Ryōsuke stepped out of the ramen shop and onto the street.
A large crowd had gathered, forming a circle along both sides of the road.
In the center stood a man with a cigarette dangling from his lips and a rough beard shadowing his jaw—staring passionately at the woman in front of him.
"Kurenai… be my girlfriend."
The woman, long hair parted neatly down the middle, looked painfully uncomfortable.
Kurenai Yūhi might have grown up with Sarutobi Asuma, true—but she had never felt strongly for him.
And seeing him like this only made her feel worse:
A reeking cigarette between his lips.
Unshaven.
Confessing loudly in the middle of the street.
A confession should be private.
Quiet.
Meaningful.
This was the complete opposite.
And Asuma's reputation didn't help.
Delinquent. Immature. Impulsive.
Nothing like a dependable adult.
She couldn't even imagine being in a relationship with him.
With an icy expression, she said:
"I refuse."
Asuma froze, stunned.
"Why, Kurenai? We're childhood friends!"
Kurenai shook her head, exasperated.
"We only grew up together. Childhood friends don't automatically become lovers."
Too many people misunderstood that line.
Panic flickered in Asuma's eyes.
He was soon heading to the Land of Fire's capital as a member of the Guardian Twelve.
Before leaving, he wanted to secure things with Kurenai—
Otherwise, with her beauty, who knew how many men would chase after her?
His gaze hardened.
"Kurenai… if you don't agree today, I'll follow you everywhere until you do."
"You're annoying," Kurenai snapped.
Who confessed like this?
Was this really the Asuma she once knew?
He was acting like a piece of sticky plaster that wouldn't come off.
Asuma grew agitated.
Why was she being so difficult? They had grown up together—wasn't it obvious they'd end up together?
And he was running out of time.
He stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and declared:
"If you don't agree today, I'm not letting go."
Kurenai's expression darkened with anger.
How could he humiliate her like this in public?
If she accepted a man who behaved like this, what future would she have?
The crowd exchanged disgusted looks.
The only reason no one stepped in was simple—
Asuma was the Third Hokage's son.
Anyone else would've been dragged away already.
Just as the situation reached its breaking point, a cold voice cut through the crowd.
"If you continue harassing this woman, I'll arrest you on the spot."
Ryōsuke.
He hadn't expected Asuma to be this brazen.
As a member of the Uchiha Police Force, he had no choice but to intervene.
The villagers turned toward him, surprised—and hopeful.
Despite their distrust of the Uchiha after the Nine-Tails attack, they silently prayed the police would handle this properly.
Asuma released Kurenai's wrist and turned toward the newcomer.
High-collared robe.
Spiky hair.
The Uchiha crest.
Asuma scoffed.
"Uchiha brat. You planning to ruin my moment?"
To him, this was a private affair.
Everyone else was just in the way.
All he needed to do was push Kurenai a little harder…
and she'd be his.
The process didn't matter.
Ryōsuke's gaze remained steady.
"As a member of the Uchiha Police Force, I can't ignore someone harassing a woman in public."
Asuma burst out laughing.
"The Uchiha Police Force? After the Nine-Tails incident, you people are worthless.
And I'm the Hokage's son. You think you can talk down to me?"
He stepped forward.
"Believe it or not, I'll beat you right here."
The crowd grimaced.
Everyone knew Asuma's delinquent streak—
Skipping out on bills.
Starting fights.
Now harassing a woman out in the open.
But no one had dared say anything before.
Not against the Hokage's son.
Kurenai's disappointment deepened with every word he spoke.
He was abusing his father's authority—again.
Had he always been this… low?
Ryōsuke didn't flinch.
"I don't care if you're the Hokage's son. Even if the Hokage himself were standing here, he wouldn't excuse harassing a woman."
A murmur ran through the crowd.
Finally—
someone dared say it.
Villagers chimed in:
"Asuma! As the Hokage's son, how can you act like this?"
"Threatening a police officer? Are you crazy?"
Asuma's expression twisted.
His anger locked onto Ryōsuke.
Everything was this Uchiha's fault.
With a snarl, Asuma reached for the two chakra blades strapped to his waist.
He infused them with chakra—blue light crackling along their edges.
The crowd instantly fell silent.
Several people stumbled backward in fear.
This wasn't a simple scuffle.
These weapons were deadly—and expensive.
Only elite shinobi families could afford them.
Kurenai's expression changed completely.
She had seen Asuma use those blades.
They could slice iron like paper.
Infused with chakra, they could cleave through trees and shatter boulders.
Using them against a fellow villager was unthinkable.
She stepped forward, furious.
"Asuma! How can you use those? Have you lost all sense of restraint?"
But her words only fueled his rage.
Even Kurenai was taking the Uchiha's side?
"Kurenai, he's the one picking a fight!
I'll take him out first—then I'll confess again."
Kurenai almost exploded.
Confess again?
Now!?
How could someone be this delusional?
Ryōsuke pinched the bridge of his nose.
He had only stepped in to stop a harassment case…
and now this idiot wanted to chop off his arm.
The chakra blades crackled ominously.
Ryōsuke had no doubt—
Asuma could absolutely take a limb.
He activated his Sharingan—two tomoe spinning into sight—
and stared sharply at Asuma.
"What are you doing? Attacking someone in broad daylight?
Is this what the Third Hokage taught his son?"
That struck deep.
Asuma and his father had a terrible relationship.
Mentioning Hiruzen only inflamed him further.
He gritted his teeth.
Even if he didn't kill Ryōsuke…
taking an arm seemed reasonable.
His father would deal with the aftermath.
And Ryōsuke—just another hated Uchiha—would be blamed anyway.