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🕑 Added 2025-08-08 16:53:29 +0000 UTCChapter 296: When the BGM Starts, You Gotta Fight!
With Hikari Uchiha's sharp insights, Shindai figured out that Danzo was likely the one behind it all. Danzo's traits were just too obvious: he's incredibly suspicious, cautious, sneaky, and uses strong-arm tactics. He doesn't trust anyone and is obsessed with becoming Hokage, dreaming of it constantly. And right now, with Minato Namikaze as Hokage, Danzo sees him as a thorn in his side.
"Lord Minato," Shindai began, "I think you need to be careful of someone."
Minato asked, puzzled, "Careful of someone? Who?"
Since Shindai and Danzo had never actually met, Shindai couldn't be too direct. So, he dropped a hint. "During the Third Great Ninja War, Lord Orochimaru was still working for Root. I heard Lord Orochimaru talk about Root's situation. The leader of Root, Danzo, wanted to support Lord Orochimaru as Hokage. But Lord Orochimaru told me that Danzo only supported him because he wanted to become Hokage himself, since Lord Orochimaru wasn't interested in the position. Lord Orochimaru also told me that Root ninja have to undergo training to eliminate their sense of self, and they're given cursed seals to ensure secrecy. Danzo molds them into pawns who only execute missions. These ninja have no names, no emotions, no past, no future—only their mission and Danzo's orders. I have a rough guess: even though Root has been disbanded, those ninja are still brainwashed. They might still follow Danzo's commands. Since this was an organized effort, Danzo is a strong suspect. Lord Minato, you need to be careful."
Minato felt Shindai made a good point. He knew that when he became Hokage, Danzo was his biggest opponent. If anyone wanted to mess with him, Danzo was definitely one of the top suspects. However, without solid proof, Minato couldn't do much. It was just suspicion, and even though Danzo held no official position now, he was once the second-in-command of Konoha and contributed to the village. Minato couldn't just move against him without a valid reason. Still, he could definitely rein in those former Root ninja.
Hikari looked confused. "Orochimaru always acts like he sees you as a nuisance. Why would he tell you all this?"
Shindai's mouth twitched. Of course, Orochimaru had never told him any of this. He knew these things already and was just using Orochimaru as an excuse.
"Who said Lord Orochimaru sees me as a nuisance? Lord Orochimaru actually admires me! He's asked me to assist him in his experiments many times! And! You should call him Lord Orochimaru too! How can you be so rude?"
Hikari scoffed dismissively. "Rude? Then he should call me Lady Hikari or Senior Hikari!"
Shindai grumbled, "So now you're pulling the age card, huh? Your experience is pretty much the same as mine. Stop pretending!"
Hikari snorted. "The same? You're just a little kid! My life experience is way higher than yours!"
Shindai's lips moved, but no sound came out.
Hikari slammed her chopsticks on the table, fuming. "Say that again! If you've got the guts, rip out your vocal cords and say it again!"
Kushina Uzumaki and Minato stared blankly at the angry Hikari. "What happened? Why is she suddenly mad?"
Hokage calmly stated, "Shindai just called Hikari 'Great-Grandma' earlier."
Kushina and Minato were stunned. They could do that?! Shindai's lips barely moved, so even a lip-reader wouldn't have caught it. Yet, both Hikari and Hokage somehow knew what Shindai was trying to say. Their synergy was truly unbeatable.
Shindai sheepishly protested, "I didn't say anything! Don't you two go framing me!"
Kushina, seeing Shindai was about to get a beating again, uncharacteristically didn't egg it on. She smiled and said, "Alright, alright, it's a happy day. Naruto will be very happy with siblings like you all."
After a delightful dinner, Shindai, Hokage, and Hikari returned to the house next door for the night.
Minato's Swift Action
The next day, Minato issued a series of orders. All former Root ninja were regrouped and a new department was created to house them separately. These ninja wouldn't participate in regular missions but would serve as combat ninja, taking on missions that were guaranteed to involve fighting. The goal of this was to limit their potential contact with Danzo and keep them in check.
When Danzo found out, he was furious again. Minato's orders further squeezed Danzo's influence, effectively immobilizing him. The only people he could truly rely on were Ryoma Aburame and his own Shimura clan members. This immediately cut short Danzo's grand plan for causing trouble.
Danzo gritted his teeth, his voice chilling. "Minato Namikaze! The road ahead is long. Don't think I won't find an opportunity!"
Days turned into weeks. Life became peaceful and comfortable. This simple routine was Shindai's favorite. And little Naruto, who could only crawl before, was now bouncing around everywhere.
It was winter now, and after a heavy snowfall, everything outside was covered in white.
The Ultimate Showdown
At Minato's house, little Naruto pointed at Shindai and declared in his baby voice, "Sasuke! Even if I break all your limbs, I'll stop you!" Little Naruto waved his fists and 'fought' with Shindai. Then, Naruto climbed onto Shindai, grabbed his collar, and with a serious little face, said, "You better snap out of it! If you don't wake up, I'm really going to punch you! I'll beat you until you can't move, then I'll drag you back, Sasuke!"
Shindai 'straightened his face' and replied, "Naruto! You're so annoying! What do you even understand about me?! How can you feel my pain, how can you know it?!"
Shindai picked up little Naruto and tossed him onto the couch. Little Naruto stood on the couch, facing Shindai.
Shindai looked down and said, "Naruto, why? Why do you care about me so much?"
Little Naruto 'seriously' stated, "You're the bond I worked so hard to build! You're my best friend! You're my brother! That's why I have to stop you! Sasuke!"
Shindai put on his forehead protector. "It's too late, Naruto. It's already too late. I can't go back!"
Shindai pressed a button on a nearby speaker, and an epic song began to play.
"When you spread your wings and fly Resolve not to look back Our desired destination~ Is that vast, blue sky..."
As soon as the background music started, the atmosphere instantly became charged. A fight was inevitable now!
"Naruto!"
"Sasuke!"
"Naruto, you too!"
"Sasuke, you too!"
Kushina, who was making lunch, felt a vein throb on her forehead.
Chapter 297: Beyond Saving
Shindai, playing the role of Sasuke, and Naruto, playing himself, were about to "battle" as epic music blared from the speakers!
"Come, Naruto! I have no choice but to sever this bond with my own hands!"
"Sever it? Then why are you wearing your forehead protector now?"
Shindai smirked. "I acknowledge you. You're strong! Because you and I both understand loneliness and pain. And this pain can make a person stronger! So, by severing this bond, I can gain even greater power! From now on, I'll fight you as an equal! But!"
Shindai pointed his thumb at the forehead protector on his brow, declaring arrogantly, "You won't even graze a hair on my forehead! That much will never change!"
Naruto sighed. "Looks like talking is useless! Sasuke!"
"Enough talk! This is a battle to the death now! Come on!"
Shindai and Naruto charged at each other, engaging in a "fierce" "fight."
The living room instantly became a chaotic mess. Flowerpots toppled, water cups crashed to the floor, cushions flew wildly through the air, and one even smacked Kushina Uzumaki right in the face.
Kushina was already annoyed that Shindai and Naruto were interrupting her lunch preparations. Now they were practically demolishing the house! Unable to stand it any longer, Kushina landed a bump on both Shindai's and Naruto's heads.
Shindai grumbled, "Big Sis Kushina, do you know how important a battle you just interrupted?"
Kushina's face darkened. "I don't know what battle I interrupted, but if you two don't get this living room back in order, your next opponent will be me!"
Shindai and Naruto immediately quieted down, obediently cleaning up the mess.
While tidying, Shindai whispered to Naruto, "Did you remember all the rehearsal details just now?"
Naruto nodded excitedly. "Uh-huh, I remember everything!"
Shindai instructed, "Later, when we go to Sasuke's house, follow the rehearsal, okay?"
"I know, but... what if Sasuke doesn't cooperate like usual?"
Shindai "educated" him. "Hey! Think of it this way: the Sasuke I just played, wasn't he super stubborn and difficult?"
Naruto agreed. "Yeah, that's exactly how it felt!"
Shindai grinned slyly. "Exactly! If he doesn't cooperate, just force him to, like we did just now. You need to know how to improvise, got it?"
Naruto's eyes lit up. "I got it!"
Kushina, listening from the side, rolled her eyes. She had a feeling that Naruto, under Shindai's influence, might be headed down the wrong path.
Naruto was now three years old.
Even though Shindai's public announcements had helped reduce discrimination towards Naruto, the innate fear of the Tailed Beast still caused people to avoid him.
Kushina had worried that Naruto might become isolated and introverted, but in reality, with Shindai around, her worries were needless.
While Shindai himself was quite introverted, his introversion only applied to strangers. With people he knew even slightly, he was anything but introverted.
Shindai often took Naruto to the Uchiha compound, finding different ways to bother Sasuke.
Once, Kushina, Shindai, and Naruto were out grocery shopping and ran into Mikoto Uchiha and Sasuke.
The moment Sasuke saw Shindai and Naruto, he bolted, without a moment's hesitation.
It was clear just how much psychological trauma Sasuke had from Shindai and Naruto.
After the living room was tidy, Shindai told Naruto, "Let's go. Your big brother will take you to see Big Sis Hikari first. After we drop off the food, I'll take you to play with Sasuke!"
Shindai picked up the lunch Kushina had prepared, took Naruto's hand, and prepared to leave.
A worried Kushina reminded them, "You can go play with Sasuke, but don't bully him!"
"When have Naruto and I ever bullied Sasuke? This is just friendly fun! Right, Naruto?"
"Big Brother Shindai's right! Sasuke and I are good friends; why would we bully him?"
Shindai and Naruto quickly darted out, not giving Kushina another chance to speak, and headed for the puppet shop.
"Big Sis Hikari, Big Brother Shindai and I are here!"
As soon as they entered the puppet shop, Naruto energetically greeted Hikari Uchiha, who was sitting and reading.
Hikari closed her book and looked at Shindai and Naruto. "What? Are you going to go wild outside with your Big Brother Shindai again?"
"We're going to Sasuke's house to play with him later!"
Hikari sighed. "That Uchiha kid really drew the short straw getting stuck with you two."
"Hey, how can you say that? I'm helping Naruto and Sasuke build a deep friendship! Here, Big Sis Kushina made curry rice today."
Shindai handed the lunchbox to Hikari.
Hikari took it and told Shindai, "I have five puppets that need to be made recently."
At the mention of five puppets, Shindai couldn't suppress his smile. "Got it! I'll make them tomorrow. This third generation of puppets seems to be selling well. All thanks to Lord Jiraiya's Icha Icha Paradise; it gave me so much inspiration."
Naruto tugged at Shindai's pants, pleading, "Big Brother Shindai, I want a puppet made by you too!"
Shindai spoke earnestly. "Hey, Naruto, you're still young. It's not time for you to have a puppet yet. I'll make you one when you're older. I've already got an idea for your puppet, actually. Your puppet's name will be Naruko!"
Naruto looked puzzled. "Naruko? Why Naruko? My name is Naruto, not Naruko."
Shindai smiled mysteriously. "You'll understand when you're older."
Hikari, while eating, said, "Shindai, take it easy. If you lead Naruto astray, it won't be something a mere beating can fix."
Shindai retorted, "What are you talking about? How could I lead Naruto astray? Under my tutelage, Naruto is growing rapidly, I tell you! Right, Naruto?"
Little Naruto raised his tiny fist and declared, "That's right! Big Brother Shindai is my idol!"
Shindai's back straightened with pride.
Hikari scoffed dismissively. "Suit yourselves. Just don't come begging me and Yakura for help later. Kneeling won't do you any good either."
Shindai sneered, "Hmph, who would ever kneel and beg you and Yakura?"
Hikari smirked coldly. "A month ago, you shaved Naruto's hair and eyebrows, saying you wanted Naruto to dress as a monk to 'enlighten' Sasuke. Kushina chased you, beating you, and you hid in Yakura's room, kneeling and begging me and Yakura to keep it a secret. Did you forget?"
Shindai's eyelid twitched. Before he could say anything, little Naruto proudly looked up and said, "That wasn't Big Brother Shindai's fault! Mom just didn't understand Big Brother Shindai and me. If I could have gone to enlighten Sasuke then, maybe Sasuke would already be enlightened!"
Shindai gave little Naruto a thumbs-up. "Well said!"
Hikari just covered her face, speechless.
They were beyond saving.
Chapter 298: The Battle of the End, Officially Begins!
Shindai and Naruto showed up at the Uchiha clan district. The two Uchiha guards at the gate saw them and their first thought was, "Oh, no, not again." Their second thought was, "The clan head's youngest son is in for it."
Once before, Shindai and Naruto drew black, comma-shaped patterns all over Sasuke, which Shindai called "Cursed Seals." Then Naruto, for some reason, wanted to play as Itachi Uchiha and have a brotherly showdown with Sasuke, all to draw out Orochimaru. And Shindai? He was playing Orochimaru. Man, they chased Sasuke all over the compound!
"Lord Shindai, Naruto, you're back again," one guard said.
Shindai asked, "Yep! Is Sasuke home?"
"Uh, he should be..."
Honest to goodness, they really wanted to cover for Sasuke, to say he wasn't home. But they were scared too, scared of being targeted by Shindai and Naruto.
"Alright, we're going in then!"
Shindai, now super familiar with the place, led Naruto into the Uchiha compound and headed straight for Sasuke's house, no hesitation.
"Sasuke, we're here to play!"
Sasuke was playing alone in the yard. Itachi was a genin now and out on a mission with his squad leader. Itachi had graduated from the Ninja Academy after only a year, at age seven, as the top student in his class, becoming a proud genin.
When Sasuke saw Shindai and Naruto, his eyelids started twitching like crazy. He immediately dropped what he was holding and... ran! But the current Sasuke could maybe outrun Naruto, but there was no way he could outrun Shindai. Shindai didn't even need to use the Body Flicker Jutsu; he caught up to Sasuke in an instant, grabbing him by the back of his collar and lifting him up.
Sasuke's eyes immediately went dead fish-like, and he started struggling. "Let go of me! You two punks!"
Shindai raised an eyebrow. "Why are you cursing at us? We just came to play with you because we thought you might be lonely."
Sasuke retorted, "Bull! You two just want to mess with me!"
Naruto walked up to Sasuke and poked his finger on Sasuke's forehead. "Sasuke, are you... pouting?"
Sasuke's face instantly flushed bright red. He roared like an agitated cat, "Idiot! Jerk! Moron! Fool! Don't poke my forehead! It's so annoying, you know that?!"
Naruto looked at Shindai, confused. "Big Brother Shindai, why is Sasuke so against being poked on the forehead? I see Big Brother Itachi do it to him all the time, and he seems happy then."
Shindai explained to Naruto, "Naruto, there's a type of person called a 'brother-con.' For Sasuke, that gesture is really intimate, and only his brother is allowed to do it to him. That's why he's freaking out."
Naruto's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, so I have to be his big brother to do that? No problem! I can be Sasuke's big brother! Sasuke, from now on, just call me Big Brother Naruto!"
Sasuke's eyes turned red. "You jerk! I'm gonna kill you!"
Shindai scratched his head. Naruto's thought process... it's actually pretty wild!
Meiko's Arrival
"I heard Sasuke's yelling and knew you two were here. Sasuke, no swearing. Get along with Naruto and Big Brother Shindai, got it?" Mikoto Uchiha walked into the yard, carrying drinks.
Sasuke looked utterly miserable. "Mom, they're the ones bullying me!"
Mikoto smiled. "How could they be bullying you? Naruto and Big Brother Shindai clearly like you very much, that's why they always come to play with you. Itachi has his own things to do now too, so he can't always be with you."
Sasuke whined, "I can play with anyone, but I don't want to play with these two! These two just mess with me for fun!"
Shindai put Sasuke down, who he had been holding. He assured Mikoto, "Sister Mikoto, you can go do your own thing, don't worry. Sasuke's just being a tsundere and playing hard to get, he always does this. He'll be fine in a bit. Trust Sasuke with me and Naruto, I'll make sure he has fun!"
"Alright, then I'll leave Sasuke to you two. Have fun~" Mikoto, fully trusting Shindai, turned and left.
Sasuke tried to chase after her but was pulled back by Naruto. Naruto's voice was clear and cheerful, but to Sasuke's ears, it sounded chilling.
"Sasuke, where are you going? Our battle is about to begin, you know?"
All the hairs on Sasuke's body stood on end. He stiffly turned his neck to look at Naruto, who was holding his arm. Naruto flashed Sasuke a big smile, which instantly made Sasuke's heart leap into his throat.
With Mikoto gone, Shindai grinned at Sasuke. "Alright, let's begin! I announce! The Battle of the End, officially starts!"
Sasuke looked bewildered at Shindai. "The Battle of the End...? What the heck is that?"
Shindai coughed. "I'll give you a quick rundown. You, in pursuit of power, want to leave Konoha to follow an evil person. And Naruto, to stop you, fights you in the Valley of the End."
Sasuke shrieked hysterically, "Why the hell would I do something like that?!"
However, Naruto was already getting into character.
"Sasuke! Are you running away from me?! Why, why?! Sasuke?! Why have you become like this?!"
Naruto's voice was incredibly 'tragic,' which completely baffled Sasuke. After he came to his senses, Sasuke, extremely annoyed, retorted, "What I become has nothing to do with you, you idiot!"
Shindai immediately clapped. "Excellent! Absolutely excellent! I never expected you, Sasuke, to say you don't want to, but your body is so honest, immediately getting into character and cooperating with Naruto!"
Sasuke felt like he was losing his mind. Shindai was speaking in terms he couldn't even begin to understand. When was he cooperating with Naruto? He was just simply refuting him! These two lunatics!
Sasuke turned to walk away.
Naruto 'roared,' "What do you think of our Konoha comrades?!"
Naruto charged forward and tackled Sasuke.
"What are you doing?! Get off me!"
Naruto's voice was clear and firm. "Do you think he'll just give you power for free?! He just wants to use your body to achieve his secret goals! He wants to turn you into a plaything! Your future is going to be ruined! How can I just stand by and watch you go down that path of no return?! I absolutely cannot let you do this! Even if I have to use brute force, I'll drag you back!"
Sasuke genuinely wished he could just knock himself out right then and there. What in the world were these two crazy people trying to do?!
Chapter 299: Giving Up Resistance
Alright, so here's the deal: Shindai brought Naruto over to play with Sasuke, and Sasuke was just completely lost, being forced to go through the motions with Naruto. Meanwhile, Shindai was on the sidelines, constantly narrating their "inner dialogue" and even dropping in some background music.
At first, Sasuke tried to fight back, but it was no use at all. In the end, Sasuke just gave up. He was like, "Whatever, just let it all fall apart!"
"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted, holding a rock, as he charged towards Sasuke. Shindai had also forced a rock into Sasuke's hand.
Sasuke, reluctantly, mumbled "Chidori" and slowly walked towards Naruto. Finally, the two rocks clashed.
Naruto fell to the ground, looking up at Sasuke with expectant eyes. Sasuke had no idea what Naruto was expecting, but he really wanted to step on Naruto's face. After a reminder from Shindai, Sasuke very grudgingly managed to say, "Naruto!"
"Okay! The Battle at the Valley of the End is officially over!"
When Sasuke heard Shindai's voice, it was like music to his ears. It was finally over! He didn't have to play house with these two anymore.
Naruto shot up in a flash, eagerly asking, "Big Brother Shindai, how was my performance?"
Shindai critiqued him very seriously. "Not bad, but there's still a lot of room for improvement. Some parts were too stiff. For example, at the end, you were knocked out by Sasuke, so how could you still have your eyes open? As for you, Sasuke... sigh, just keep trying." Shindai sighed and shook his head.
Sasuke was irritated by Shindai's attitude. "You two didn't tell me anything! I didn't even know the lines for the next part of the story, and you just made me improvise! How could I possibly act well?"
A cunning smile appeared on Shindai's face. He pulled out a scroll from his ninja pouch and handed it to Sasuke. "You've already acted this part before, but you weren't cooperating, so we'll do it again. The script is all in here. We'll set the time for three days from now, and together we'll put on a perfect performance. Your parents and Itachi will come to watch then. That's all for today. Naruto, let's go!"
"Got it!" Naruto scurried after Shindai, and they left Sasuke's house together.
Sasuke looked at the scroll in his hand, his expression incredibly complicated. He... he felt like he'd been tricked.
Sasuke opened the scroll, and a big title was written on it:
"Brotherly Showdown"
Main Performers: Naruto (playing Itachi), Sasuke Special Guest: Shindai (playing observer and narrator, as well as Orochimaru)
Sasuke's breathing quickened as he read the contents. He fiercely threw the scroll to the ground. "What kind of messed-up plot is this?!"
Shindai and Naruto left the Uchiha compound.
"Big Brother Shindai, can you take me to Ichiraku Ramen?"
"At this hour... if you eat now, you won't be able to eat dinner later, and your mom will scold you. Next time."
"No, please! Can we just share one bowl? I really want to eat it! I haven't had it in ages!" Naruto tugged at Shindai's pants, pleading.
Shindai finally gave in. "Alright, alright, but don't eat too much. Otherwise, it's me who'll get scolded, not you!"
As Shindai and Naruto headed to Ichiraku Ramen, they just happened to run into Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara, who were also eating ramen.
"Yo, you three are back from your mission," Shindai greeted them, sitting down next to Obito. He then grabbed Naruto by the back of his collar and lifted him onto a chair.
Obito was surprised to see Shindai. "What a coincidence! We were actually looking for you."
"Looking for me? What for? Old Man Ichiraku, one bowl of tonkotsu ramen, and a small bowl, please." Shindai asked Obito while ordering a bowl of ramen.
Obito said mysteriously, "We just went to the craft shop. Do you know who we ran into?"
Shindai was puzzled. "Who?"
"Yamanaka Kazuma."
Shindai wondered, "Someone from the Yamanaka clan? And then?"
Rin Nohara said, "Yamanaka Kazuma is around the same age as Sister Pakura. When we went to the shop, we saw him chatting very happily with Sister Pakura, you know."
Shindai was completely lost. "So? Can you guys speak more clearly?"
Kakashi, with his dead-fish eyes, slanted a mocking glance at Shindai. "Didn't you always give Obito terrible ideas? How can it be this obvious and you still don't get it? We wouldn't randomly bring up someone you don't know. It's so clear already, and you still don't understand? That Yamanaka Kazuma has a thing for Sister Pakura and is pursuing her."
Shindai's teacup trembled, spilling tea. But in the next second, Shindai calmed down. "Heh, that Yamanaka Kazuma is wasting his time. Pakura already has someone she likes!"
Since they didn't know that the "someone she likes" Shindai was referring to was Uchiha Hikari, Obito and the others assumed Shindai was talking about himself.
Obito said sarcastically, "Oh, so confident? But as far as I know, a certain someone hasn't made a single move."
Shindai felt strange. How could Obito and the others know that Pakura and Uchiha Hikari liked each other? Did he accidentally let it slip at some point?
No moves... that seemed to be true. Usually, Pakura and Uchiha Hikari were at work, only meeting at home after work. Then, after dinner, they'd chat for a bit before going to sleep, repeating the same routine the next day.
Rin Nohara said earnestly, "Shindai, even if Sister Pakura likes you, if there's no reaction at all, that liking might slowly fade. If Sister Pakura ends up saying yes to someone else, you'll regret it and have nowhere to cry."
Shindai thought about it. If Pakura really did accept that Yamanaka Kazuma's pursuit... then he could finally sleep in a bed!
But... Shindai felt weird, a little uncomfortable.
Hmm! It must be because he'd been sleeping on the sofa for years and had gotten used to it. Changing back to a bed would be a change, which is why he felt uncomfortable.
It was better to keep sleeping on the sofa.
Besides, if Pakura said yes, Uchiha Hikari would definitely be heartbroken, and their love story would crumble.
Yamanaka Kazuma... even though he didn't know the guy, that Yamanaka Kazuma definitely wasn't a good person! He must be a scumbag, a jerk! He just wanted to toy with Pakura's feelings!
"Damn it, he's got a death wish trying to mess with Pakura! Doesn't he know who her guardian is?!" Shindai suddenly stood up from his seat, angrily marching towards the craft shop.
Obito, Kakashi, and Rin all smiled subtly.
"That guy, he's usually full of wise words, but when it comes to himself, his brain just freezes up. You have to slap him a bit to get it working again."
"Yeah, Sister Pakura is so amazing; lots of people have a crush on her."
"I'm more worried about that Yamanaka Kazuma now. Shindai holds a grudge, you know."
Obito, Kakashi, and Rin discussed amongst themselves. Meanwhile, Naruto's eyes lit up as he stared at the tonkotsu ramen in front of him. Shindai didn't seem to be eating it, so he could have the whole bowl to himself.
This is awesome!
Chapter 300: My Name is Kamiten Daruma!
Shindai, using his Transformation Jutsu, sneaked over to the handicraft shop. He wanted to see what was up with this Yamanaka Kazuma guy.
Inside the shop, there were quite a few customers, both adults and kids. A lot of the handicrafts looked suspiciously like Shindai's work. When the shop first opened, its selection was pretty small and boring. Even though Minato Namikaze and others helped promote the orphanage's handicraft shop, the limited and uninspired products were a major drawback.
But Shindai, being a puppet master, was overflowing with ideas for handicrafts. So Hokage asked him for help, to teach her how to make them, and then she'd teach the kids at the orphanage. Now, the best-selling items in the shop were the Mecha Ninja series that Shindai taught Hokage to make. They were intricately crafted small parts that could be assembled into various forms of Mecha Ninja.
As soon as Shindai entered the shop, he spotted his target immediately. Yamanaka clan ninja either have yellow or orange hair, and this guy was standing right next to Hokage, helping her introduce products to customers. Shindai's mood instantly soured. When someone's being overly helpful without reason, they're either up to no good or trying to steal something!
Shindai sidled closer and asked sarcastically, "Well, well, well, isn't it the great Yamanaka clan ninja? What, quit being a ninja and now you're working at a handicraft shop?"
Yamanaka Kazuma looked puzzled. "Excuse me... who are you?"
"I'm here in the shop, what else would I be if not a customer? I can't possibly be working here, can I? This handicraft shop is tiny, do you really need this many employees? Come on, tell me, what's this thing?" Shindai pointed at a Mecha Ninja, asking Kazuma to describe it.
Hokage, who was busy helping other customers, looked over at Shindai. Even though Shindai was disguised with Transformation Jutsu, Hokage felt something strange, a sense of familiarity.
Hokage walked over to Shindai. "Let me explain it to the customer."
Shindai refused. "No, I want him to explain it to me. Isn't he an employee?"
"He's not..." Hokage was about to say Kazuma wasn't an employee, but Kazuma interrupted, smiling. "It's fine, Hokage. You go help the others. I'll explain it to this gentleman."
Shindai used a high-pitched, mocking voice. "It's fine Hokage Are you two close? Just calling Hokage by her name like that, trying to get cozy, huh?"
Kazuma's brow was slightly furrowed now. Was this guy here to cause trouble? Why would he pick a fight with him? Kazuma glanced thoughtfully at Hokage, who was also looking pensive. Kazuma understood. Looks like this was another one of Hokage's admirers.
Kazuma maintained a polite smile. "Hokage and I might not be very familiar with each other right now, but I'm working to get to know her better. There's absolutely no way I'm trying to take advantage. Hokage and I are friends now; calling her by her name is normal, isn't it?"
Shindai glared at Kazuma, his eyes narrowing. Damn it, he just outright stated his intentions! How arrogant! Shindai whispered, his voice low and sinister, "Is that so? You think spending a couple of days working with Hokage will earn you her favor, huh? You're dreaming pretty big."
Kazuma chuckled. "This is a good opportunity for Hokage and me to get to know each other. It's a fair competition; you're welcome to join if you want!"
Shindai sneered, "Fair competition? If you knew who I was, you wouldn't say such ignorant things!"
"Oh? And who are you?"
"I am..." Shindai's voice cut off abruptly. He almost blurted out his own name. He was still disguised with Transformation Jutsu. "Ahem, my name is Kamiten Daruma!"
Kazuma's eyebrows raised slightly. Kamiten Daruma? That name... why did it feel so offensive to his own name?
Kazuma proceeded to introduce the Mecha Ninja to Shindai. "Alright, let me introduce this to you. This product is called a Mecha Ninja. It's a doll that the orphanage children hand-assembled, piece by piece, from small parts. It's very collectible."
Shindai scoffed. "That's it?"
Kazuma looked confused. "Otherwise? It's just a doll, isn't it?"
Shindai sneered, "You really didn't do your homework. And you think you can win over Hokage like that? Dream on!"
Kazuma started to get annoyed. "It's just a doll, what else is there to say about it?"
Shindai, flipping the script, immediately started explaining it to Kazuma. "First, this isn't called a doll, it's called a figure. Its design concept, as the name suggests, mimics ninja. For articulation and structural stability, its shoulders, elbows, and other joints are meticulously designed, using various forms like ball joints and shaft joints, allowing it to strike all sorts of cool battle poses, increasing the figure's fun and display value. While ensuring articulation, you also have to ensure the overall structural stability of the figure. The connection methods and nesting depth of each part need to be repeatedly tested and optimized..."
Shindai used all sorts of technical terms to explain the design philosophy of the Mecha Ninja to Kazuma, leaving him completely dumbfounded. After finishing, Shindai looked at Kazuma with disdain. "Well? Do you understand? If not, I can go into more depth for you."
Kazuma closed his slightly agape mouth and looked at Shindai oddly. "How do you know all this so clearly?"
Shindai huffed. "None of your business! I'm telling you, you and Hokage are absolutely impossible. So, give up!"
Kazuma stared at Shindai, then said, "Let's talk outside."
"Who's scared!" Shindai thought Kazuma was going to challenge him to a fight and immediately got excited. As he walked out of the handicraft shop with Kazuma, Shindai had already planned it out. He'd find an opportunity to paralyze this guy with a Sand Iron Seal, then hang him up and beat him, making sure this guy never thought about Hokage again.
"Heh, heh heh..." Shindai chuckled involuntarily.
Kazuma looked at Shindai strangely. Why was this guy laughing so wickedly?
In the alley outside the handicraft shop, Shindai provocatively waved at Kazuma. "Don't say I didn't give you a chance, you go first!" While saying this, Shindai was secretly manipulating the sand iron beneath Kazuma's feet. The moment Kazuma made a move, he'd make him suffer!
Kazuma looked confused. "Make a move? I didn't say I wanted to fight you. I said I just wanted to talk."
"Huh?" The atmosphere was all set for a fight, and they weren't going to scrap?
"You're Shindai, aren't you?" Kazuma suddenly called out Shindai's name, leaving Shindai momentarily stunned.
