I Just Stab Them When They're Not Looking

"Jeez, why was there another kid..." Tazuna looked Yinsen over. The kid was cute, and unlike that blond-haired one, he was not loud and restless, but what good would it do no matter how many kids came along?

He had only come because of Konoha's ninja reputation. "Was this really going to be okay? Were they here to protect him, or were they taking a bunch of kids out on a field trip?"

Tazuna had already been unhappy with the situation. Konoha had at least assigned a Jonin to take over his protection mission, but now there were more and more kids, and judging by the looks of them...

"Don't worry, don't worry!"

Kakashi was rather embarrassed as well. Ordinary people found it hard to understand how powerful ninja were. Even kids who looked barely into their teens possessed strength far beyond that of ordinary adults.

After soothing Tazuna, Kakashi gave Naruto and the others a few instructions.

"Anyway, Yinsen will be traveling with us from now on. You all attended the Ninja Academy together, so you're not strangers. Try to get along."

Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki both thought the same thing: We don't know him at all.

Only Sasuke Uchiha silently stared at Yinsen without saying a word. Sakura and Naruto did not notice anything unusual about that gaze, but Kakashi detected the change in Sasuke's emotions.

"Sasuke and Yinsen... I remember Sasuke lost to Yinsen during a sparring match at the Academy. Was he unwilling to accept that defeat?"

Having led these kids for some time, Kakashi had carefully reviewed all their relevant records. Naturally, he knew about Sasuke's rare defeat at the Academy.

At first, he had thought much the same as Sasuke: perhaps that match had merely been an accident?

Sasuke's strength was outstanding among