Morning came quietly on the third day, the golden sunlight slipping through the thin paper windows of the inn. Uchiha Souji opened his eyes long before the sun fully rose, staring blankly at the wooden ceiling above him. For a moment, he simply lay still, confused by a strange emptiness in the room.
Something felt… off.
He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and suddenly realized why the morning felt so different.
Takeda Izo did not come banging on his door today.
Every day for the past two days, that energetic boy had rushed into Souji's room at dawn—sometimes shouting, sometimes dragging him outside, sometimes swinging those wooden swords around while begging for tips.
But today… silence.
Souji frowned.
"That kid doesn't seem like someone who gives up so easily," he muttered.
He scratched the back of his head, sat up slowly, and let out a sigh. Whether he liked it or not, he had gotten used to Izo's noisy enthusiasm.
After washing up, Souji went downstairs. Kakashi was already at the table, casually drinking tea with one hand while reading a newspaper with the other. When he sensed Souji approaching, he lifted his eyes lazily.
"We'll go back after breakfast," Kakashi said. "Do you have anything you need to do?"
Souji paused, then grabbed a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth, shaking his head.
There were things he wanted—like staying in this peaceful place for a little longer—but he couldn't.
So, he simply accepted it.
"Well," Souji said between bites, "there's one thing. When we go back, can we eat something good for once? When we came here, you made us eat military ration pills the entire way. If I see another one, I'm gonna puke."
Kakashi's mouth twitched.
"All of that was to test your survival skills. Since you've proven yourself, you're welcome to cook for yourself next time."
Souji narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Uh-huh. I think you just hate rich people. You see me with money eating good food and it irritates you."
Kakashi's face turned slightly red.
"H-Hey! Where did that come from?"
He tossed the newspaper onto the table, mumbling something about being a veteran of ninja wars and how younger generations didn't understand hardship.
Souji snorted and went back to eating.
Just then—
A loud commotion echoed from outside the inn.
Many people rushed past the window, footsteps fast and voices full of excitement, the kind that only appeared when something juicy was happening nearby.
Kakashi didn't even look.
"Ignore them. A long life for a ninja depends on minding your own business. Curiosity kills—literally."
He sipped his tea calmly.
"This doesn't mean you'll live to ninety-nine. But fifty or sixty? Very achievable."
Souji stood up immediately, the bun still hanging from his mouth.
Unlike Kakashi, he had not been trained with the typical ninja sense of danger or self-preservation. And since this was the capital of the Land of Fire, actual danger was unlikely.
Besides, it was human nature to want to see trouble.
He rushed out the door.
Kakashi sighed heavily behind him.
"Still a child."
---
Souji Arrives at the Scene
Following the crowd, Souji soon reached a busy intersection where a large group had gathered. Shouts, gasps, and angry voices filled the air.
It was definitely an argument.
Souji squeezed his way through the crowd until he reached the open circular space in the center.
There, he saw the scene clearly:
A middle-aged man with a gloomy expression stood on the right side. His posture was aggressive and intimidating—clearly the bully type.
But the ridiculous part?
He had two large dark circles under his eyes, dried blood on his nose, and scratches across his cheeks.
He looked like someone who had gotten badly beaten just minutes earlier.
Souji almost burst out laughing.
Then he looked left—
And immediately recognized the boy standing calmly, hands folded:
Takeda Izo.
Behind Izo stood an elderly man and a young woman—likely locals he had helped.
Based on the situation, it wasn't hard to guess: Izo, with his overly heroic personality, must have stepped in to stop this middle-aged man from bullying someone.
Unfortunately, that person turned out to be someone he probably shouldn't have offended.
Souji touched his chin.
"Figures. That man clearly underestimated him."
Even without chakra, Izo could easily fight off three or four normal adults.
But something still felt off.
As Souji considered stepping in, a familiar voice appeared beside him.
---
Kakashi Arrives Silently
"This kind of thing happens often in the Land of Fire," Kakashi said. "Every time I come to the capital, I see it."
Souji turned and saw Kakashi standing next to him, a large backpack dropped at his feet.
Kakashi pointed casually toward the middle-aged man.
"That guy is the Daimyo's cousin."
Souji nearly choked.
Suddenly, the weight-bearing backpack made sense. Kakashi wanted Souji to carry it—maybe to punish him, maybe to test him.
And also, Souji realized something else.
Even though ninja existed, this was still a feudal world.
Bullying, nobles abusing power, and harassment were very common.
Takeda Izo, with his heroic spirit and stubborn sense of justice, had simply met a problem that fists alone couldn't solve.
But should Souji jump in?
He owed Izo for showing him around the Land of Fire these last few days.
He also liked the kid.
He hesitated.
Kakashi noticed his expression and immediately warned him.
"Hey. Don't even think about it. That man is a noble. If we interfere, Konoha will have problems. And you barely know that boy."
Kakashi sighed.
"Besides, with Izo's personality, if it wasn't today, it would happen another day."
Then Kakashi's dead-fish eyes shifted toward a shaded corner of the street.
Souji followed his gaze.
A masked ninja stood there silently, wearing a dark vest with no identifying symbol.
On his back was a massive blade wrapped completely in bandages.
His presence was cold. Dangerous. Watching everything.
Souji's instincts whispered:
This guy isn't ordinary.
Meanwhile, the confrontation escalated.
---
The Conflict Breaks Out
Seeing his subordinates approach, the middle-aged noble puffed out his chest arrogantly. His earlier fear vanished, swallowed by pride and entitlement.
A cruel smirk twisted at the corner of his mouth, the kind of smirk only nobles in power often wore.
"Little brat," he said loudly, "since you want to play hero… I'll teach you what happens to children who meddle in adult matters."
He extended one finger toward Izo and pointed sharply at the ground.
"Get on your knees and bow to me. Kowtow a hundred times, and I might forgive you."
The crowd murmured nervously.
The elderly man behind Izo trembled.
The young woman clasped her hands tightly.
But Izo?
His eyes blazed with anger.
"Stop joking!" he shouted.
"How could I ever bow to someone like you!?"
He pulled out his two wooden training swords and stood firmly, refusing to back down even an inch.
The masked ninja in the back corner opened one eye.
"So childish," he muttered under his breath, barely loud enough to hear.
But Izo heard it.
He turned sharply.
"How do you know that if you've never fought before!?"
The tension thickened instantly.
------------------------
🕷️ End of Chapter
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