"..."
Looking at Akira's smile, Kurenai Yuhi felt that today's Akira was acting strange again—doing things she couldn't understand.
He had been perfectly normal these past few days!
So why now…?
She couldn't help but poke Akira's delicate cheek and pout. "Akira, what are you smiling about? Does getting pocket money make you that happy? Or are you actually looking forward to school?"
The exaggerated smile faded. Pulling himself back from fantasies of becoming the Soul King in the Naruto world and crushing all enemies, Akira swatted her little hand away. "Stop messing around."
His skin was tender—what if she poked it badly?
He glanced at her and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Who looks forward to school if they can lie flat at home?"
Kurenai Yuhi tilted her head. "Then why were you smiling so slyly? Did something good happen?"
Akira: "..."
So that was considered sly?
"Going to school with such a cute little sister—doesn't that make it worth being happy?"
"Huh? So I'm that important." Kurenai Yuhi's face flushed slightly, quite satisfied with his attitude. But being called "little sister" again made her unhappy. She emphasized, "Also, I'm the big sister!"
Akira wasn't as tall as her yet, and he hadn't even started refining chakra.
In her mind, a big sister was taller and stronger than her younger brother. She needed to firmly instill that concept into Akira!
"I checked—we compared birthdays. You were born in June, and I was born in May. Being older by even one month still counts, so I'm the older one!" Akira, whose psychological age was in his twenties, absolutely could not call a little loli "big sister."
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
In truth, Akira didn't even know his exact age in this world. He just had to be older than Kurenai Yuhi—that was enough.
Kurenai Yuhi looked suspicious and pouted. "But last time…"
Not giving her the chance to continue, Akira interrupted and quickly covered for himself. "Back then, we didn't know each other well. When you're in a strange place, you have to be cautious. You can't reveal your true information casually. Understand?"
"Oh…" The little loli was momentarily fooled, though not completely.
She argued, "I don't care. I'm the big sister. Unless… unless you can beat me! Starting today, we're ninja now. Ninjas speak with strength. Whoever's stronger is the older one!"
Akira's smile became exaggerated again. "You said it!"
Heh heh heh. As if he could be controlled by a little loli?
Now that he had activated the system and confirmed that the rewards were effective, as a cheat-user, could he possibly lose to her?
Ridiculous!
Kurenai Yuhi was extremely confident and huffed proudly. "Of course! I'm not like you, going back on my word. Once you've refined chakra, we'll spar and decide who's the older one…"
"Correction—it's who's the older brother and who's the older sister!" she added.
In her eyes, she had already won. She had been refining chakra for half a year.
And Akira?
He had resisted becoming a ninja before and never learned how to refine chakra. He was far behind her. She had this in the bag!
Akira clapped his hands. "Alright, it's settled. Uncle Shinku, you'll be the witness. I'm afraid Kurenai might go back on her word."
Kurenai Yuhi puffed up her cheeks. "I won't go back on my word!"
"Hahaha!" Yuhi Shinku couldn't help laughing at their interaction and nodded. "I can be the witness. But as the older brother, you should give way to Kurenai a little."
He knew very well that Akira likely possessed some special constitution. Recovering overnight from near-fatal injuries—there was a high probability he was from the Uzumaki clan.
His daughter wasn't untalented, but it depended on who she was compared to.
If Akira truly was an Uzumaki, his future achievements would surely be extraordinary!
Akira nodded. "Next time, for sure!"
"..." Kurenai Yuhi said nothing, her cheeks puffed up like a bun in silent protest against her father's words.
They hadn't even sparred yet—why was her father already assuming she would lose?
So unfair!
Seeing her expression, Yuhi Shinku didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Sorry, sorry. Father was wrong. Please forgive me."
Kurenai Yuhi wasn't truly angry—just dissatisfied. Hearing her father admit fault, she smiled brightly. "Then I want dango—double portion!"
Yuhi Shinku nodded with a smile. "Alright, alright."
Akira glanced at her sideways. "That stuff is pure sugar. If you eat too much and turn into a little chubby girl, you won't be cute anymore."
Kurenai Yuhi shot him a look back. "That won't happen. I'm naturally beautiful!"
The three of them chatted and laughed as they left the Ninja Academy. Today was only for registration—tomorrow would be the real first day of school…
On the way home, Yuhi Shinku was summoned to the Hokage's office by an ANBU member.
Kurenai Yuhi and Akira headed home by themselves.
Watching Kurenai Yuhi eat dango one by one like a little squirrel, Akira couldn't help saying, "If you eat that much, you won't be able to eat lunch. And it's really too sweet. Doesn't it make you sick of it?"
With her cheeks puffed full of dango, she looked incredibly cute.
After swallowing, she said with an expression that said "you know nothing," "Girls actually have two stomachs. One for sweets, and one for other food."
Then she popped another dango into her mouth.
Akira: "..."
Physics—no, biology doesn't exist anymore, right?
Under Akira's gaze, Kurenai Yuhi quickly hid the remaining dango behind her back and said vigilantly, "No way! Don't think about stealing even one!"
Akira didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As if he'd snatch it.
"Just don't really eat yourself into a chubby girl."
"Hmph, I won't. Didn't I say? I'm naturally beautiful!"
Akira suddenly felt like teasing her. As they walked, he said mysteriously, "In my hometown, there's a saying: you are what you eat. I once knew someone who ate too many dango, and in the end her figure completely changed. She became…"
He deliberately paused for effect.
Gulp. Kurenai Yuhi swallowed and asked nervously, "Became… became a dango?"
"..." Akira's lips twitched. The way her mind worked was truly unique.
Became a dango…
"No, no." He continued in a storytelling tone, "She became a fat person. From a youthful, beautiful girl to someone weighing several hundred jin. Isn't that scary?"
Kurenai Yuhi stared at the last two dango in her hand and suddenly didn't dare take another bite. Her voice weakened. "R-really? But… don't girls have two stomachs? How could they get fat?"
'Who told you girls have two stomachs?' Akira complained inwardly, then sighed dramatically. "If you eat too much, you'll fill the other stomach too."
Kurenai Yuhi touched her belly. "I don't feel like the other stomach is full…"
"Do you feel a bit full already?"
"Mm… a little…"
"That's the sign that the other stomach is about to be filled. If you keep eating, you'll really turn into a little chubby girl."
Seeing how serious he looked, the little loli started believing him. "Then I won't eat anymore. I don't want to become a chubby girl!"
"You're not eating anymore? Then give them to me—"
Before she could react, Akira moved like lightning, grabbed the remaining two dango, took two quick bites, and bolted off.
"..."
Kurenai Yuhi froze, staring at the empty bamboo skewer in her hand.
Realizing she had been tricked again, she gritted her teeth and chased after him. "Akira, you jerk! Stop right there! Give me back my last dango!!"