Naruto charged forward. The boy with the missing tooth failed to react in time and was knocked into the snow with a single punch, sending powdery flakes flying.
The other two rushed in immediately. Sasuke snorted coldly, sidestepped the attack, grabbed one opponent's wrist, and executed a shoulder throw that slammed him heavily into the ground, scattering snow in all directions.
A cold wind swept across the open snowfield, leaving behind chaotic footprints and hurried breathing.
In the world of ninja, youth never grants immunity from cruelty. Every clash is a trial of survival—like a tender sprout struggling through winter soil. Only by enduring wind and snow can true resilience be forged.
"Damn it! Let me show you my ninjutsu!"
The boy from the Tsukikage clan shouted angrily, quickly forming hand seals.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
A sharp stream of air burst from his palm, slicing through the falling snow straight toward Naruto's face.
Sasuke's pupils shrank. He grabbed Naruto's shoulder and yanked him backward. The wind blade grazed past his cheek and carved a shallow mark into a nearby tree trunk.
Although it was only a C-rank technique, its power was limited in the hands of children with small chakra reserves.
Naruto stumbled but regained his footing. When he saw the mark on the tree, anger surged inside him. He cursed himself for being careless—especially for embarrassing himself in front of Sasuke.
Humiliated and furious, he gathered chakra in his palm.
A swirling sphere formed.
His blond hair whipped in the snowy wind as the Rasengan spun in his hand, reflecting his reddened eyes and ragged breathing.
"Idiot! What do you think you're doing?!"
Sasuke jumped in alarm when he saw Naruto forming the Rasengan.
That was an A-rank technique. If it hit, the target would be crippled—or worse.
If another child attempted the Rasengan, it would be meaningless, since their chakra reserves wouldn't be enough to form it.
But Naruto, as a member of the Uzumaki clan, could do it as naturally as eating or drinking.
Sasuke lunged forward and kicked the outside of Naruto's arm precisely. Before the Rasengan fully formed, the impact disrupted the chakra flow.
The technique collapsed with a burst, kicking up a ring of snow mist.
But at that moment, another child suddenly formed hand seals and took a deep breath.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A blazing fireball shot from his mouth, expanding rapidly—yet in the end it was only about the size of a basketball.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened.
"You call that a Great Fireball?"
He turned swiftly, forming seals with practiced speed.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive, blazing sphere erupted from Sasuke's mouth, instantly swallowing the smaller fireball.
The boy froze in terror, staring at the enormous incoming flames, completely forgetting to dodge.
"Enough."
A figure suddenly appeared in front of the fireball and casually waved a hand.
The flames vanished instantly, as if they had never existed.
"Senpai!"
"Big Brother Wen Lan!"
Sasuke and Naruto's eyes lit up simultaneously.
Wen Lan stood there in a black robe dusted with snow, one eyebrow slightly raised as his gaze swept across the group.
The three boys were already terrified.
"Assistant-sama," they said hurriedly, bowing.
Wen Lan glanced at them coldly.
"The Ninja Academy teaches you to protect the village—not to attack your fellow villagers."
The three children lowered their heads, too frightened to speak.
"Get lost. Go home and tell your families what happened today. If it happens again, I'll personally have a talk with your elders."
His sharp glare made them shudder. They scrambled away in panic.
Wen Lan turned to Sasuke and Naruto. His expression softened slightly.
"You did well today."
Their faces brightened—
but then his tone shifted.
"However, controlling your emotions is a fundamental lesson for any ninja."
He shot Naruto a stern look.
"Did Minato teach you the Rasengan so you could use it against people from your own village?"
Naruto shrank like a quail.
Wen Lan usually treated him very kindly, but whenever Naruto crossed a line, he would immediately become strict.
Even though he was scared, Naruto stubbornly protested:
"But Sasuke hit pretty hard too!"
Sasuke froze in disbelief.
He had clearly been defending himself.
"Hey—Naruto, are you serious?!" Sasuke nearly exploded.
"That goes for you too," Wen Lan said, glaring at Sasuke.
Then his tone eased again.
"But you both did the right thing. Protecting your own is natural.
Still, you're already at the level of genin. Next time, show restraint."
He pulled several banknotes from his pocket and handed them over.
"I won't report this to your families. Take this money and buy yourselves something to eat. Consider it a reward."
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. He grabbed all the money and dashed off.
"Thanks, Big Brother Wen Lan!"
Sasuke's eyes widened as he chased after him.
"Idiot! That includes my share!"
"Hahaha! We're going to Ichiraku Ramen anyway—I'll treat you!"
"Treat me with my own money? That's my money!"
Their voices faded into the snowy distance.
Wen Lan shook his head with a small smile, then turned toward the girl who had been standing quietly the whole time.
Hinata.
She stood there obediently, eyes brimming with tears, her face full of lingering grievance.
Wen Lan walked over and crouched down, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.
Her little face immediately turned red—but she did not faint.
Since she was old enough to remember, Wen Lan had visited the Hyūga compound almost every month. He would bring snacks, toys, and sometimes teach her simple chakra control exercises.
That long-standing kindness had created in Hinata a dependence on him that was almost familial.
"Alright, don't cry," Wen Lan said softly, as if soothing a child.
"If you keep crying, your Byakugan will turn into red eyes."
Hinata had been holding herself together—
but those words broke the dam.
She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and burst into tears.
"I'm not a monster! I didn't want to bother them, but they keep bullying me! Waaah—"
"Alright, alright. It's their fault," Wen Lan said gently, lifting her into his arms and patting her back.
"Our little Hinata is a good girl."
"Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, no one will dare bully you."
Hinata sniffled and nodded, her small hands gripping his collar tightly, as if letting go would mean losing her support.
"Come on," Wen Lan said softly.
"I'll take you to eat red bean soup."
At the dessert shop, Wen Lan ordered twenty servings of red bean soup and cinnamon rolls.
When the dishes were placed on the table, Hinata's eyes widened.
"That's… so much. It would be wasteful."
"I know your appetite," Wen Lan said with a smile, gently rubbing her hair.
"You never get enough to eat at home. Don't worry—it won't go to waste. Just eat. If it's not enough, we'll order more."
Hinata's cheeks flushed slightly as she lowered her head and took small bites.
The gloom in her heart slowly faded away.
Just as Wen Lan expected—
twenty servings weren't enough.
They ended up ordering ten more before Hinata's little stomach was finally satisfied.
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