"Father... nothing will happen to him, will it?"
"Uncle..."
Kakashi watched his Second Uncle stare blankly into space, wondering what he was thinking about this time, and waved a hand in front of his eyes.
"It's fine. With your Second Uncle here, what could happen? I'll head home once he gets back."
Ling Tian feigned nonchalance as he looked at his solemn nephew. Normally, he might have found it funny, but right now he was rather annoyed. What excuse could he use to get rid of the boy?
Having received an answer, Kakashi finally nodded and let the matter drop.
In his young mind, there was nothing his Second Uncle couldn't handle.
He had no idea that his dear Second Uncle currently found him quite a nuisance.
"But your dad's actually been gone for days already? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Ling Tian put away his smile and fixed his nephew with a menacing stare.
"..."
Kakashi looked a little guilty. "I think it's classified."
Ling Tian said, "Then why are you telling me now? Was I not worthy of knowing a few days ago?"
"I thought... once I came to the barbecue restaurant, you'd know Father was out on a mission."
You come here to mooch meals every other day. Does that mean your dad's on missions all year round?
"Are you full? If you are, hurry up and go to school. I've got a friend coming over later."
He started shooing the boy away. If this weren't his own nephew, he would have thrown him straight out. He was busy checking his cheat!
"Second Uncle, it's still early. There aren't any classes. The teacher won't get to school until the afternoon."
"Kakashi, how many times have I told you? Since we civilian Shinobi weren't lucky enough to be born into privilege, we have to work hard ourselves. Can't you study on your own before the teacher gets there?"
Civilian...
Kakashi scoffed inwardly at his Second Uncle's use of the word.
Weren't you the one who said you were the richest man in the Shinobi World, and my dad had the most achievements and was the strongest in the Leaf Village...?
Do you have some sort of misunderstanding about what 'civilian Shinobi' means?
Forget it. I'm only four, after all.
Kakashi pursed his lips, stood up, wiped his mouth, and picked up his black mask to put it on.
Trying to reason with his Second Uncle? Forget it. Even his father had never come out ahead against him.
At the sight, Ling Tian opened his mouth and snapped, "Put that down! What's that thing? Why are you covering your mouth? Ashamed to show your face?"
"..."
Seeing the server approach just then, Kakashi put his mask away with an aggrieved look, took the lunch box, and tried to hurry off.
"What's that?"
"Boss, Young Master Kakashi said he's growing and gets hungry between classes."
The server respectfully gave him an honest account.
"..."
At those words, Ling Tian's dangerous gaze swept back toward his nephew.
"Second Uncle, I wanted to have it between classes..."
As Kakashi spoke, he noticed the look in his uncle's eyes and involuntarily lowered his head.
He couldn't go on...
He had no confidence.
"I taught you that children mustn't lie, especially not to their Second Uncle. You remember that, don't you?"
"There's a classmate of mine. He said he hasn't had barbecue in ages and wanted some, but his grandma doesn't have any money. He didn't want to upset her, so I thought I'd bring him some."
"Were you wrong?"
Ling Tian stared fiercely at his nephew. Squandering the family's money at just four years old-was he on his way to becoming a spoiled brat?
Do you think making money is easy for me?
Kakashi kept his head lowered. "I was wrong."
Ling Tian said, "What did you do wrong?"
"I shouldn't have wasted the family's money."
Kakashi said miserably, "And I definitely shouldn't have secretly brought food for Obito."
"..."
Obito...
"Is that what you did wrong?"
Ling Tian lectured him with righteous conviction. "Helping your classmates is a good thing. I'm teaching you a lesson because you weren't honest. If you'd told me straight out, would your Second Uncle have stopped you from bringing him some? Or do you think your Second Uncle begrudges him this little bit of meat?"
His face was now filled with righteousness.
His hypocrisy was probably on par with the elderly Third's. As for the middle-aged Third, he didn't measure up!
What, you were asking about him in his youth?
When that old geezer was young, he could give Little Sun a run for his money, all right...
"..."
You do begrudge it... Kakashi grumbled inwardly, but obediently said, "Second Uncle, I understand."
"Oh, right."
Kakashi wanted to slip away, but before he could even take a step, he heard, "That classmate of yours is called Obito, right?"
"Yes."
"How could one box be enough? Have them pack another two for him to take home and eat with his grandma tonight."
Ling Tian waved a hand. "Take my nephew over and get him something an elderly person can eat, too."
"Just this once. You can't take food next time. If he wants some, bring your classmate here to eat with you."
He added that last instruction before they left.
That melodramatic kid, Obito.
It seems I could do him a few favors right now.
He had heard that some ninjutsu and bloodline abilities could extend people's lives. If he got the chance, he could help Obito's grandma live a few years longer.
As he pondered this, the dumbfounded server headed back to the kitchen.
Had the boss gone crazy today?
Kakashi followed along, looking equally bewildered.
He remembered last time. It had been early one morning, and he needed to bring lunch because there was a shuriken-throwing contest at noon. How long had his Second Uncle scolded him again?
"We're only civilians. Wasting food is unacceptable. We have to be frugal. The cost of that meal you wasted could hire a trainee Shinobi to clear an acre of weeds for an elderly person..."
He had only escaped in the end thanks to the neighbors' intervention, although those old men and women had come over because of his Second Uncle's booming voice...
Before leaving, Kakashi had even heard them sigh. "Hatake Good Samaritan really treats us civilians well. He's so strict with his nephew just to save a little money to help us..."
After the two left.
Ling Tian looked at the barbecue left on the table and rubbed his slightly bulging belly. A flicker of struggle crossed his eyes, but remembering the three boxes of meat he had told Kakashi to take, he grabbed a chicken wing and stuffed it into his mouth.
If I don't descend into hell, who will?
Amen!
As he ate, he silently recited, Open the mission panel.
Leaf Village, year 23. [Strongest Choice System 0.1] The host has arrived in the Leaf Village, triggering reincarnation options. ①: Direct descendant of the Senju Clan. Reward: Ren Woxing template. "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer World" ②: Direct descendant of the Uchiha Clan. Reward: Ace template. "Pirate King World" ③: Direct descendant of the Hatake Clan. (Selected) Reward: Diamond Calabash Brothers panel. "Calabash Brothers World" (Unclaimed) Note: The personal template can be unlocked upon reaching adulthood.
Leaf Village, year 38. (The present.) [Strongest Choice System 0.2] Hatake Sakumo is on the verge of suicide. The following options can now be triggered. ①: Ignore the matter and let your older brother commit suicide. Cater to the Konoha F4 until you have sufficient strength. Reward: One Will of Fire medal. ②: Defect from the village with your older brother and make the Konoha F4 regret it. Reward: Divine Technique, "Clone Technique." ③: Slap some sense into him. Reward: Early access to the personal panel, plus one summoned being, "Little Right."
After reading it, Ling Tian's lips twitched.
Without any hesitation, he went straight for the third option.
Wasn't the first one complete bullshit? That was his older brother, his own flesh and blood, the brother who had raised him, changing his diapers and cleaning up after him. How could he possibly watch him kill himself?
The second one was pretty good. Even if they defected, plenty of ninja villages would welcome them as honored guests.
But compared with the other villages, the Leaf Village really was a good place.
Most importantly, the mission template would unlock early, and then he wouldn't have to pretend to be useless anymore.
That's right, he wasn't useless. He could mold chakra too; he had simply hidden it well.
"He's here! Lord Orochimaru is here..."
Before you continue