Because We Were Young

Lu Zeming did not comfort Yuka and the other two. Instead, he sent everyone else away, leaving only Yuka and Haruki.

"You can use your mind-reading ability on me now. See what I'm thinking."

Yuka was confused, but when she saw the seriousness in Lu Zeming's eyes, she did as he asked.

As time passed, Yuka's expression shifted from confusion to surprise, then to shock and excitement!

She was trembling.

"You want to..."

"Shh... don't say it!"

Lu Zeming took out three flags—red, blue, and yellow—and laid them before Yuka.

"I'm giving you a choice. Choose a flag, and you can pass the Second Exam and chase that chance you don't believe exists. That's as far as I can help you. Choose to join me, and we'll show this world what we can do!"

Yuka looked at Lu Zeming for a long moment before asking, "But can we really do it?"

"We can, because we're young!"

That was right. Being young meant anything was possible!

Haruki was completely lost. What was going on? What were they talking about? He could not understand a word, yet somehow his blood was boiling.

Yuka seemed to make up her mind.

"I choose—to follow you!"

Haruki was stunned. His younger cousin looked delicate, but she had a mind of her own. Why was she throwing in her lot with a little brat she had known for less than two days?

He had only been unconscious for one night. Had he missed something important?

Unable to understand, Haruki tried desperately to stop her. "Yuka, what are you doing? What about your father and your sister? What about our people?"

Yuka did not waver.

"I know what I'm doing. I made this choice for our people!"

Haruki tried to say more, but Lu Zeming cut him off.

"Your abilities aren't bad either. Interested in joining me? I have a village of my own. It's still small, and there aren't many people, but I'm sure it'll grow quickly."

"No!"

"Don't turn me down so fast. My village really has potential. Your people can come too!"

"No!"

"All right, I won't force you. But I believe you'll change your mind before long."

Recruiting Rofu was much simpler. Rofu had only one question for Lu Zeming.

"Will you feed me?"

"As much as you can eat, for the rest of your life!"

"Ha! That's great! I won't have to wander around looking for food anymore!"

After a short rest, the group set off for Lakeheart Island.

They encountered no other teams along the way, and Lu Zeming was getting bored.

"How about we do something big?"

Shinbu Kosuke was curious. "What did you have in mind?"

Lu Zeming pointed at the flags. "Flags are meant to be raised. Who can see them tucked away in a bag?"

Shinbu Kosuke understood at once. "You want to lure people into trying to steal them?"

Lu Zeming grinned. "If I want to make a name for myself, I should start early. How else will anyone hear of me unless I cause a stir?"

"Make a name for yourself? What are you planning?"

Lu Zeming gave a mysterious smile. "You'll find out when the exam is over!"

They raised the red, yellow, and blue flags high. It was like lighting a bonfire in pitch darkness, drawing teams that had yet to collect all three colors like moths to a flame.

Teams came one after another to steal the flags. Wielding his sheathed blade, Lu Zeming knocked down every ninja team that approached.

After knocking them down, Lu Zeming asked about their family backgrounds.

If they came from prominent families, Lu Zeming took their flags and equipment. If they were commoner ninja, he not only left their belongings alone but thoughtfully gave them whichever colored flags they lacked.

"Ah, I'm just too kindhearted to watch people like you suffer. You only need a red flag? Perfect! I may be short on all sorts of things, but flags aren't one of them. Take your pick."

"What? You want my name so you can repay me? No need. Just remember that I'm an upstanding young man with ideals, the courage to take responsibility, the grit to endure hardship, and the drive to work hard!"

"Remember, my name's Lu Zeming. Don't go telling everyone, okay? I like to keep a low profile!"

Everyone he robbed hated Lu Zeming to the bone. Everyone who received a flag was deeply grateful to him.

In a lounge inside Kusakage Tower, an old man with white hair and beard smiled as he watched a screen of water suspended between two blades of grass.

The screen showed Lu Zeming handing colored flags to commoner ninja.

"Hahahaha! What an interesting little fellow!"

Word of Lu Zeming spread rapidly throughout the exam grounds and beyond.

Lu Zeming spent the whole day robbing the rich to help the poor. Once he felt he had done enough, he led the group to Lakeheart Island, and they passed the exam without trouble.

The Third Exam was scheduled for a week later. As soon as they left the exam grounds, Haruki hurried off to find their clansmen and persuade Yuka to change her mind.

Lu Zeming said goodbye to Wuwei and Shinbu Kosuke, then returned to the inn with the newly recruited Yuka and Rofu.

At the inn, he introduced them to Mayuko and the other two, and everyone sat down.

Mayuko spoke first. "Boss, you're not really going to take the Third Exam, are you?"

Yusuke picked up the thread. "I doubt they can even hold the Third Exam now. So many commoner ninja passed the Second Exam, while plenty of scions from major families who were supposed to advance failed. How can they run the Third Exam like that?"

Yuma was unconcerned. "They made the rules. If they want those scions back in the exam, they have plenty of ways to do it. They could hold a second-chance round, for instance. Or they could put all the commoner ninja in the same group and make them fight each other. Once the commoners eliminate one another, the spots open up again!"

"They wouldn't be that shameless, would they?"

"Heh. Don't give those people too much credit."

As Mayuko and the other two talked, Yuka listened closely, trying to learn. She felt that these children, who were about her age, understood far more than she did and saw the bigger picture more clearly.

Rofu, meanwhile, might as well have been listening to a foreign language. He focused entirely on the tea, fruit, and snacks on the table.

Lu Zeming was glad to see them discussing it. This, too, was a necessary part of developing talent.

Only when their discussion had wound down did Lu Zeming speak.

"I won't take part in the Third Exam. Whether I win or lose, there's nothing in it for us."

Mayuko looked puzzled. "Then what about our plan?"

"Don't worry. Someone's even more anxious than we are! If I'm right, an invitation will arrive any moment now!"

To Lu Zeming's surprise, the commoner ninja he had helped pass the Second Exam arrived before any invitations did.

They had all brought specialties from their hometowns to thank Lu Zeming for his help.

For a time, the little inn bustled with visitors.

Lu Zemin spent two straight days accepting gifts before the stream of visitors finally slowed.

Lu Zeming had also gained a measure of standing among the commoner ninja.

On the third day, the invitations Lu Zeming had expected finally arrived.

The invitations came from prominent families throughout Kusagakure.

Some, like the Kazama, Fujimoto, and Inoue families, were close to the Shinbu family. Others, including the Matsushita and Pingyuan families, had deep ties to the Shinomiya family.

Lu Zeming turned down none of the invitations and gladly attended every banquet.

Every family had invited Lu Zeming for the same reason: they wanted to recruit him.

At just seven years old, he was strong enough to sweep through the entire exam grounds. His future was boundless, and whichever family recruited him would gain a powerful asset.

But the invitation Lu Zeming truly wanted was the one from the Shinbu family.