Chapter 6 – Detective Shikamaru Is On The Case

Daiko P.O.V.

97, 98, 99, 100. Well at least I can now do the push-ups, sit-ups, and squats without using any chakra.

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, my life fell into a rhythm that was as grueling as it was rewarding. Just kidding, I hated every day of my life. Each day began with the grueling 'One Punch Man' workout that left me drenched in sweat, my muscles burning, not to mention my wallet... my poor wallet. There was no way a five-year-old who never worked out before would've been able to complete 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run. I found that out the hard way on day one when I had to use my chakra to strengthen my body after the fourth push-up, but there was no way I would miss out on getting the zen'ningan (literally translates to the money eye). I ended up using almost 10,000 ryo to get through the first week but, as the days turned into weeks, I began noticing changes in myself. My muscles started to become more defined, my stamina improved, and I found I relied less on chakra to complete my workouts.

One more day, one more day and I'm done with this shit. By tomorrow, I'll get the zen'ningan. I thought as I bent down to touch my toes and stretch my sore hamstrings. Ugh, I've been sore everyday for the last year and a half.

"Let's go Daiko," a loud voice yelled behind me.

"Sure thing, baka-chan," I replied with a yawn. Naruto, having caught sight of my daily ordeal, started joining in on my rigorous training. His determination was admirable, and soon, the blond knucklehead was making significant progress. He had progressed much faster than I did but, this was to be expected of the main character.

"You run so weird Daiko," Naruto said as I pumped my arms with each stride.

"I think I'm faster like this," I replied back.

"But you look stupid," he said as I felt the vein in my temples start to pound.

Yeah I'm the one who looks dumb, I thought. There's no way I'm doing the cringey Naruto run even if I'm in the Naruto world.

I finished the first 5 kilometers before I needed to start burning my money. But in that time, Naruto had finished all of his laps. This world is so unfair to normal people. He started months after me but he not only did caught up to me, he's now lapping me. This must be how Rock Lee felt after Sasuke caught up to his speed with only a month of training.

After the training, I took to the streets to manage my three bustling dako carts, each placed strategically around the city and each as busy as the next. I needed to expand aggressively just to be able to afford my ongoing training. But, I had to innovate to get to my $250,000 ryo goal, from business partnerships, to catering, to introducing Konoha's first delivery service, I had grinded my way to over $270,000 ryo. I had spent the last month streamlining operations, bringing in paid civilian managers, training them in the art of dako making, and setting up a shift system where they could manage the carts in my absence. This was all part of my plan to automate the business before the start of the Academy all so I could make sure money was coming in faster than it was going out. The zen'ningan was on the horizon, and I wasn't about to let it slip away.

In the evening, when the carts were cleaned and tucked away, I'd spend time with my friends. Shikamaru, Choji, and Hinata who became regulars, would meet Naruto and I in a small park in the heart of Konoha. Those evenings were an oasis of calm and camaraderie, something I cherished in the middle of the hustle and bustle. Shikamaru with his cloud watching, Choji with his snacks, and Hinata with her quiet, soothing presence. Those moments were a balm to my weary soul, moments where I could just be a kid instead of a businessman grinding towards a goal.

I found it weird that although I was mentally 30 years old, my brain still operated like that of a child. But as I aged, I could feel my brain developing and becoming more mature along with my personality. I acted more like an immature child genius as opposed to a suspicious adult inhabiting the body of a child, a development I was happy about when I eventually remembered that Ms. Nono was a former root operative. I wondered why I hadn't noticed it until recently but, I don't believe this is something that a baby, toddler, or adolescent would even think about. But, I shuddered at the thought of having to live through puberty all over again.

"Hey, Daiko why are you spacing out? We're trying to figure out where we want to eat and we need you to break the tie," Choji said.

"What are the options?" I asked.

"Come on Daiko, we should definitely get ramen!" Naruto pleaded.

"Bar-b-que!" Choji blurted.

"Hinata and I don't really care," Shikamaru said as he lay on the ground watching the gold clouds dyed by the setting sun.

"I don't really care either," I said.

"I wanted to go to Yakiniku, but we can eat for free at Akimichi BBQ," Choji said with a grin on his face as he eyed Daiko. Naruto understood what Choji was doing but could only look on helplessly.

"Let's go there," Daiko said.

"Why are you so cheap Daiko? It's not like you don't have enough money," Naruto said clearly frustrated.

"Naruto, food always tastes better when it's-"

"Free. Yeah, I knew you would say that," Naruto interrupted.

"Why are we eating for today?" I asked.

"It might be the last time we can see ea-" Choji said before Shikamaru elbowed him in the ribs. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"Ugh, what a drag. We were going to tell you later but, it looks like someone can't keep a secret," Shikamaru said as he looked at Choji disappointedly.

"Sorry, Shika" Choji said.

"Why wouldn't we see you guys anymore?" I asked.

"Umm, w-w-well y-you see," Hinata said as she looked down sadly. "Starting t-t-tomorrow we'll be g-going to the academy."

"Huh," Naruto said confused. "That's awesome, I hope we're all in the same class."

"You're also joining the academy too?" Choji asked.

"Of course, Daiko and I have both been training to join the academy."

Shikamaru looked confused, "Daiko, you're interested in being a ninja?"

"Yeah, did I never tell you guys," Daiko said as he tried to remember if he ever told anyone.

"No, you only ever talk about money," Choji said.

"Well, do you know how much S-rank missions pay," Daiko said.

"Hmmm, but you would probably be able to earn more if you just focused on your businesses. Plus, you would have to risk your life. It doesn't make any sense for you to be a shinobi," Shikamaru said as he struck his thinking pose as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.

Oh no, Shikamaru's really trying to figure this out, Daiko thought, time to change the subject. "Well, let's go get BBQ."

The night ended without any issues as we celebrated starting the academy together, but Shikamaru was quieter than usual which made me a little uncomfortable. Stupid prefrontal cortex, I hate not having impulse control, I thought as I lay in bed trying to fall asleep.

As I awoke to start my day, I couldn't help but be excited. "System," I almost shouted as a crimson red screen appeared in front of me.

Ding. Quest Completed – Prepare for the Academy

Reward: Unlock the Zen'ningan

I clicked on the reward and I saw a new pop-up appear.

Ding. [You've unlocked the Zen'ningan]

I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror before whispering, "Status."

Chakra/Money: 281,569/281,569 Ryo

"Zen'ningan," I whispered. My eyes felt like they instantly got heavier as they took on a copper tint as I suddenly felt a surge of awareness. I could see everyone and everything in the entire orphanage at once and my mind was filled with a flurry of numbers, values, and costs as if I could appraise everything. I quickly shut it off due to the headache I could feel coming on before looking at the status screen.

Chakra/Money: 281,509/281,509 Ryo

It looks like this uses 20 ryo a second, not bad. But what a shame, this doesn't seem to have any combat value. Well, if it can help me make more money that would help my overall combat. I'll think about this after school today.

I stood outside the grand building, my heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and excitement. The Academy was a hive of activity. Kids from various clans, dressed in their traditional clothes, were bustling about, some eager, others nervous. Seeing them, I couldn't help but feel a wave of trepidation. I looked around trying to identify as many main characters as possible, but it wasn't long before we were ordered to line up and wait for the Hokage.

The geezer eventually came down and stood in front of us as the academy teachers stood behind him. I barely remember what he said as I started zoning out when he started talking about the will of fire and only tuned back in towards the end of his speech.

"My congratulations to all of you. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you as you walk the path of the shinobi, but I expect great things. I know you will do the leaf village proud," he said.

After that the Hokage promptly left, and all of the children went to their parents while Naruto and I sat by the tree together.

"Isn't this so exciting, we're finally going to be ninja," Naruto said with a big grin on his face.

"We're not ninja yet, Baka-chan," I said. "Besides, we're probably going to be at the bottom considering we don't really know any ninja techniques."

"Isn't that going to be the case with everyone else too," he replied.

"That might be true for most of the other civilians but, our class has a lot of clan heirs. And most of them have already been training for years," I said.

"Clan heirs, hmm. I wonder what they're going to be like, if they're stuck up I'm going to knock them down a peg."

"We already know three."

"Who do we know?" he asked confused.

"Choji is the heir of the Akimichi clan, Shika is heir to the Nara clan, but the biggest one is Hinata, she's the heir of the powerful Hyuga clan."

"Huh! I didn't know we've been hanging out with such important people."

The bell rang and it was soon time for us to meet our teachers. Naruto and I both got up and got ready to head in. "Hey Naruto," I said.

"Yeah, Daiko," he replied.

I was thinking about warning him about Sasuke, but I didn't want to alter the story more than I already have been. "Let's both try our best, okay."

"You got it Daiko," he replied with a thumbs up and a big grin.

I was originally worried I might not be in the same class as the heirs but it looks like I was worried for no reason. After we met Iruka-sensei, he started with a roll call, pausing when he called my name.

"Daiko… the dako cart boy?" Iruka asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, sensei," I responded with a nod.

Iruka-sensei hummed and continued with roll call. He spent the next hour talking about the Academy's rules and regulations before spending another hour going over the curriculum before giving us a lunch and recess break. Naruto, Choji, Shikamaru, and I got together while Hinata was surrounded by some of the other girls. It seems like Hinata is slightly less shy now, I thought as I looked at her talking and laughing with a few of the girls.

It seemed like most of the class was talking about Sasuke, which really upset Naruto. "What's so special about him," Naruto grumbled. "So what if his brother is a genius, that doesn't mean he'll be a genius. Just watch, I'll show them who the real genius in this class is."

Choji just munched away on his chips as he listened to Naruto's complaining. "Naruto, do you want some?" he asked as he extended his bag of chips to Naruto. "Snacks always makes me feel better."

"Seriously, not every single break has to be a snack break, you know what I mean," Shikamaru said.

"Naruto, I think Sasuke is definitely going to be at the top of this class," I said matter of factly.

"How do you know that?" he replied aggressively. "I'm definitely going to be better than him."

"Do you see Sasuke right now?"

"Hmmm," Naruto looked around, "no, but he could be outside playing."

"He's busy training," I said.

"How do you know that?" Naruto questioned me.

"Do you want to bet?"

"No, I always lose money when I bet with you."

"Fine, but I'm right. I bet he's training to get better right now. Let's go find him so you can see for yourself. Do you guys want to join us?" I asked Shikamaru and Choji.

"What a drag," Shikamaru said, "training during our break on the first day."

We walked through the hallway and looked out of all the windows as we tried to find which training ground Sasuke would be on. "Ah, there he is," I said as I saw a little boy dressed in black throwing shuriken at a wooden wall. I looked at Naruto's face and saw he looked stunned.

"Wait, how did you know he would be training?" Shikamaru asked suspiciously.

I tried thinking of a lie but before I could come up with something the bell started ringing letting us know we had to get back to class. Saved by the bell, I thought.

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. After recess, Iruka-sensei took us outside so we could show what ninja skills we knew but no one besides the clan heirs had any real ninja skills. Sasuke stole the show after he showed off his clone technique. After seeing his skills, Naruto tried to hit Sasuke's clone but ended up smashing into a tree when Sasuke dispelled his technique right before the moment of impact. Even I couldn't help but laugh at my poor baka-chan. Naruto and I had a quiet walk back to the orphanage but, we got a big surprise when we got back.

"What do you mean we're being evicted," I asked Ms. Nono.

"I mean just that. You've officially entered the academy. That means you have to move into the academy barracks now. Naruto, your situation is a little different. They ran out of room at the barracks so you will be living here," she said as she handed him a piece of paper with an address.

"You mean I won't be living with Daiko?" Naruto asked sadly.

"I'm afraid not," Ms. Nono said.

While I was a little sad that I would be leaving a place I considered my home, this meant that I would have more freedom now. And more importantly, I would be able to earn more money without anyone watching over me. "Don't worry Naruto, I'm still going to hang out with you all the time, and now that we're in the academy we're both going to have to train even harder together if we want to catch up to Sasuke," I said as Naruto looked back at me with a big whisker-y grin. Ms. Nono looked at me nervously, she had told me several times to stay away from Naruto but I always ignored her.

One Month Later.

The academy was a more brutal and unforgiving place to the orphans of Konoha than the anime showed. What should have been a sanctuary of learning and growth, was marred by prejudice and ridicule. Whispers followed us in the corridors, snide remarks echoed by nameless background characters, painting a grim picture of our futures.

"What a joke, as if orphans could ever be good ninja."

"They've got no clan techniques, special bloodlines, not even the support of a parent, they'll never keep up."

"Why does the dako boy think he can be a shinobi?"

Naruto's treatment at the academy, however, was far worse. But I managed to convince him to take his frustrations out on his training and studying. He got very motivated to study when I told him if he couldn't beat Sasuke in ninja skills then he just had to beat him when it comes to studying. Naruto was trying really hard, and with me there to motivate him he was no longer the dead last of the class.

No, that position was held by… me. But, I was dead last for a few reasons: For one, I almost refused to train chakra in the academy. Secondly, I usually fell asleep during class and tests because I spent so much more time training outside of the academy and worked late at night catching up with my businesses. But most importantly, I was trying to manipulate the rankings so I would end up on team 7. I thought I did a pretty good job hiding myself but one day right before I was about to head to Naruto's house to train, I was stopped by Shikamaru.

"Hey, Daiko, can I talk to you for a minute," he called out, not beating around the bush. I stopped and looked back at him curiously. "This conversation is going to be such a drag."

"What's up, Shika?"

"Why are you holding yourself back? I've seen you practice, you're not a dead-last type. I just don't get it."

"So, you noticed, huh? I knew you were a genius, Shika," I said unable to hide my surprise. "I could ask you the same thing. You could be one of the top students, but you're right in the middle. Why are you holding back?"

"Responsibilities, expectations… I don't want any of those, they're a drag. But, you don't make sense at all Daiko. How did you know Sasuke was going to be the top of the class? Well, everyone assumed that but how did you know he was going to be training on the first day of class?"

"Hmmm," I said contemplating which preplanned lie I would be going with. I came up with an answer I could say in the event something like this came up, "Sasuke used to come by my dako cart sometimes, and he always had bruises. I thought he was getting picked on so I asked him to play once and he said he only trained so I just figured."

"Hmm," Shikamaru said as he looked at me. "That makes more sense than my hypothesis."

"What was your hypothesis?" I asked nervously.

"I thought you were a spy," he said matter of factly. "But that still doesn't explain why you're dead last especially when I see you training nonstop and studying at night."

"You're spying on me!" I said shocked.

"I had to be sure you weren't a spy," he replied back with a shrug.

"I'm training because I hate using my chakra, so I need to be even stronger to make up for it," I said. "And I'm not studying, I'm catching up on my business work late at night, you creep."

"You hate using chakra?" he said surprised.

Oops, I said too much. "I don't want to talk about that, besides at least I try Shikamaru. It's not about being at the top, it's about being capable. I'm still trying to be the strongest I can be, I'm not like the rest of you clan heirs who're just playing ninja. If you're not as strong as you can be, someone might get hurt or worse because you think it's a drag. I still remember the day my parents died just because they were too weak, if they tried harder maybe they would be with me right now."

"Hmmm," he said before he sat in silence reflecting on my words. "Didn't your parents die on the day of the Ninetails' attack?" he asked with renewed suspicion.

Oops, again. "Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?" I said frustrated Shikamaru caught me again.

"You said you remember the day they died?"

"So what? I can remember everything since I was born," I said truthfully, "can't everybody?"

"No, they can't," Shikamaru said thoughtfully. "Hmmm, I'll see you tomorrow Daiko. Sorry about this conversation. I didn't mean to start a fight with you. I knew this would be a drag."

At least I got away this time. I have to be more careful, what would happen if people thought I was a spy? I shuddered at the thought of meeting Ibiki before the chunin exams.

Ding. Quest Created – Outwit Detective Shikamaru

Shikamaru is suspicious of you and has begun investigating you.

Convince him you are not a spy.

Rewards: Gain an S-rank employee.

Failure: ROOT torture & assassination

Fuck, this is way worse than Ibiki.