A Misjudgment

"Leaf—Kai—!"

Genye roared. The whirlwind trailing behind him took the shape of a dragon's head, and the explosive crack of his sweeping kick sounded like a dragon's roar from the heavens!

For a brief instant, Kushimaru Kuriarare's thoughts ground to a halt.

He felt he might have made a terrible misjudgment just moments ago.

If only he'd been more cautious and hadn't charged in so recklessly, perhaps...

Crack.

It was the sound of Nuibari snapping. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen's weapons were said to be indestructible, but two of them had broken today.

Of course, at least half the bones in Kushimaru Kuriarare's body had broken along with it.

Bang!

Kushimaru Kuriarare flew backward as lightly as a straw-stuffed doll, farther than Juzo Biwa, whom he'd mocked earlier.

Thud.

That kick had drained Genye of all his strength. He dropped from the air and fell to his knees as his legs gave way.

He had no energy left to worry about Kushimaru Kuriarare. The world before Genye's eyes grew increasingly blurry, and his eyelids grew too heavy to lift.

After forcing himself to stay conscious for a few more seconds, Genye's head drooped and he toppled face-first to the ground.

"...Genye... Genye..."

Before he lost consciousness completely, he vaguely heard someone calling his name. Probably.

When he opened his eyes again, Genye found himself lying in a clean, brightly lit hospital room.

"Phew, I made it..."

Seeing the familiar Konoha furnishings in the hospital room, Genye breathed a sigh of relief.

He tried to sit up, but his arms and legs felt limp as noodles. He couldn't muster the slightest bit of strength.

Worse, as his mind grew clearer, the pain intensified. The agony throughout his body made Genye suck in a sharp breath.

"Genye, you're awake!"

Mei, who'd been dozing on top of Genye, woke up when he moved. Her face immediately lit up with joy, and she scrambled to her feet.

"Wait here a moment. I'll go get a doctor!"

Soon, several doctors arrived and examined Genye. They left only after confirming that he was out of danger.

"Genye, are you thirsty? I'll get you some water."

Mei poured Genye a cup of warm water, propped his head up, and fed him a little at a time.

"Thank you, Mei. Have you been looking after me all this time?"

Genye had just learned from the doctor that he'd been unconscious for three whole days. Counting today, that made four.

"Well, it wasn't just me. Your friends have been taking turns keeping watch over you," Mei said.

"I see." Genye nodded, then asked, "My two teammates are all right, aren't they?"

Mei's eyes reddened, and she suddenly choked up. "Everyone's fine. It's just... just you, Genye..."

"Holy crap, what happened to me?!"

Seeing Mei suddenly burst into tears made Genye's heart leap into his throat.

Had he suffered some terrible injury and didn't have long to live?!

Or... had he turned into a girl?!

"Your chakra pathways are badly damaged. The doctor said..." Mei choked out. "The doctor said you might never be able to be a ninja again."

"Ha, that's all?" Genye immediately relaxed. "What's the big deal? I thought something serious had happened."

Mei: "???"

His chakra pathways were damaged, and he could never be a ninja again. And Genye actually didn't think that was a big deal?!

It's over. Genye really has lost his mind!

Seeing Mei's baffled expression, Genye grinned.

He wasn't Lee. His power-up wouldn't last six minutes only to get him banned for six hundred episodes. His youth was far from over!

It was only a serious injury. He'd be fully recovered in a few months at most.

Hilarious. I earned this cheat with my own skills. Who could possibly take it away from me?

That afternoon, after hearing that Genye had woken up, Namikaze Minato came to ask him some questions.

Two ninja tasked with taking notes followed Minato, along with Kakashi, who'd rushed over after hearing the news.

Minato was currently a rising star at the Hokage's side. Given the importance of the matter, it wasn't surprising that he'd come himself.

"Genye, your answers may affect Konoha's overall strategy going forward."

Minato looked at Genye with a serious expression. "So make sure your answers are as detailed as possible!"

Genye nodded solemnly. "I understand, Minato."

The questioning began. Minato asked, and Genye answered.

After a while, the two ninja taking notes stopped writing at the same time. They gave up on recording altogether.

They glanced at each other, both sharing the same exasperated look.

What the hell is this kid going on about?

Genye's answers could be summed up in two sentences.

"They were two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! I was scared out of my mind!"

"I was so terrified that I almost killed them by accident!"

He'd almost killed two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen? A kid who'd only just become a Chunin would be lucky to take on the two of them together!

The two ninja rolled their eyes so hard it looked like they were from the Hyuga Clan.

"...Is that so? I understand."

Minato gave a slight shake of his head as he listened. He thought it was time to end the questioning. There was no point in continuing.

Genye didn't seem to be lying, but what he'd said might simply be a fantasy that he himself believed to be "the truth."

The Konoha Ninja who arrived later hadn't found any sign that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were injured. They'd found only Genye, lying unconscious with serious injuries.

Which was more likely? That a promising young upstart had single-handedly inflicted serious injuries on two elite Jonin, or that he'd fought with all his might to hold one elite Jonin off, then been rescued by reinforcements after falling unconscious with serious injuries?

Minato had already reached his conclusion.

There was no peerless prodigy who'd fought two opponents alone. It was merely the fantasy of a boy on the verge of death.

"Sorry to bother you, Genye."

Minato smiled apologetically and gently patted Genye's blanket. His blue eyes were full of warmth.

"You were very brave to put yourself on the line for your teammates. Now you can rest easy."

"Yes, Lord Minato!" Genye replied, a little excited.

Namikaze Minato was so handsome and charismatic.

That smile was so charming that Genye, a grown man, nearly fell for him!

"Then I'll be going."

Minato left the room first, followed closely by the two ninja. Kakashi brought up the rear.

Before leaving, Kakashi glanced back at Genye and said coldly,

"If you didn't complete the mission, then you didn't complete the mission. Making up such a pathetic lie will only make me look down on you."

With that, he slammed the door shut and strode away without looking back.

"Hey, you little brat!"

Genye was furious and wanted to run after him and beat him up right then and there.

He knew that, at this point in time, Kakashi had become obsessed with completing missions because of Hatake Sakumo's suicide.

But he was still furious!

You little brat. Just wait until your squad is trapped with no way out, and I swoop in from the sky to save you. Then I want to see the look on your face!

Genye gritted his teeth.