Another Day of Idling

The bullies gathered themselves and walked toward Gua again.

This time, however, they were less cocky and a little more wary.

"Gua!"

"I'll help you!"

A girl came running over.

She was the one who had just been bullied.

Gua turned to look at her and finally recognized her. It was Uchiha Izumi.

According to unofficial accounts, she had once been paired with Itachi.

Looks like Itachi picked the wrong time to go home today. Otherwise, this damsel in distress would've been his to save.

And what do you mean, you'll help me?

Wasn't it you calling my name that got them to bully me in the first place?

You were the only one getting bullied before that, you know?

After silently grumbling, Gua shifted his gaze back to the children approaching him.

"Stand behind me."

Gua did not look at Izumi. His tone was flat.

Izumi froze. "Huh?"

Gua turned to glance at her.

Don't tell me you've got an idle system too?

"You're acting even more like a bot than I am."

Gua did not mind being called a bot. Sometimes, he even used the term to poke fun at other people, or himself.

Izumi looked confused. "Huh?"

Gua: "..."

"Rising Dragon Punch!"

"Rising Dragon Punch!"

Gua had no time to deal with this bot. The bullies were already shouting some nonsense and swinging their fists at him.

Gua had no idea what these bullies were thinking.

They were clearly weak, so why did they insist on jumping before attacking and exposing their openings?

That alone would have been one thing.

But they also insisted on shouting their move names at the top of their lungs!

The real problem was that there was no technique to their techniques. It was all empty bluster, or some "invincible move" a few friends had put their heads together to invent!

What foolish villagers!

Gua raised his foot and kicked.

First, he sent one flying. Then he casually grabbed the thigh of another who came close, instantly throwing the boy off balance before flinging him aside.

After that, he closed in and landed two punches, bang, bang.

Five or six bullies lay on the ground, rolling around and howling.

Some had broken noses that streamed blood. Others clutched their stomachs and cried that they wanted to go home to their mothers...

Gua's mouth twitched.

This seemed no different from children fighting back on Blue Star.

Without lingering over them, Gua turned to leave.

He ought to thank them for letting him test the results of his idling.

His fighting ability should now put him among the stronger children his age.

He just did not know how he would fare against Itachi.

When would he finally surpass Itachi and beat him to death?

Gua decided he still needed to play it safe.

"Gua!"

Izumi called his name and chased after him.

Gua did not look back.

When he first transmigrated, he might have been fairly outgoing, but after withdrawing into himself and idling at home for six years, he really did not enjoy interacting with people much.

He just wanted a quiet space where he could idle.

Every day, he traveled between two places: school and home.

Once he had idled long enough to become strong, he would lure Itachi somewhere deserted-and beat him to death!

Why not try saving him, you ask?

Gua thought that would be too exhausting. Better to just beat him to death.

"Gua! You were amazing just now!"

Izumi walked beside Gua, her lively eyes gazing at him in admiration.

"Gua, you must've been working really hard lately, right? I saw you extract chakra today! You're the only one in our class who's managed it besides Itachi, and Itachi's a genius..."

Halfway through, Izumi realized she had said something wrong and hastily stopped.

Gua kept his eyes ahead, his tone flat.

"Oh, I don't care about that. You don't need to worry about it either."

"As for working hard, not really. I'm just using cheats."

As he spoke, Gua's face showed no emotion. He walked steadily forward like a robot.

Izumi blinked, then covered her mouth and giggled.

"Heeheehee..."

"Gua, you know, you're not nearly as boring as those people say."

"What people?" Gua asked.

Izumi was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Was it you?" Gua asked again.

Izumi blushed.

"It's fine if it was. I don't care anyway," Gua said.

Izumi stopped behind him, puffing out her cheeks as she glared at his retreating back.

She waited a long time, but Gua never looked back. He just kept walking like a bot. He was going home.

"Gua!"

Izumi shouted from behind him.

Gua was going home.

"See you tomorrow!" Izumi shouted again.

Gua was going home.

Time flew, and the days slipped by.

Gua was home.

He slid open the door.

His mother was in the kitchen, battling tonight's dinner amid a chorus of clattering and banging.

His father sat cross-legged on the floor of the main room, reading a newspaper.

Seeing Gua return, his father, Dashan, set down the newspaper, stood up, and hurried over to check on his son.

"How was it, Gua? Today was your third day at school. Are you settling in?"

"Dashan! Today was Gua's second day!"

His mother, Nai, roared from the kitchen.

"Huh? Huh? Was it? Honestly, what a terrible father I am. Hahaha." Dashan scratched his head, his face covered in an awkward smile.

Gua's mouth twitched.

"It's fine, Dad. Second day, third day, same thing."

Gua went over to his father and sat down cross-legged beside him as he spoke casually.

Dashan laughed and gently patted his son's shoulder.

"That's my boy. Always so understanding of your dad."

Dashan sneaked a glance at his wife bustling around the kitchen, then leaned close to Gua's ear and whispered, "I got home pretty late yesterday, so I made a point of coming home early today. Nai put a lot of care into tonight's dinner. Make sure you give her plenty of compliments later, all right?"

With that, Dashan winked meaningfully at Gua.

It was hard to imagine that his honest, simplehearted father could be so thoughtful.

Gua smiled and nodded.

A little while later.

Dinner was served.

There was a beef stew, a rolled omelet, seven or eight colorful dango, a vegetable salad, and a plate of salt-grilled chicken wings.

Gua sat across from his father.

His mother sat to his left.

"Let's eat!"

His mother pressed her palms together, rubbed her hands, and called out happily.

"Ah... let's eat."

Today, Gua added an extra "ah."

His mother picked up her chopsticks, and Gua picked up his own. His father, Dashan, poured himself a small cup of sake.

Dashan was very happy today.

With a wife like this and a son like this, Dashan was happy every day.

"Can I have some?"

Gua asked.

Dashan froze.

He was just about to move when Nai shot him a glare, stopping him in his tracks.

In this house, his wife was the boss. Nothing he could do about it.

"You're too young to drink, Gua."

His mother poked his forehead.

Gua's head tilted under her finger. "But Gua's really happy today too."

His mother paused briefly, then her lips curved into a smile.

"Oh, our Gua's finally learning!"

"Gua really likes the food Mom made today."

"Hahaha, hahaha, really? Dashan, what are you sitting there for? Why aren't you pouring Gua a little cup of sake? Don't tell me you're the only one allowed to drink?"

"Oh, right. Gua, just this one cup, okay?"

"Got it."

Night gradually settled over the Uchiha Clan Compound.

The wind rustled through the leaves.

Gua lay back down on his tatami mat. The teddy bear by his pillow still wore its bright smile.

"Another day of idling."