The people around them looked on in shock as Chiba cautiously felt his way around.
Was this really the same child who had just cut Asuma's cigarette with such precision, held the blade to his neck, and broken the skin without injuring the muscle?
Could he really not see?
P.S. Five updates on the first day. I'll keep the updates coming tomorrow!
I really like Fujitora Issho. That charming older guy is so cool, which is why I wrote this story!
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Chapter 6
Everything had happened too quickly and too suddenly.
By the time Chiba returned to his seat, Koizumi was still frozen in place, holding a dumpling halfway to her mouth.
Plop.
Only when the dumpling hit the table did Koizumi snap out of her shock.
Her face lit up with excitement.
"Chiba, you were so cool just now!"
She wasn't wrong. He really had been cool.
It wasn't just that she was seeing him through rose-colored glasses.
Not just Koizumi, but everyone around them—including Kurenai Yuhi—thought he was cool.
He had drawn his sword, swung it, and sheathed it in one fluid motion.
Most of the people there hadn't even managed to see Chiba's sword swing clearly.
But that didn't stop them from appreciating the beauty of his swordsmanship.
The elegance of his strike and his unruffled composure were enough to pierce the soul.
"Being cool won't put food on the table. Hurry up and eat your dumplings..."
At that, Koizumi beamed.
She popped the dumplings in her hand into her mouth one after another, her large eyes curving into crescents.
"Chiba, you should have some too..."
As she spoke, Koizumi brought a dumpling toward Chiba's mouth.
It was a warm, intimate moment.
Kurenai Yuhi, however, didn't look too happy.
She suddenly walked over to Chiba.
"What is it? Need something?"
Chiba didn't turn around, but he knew Kurenai Yuhi was standing beside him.
"I don't mean anything by this, but... do you know who that person was?"
"Who?"
Koizumi's mouth was full of dumplings as she blinked at Kurenai Yuhi.
Kurenai Yuhi took a deep breath.
As she'd thought, these two little ones had no idea.
"You might not have realized it, but... you may have gotten yourselves into trouble!"
"The Hokage's son is a Chunin, yet he was beaten up by a blind Uchiha. Is this a failure of the Hokage's parenting, or is his son just useless?"
"How do you think that would look as a headline?"
Chiba spoke calmly.
"Wait, that person just now... was the Hokage's son?!"
Koizumi froze, clearly surprised.
But before she could say anything else, Chiba popped a dumpling into her mouth.
"Good girl. Just enjoy your dumplings."
Kurenai Yuhi was taken aback by Chiba's words.
She understood what he was implying.
The Hokage would turn a blind eye to the matter to save face.
But would he really? It was his son, after all.
"I don't think you really understand Asuma."
"No, I don't think you really understand the Third Hokage."
Chiba continued speaking calmly.
"You went to the Ninja Academy, right?"
"Yeah."
Kurenai Yuhi nodded.
"How did the textbooks describe the Third Hokage?"
"They said he was the strongest Hokage in history, the leader who ushered in Konoha's golden age. He could freely use all seven chakra natures and had mastered every jutsu in Konoha. He was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu."
At that, Chiba smiled.
Sarutobi Hiruzen certainly had a thick skin.
The strongest in history? The First and Second Hokage would have had a good laugh.
Konoha's golden age? When Konoha's two gods were in power, they couldn't even start a war.
Mastered every jutsu? Never mind the other forbidden techniques—how about the Flying Thunder God?
"That's quite a glowing introduction!"
Kurenai Yuhi didn't understand what Chiba meant.
"The more perfect he seems, the less he can tolerate a blemish, no matter how small!"
"I think you may have misunderstood Lord Hokage..."
Kurenai Yuhi gave a strange little smile.
She understood the implication behind Chiba's words.
Was the Third Hokage's image in the textbooks fake?
Impossible.
Kurenai Yuhi had no intention of believing that.
She also pretended not to hear what was practically an insult to the Third Hokage.
"Misunderstood?"
Chiba smiled.
"Maybe."
"Not being able to see is a blessing in its own way. This world is full of filthy, despicable people who make you wish you couldn't see them."
"What... did you say?"
At those words, Kurenai Yuhi froze.
Before she could recover, Chiba had already left with Koizumi.
Watching Chiba feel his way ahead, Kurenai Yuhi felt her heart stir.
How could he seem so mature, despite looking nothing like his age?
He was barely half her age, yet Kurenai Yuhi couldn't help thinking he was cool.
"What's with the Uchiha?"
Were all Uchiha children this mature?
By comparison, Asuma seemed far too childish.
If Asuma had been even half as mature as Chiba, perhaps Kurenai Yuhi would have fallen for him long ago.
On the way, Koizumi looked worried.
"Chiba, if you knew he was the Hokage's son, you shouldn't have hit him... Now we're definitely in trouble!"
"I just hope he doesn't go home and tattle!"
Chiba found that rather amusing.
Koizumi thought this was just a case of kids fighting and telling their parents.
But that made sense. Koizumi was only a six-year-old girl who didn't know much about anything.
"Whether he tells his family or not... the Hokage will find out."
He would find out sooner or later.
How could Konoha have no eyes and ears?
Especially during wartime.
The Anbu patrolled constantly, searching the village for spies from other lands.
Besides, the Uchiha were also under Anbu surveillance.
The moment Chiba approached Asuma, his Observation Haki had picked up other presences.
There were at least three of them. They had to be Anbu.
Leaving that aside.
Inside the Hokage Office, in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was sorting through the war reports.
He had to keep a constant eye on the battlefield, while also maintaining stability in the village and leading it.
A new batch of students would soon be enrolling, and he needed to mark a few candidates for special attention.
The first file on his desk bore the name—
Itachi Uchiha.
The Uchiha Clan Head's son, he had exceptional talent.
The Uchiha had always been one of his main concerns, especially their prodigies.
Before these prodigies grew up, bringing them under his control was what a Hokage ought to do.
Uchiha Shisui was a good example.
And the next one might be Itachi Uchiha.
"I'll need to prepare a speech for the entrance ceremony."
Passing on the Will of Fire was essential.
And just then.