The early morning light filtered through the canvas of the command tent, casting long shadows over the wooden table where Shigeto Sarutobi sat. Across from him, perched on a stool with his feet dangling, was Maru, the middle-aged monkey who had taken it upon himself to act as the de facto administrator of the Summoner Corps’ first field test. The tent was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of paper and the low hum of conversation from outside.

  “Eight recruits triggered their emergency fres st night,” Maru reported, his voice a mixture of professionalism and amusement.

  Shigeto turned his sharp gaze toward him, steepling his fingers. “Only eight?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow. “That’s… more than I expected to make it through the night, to be honest.”

  Maru gave a small shrug, his tail flicking behind him zily. “I was surprised too. It seems the little fledglings are sturdier than expected.”

  “How many were due to shelter or food failure?”

  Maru scratched his chin. “Only two. Six were a result of… well, let’s call it ‘failure to prepare for the surprise test.’”

  A small smirk tugged at the corner of Shigeto’s lips. “I take it the night raid went well?”

  Maru cleared his throat, gncing at his notes before looking up at Shigeto with a deadpan expression. “Well, first things first—the Kakashi Incident.”

  Shigeto’s smirk vanished. “Go on.”

  Maru sighed dramatically, tapping his notes. “The squad that descended on Kakashi Hatake’s camp is still dealing with the aftereffects. Apparently, the moment they made a move, he reacted with… extreme prejudice.”

  Shigeto pinched the bridge of his nose. “How bad?”

  Maru gave a theatrical wave of his hand. “Oh, no permanent injuries. Luckily, he noticed the uniforms and realized in time that we were part of the test. But.” He paused for effect. “The psychological damage? That can only be cured by a vastly increased sake budget.”

  Shigeto sighed heavily. “I’ll approve the request.” He side-eyed Maru, pretending not to notice the huge grin now splitting the monkey’s face. “But only because I have a feeling you’d take it out of my reserves anyway.”

  Maru winked, making a dramatic note on his papers. “You’re a man of great wisdom, Shigeto.”

  Shigeto shook his head before gesturing for him to continue. “Anything else of note?”

  Maru flipped through his notes before his ears perked up slightly. He tilted his head, suddenly more interested in what he was reading. “Ah. Yes. The boy with green eyes.”

  Shigeto stilled. “Hiro?”

  Maru nodded. “Of all the recruits, his camp was the most prepared.”

  Shigeto frowned slightly. “Go on.”

  Maru chuckled. “He slept through the entire attack.”

  Shigeto blinked. “What?”

  Maru leaned forward, clearly enjoying himself. “The moment our squads descended on his camp, they were immediately pced in a sleep genjutsu. His spider summon secured them in makeshift hammocks made from its webs, hanging them from the trees.”

  Shigeto could only stare. “…You’re telling me a first-year recruit’s summon took out an entire monkey strike team?”

  Maru lifted his hands in surrender. “Hey, don’t look at me. That’s just what happened. The poor monkeys only woke up when reinforcements pulled them down from their ‘comfy grave.’”

  A long silence stretched between them.

  Shigeto finally sat back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “So, while most recruits were struggling, this kid was drooling into his pillow while a squad of trained monkey ninjas took an involuntary nap above his head?”

  Maru grinned. “Correct.”

  Shigeto crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. Hiro wasn’t just adapting—he was excelling. Even if it had been purely Yamiha’s doing, the fact that Hiro had unknowingly created a system that allowed him to rest without worry was impressive.

  After a long moment, Shigeto sighed and waved a hand. “Alright. Anything else?”

  Maru stretched, standing up. “Nope. But I can’t wait to see what happens tonight.”

  Shigeto didn’t know if he should feel relieved or even more concerned.