Uchiha Souji finally relaxed when he heard Kakashi say everything was fine. He let out a long breath and slowly turned his head toward the boy standing beside him—Takeda Izo. The kid was still glaring at him with the stubborn spark of a street warrior.
Takeda Izo took a step back as if he had just won a personal victory. His hand went to the wooden sword at his waist, and he pulled it out with an exaggerated flourish, the blade pointing directly at Souji.
"Come on!" he yelled. "Bet on your knives!"
Souji rubbed the back of his head, annoyed but more tired than angry. Seriously… are all kids from the Fire Capital this stubborn? They reminded him of the little troublemakers running around in Konoha. Loud, reckless, and convinced they were invincible.
He sighed. "Although I don't really dislike people like you…"
He never finished the sentence. The next moment, his figure blurred—then completely vanished. Before Takeda Izo could blink, Souji was already behind him.
"But focusing on prey that is too strong is a hunter's biggest mistake." Souji's voice came from behind him, calm but cold. "Be careful next time. Not everyone is as merciful as I am."
He extended a single finger and flicked the back of Takeda Izo's head.
"BOOM!"
The crisp smack echoed through the street. Kakashi and Jiraiya both winced at the same time. Their lips tightened from second-hand pain—as battle veterans, they knew exactly how much that must have hurt.
Souji clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "Hmm. That's a good head."
To him, a clean sound meant quality—like knocking a melon to test freshness. If it sounded good, it was good.
Takeda Izo squatted down immediately, clutching his head as tears leaked from the corners of his eyes. The pain was real. Very real.
Souji chuckled softly, not saying anything else. He turned and walked toward the tavern ahead, following after Kakashi and Jiraiya. For days he had been surviving only on soldier pills. Even the smell of real food drifting from the tavern felt like heaven.
He had brought normal food in a sealing scroll… but Kakashi insisted they all eat soldier pills during travel. Souji was convinced he was one day away from constipation.
Finally, a proper city.
Finally, real food.
Kakashi and Jiraiya seemed unaffected by the little scene. They laughed and chatted casually while walking through the tavern entrance.
Souji assumed that was the end of it.
He was wrong.
He had barely taken two steps before angry muttering exploded behind him.
"Damn it!"
"How can the world be so unfair! He's my age and so strong—!"
Then a louder shout:
"Hey! Idiot! This is what I promised you!" Takeda Izo yelled. "Take my saber! A man keeps his word!"
He placed his wooden sword on the ground with shaky pride, still holding his aching head with his other hand.
Souji blinked in surprise. The kid actually meant it.
He wasn't at all interested in a wooden sword… but those earlier words caught his attention.
The truth was, Souji had been bored out of his mind traveling with Kakashi. Kakashi looked like someone who talked a lot, but the moment they were on the road, he turned silent unless necessary—so silent it made Souji want to scream.
So he walked back toward the boy and crouched down, picking up the wooden sword.
Up close, the weapon was crude. The wood was low-quality, uneven, and probably carved using stones rather than tools. It looked like some tree from outside town was chopped down carelessly.
Still… it held meaning to the boy.
Souji held it gently.
"It is a disgrace for a swordsman to lose his blade," he said softly.
Then, without warning, he stabbed the wooden sword into the ground right in front of Takeda Izo, the tip digging into the soil like a final punctuation mark.
"Understand yourself. Understand the world. Become stronger—and look for me again. I will wait for you. The world is not as big as you imagine."
With that, Souji turned away.
It felt cool to say something dramatic and leave immediately.
He couldn't deny it.
And besides, that boy wouldn't be looking for him anyway.
He didn't even know Souji's name.
Souji would only be in the Land of Fire briefly. Kids forget things in a few days, especially insignificant encounters. And Takeda Izo was just an ordinary child… with no chakra, no clan, no shinobi future.
In Souji's mind, the moment was already fading away.
But at the tavern entrance, Jiraiya paused. He looked back at Souji, a small smile lifting the corner of his lips—an expression Kakashi could not understand at all.
"Kakashi," Kakashi whispered, "what is it, Jiraiya-sensei?"
Jiraiya pushed open the tavern door. "That brat—Takeda Izo—is an orphan. Grew up on this street."
He spoke casually as the three took seats.
"He's not a bad kid. Just obsessed. Always reading those traveling-warrior novels."
Souji paused mid-step behind them, listening silently.
"Since he was small," Jiraiya continued, "he dreamed of being a chivalrous ronin. A wandering hero who protects people. Everyone said he was foolish… but he never gave up. And today—you were the first person to acknowledge him."
Jiraiya chuckled and gave Kakashi a pat on the shoulder. "You two keep collecting trouble everywhere you go."
Kakashi blinked, confused. "Why is this my fault…?"
In Kakashi's opinion, Souji was the one acting like a grown-up even though he was just a kid. But maturity meant safety during war. Now that the war was over, Kakashi actually thought children should keep some innocence.
Souji finally walked inside, scratching his head. Kakashi and Jiraiya were giggling like conspirators.
"What are you talking about?" Souji asked suspiciously.
The two looked at each other.
"Nothing!" they said in perfect unison before bursting into laughter again.
Jiraiya rented a room and led them upstairs.
Inside, Jiraiya and Kakashi chatted while Souji devoured food like a starving wolf. After ten days of soldier pills, his stomach was ready to rebel.
Kakashi took a sip of sake and said, "Actually, there's another mission—"
Before he could finish, Jiraiya suddenly collapsed forward dramatically, pretending to be drunk. His entire upper body nearly smashed into Souji's plate.
Souji barely saved the food in time.
The corner of his mouth twitched. Kakashi looked ready to cry.
"Alright, alright!" Kakashi surrendered instantly, raising both hands. "Fine! I won't talk about the Hokage!"
Jiraiya immediately sat up straight as if resurrected, lifted his cup, and took a casual sip like nothing had ever happened.
Souji stared.
Kakashi covered his face.
The tavern lights flickered warmly in the room, and outside, the lively streets of the Fire Capital carried on.
Souji didn't know it yet…
But his simple words earlier had just changed one boy's entire destiny.
And somewhere down the street, Takeda Izo sat alone, touching the spot on his head where Souji flicked him.
His eyes were wet but filled with fire.
"I'll become stronger… and I'll find you again."
The promise had been sealed.
And a small spark in a forgotten corner of the Fire Country had been lit—one that would not go out.
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