"Come sit down, come sit down. We don't get many kids your age here."
The shinobi was exceptionally friendly and invited the three of them to join him.
The three exchanged glances, then walked over.
Apparently, he wasn't trying to bully them. He simply had a naturally loud voice.
Gua sat down beside them and finally got a good look at what they were roasting.
They were roasting crickets.
The little things that hopped around in the fields in summer and autumn.
Gua wouldn't say he particularly hated them, but watching the men swallow them still made him feel a little...
He hadn't expected people to eat these things even in the shinobi world.
"My name's Shi Haoguan. These two are my good friends, Shangjing and Benmu. What are your names?"
Shi Haoguan introduced the two men beside him, then asked the three boys their names.
"Uchiha Gua."
"Uchiha Itachi."
"Uchiha Kabuto."
The three of them gave their names without hesitation.
This was Konoha's camp. No outsiders could infiltrate it, so they could trust the people here.
"All Uchiha, huh?"
"Wait! You're Uchiha Gua? Holy shit! That Uchiha Gua?"
Shi Haoguan froze for a moment, then surprise flashed across his face. He added, "I heard your Uchiha Clan Head came too. Don't tell me he's here to protect you three?"
At that thought, envy immediately appeared on Shi Haoguan's face.
"Geniuses really do get special treatment."
The corner of Gua's mouth twitched.
Was I that famous?
Even out on the battlefield, this many people had heard of me?
I'd practically caught up with Kakashi.
"I was wondering why kids this young were on the battlefield. So you're Uchiha Gua! Impressive, really impressive."
Shi Haoguan seemed to admire Gua enormously.
The other two shinobi, Shangjing and Benmu, showed little reaction.
Gua