The boy in the lead braced himself against the street and staggered to his feet. The fall had hit him hard; his knees were still wobbling, and his face alternated between red and white.
"You... you actually dared to hit me..."
He clutched his lower back, gasping in pain, but his eyes stayed fixed on Uzumaki Hayashi. "Do you know who I am?!"
Uzumaki Hayashi said nothing, simply watching him with a smile.
He had originally figured one kick and a little scare would settle things.
Now, apparently, that wouldn't do.
If he was going to establish his authority, he had to do it thoroughly, so these brats wouldn't come back to bother him later.
Besides, the mission was still active. Strike back in anger-he was very angry right now.
The boy grew uneasy under his gaze, then lashed out in embarrassment, reaching into the Ninja Tool Pouch at his waist-
The boys around him egged him on.
"Pull it out! Teach him a lesson!"
Sure enough, when the lead boy raised his head again, a brand-new kunai was already in his hand.
Its cold edge gleamed.
Anyone who knew weapons could tell at a glance that this was a real, sharpened blade, not one of the blunt practice tools from the Ninja Academy. This thing could actually kill.
"A kunai! He's pulled a weapon!"
An uproar swept through the watching pedestrians. Someone screamed, an adult clapped a hand over a nearby child's eyes, and others shouted at the top of their lungs to stop him before someone got killed!
"Hayashi! Watch out-!"
Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka cried out at the same time.
Uzumaki Hayashi smiled.
Mind's Eye of the Kagura, fully activated!
Everything around him slowed in an instant-no, his perception had sped up.
It was a strange, wonderful feeling, as though every little movement along the entire street was under his control.
How erratic the boy's breathing was, how tightly his arm muscles were tensed, which leg bore his weight, which direction he would lunge next...
It all lay exposed within his perception, clear as day.
He could even make out every bit of the boy's bluff and bluster, and "see" which direction the light reflected off the kunai's edge came from.
The boy roared and lunged straight at him, kunai in hand. Gritting his teeth, he drove a thrust toward his shoulder without holding back an ounce of strength-
He really meant to hurt him this time.
Uzumaki Hayashi didn't even move his feet.
He waited leisurely until the kunai reached the very end of its thrust, past the point where it could be pulled back. Only then did he raise his right leg and land a flying kick squarely on the boy's wrist.
"Argh!"
The boy screamed in pain. His fingers sprang open, and the kunai flew from his hand, spinning far away before burying itself in a wooden post beside the street with a thunk, its handle still quivering.
In an instant, the whole street fell so quiet that a pin dropping would have been audible.
"That's all you've got-"
Uzumaki Hayashi lowered his leg and sneered. "And you still dare to show off?"
The boy clutched his wrist, his eyes red-rimmed, and actually tried to charge again-
Too bad.
Before his words had even faded, Uzumaki Hayashi moved.
He sharply drew his body back, pivoted on his foot, and spun halfway around. Power surged from his waist as his right leg swept up from the ground in an arc-
The rush of his kick tore a shrill whistle through the air, and a razor-sharp blade of air lashed across the boy's face along with the whipping kick!
Smack!
The blow spun the boy halfway around where he stood. His vision went black, and he pitched headfirst to the ground.
Gasps rose from the watching crowd.
Uzumaki Hayashi stepped forward half a pace, raised his foot, and planted it firmly on the boy's face.
Well, damn.
Even he had been surprised by that kick. The wind nature chakra had swirled along with the force of his leg and actually formed an air blade.
But he couldn't let it show.
If he was going to put on an act, he had to commit.
After all, right now, he was justice incarnate.
"What is wrong with you people?"
Keeping his foot on the boy, he lowered his head. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly down the entire street. "Using a sharpened weapon without authorization inside Konoha-do you even know who the enemy is?"
The boy beneath his foot whimpered. After hearing those words, he didn't dare move again.
Inside, though, Uzumaki Hayashi was already happily weighing up his performance.
After that display, his righteous image was through the roof. How could everyone around him not be completely taken with him?
Sure enough-
"Yes! Nice work!"
"Whose kid is that? Those moves are incredible!"
"These little brats needed a good thrashing! That's exactly how you deal with them!"
"That child's going to be someone important someday!"
Cheers erupted through the crowd. An auntie passing by with groceries abandoned her basket to clap and shout her approval, while a man leaned halfway out of a roadside shop and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Good job, little girl!"
Little girl it is, then. He couldn't be bothered to correct them right now.
"Hayashi-! Hayashi-!"
Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka stood behind him. Who knew which of them had started it, but both were waving their arms and calling his name over and over until their voices cracked, like a pair of cheerleaders.
"Hayashi! You're so cool-!"
After shouting at the top of her lungs, Ino Yamanaka shook Sakura Haruno's arm hard, bouncing higher than anyone. Sakura Haruno swayed back and forth under her shaking, but she still wore a smile, and her palms had turned red from clapping.
Uzumaki Hayashi raised his eyes and looked toward the remaining boys.
That single glance was enough.
The boys shuddered all over, turned, and ran, shoving and jostling one another. One even fell flat on his face, scrambled up on all fours, and kept running, yelling at the top of his lungs as he fled:
"Violent girl! She's a violent girl-!"
Uzumaki Hayashi: "..."
Violent girl?
His kicks might indeed have been a little violent. He could admit that. But the "girl" part...
And why are you running? Weren't you just clamoring to fight me?
Whatever. Compared to "Tomato Monster," this nickname actually sounds almost tolerable.
He couldn't be bothered to argue. He lowered his head and looked at the one beneath his foot.
The boy lay motionless on the street. Only his eyes could still move, and he was looking sidelong up at him.
There was indescribable terror in that gaze. His whole body trembled nonstop, making the foot planted on him wobble along with it.
Uzumaki Hayashi considered his options. Having taken the performance this far, he needed a stylish finish.
How about a finishing move to knock him out cold?
A chop to the back of the neck? Clean, cool, and guaranteed to earn another round of cheers from the crowd.
Yep, right here.
He had already lined up the spot, holding his hand edge-on above the back of the boy's neck-
"Um..."
A somewhat weak voice came from behind him.
"Could you tell me what exactly is going on here?"
Before you continue