Seeing that his son was unwilling to communicate with him, Hiruzen didn't know what to do in this situation and could only watch helplessly as Asuma retreated to his room and refused to come out.
"Hmph, even you, the Hokage, have things you can't handle."
Sarutobi Biwako, carrying dishes from the kitchen, glanced at Hiruzen standing there at a loss and snorted mockingly.
"Hahaha, there's nothing I can do. As Hokage, some things truly aren't within my control. Sorry, Biwako." Hiruzen knew that for Konoha's sake, he owed his family greatly, and could only express his sincere apologies to Biwako.
"What's the use of apologizing to me? Go apologize to your son." Biwako rolled her eyes at Hiruzen, turned around, and returned to the kitchen to prepare the next dish.
"As my son, he'll understand me someday." Watching Biwako's retreating figure, Hiruzen smiled self-deprecatingly. He didn't go find Asuma as his wife suggested, but instead turned toward the entrance and picked up his Hokage hat.
"I'm going back to handle some matters. I won't be home for dinner tonight." He called toward the kitchen, and without waiting for Biwako's response, Hiruzen pushed open the door and left his home.
This early return home had been solely to check whether Asuma was injured and see if this defeat had caused him any stress. Judging by his demeanor, there seemed to be no problems.
With his mind at ease, Hiruzen's thoughts turned to the documents in his office, prompting his hurried departure.
...
Shimura Residence.
"Quite a lot of meat dishes today."
Looking at the spread on the table, Feng Bai nearly drooled unbecomingly.
Grilled pork belly, sliced braised meat, and soup made from some unknown fish—everything looked incredibly appetizing.
"As a ninja, you must plan your diet rationally. You can't lack meat, but you also can't be overly carnivorous." Danzō lectured Feng Bai with a stern expression.
"Yes, yes, everything you say is right. Let's start eating!" Unable to wait any longer, Feng Bai grabbed his chopsticks and picked up a slice of grilled pork belly, placing it in Danzō's bowl.
Seeing Feng Bai's gesture, the tight corners of Danzō's mouth softened slightly.
"Hmph, I just praised you and now you're pulling this act—you don't look like a ninja at all." Though he said this, Danzō still ate the meat Feng Bai had served him with his rice.
It had been two years since Feng Bai arrived in Konoha.
During these two years, Danzō had gradually grown accustomed to this life with bonds, and had come to understand, more or less, the feelings of being a father.
This bond of blood was far more solid than the loyalty obtained through Root's high pressure and brainwashing.
For the naturally suspicious Danzō, he might suspect the Uchiha of plotting something sinister, or doubt his subordinates' loyalty, but he would never suspect his own son of wanting to harm him.
This was the power of blood ties.
Of course, if he possessed mind-reading abilities, he would certainly discover that his seemingly filial son spent every day contemplating how to inherit his estate.
"Regarding Ice Release, how is your training progressing? You didn't seem to use it in this exercise." Danzō was curious about Feng Bai's Ice Release cultivation.
"It's going reasonably well. I just felt there was no need to display such power in front of my classmates." Feng Bai extended his free left hand, gathering chakra in his palm, and an ice senbon crystallized into existence.
"Hmph, you've learned to conceal your abilities." Danzō was somewhat disappointed. If his son could display this Ice Release technique in front of everyone, his reputation would surely overshadow that Kakashi.
The fact that Feng Bai could use Ice Release was only known within their small circle and hadn't spread widely.
In Danzō's view, to inherit the Hokage position, one first needed a resounding nickname.
Like Konoha's White Fang, the Legendary Sannin, or the Professor of Ninjutsu—only with a nickname would the villagers know you, and the daimyo would have an impression of you.
However, since Feng Bai was unwilling to reveal his abilities now, Danzō would let him be.
Danzō considered himself an understanding parent—as long as the general direction was correct, Feng Bai could make whatever minor adjustments he wished.
After dinner, Feng Bai went to the courtyard as usual, where Aburame Ryōma was already waiting.
After two years of training, Feng Bai's sparring with Ryōma had evolved from Ryōma standing motionless while beating him, to Ryōma moving around while beating him.
However, today's Feng Bai was very confident. After all, he had just defeated the Third Hokage's son. While his strength wasn't as outrageous as a jōnin's, it should be more than sufficient for chūnin level... right?
Feeling somewhat uncertain as he glanced at the whip in Yamanaka Zen's hands, Feng Bai loosened his wrists and then launched the first attack toward Ryōma.
He threw a punch at Ryōma's abdomen. Facing Feng Bai's fist, Ryōma merely shifted slightly to the side, then reached out to grab Feng Bai's collar.
Sensing the rushing wind at the back of his neck, Feng Bai hunched his body, dodged Ryōma's grab, and converted his punch into an elbow strike aimed at Ryōma's lower abdomen.
Ryōma, having missed his grab, remained calm, retreating two steps to avoid the elbow strike before launching a kick to send Feng Bai flying.
Feng Bai forcibly absorbed the impact of the kick, spinning in midair and wrapping around Ryōma's lower leg.
Ryōma was startled by Feng Bai's agile maneuver. In that split second of opportunity, Feng Bai hurled the ice senbon he had just created, aiming directly at Ryōma's face.
"Senbon as weapons have the advantages of being nimble and easy to carry, but their attack surface is much smaller than kunai, and the damage they inflict is far inferior to kunai." The quick-reacting Ryōma caught the senbon between his fingers and even had leisure to explain to Feng Bai.
"But my senbon are endless, Ryōma-sensei." Flashing a cunning smile, Feng Bai created several more senbon and stabbed them viciously toward Ryōma's lower leg, which he was clinging to.
"What?!" Even someone as experienced as Ryōma hadn't expected Feng Bai to pull this move.
He urgently kicked his right leg with full force, trying to shake Feng Bai off.
"If I hit this pressure point, your leg will lose mobility for a short time!" Following the acupuncture chart Nonoyu had taught him, Feng Bai stabbed down hard, and Ryōma predictably felt his leg go numb.
"Then I'll fight without using this leg!" Unable to shake off Feng Bai, Ryōma directly dropped to his knees, preparing to use his body weight to pin Feng Bai down.
Realizing Ryōma's intention, Feng Bai quickly released his grip and managed to escape just before Ryōma could crush him.
"Ryōma-sensei, don't blame me for being underhanded—you are a jōnin, after all!" Rolling across the ground several times, Feng Bai drew several shuriken from his ninja pouch and hurled them toward Ryōma's position.
Now that you've lost the use of one leg, how will you dodge this kind of large-scale attack?
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
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