Zen-hiko Takes a Beating

In the tranquil courtyard, Kizaru sat by the edge of the central pond.

With a makeshift bamboo fishing rod in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other, Kizaru sat cross-legged on a slab of bluestone.

This courtyard was the backyard of the Great Elder's residence. The pond in the center was filled with ornamental fish, all of which were the Great Elder's prized possessions.

Kizaru wasn't fishing here to eat; he was simply seeking peace and quiet to pass the time.

As the village's latest hot topic, Kizaru couldn't step outside without drawing the attention and gossip of the villagers, leaving him no room for rest.

Preferring solitude over noise, Kizaru had no choice but to avoid going out, staying home to endure the boredom.

Thus, sneaking into the Great Elder's courtyard to fish had become Kizaru's latest pastime.

Gently blowing the rising steam away from his cup, Kizaru took a small sip of the warm tea and set the cup down with a look of contentment.

Once the cup was set, Kizaru closed his eyes, and a sleazy, three-dimensional Character Card appeared in his mind.

The progress bar beneath the Character Card had risen from the 10% it was at before he started school to 17%—a pleasing improvement.

Kizaru remembered clearly that from the start of school until the monthly exams, the bar had only reached 12%. In other words, it had only grown by two percentage points in a month.

Yet, in the week following the monthly exams, the bar had jumped to 17%, a full five-point increase.

Such rapid growth was entirely due to Kizaru's stunning performance in the monthly exams and the massive amount of prestige he had gained thanks to Danzo's fueling of the flames.

Showing off to gain fame and getting stronger in the process—it really was comfortable!

Thinking of this, a happy and satisfied smile appeared on Kizaru's face.

"Big Brother Kizaru! Big Brother Kizaru, it's bad! Something happened! Zen-hiko got into a fight with some Uchiha!"

Outside the courtyard, an urgent and familiar voice shattered the peace.

Setting down his fishing rod, Kizaru turned his head toward the courtyard gate.

Shimura Tanin, who had been sprinting all the way from outside, panted heavily as he ran into the yard.

The moment Shimura Tanin saw Kizaru, a look of joy appeared on his face. It was as if he had found his backbone, and his anxious heart instantly calmed down significantly.

"Big... Big Brother Kizaru, Zen-hiko got into a fight with some Uchiha! You... you have to come with me!" Gasping for air as he spoke, Shimura Tanin ran quickly to Kizaru's side.

"Where? How did it start?" Kizaru didn't waste words and asked directly.

"Right on Tea Street. We were buying things on the street when we ran into two members of the Uchiha Clan. They were about our age and were badmouthing you. Zen-hiko heard them, got really angry, and started arguing. One thing led to another, and they started fighting," Shimura Tanin reported immediately.

The Tea Street that Tanin mentioned was located in the center of the village and was very prosperous, with shops primarily consisting of tea houses and dessert shops. (This street truly exists; it is mapped and explained in the Book of Soldiers, and the Yamanaka family's flower shop is right next to Tea Street.)

"Is Zen-hiko there by himself?"

After hearing the story, Kizaru stood up immediately. While asking, he grabbed Tanin's hand and headed toward the courtyard gate.

"Zen-hiko told me to come back and get help. I just ran into Yuki and Shintaro, and they've already rushed over." Holding Kizaru's warm hand, Tanin was no longer anxious, and the heart that had been in his throat finally settled.

After walking a few steps while holding Tanin, Kizaru felt it was too slow, so he bent down, picked Tanin up with his right arm, and used the Body Flicker Technique to travel.

"Hold on tight!"

"Mm!"

Staying obediently in Kizaru's arms, Tanin's small hands gripped the clothes on Kizaru's chest tightly.

Carrying Tanin, Kizaru arrived outside the main gate of the clan's residential area in two leaps.

Standing just outside the main gate, Kizaru, still holding Tanin, stopped and faced the direction of Tea Street.

"Big Brother Kizaru?" Tanin looked up at Kizaru with a hint of confusion.

"They're coming back," Kizaru explained.

With that, Kizaru set Tanin down on the ground.

Hearing Kizaru's explanation, Tanin stretched his neck and craned his head to look in the direction Kizaru was facing.

Sure enough, in the distance down the street, Shimura Yuki and Shimura Shintaro were pulling Zen-hiko toward them.

"Zen-hiko! Yuki! Shintaro!" Tanin shouted, raising his right hand and waving it while jumping up and down.

The three little ones heard Tanin's call and saw Kizaru standing next to him.

With smiles on their faces, the three instinctively quickened their pace, jogging toward Kizaru.

Rushing to Kizaru's side, Zen-hiko, who had been quite tough in front of Yuki and Shintaro just moments ago, felt his eyes redden and threw himself at Kizaru.

"Big Brother Kizaru! Wuwuwu!"

Gently patting Zen-hiko's head, Kizaru noticed the dust on the little guy's clothes and a tear in the fabric.

Frowning slightly, Kizaru asked, "Did you lose the fight?"

Clinging to Kizaru's leg with both hands, Zen-hiko raised his head, revealing a pair of panda eyes, and said pitifully, "The Uchiha played dirty!"

"Played dirty?" Kizaru continued to ask.

"Big Brother Kizaru, when we arrived, an older student from the Uchiha side showed up first, a guy named Uchiha Fugaku. That guy pretended to break up the fight, but he kept holding Zen-hiko with his hands."

"That's the bastard! He held me tight so I kept getting hit and couldn't fight back," Zen-hiko said angrily.

Kizaru nodded, having roughly imagined the scene.

"Let's go, let's get your injuries treated first." Kizaru scooped up Shimura Yoshihiko and headed toward the gate.

"Those Uchiha are shameless bastards. When I get the chance, I'm definitely going to pay them back," Yoshihiko said indignantly while being carried by Kizaru.

"Rest easy, I'm here now," Kizaru said calmly.

"Big Brother Kizaru, are you going to teach them a lesson?" Yoshihiko asked, looking at Kizaru with excitement.

Pushing open the gate and leading the little ones into the clan compound, Kizaru did not answer immediately.

As he recalled what his uncle Danzo had told him about the skepticism some Uchiha ninja had shown toward him in recent days, an idea began to take root in Kizaru's mind.

"They are too weak; it wouldn't be right for me to make a move," Kizaru said to Yoshihiko, his mind already made up.

"Ah!" Yoshihiko let out a cry of disappointment.

It wasn't just Shimura Yoshihiko; Shimura Yuki, who was walking beside Kizaru, also showed a flash of disappointment on her face upon hearing his reply.

Only Shintaro understood the reason behind Kizaru's answer. He looked up at Shimura Yoshihiko and lectured him, "You idiot, Yoshihiko. With Big Brother Kizaru's current prestige, attacking students at the academy would only make people laugh at him."

"You're the idiot!" Yoshihiko knew Shintaro made sense, but having been insulted, he immediately fired back.

"Tch!" Shintaro let out a disdainful snort, choosing not to continue the childish bickering with Shimura Yoshihiko.