Teasing a Child

Uchiha Gen's compliment to Ayame wasn't for any particular reason; he simply found her attractive and aesthetically pleasing.

If he were just an ordinary person here, he might have found a girl like Ayame to marry. "Otsutsuki Ichiraku" stood strong throughout the entire series, which was quite appealing.

Sensing the drink in his mouth had lost its flavor, Uchiha Gen leaned against a tree, shrinking slightly and placing the drink beside him. Though he felt no fatigue, he gazed at the night sky. Without modern industrial pollution, the stars are quite beautiful. He slowly closed his eyes, deciding to relax.

Perhaps after a good night's sleep, he'd realize he hadn't transmigrated at all. After helping the children find their parents, and after much polite refusal, he'd take a small red envelope and go eat crayfish with his sons, hahahaha. Uchiha Gen's lips curved into a gentle smile at the thought.

He didn't know how long he'd slept before being woken by a small stone. It wasn't so much being woken as sensing something flying towards him, causing him to instinctively awaken. With a showy move, he caught the stone between his fingers.

The children below were instantly startled by this. Udon, wearing glasses, timidly hid behind Konohamaru, sniffling. "He... he doesn't look like a dummy."

Moegi, with her two pigtails, took a step back, a little scared. She nodded, after all, they had done something wrong.

Konohamaru was also a bit intimidated, but thinking of his two followers beside him, he forced himself to say, "What are you afraid of? We just threw a very small stone at him to see if he was a dummy. Even if it hit, it wouldn't hurt..." His voice trailed off at the end, clearly guilty. He hadn't controlled the direction well, and the stone seemed to be flying towards his face.

Uchiha Gen clearly intended to tease them, his voice low and stern, "Brat, can I consider your actions a sneak attack?"

"But, but, it was just a small stone," Moegi said anxiously, quickly explaining.

Konohamaru, looking up at the figure who seemed so tall to him, broke out in a cold sweat. He forced a grin and said, "Heh heh, we, we just saw you sitting in this tree for many days, and you didn't even bother with the fallen leaves, and your movements haven't changed at all. We thought you were a dummy... so..."

"So, just because of something you thought, I should be hit by a stone?"

Hearing this, Konohamaru had no good defense. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes with a look of resignation, and bowed to Uchiha Gen. "I threw it. It has nothing to do with them. I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

Having found his target, Uchiha Gen's aura grew increasingly dark and cold. Just as he raised his hand as if to strike.

Moegi and Udon trembled as they shielded Konohamaru. Though Udon was terrified, he stammered, "It, it wasn't Konohamaru's fault. I, I instigated him."

After saying this, Udon's fear reached its peak, and he burst into tears and snot, leaving Uchiha Gen speechless. With that kind of courage, how could he instigate anyone? He's more likely to be instigated.

Even so, Udon still stood in front of Konohamaru, not taking a single step back.

Moegi stepped forward slightly to block Udon. "No, I instigated it. Yes... yes, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." She then closed her eyes tightly, head bowed, ready to face Uchiha Gen's wrath.

Konohamaru, behind them, was moved to tears. "You guys..."

Emmm, I think I teased them a bit too much. Uchiha Gen felt like a villain at this moment, with Konohamaru as the protagonist. He imagined a future where someone would say "don't bully the young and poor," and he would be the first cannon fodder villain to be defeated.

Amused by his own thoughts, he couldn't hold back his expression and let out a chuckle. He gently lowered his raised hand and ruffled the heads of the two children.

They instinctively flinched, expecting pain, but found none. "Huh?"

Looking at the three puzzled little heads, Uchiha Gen coughed to cover his reaction. "Seeing as you've shown remorse, I'll let this slide. Next time, when you're unsure if something is dangerous, find an adult. Not everyone is as generous as I am."

The three simultaneously questioned, Generous?

He ignored their expressions that clearly asked, Are you serious?

Looking at Udon, whose face was still streaked with tears and snot, Uchiha Gen took a piece of tissue from his pocket and wiped his face clean.

"A man shouldn't cry." After wiping him, he tidied up and brought some things from behind the tree. "Do you guys like snacks? If you do, these are for you."

Seeing a bag of snacks at least, the three pairs of eyes suddenly lit up.

Konohamaru immediately felt that Uchiha Gen wasn't so scary anymore, completely forgetting how he had just frightened them. "Why are you giving us snacks? We clearly..."

"Because I'm happy. How about 'I find you pleasing to the eye' as a reason?" Uchiha Gen said indifferently. Receiving something from an important character, I wonder if Konohamaru counts. Building a good relationship can't hurt.

Suddenly, Uchiha Gen seemed to remember something. "How many days are left until the Chunin Exam finals?"

Konohamaru counted on his fingers. "About two days. Are you going to watch the Chunin Exams too?"

Uchiha Gen nodded, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I'm the Jonin leader of the Sound Ninja squad. Of course, I'll be participating."

Hearing this, Konohamaru and the others finally noticed the Sound Village forehead protector tied to Uchiha Gen's arm. They became wary again. "You're from another ninja village."

His objective achieved, Uchiha Gen squinted and smiled. "Yes, I am. I'm leaving now, bye-bye little brats. These things aren't poisoned, you can eat them. Of course, if you're not afraid of things given to you by a ninja from another village like me."

With that, he used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared.

The three children looked at each other, then at the various colorful candies and snacks in their hands, falling into a dilemma.

Finally, Konohamaru puffed out his chest, gritted his teeth, and ate a candy. Moegi immediately became anxious. "Quick, spit it out! What if..."

Konohamaru interrupted, "If he wanted to harm us, we wouldn't be able to run. But just in case, I'll try one first. I'll see if there are any other effects later."

Are you crazy?! Moegi's words got stuck in her throat. Seeing that Konohamaru had already swallowed the candy and she couldn't persuade him, she could only watch him worriedly.

An hour later, Konohamaru gave a thumbs-up and smiled. "No problem, you can eat them."

Moegi and Udon finally breathed a sigh of relief, simultaneously looking at the large bag of snacks and swallowing.

Walking down the street, Uchiha Gen felt that he wasn't being monitored by any Anbu. This situation likely meant they were all concentrated at the tournament venue. He rubbed his chin, looking at the pedestrians chatting and laughing around him. A calm before the storm? Konoha is too weak right now...

Leaning against a tree, a small snake slithered up Uchiha Gen's arm and into his sleeve. It opened its mouth and spat out a small, sticky scroll.

"..." A bit disgusting. I wonder how Orochimaru found me. Uchiha Gen glanced at it casually before burning it.

The content was roughly that he should prepare for action and that Uchiha Gen was to impersonate a living Uchiha in front of Sasuke and pledge allegiance to Orochimaru.

This made Uchiha Gen very unhappy, feeling as though he was suddenly being asked to lose face in front of his junior.