The Taste of Power

Aizen watched the family of three and reassured them. "Children get into fights all the time."

"But you probably know that Damian is Lord Raikage's son."

"So what happens next is no longer something I can decide on my own as his homeroom teacher. You should prepare yourselves."

"All right, don't worry too much. Let's take your enrollment photo first."

And so, as the photographer called, "One, two, three, cheese!"

The smiles the "Forger family" forced onto their faces looked worse than tears. With the grand school gate behind them and three faces that all said We're doomed in front, the result was a remarkably dramatic enrollment photo.

The Canopy Screen's broadcast ended there.

In a quiet café in Kumogakure, afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm patches across the table.

Darui and Samui sat across from each other, their rare free time carrying a hint of romance.

Unfortunately, the Canopy Screen overhead was still showing the "future" at the worst possible time.

When Anya's precise straight punch slammed into the face of their future son, Damian, Darui froze for a moment. Then he burst out laughing and nearly choked on his coffee.

He pointed at the Canopy Screen and grinned at the ever-composed Samui.

"See, Samui? I told you. Making a kid a spy was never going to work. No matter how carefully you plan, a child can get carried away in an instant. It's just too unpredictable."

Samui stirred her coffee gracefully with a small spoon and nodded, her voice as calm as ever.

"Indeed. A child's mind is like untempered chakra metal: its shape is unsettled, and outside influences can easily make it lose control."

"We were too optimistic when we assessed that risk. Not everyone in Konoha is Kakashi Hatake, who became a jonin at