CTS TIME RE250.05.30 7:30 AM
The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of fresh dew on the Kasai Clan training grounds. Birds chirped in the distance, and the soft rustling of leaves accompanied the disciplined movements of young shinobi preparing for their training session. Amidst this serene backdrop, Kenshiro Arakata stood with an imposing presence, facing his three students—Ai, Kai, and Ryu.
A group of elder men stood behind them, observing. One of them spoke, his voice firm yet laced with amusement.
"You have to fight me. And yes, it's the same bell test again," Kenshiro declared, a smirk forming on his lips.
Protests and Determination
Ryu groaned, crossing his arms in frustration. "But we've already done this test before! Not again!"
Kai flickered his Yamigan, the black irises glowing with a slight purple tint, and retorted, "That's right. I'd rather have a one-on-one fight instead of repeating this childish game!"
Kenshiro shook his head. "Last time, only Kai barely passed by merely touching the bells. But this time, you must not only touch them—you have to take them from me. And this time, you are free to use every jutsu you have against your opponent."
Kai's eyes narrowed as he smirked. "Fine, Sensei. As you wish."
Kenshiro, however, wasn't finished. His tone grew firm. "But remember this—full team coordination is the key to success. If you act alone, you'll fail again."
At that moment, a short distance away, Jasper was performing pull-ups using a thick tree branch. His Dragonis strapped behind his back . Watching him, Seinna let out a low whistle, appreciating his muscular build.
"Damn, Jasper. You really keep yourself in shape, huh?" she said with a teasing smile.
Jasper, however, ignored her, his focus unwavering.
Meanwhile, Serena, leaning against a nearby tree, was calmly eating her prescribed meal, observing the unfolding events with mild interest.
The Battle Begins – A Fierce Attack
With the orders given, the battle commenced.
Ai dashed forward, a kunai in each hand.
Ryu summoned ten shadow clones, flanking Kenshiro from all sides.
Kai mirrored Ai, attacking with a kunai of his own.
Their taijutsu was swift, precise, and well-coordinated. Ai slashed from the left, Ryu's clones lunged from every direction, and Kai aimed straight for the bells hanging from Kenshiro's waist.
But Kenshiro was untouchable.
His headband was pulled down, covering his eyes, meaning he wasn't even using his Akarugan—yet he dodged every strike with ease. He moved as though he could see every attack coming, weaving between their strikes like flowing water.
Kai gritted his teeth in frustration. "Damn it! How is he dodging everything without even seeing?!"
"Alright," Ai called out. "Time for Plan B!"
She and Kai simultaneously leaped back, forming hand seals.
"Fire Style: Dragon's Breath Jutsu!"
From different directions, two massive streams of flames erupted, converging toward Kenshiro.
At the same time, Ryu summoned twenty more clones, overwhelming Kenshiro from every angle.
Serena and Seinna watched from afar.
Seinna glanced at her wristwatch and typed something. "I wonder… will Kenshiro stop all of them?" she mused aloud.
Serena shrugged. "If he doesn't, then he's not as great as everyone hypes him up to be."
Just as Ai and Kai's combined fire attack was about to land, a massive burst of smoke exploded onto the field, engulfing everything in a thick, gray fog.
BOOM!
Everyone stumbled back, shielding their eyes. The training ground trembled as the force of the smoke burst dissipated.
When the smoke cleared—
A man sat atop a massive toad, casually yawning as if he had just woken up. He was young—perhaps in his early twenties—with messy golden-blond hair, vibrant violet eyes, and a loose kimono barely hanging off his shoulders. His fox-like grin gleamed mischievously as he lazily scratched his head.
"Ahhh, finally! That summoning took longer than expected," he said, stretching his arms dramatically. "Man, I forgot how humid this region is."
Kai immediately tensed, his Yamigan glowing. "Who the hell are you?!"
Ryuji clenched his fists. "Oi! I was this close to grabbing those bells! What's the big idea?!"
Aiko narrowed her eyes. "I've never seen him before. Is he an enemy?"
Kenshiro, on the other hand, remained completely silent.
His eyes widened slightly in recognition, though his face remained unreadable.
He knew exactly who this was.
And he hated that he was here.
Ghesso Enrai.
The Sage of the Seven Desires.
A legendary trickster. A rogue sage known for his unpredictability, boundless energy, and tendency to create chaos wherever he went. Among the Four Sages, he was the most frustrating one to deal with.
Kai, growing impatient, activated his Yamigan further. "If you don't explain yourself, I'll force you to."
Before anyone could react, Ghesso vanished in an instant—only to reappear in front of Serena, his violet eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Woah," he said, tilting his head dramatically. "Now you, my lady, are a sight to behold!"
Serena raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
Ghesso took her hand and bowed. "The name's Ghesso Enrai, the wandering sage, the poet of passion, the master of charm. And you, my dear, are—"
Before he could finish, a loud voice interrupted him.
"Sis Serena is married!"
Ghesso stumbled back at full speed, almost tripping over himself.
His face turned pale. "W-Wait, what?!"
Ryuji crossed his arms smugly. "That's right. She's married, and she has a kid, too."
Serena's face turned bright red, and she quickly elbowed Ryuji. "Hey! Not so loud!"
Ghesso frantically looked around, searching for her husband. "Where's the father?!" he muttered in a panic. "Am I about to die?! Is he watching me?!"
Kenshiro sighed, rubbing his temples. "And here we go again."
Jasper, watching from the sidelines, scoffed. Who is this clown? He looks younger than me.
Ghesso, realizing he had narrowly avoided a beating from a nonexistent husband, turned his attention to Seinna.
"Ahh, and who is this dazzling beauty?" he said, smoothly transitioning his approach. "The legendary genius herself—Seinna Frostveil."
Seinna raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So now you're flirting with me?"
Ghesso grinned. "Naturally. You radiate intelligence, charm, and elegance. It would be criminal not to compliment you."
Seinna smirked. "You're just a kid playing at being a flirt."
Ghesso leaned forward. "Then let's make a deal."
Seinna crossed her arms, intrigued. "Go on."
"I'll ask you one question—a riddle. If you answer it correctly, I'll reveal a truth about myself." He grinned slyly. "But if you fail—you owe me a candlelight dinner."
Serena chuckled. "Oh, this should be good."
Aiko nodded. "Seinna's the smartest person I know. She's got this."
Everyone, even Jasper, thought the same—except Kenshiro, who was already sweating.
Ghesso's grin widened as he posed his riddle:
"I am a spark unlit, a crown of dust,
Coveted by seekers, yet scorned by rust.
I sing no hymn, though tremors I weave,
A buried jest the shadows grieve.
What am I?"
Silence.
Seinna frowned, analyzing the words. Serena thought hard. Jasper… immediately understood the double meaning and turned bright red.
Seinna tapped her chin, deep in thought.
"Time's up!" Ghesso declared, clapping his hands. "You failed!"
Seinna's eyes widened. "Wait, what? I need more time—"
"A deal's a deal!" Ghesso cut in, flashing his signature grin. "That means you owe me a romantic candlelight dinner."
Seinna gritted her teeth. "Ugh. Fine."
Jasper, barely containing his laughter, smirked. "That's what you get for making deals with strangers."
Serena patted Seinna's back sympathetically. "Should've known better."
Kenshiro wiped the sweat from his forehead, muttering, Ghesso… you absolute menace.
And with that, the legendary trickster successfully dragged Seinna into his whirlwind of chaos.
The cool morning breeze rustled through the towering trees of the Kasai Clan's training grounds. The air, once tense with the heat of battle, now carried an awkward weight.
Seinna stood before Ghesso, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. She wasn't the type to leave questions unanswered, especially after losing a bet.
"That was the first time I've ever been stumped by a riddle," Seinna said, her silver eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Now tell me the answer."
Ghesso smirked. "Oh? That's quite the rare event then, isn't it?" He stretched lazily, yawning like he had just woken up. "But some secrets are best left… unspoken."
Seinna's eye twitched. "I don't like unsolved mysteries."
Jasper, still smirking from earlier, muttered under his breath. "She just has to know everything."
Ghesso chuckled, tapping his chin. "Alright, how about this? If you really want the answer, let's make another deal—"
Seinna immediately cut him off. "Not happening."
Ghesso feigned a wounded look, placing a hand over his heart. "Oh, come on, Princess, you wound me! I was just going to say—"
"I don't trust any more of your 'deals.'"
Kenshiro, who had been standing in the background trying to distance himself from the embarrassment, let out a sigh. Seinna, you really don't know what you're dealing with here.
Serena, still watching with mild amusement, spoke up. "Wait a second… you never actually introduced yourself properly." She turned to Ghesso, placing her hands on her hips. "Who are you exactly?"
Ghesso perked up, flashing his fox-like grin. "Oh? You mean you don't know?"
Jasper scoffed. "Tch. We wouldn't be asking if we did."
Ghesso let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head. "And here I thought I was famous."
Then, with a snap of his fingers, a burst of golden chakra erupted around him. The sheer presence of his power sent a ripple through the air, causing the leaves on the nearby trees to shudder. His casual, carefree aura twisted into something else—something ancient.
For a split second, his normally playful violet eyes flickered with a depth of wisdom and power beyond comprehension.
Then—just as quickly—it vanished.
Ghesso flashed another grin. "The name's Ghesso Enrai." He placed a hand on his hip, tilting his head. "Sage of the Seven Desires. Master of Trickery. Keeper of Chaos. Flirt Extraordinaire."
Silence.
Seinna, Jasper, Serena, Kai, Ryu, and Aiko all stared at him blankly.
"…Who?" Ryu finally asked.
Ghesso blinked. "Wait… none of you know me?"
Aiko shook her head. "Nope."
Kai crossed his arms. "Never heard of you."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Sage? What kind of title is that?"
Jasper rolled his eyes. "And what's with that 'Seven Desires' thing? Sounds like some second-rate playboy title."
Ghesso gasped dramatically. "Playboy?! I'll have you know my title is one of legend!"
Still, no one looked impressed.
The only one who wasn't confused… was Kenshiro.
The Blazing Fang of Hikarashi had remained still, observing everything. His expression was unreadable, but deep inside, he was panicking.
They don't know.
They have no idea… that the man standing in front of them is over 3,200 years old.
Kenshiro had heard stories about Ghesso. He had even met him before, long ago. Unlike the other Four Sages, Ghesso was unpredictable. His power was a mystery, his actions completely erratic—one moment he could be laughing, flirting, and teasing, and the next, he could wipe out an army with a flick of his wrist.
This man was no ordinary sage.
He was a force of nature.
Kenshiro sighed and finally spoke. "Everyone… I suggest you do not underestimate him."
Ryu looked confused. "Wait, so you actually know this guy?"
Kenshiro didn't answer immediately. His eyes flickered to Ghesso, who was still grinning like a mischievous fox.
"I've met him once before," Kenshiro admitted. "And let me tell you… he is way more dangerous than he looks."
Ghesso waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, come on, Kenshiro! Don't make me sound so scary. I'm just here to have fun!"
Kenshiro muttered under his breath, "And that's exactly why you're dangerous…"
Seinna, still intrigued, stepped forward. "You have a lot of knowledge for someone so young-looking," she mused, tilting her head. "And you're surprisingly handsome for someone so… infuriating."
Ghesso smirked. "Oh? Finally noticing my charm, are you?"
Seinna folded her arms. "More like trying to understand why you actually know things I don't."
Ghesso chuckled. "Well, Princess, it's because I've been around a long time."
Seinna narrowed her eyes. "How long?"
Ghesso's grin widened, but he didn't answer.
Serena nudged Seinna. "I don't think you're getting an answer to that question."
Seinna sighed but dropped the subject.
Ghesso clapped his hands together. "Now, enough about me! Let's get back to what really matters—our candlelight dinner!"
Seinna blinked. "Wait, you're actually serious about that?"
Ghesso wagged his finger. "A deal's a deal, my dear. You lost the bet. That means you owe me."
Seinna frowned, not liking the idea of being forced into something. But then, she did something unexpected.
She smirked.
Then, in one smooth motion, she grabbed Jasper's wrist and held it up for everyone to see.
Ghesso froze.
Seinna, her silver eyes sparkling with amusement, spoke in the most confident, unwavering voice ever.
"Sorry, but I already have a boyfriend."
Silence.
Ghesso looked like he had just been hit by a mountain.
Jasper, on the other hand, immediately yanked his hand away. "What the hell?!"
Serena's jaw dropped. "Oh my god."
Ryu's eyes widened. "Wait !"
Aiko blinked. "I… did not see that coming."
Ghesso stumbled backward dramatically, placing a hand over his chest like he had just been betrayed by fate itself.
"A-A BOYFRIEND?! You're taken?!"
Seinna smirked wider. "That's right."
Jasper, still recovering from shock, scowled at her. "The hell are you talking about?! I'm not your—"
But before he could finish, Seinna leaned in just slightly, whispering near his ear.
"Just go with it," she murmured.
Jasper froze.
His brain short-circuited.
Serena, watching the entire scene unfold, burst into laughter. "PFFT—Jasper, you're screwed!"
Ghesso, looking completely devastated, collapsed onto the ground.
"Noooo… my perfect candlelight dinner… stolen…!"
Jasper, still furious, muttered under his breath. "I hate everything."
And Seinna?
She just smiled, knowing full well that Jasper had finally broken.