Chương 12: The Brat and an Unexpected Encounter

The sun climbed higher, signaling the arrival of high noon. Konoha, nestled deep within the forest, was free from industrial pollution. The river flowed clear and bright, its surface shimmering under the sunlight like a thousand mischievous eyes winking at the two "empty-handed" boys on the bank. There were clearly fish in the water—some even ventured into the shallows to forage—but perhaps they had been hunted by shinobi so often that they had grown "slippery."

They refused to bite, darting back into the depths at the slightest ripple.

"Is there something wrong with your bait, Hayate?"

"Unlikely. My father bought it a while ago, but it was sealed in the cupboard."

"What?" Zhen grabbed the packaging, inspected it, and took a sniff.

"You idiot. The scent is all wrong. This is way past its expiration date." Hayate looked confused.

"Wait... bait can expire? What do we do now? Zhen, should we go dig for earthworms?"

"I'm done 'fishing'." In my past life, I went home empty-handed. In this life, I'm a chakra-wielding shinobi and I'm still coming up empty? Unacceptable. Zhen tossed his rod aside, pulled several large hooks from his pack, and tied them to a length of line. With a single leap, he landed squarely on the river's surface, standing steady atop the flowing water. He spread his sensory perception, quietly monitoring the world beneath him.

His sensing ability—a byproduct of absorbing the white natural energy—was different from standard chakra sensing or the Uzumaki clan's Mind's Eye of the Kagura. It was finer, more detailed, and harder to fool, a fact he'd verified during his spars with Jirō. Soon, he sensed a school of fish drifting nearby. Zhen's hands moved like lightning. He calculated the angle of light refraction in his head and then, using the same flicking motion required for shuriken throwing, whipped the hooks into the water.

He "snagged" several large fish right through their mouths. With a sharp tug, today's lunch was effectively "anchored." The fish: "???" Hayate watched with envy as Zhen stood effortlessly on the water. He wanted to do that too, but he hadn't mastered the technique yet. Yūgao didn't care about the mechanics; clutching a bouquet of wildflowers and a small cloth bundle, she cheered from the bank. Lunch was finally secured. Once back on land, Zhen began delegating.

"I'll prep the fish. Hayate, go gather some dry wood and start a fire. Yūgao, wash the pot; we'll make some fish soup to clear our throats."

"Nee, Zhen-kun! Can we put mushrooms in the soup? It'll make it so savory!" Yūgao opened her bundle to reveal her "harvest"—a collection of vibrant, multi-colored fungi. Zhen looked at the mushrooms, then at her.

"Where did you pick these?"

"In the woods back there! There were so many!" Hayate's eye twitched.

"Wait, those look incredibly toxic." This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it"Not all of them," Zhen said, filtering through the pile and tossing the poisonous ones into the river to feed the fish. He looked sternly at Yūgao.

"When we get back today, your punishment is to read the Shinobi Field Guide to Edible Plants three times. Now, go wash what's left." The little girl stuck out her tongue.

"Fine, I get it!" The fish in the river: "???" The Uninvited Guests Through their collective effort, the fire was soon roaring. A pot sat atop the flames, surrounded by five sticks impaled in the ground, each sporting a large, seasoned fish. Zhen planned for one fish for Yūgao and two each for him and Hayate. If Hayate couldn't finish his, Zhen would happily assist—his appetite was growing by the day. While they waited, Zhen asked, "You guys have been training for over a month now. What's your focus?"

"Much like yours," Hayate replied.

"Theory, physical conditioning, chakra extraction, and basic swordsmanship. I can finally extract chakra during a spar now."

"Are you and Yūgao training together?"

"Yeah. Our family styles are similar, and since we're old family allies, it was easier to train the kids together."

"Good. I look forward to seeing how you grow." Yūgao puffed out her cheeks.

"Zhen-kun, you sound just like my dad! Don't look down on me. My mom says I'm a genius too!"

"Yeah, yeah. You're a genius," Zhen laughed, ruffling her hair, only for her to swat his hand away with a glare. Hayate looked a bit sheepish, but finally spoke up.

"Um... Zhen? Can you teach us the trick to that chakra control?" Hearing this, Yūgao took Zhen's hand and placed it back on her own head, staring at him with wide, watery eyes. She didn't really understand "chakra control" yet, but standing on water looked like too much fun to pass up. Zhen wasn't stingy.

"No problem. I'll show you after we eat." The soup bubbled and the grilled fish began to sizzle, turning a golden brown. The rich aroma wafted through the air, tantalizing their stomachs—and attracting unwanted attention.

"Smells amazing! I told you guys coming to the river was a good idea. Just when I'm hungry, food appears."

"Iwaari-aniki is always right!" With a boisterous clamor, four figures emerged from the forest. They were older kids—three boys and a girl, likely seven or eight years old. Zhen sensed chakra from them; they were Academy students. Konoha's Academy followed a schedule similar to schools in his previous life, with the new term starting in April. They should have been in class. This far from the school, it was clear these "delinquents" were skipping.

The leader, a stocky boy with dark skin named Iwaari, stepped forward with his hands on his hips.

"Hey, you runts! Hand over the food. Consider it a 'tribute' to your seniors!" Yūgao's face turned into a ball of fury. Hayate's expression went cold. Despite being younger, neither of them felt an ounce of fear. Zhen was genuinely surprised. So... this is what it's like to encounter "brat bullying"? He remembered from the anime that Konoha was full of entitled kids who would bully anyone—even the Uchiha heir or the Hyūga heiress weren't safe.

He usually stayed home, but his one trip out had landed him right in the middle of a cliché.

"And why should we do that?" Zhen asked curiously. Iwaari glared at him.

"Hah? You've got some nerve, kid. Fine, let's play a 'Ninja Game.' I'm the Hokage of Konoha, and you lot are enemy spies. Surrender now, you invaders! I shall defeat you in the name of the Leaf!" He charged at Zhen with his fist raised. Apparently, when the demand for food failed, he moved straight to mugging. To Zhen's eyes, the boy's movements were a mess of openings, his speed laughably slow. Zhen vanished, appearing in front of Iwaari before the older boy could even blink.

He ducked under the punch and buried a fist into Iwaari's gut. The boy collapsed instantly, clutching his stomach and gasping for air, completely neutralized.

"Iwaari-boss!" the other two boys shouted. But Zhen was a blur. Before they could even join the fray, they followed their leader's example, curling into balls on the grass like boiled shrimp.

"Monster... he's a monster!" they whimpered. The remaining girl looked at Zhen—who was significantly shorter than her—and immediately dropped into a defensive crouch, covering her head.

"Aaaah! Don't hit me! I surrender!" Zhen thought about it for a second, then gave her a light bonk on the head anyway. Gotta maintain gender equality. Iwaari, trembling like a motor but still trying to act tough, forced himself to stand.

"Curse you... I didn't expect the enemy to be this strong. I... I am the great Hokage!" Zhen was almost moved by his dedication to the bit.

"You're really committed to the role-play, aren't you? By the way, if the Hokage were as weak as you, Konoha would be doomed."

"Don't mock my dream, you bastard! I'm the man who will become Hokage!"