in is a kid's worst enemy."
"I'm not constipated!" Kakashi retorted loudly.
"Then hemorrhoids? If so, be careful. I know a hemorrhoid ninja who suffered his whole life, tormented by them! It's agony, I tell ya!"
"I don't have anything like that!"
"Good then."
With that, Gintoki yawned again, picked up his Lake Toya (wrapped in bandages), slung it over his shoulder, and slid open the door.
At the very last moment before leaving, he turned back and casually reminded Kakashi.
"Don't get too excited just 'cause you're a ninja now. Stay safe."
Kakashi blinked, staring at Gintoki's utterly lazy, unenthusiastic face.
Of course, even if his heart felt warm, he still turned away with a tsundere huff.
"I don't need you to tell me that!"
"Good. See you in two weeks."
"You too… stay safe."
"Relax. Gin-san here's got the protagonist halo from next door's Gintama."
"Ugh—" Kakashi sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Here we go with the nonsense again..."
...
Though it might sound a bit self-praising, Minato had always considered himself fairly talented—at least without any major shortcomings in any area.
But after meeting Gintoki, he realized just how far he still was from being called a genius!
... Gintoki was even more of a monster than him!
On their way back to the village, the two encountered over a dozen elite enemy jonin.
Yet, thanks to Gintoki's leadership, they broke through the encirclement!
And that wasn't enough—following Gintoki's suggestion and tactical planning, they even sneaked back and infiltrated the enemy's rear!
Without any backup, they picked off the enemies one by one until every last one was eliminated!
Gintoki's tactical mind was truly something to be admired!
Minato even felt that if Gintoki were put in charge of a war, he'd handle it effortlessly!
Of course, for someone like the Shiroyasha—who had once fought blade-to-blade against the technologically advanced Amanto and won numerous major battles—such achievements didn't bring even a hint of pride.
War was something Gintoki had long grown tired of.
Watching Gintoki leaning against a tree with his wooden sword in hand, his dead-fish eyes half-lidded as he rested, Minato felt a strange sensation rise in his chest.
It was as if the other had seen far too much of war already...
....
Hexagonal Warrior—that was a new term Minato had learned from Gintoki.
It referred to someone who had honed every aspect of themselves to perfection, leaving no weaknesses.
So, when submitting his mission report, Minato included this term, applying it to Gintoki.
Ninjutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu, intellect—a prodigy who surpassed most of the village's shinobi in every category.
That was the conclusion Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other higher-ups reached after reading Minato's report.
"Hiruzen, I've heard Gintoki has a rather unruly temperament. Perhaps he should join Root to temper his character," Danzo suggested, the first to voice his opinion, putting on the air of someone trying to help his old comrade.
"Hahaha..." The Third Hokage chuckled. "It's only natural for a child his age to be a bit mischievous. Let him continue working with Minato on missions—that'll be enough to refine him."
...
At eight years old, after a year of working alongside Minato, Gintoki was exceptionally promoted to Elite Ninja Jonin of Konoha, having completed ten A-rank and three S-rank missions.
This speed of advancement was unprecedented in Konoha's history.
Some protested, but after seeing his records, they quickly shut their mouths.
The number of enemy Elite Ninjas he had personally taken down was already approaching double digits, bordering on triple.
With such absurd battle achievements, who else deserved the title of Elite Jonin if not him?
Of course, despite completing so many high-rank missions, Gintoki hadn't saved a single penny.
His daily strawberry milk and dango were sometimes covered by Kakashi's generosity.
Though he seemed unreliable and lazy, Kakashi still saw this older brother as his role model and goal, pushing himself relentlessly in missions.
Eventually, he became a Chunin at the same age Gintoki had been promoted.
...
Lately, the rumors circulating in the village had grown increasingly twisted.
Gintoki couldn't be bothered to investigate who was spreading the talk about Sakumo abandoning his mission being an unforgivable crime—his focus was entirely on Sakumo, who was resting at home.
He wanted to talk to Sakumo, but he could never find the right moment.
On the day both he and Kakashi were sent out of the village for a mission, Sakumo saw them off with a smile.
But Gintoki, sharp as ever, sensed something amiss.