After finishing his snack, Shin-chan rubbed his round, full belly and looked at Adai.
"Adai, stay for dinner! My mom makes really tasty fried shrimp!"
Adai shook his head.
"No, thanks."
"Why not?"
"I have something to do."
"What is it?" Shin-chan tilted his head as he looked at him.
Adai was silent for two seconds.
"Something at home."
Shin-chan nodded. "Okay, then. See you tomorrow."
"Mm."
Adai stood up, nodded to Miya, and headed outside.
Miya poked her head out of the kitchen. "You're not staying for dinner?"
"No, thank you, Auntie." Adai's voice was as flat as ever.
The door closed.
Miya looked at Shin-chan. "That classmate of yours is a little strange."
"But he's a good person. He taught Shiro to refine chakra."
Miya froze for a moment.
"Refine chakra?"
"Yeah." Shin-chan had already run into the backyard. "Shiro, I'm coming!"
Miya stood where she was, speechless for a long while.
Were kids these days all this amazing?
Adai left the Nohara House and had only taken a few steps when the snot suddenly swayed.
He changed direction and headed down a secluded alley.
The alley was deep, its sides lined with old walls. There was no one around.
Adai continued walking, stopping only halfway down the alley. His voice was as flat as ever. "Come out."
No one answered.
The alley was silent, with only the sound of the wind blowing over the walls.
Adai waited two seconds, then began forming hand seals.
"Secret Technique: Snot Shuriken Technique."
The snot beneath his nose seemed to come alive. It stretched and transformed in midair, becoming two transparent shuriken.
"Whoosh!"
The two snot shuriken shot out at the same time, flying in different directions.
One flew toward the wall at the alley entrance.
The other flew toward the