By now Sakura, after being spurned by Sasuke, stood trembling, shoulders shaking in despair.
Seeing his chance, Naruto prepared to call out, then remembered Mamoru's advice. He drew a breath, assumed a bored expression, and sauntered toward Sakura.
"Ahem..." He stopped beside her, voice low, face cold. "Hmph! Sakura, see how foolish you've been?"
Mamoru and Kakashi exchanged stunned looks. With a soft pop, Kakashi vanished in a smoke trail.
A vein throbbed on Sakura's forehead. She pivoted and slammed a straight right into Naruto's face.
Thud!
Blood sprayed from Naruto's nose as he tumbled backward, crashing into a trash can and landing in a heap of garbage.
Mamoru blinked and saw that faint green light flickered around Sakura—condensed Chakra. No wonder she'd master Chakra enhanced strength later, raw talent.
Sakura could be seriously scary when violent.
'Time to bail.' Mamoru thought, regretting his matchmaker act—first victim right on cue.
As he turned to leave, a long box blocked his path.
Mamoru squinted at the crude box painted to look like stone, sloppy camouflage that fooled no one.
He stepped around it and the box scooted to cut him off again, matching every dodge.
Annoyed, Mamoru kicked the box flying.
"Ow!"
"It hurts!"
"Waa—"
Three small figures rolled out from under the crate.
Konohamaru wheezed, clutching his bruised ribs. "N-no wonder they call you the ninja school number one dragon... T-the man I picked... is worthy to be my future rival."
He signaled the others and the box dropped over them once more.
Boom!
A blast shattered the crate, releasing a cloud of colorful smoke.
"Cough, cough..."
The trio lay covered head-to-toe in bright powder.
Mamoru stared, deadpan. "What are you brats doing?"
"Uh... used too much gunpowder..." Konohamaru croaked from the floor.
As the smoke cleared, they met Mamoru's icy stare, scrambled up, and struck poses.
"The charm of adults—female ninja senior group: Moegi!"
Moegi rested a hand on her hip in what she thought was a sultry pose, clearly copied from her mom.
"I love factoring—Udon!"
Udon sported twin slugs of snot that would make any neat-freak shudder. He clasped his hands, smearing mucus on his sleeves.
"The village's greatest genius ninja—Konohamaru!"
Konohamaru flexed like a strongman, but his goofy grin ruined the effect.
"Together, the Konohamaru Corps salutes you!" They shouted in unison, striking another odd pose.
Mamoru's eye twitched. "Give me one reason I shouldn't beat you up?
Kids playing with gunpowder, aren't you afraid of blowing yourselves up?
Konohamaru Corps? Why not the Ginyu Force?
"Boss! You've been getting colder and colder lately." Konohamaru planted his hands on his hips, puffed his cheeks, and shouted in protest.
"Boss, so cool!" Moegi clasped her hands in front of her chest, tilted her face up, and gazed at Mamoru with sparkling eyes.
"Mm-hmm." Udon stood to one side, sniffing back the snot about to drip, nodding repeatedly. Whether he agreed with Konohamaru or Moegi was anyone's guess.
"Sigh…" Mamoru sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"If you want to play ninja games, go pester that blond kid lying over there. I don't have time." He jabbed his thumb behind him in a random gesture, tone full of resignation.
Lately he couldn't take a casual stroll without 'bumping into' these three brats. Once they latched on, it was like chewing gum you couldn't scrape off.
They'd even stood in the middle of a crowded street and loudly broadcast the nickname that mortified him, letting him experience the full meaning of a 'social death' on the spot.
Recalling the awkward scene of being stared at by passers-by, Mamoru pressed a hand over his eyes, as though that could block out the unbearable memory.
Konohamaru's indignant yell snapped him out of it. "No way! We're looking for the 'ninja school number one dragon,' not big bro Naruto!"
"Shut it! Don't call me that again!" Mamoru's temple throbbed.
He grabbed Konohamaru's scarf and yanked him close, roaring, "What dragon? Where's this dragon? There's no such person in Konoha."
Konohamaru, dangling from the scarf, didn't mind at all, assuming Mamoru was just embarrassed. He even nudged Mamoru's stomach with an elbow and teased, "Boss, don't be shy."
"Zip it! Thanks to you, the whole street knows that nickname now!" Mamoru released the scarf, bent a knuckle, and rapped him on the head.
"Ow!" Konohamaru yelped, both hands flying to cover his head.
But his attention was quickly diverted. He glanced at Sakura, who stood not far off looking dazed, then at Naruto, half-buried in trash, and curiosity flared.
"Huh… who's that woman?"
Driven by curiosity, Konohamaru forgot the pain and instinctively walked toward Naruto.
"Konohamaru, what's up?" Moegi and Udon hurried after him on their short legs.
Seeing the troublesome kids finally distracted, Mamoru shrugged, stuffed his hands into his pockets, and prepared to leave the scene.
As soon as he stepped out of the alley, two figures blocked the way. When he spotted their odd outfits and faces, Mamoru slowed, a flicker of familiarity crossing his mind.
So the plot's already reached this point.
Right then, a commotion rose behind him.
Naruto, leading Konohamaru and the others, came sprinting toward him as if something terrifying were chasing them and right behind, hot on their heels with a murderous look, was Sakura.
In a blink, they raced past Mamoru, who stopped in his tracks.
Konohamaru, running first, slammed into someone with a thud. The other party didn't budge and Konohamaru himself plopped onto the ground from the rebound.
"Oww…"
Rubbing his sore backside, Konohamaru hadn't yet reacted when the stranger grabbed his scarf and hoisted him up like a chick.
A teen in a black hoodie with strange red face paint clutched the scarf and growled, "Stupid brat, that hurt!"
Beside him stood a blond girl with four short upturned braids. Glancing around, she said flatly, "Forget it, Kankuro, let go. You'll get scolded in a minute."
Sakura, panting, rushed up and bowed. "Sorry, it's our fault. The kids were running too fast."
But seeing Konohamaru bullied, Naruto's blood boiled and he shouted, "Hey, fatty! Let him go!"
Watching Naruto add fuel to the fire, Mamoru inwardly groaned, 'Idiot, don't provoke them.'
Hands still in his pockets, he strolled forward. As the distance closed, their features became clear—Kankuro of Sunagakure and his sister Temari.
Kankuro shot the yelling Naruto a contemptuous glance and sneered, "Hmph, before someone even more annoying shows up, let's play."
With that, he tightened his grip. Konohamaru felt the scarf choke him, legs kicking in the air, trying to land a hit on Kankuro.
"Feisty little punk!" Kankuro growled, increasing the pressure again.