Uchiha Souji frowned instantly.
Those adult men did not pose much of a threat to Takeda Yizang, but that did not mean a ninja would not. A ninja was a completely different matter.
Sure enough… he still couldn't just stand by and watch.
But before Uchiha Souji could step forward, a hand landed firmly on his shoulder.
He frowned and turned his head, only to see Kakashi shaking his head at him.
"Souji, if you interfere now, it'll make things difficult for me," Kakashi said calmly. "The daimyo's side isn't easy to explain. If things get out of hand, Lord Hokage himself might be forced to apologize."
Uchiha Souji rolled his eyes. He didn't believe that nonsense at all.
If the daimyo really dared to demand that Sarutobi Hiruzen apologize, he would probably be meeting his dead father the very next day.
Still, Souji stopped moving.
The situation wasn't completely clear yet. Takeda Izo hadn't been killed so far.
If it was only a brutal beating, maybe it would be enough to teach the other side a lesson and make them restrain themselves in the future.
After all, this was broad daylight.
No matter how arrogant they were, even nobles should care about appearances. Surely they wouldn't dare commit murder openly… right?
In the corner, the ninja was clearly stunned for a brief moment after hearing Takeda Izo's words. Then, he let out a low laugh.
The sound was quiet, but filled with undisguised mockery.
Takeda Izo didn't hear it.
Because the men in front of him had already rushed forward.
Takeda Izo gripped two wooden knives tightly and took a ready stance.
Uchiha Souji stroked his chin and muttered, "Waiting for the enemy to approach, letting them expose their flaws, and then counterattacking… that's not bad—"
But in the next moment, Uchiha Souji almost shouted out loud.
Because Takeda Izo suddenly charged forward like a reckless fool who didn't understand the meaning of caution at all.
"Ahhh!"
He roared loudly, as if trying to give himself courage.
Just when everyone thought Takeda Izo would be knocked down in a single blow—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several dull sounds rang out.
Takeda Yizang stood upright, one wooden knife pointed directly at a middle-aged man's throat.
At the same time, the other adult men collapsed to their knees, clutching their stomachs and retching violently.
It was obvious.
They had already lost in that brief exchange.
There was a clear difference between trained fighters and untrained ones.
Uchiha Souji's expression didn't relax.
Instead, his gaze shifted toward the ninja standing not far away.
Because that ninja was the real problem.
Takeda Izo spun the two wooden knives in his hands confidently and shouted, "Look! You'll know if you can hit me or not!"
"I'm the man who will make my name echo throughout the ninja world! How could I kneel to trash like you?!"
The middle-aged man's face instantly flushed red, then turned dark like soy sauce.
Furious, he jumped up, pointing at Takeda Izo as he roared, "Kuso! Someone come and kill this filthy brat! I'll take responsibility for everything!"
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the ninja behind him.
The ninja had been casually tossing a kunai in his hand, playing with it as if bored.
Hearing the order, he stopped.
He calmly put the kunai back into his ninja pouch and began walking forward slowly.
"When did I say it would be these pieces of trash?" he said coldly. "I really don't know what to say, so I'll show you instead…"
In the next instant, the ninja disappeared.
He reappeared directly in front of Takeda Yizang.
Bang!
A heavy punch slammed into Takeda Yizang's abdomen.
Takeda Izo's body folded instantly, bent like a shrimp.
The ninja was clearly holding back. Otherwise, with chakra added, Takeda Izo would already be dead.
Uchiha Souji's frown deepened.
He could feel Kakashi's grip on his shoulder tighten even more.
Boom!
Takeda Izo was sent flying, crashing violently into the wall behind him.
A large hole burst open, cracks spreading outward like a spiderweb.
"…You little brat are the most annoying kind," the ninja said coldly.
Takeda Yizang spat out a mouthful of blood, splattering it across the ground.
He was seriously injured in an instant.
Yet he didn't give up.
Gritting his teeth, he pressed his hands against the ground, trying to force himself up.
A voice screamed inside his head, warning him that if this continued, he would die.
But he couldn't care anymore.
Yesterday, he had promised himself that he would make his name known.
They had only known each other for two days—three days including today.
It wasn't long.
But it was the first time anyone had ever acknowledged him.
The first time anyone had respected him.
Street wild dogs were despised by everyone.
They survived by digging through dark corners, eating expired scraps.
For someone like that, recognition mattered more than anything.
Even if it lasted only for a moment.
That single moment was like a beam of light piercing the abyss.
And he was waiting for himself.
So he had made a promise.
But before he could rise, the ninja appeared in front of him again and lifted his foot, stomping down mercilessly.
The body that had just crawled out of the swamp was instantly forced back down by that foot—like a ghost dragging him under again.
Puff!
Another mouthful of blood burst out.
The light in Takeda Izo's eyes was already starting to fade.
Uchiha Souji's brows were tightly knitted together now.
Kakashi's grip had become even firmer.
Yet the ninja still wasn't in a hurry to kill him.
"Are you the wild dog of this street?" he sneered. "Wouldn't it be better to stay obediently as a wild dog?"
"What's the point of coming out and doing such meaningless things?"
"Disasters are everywhere in life. If it's not today, it'll be tomorrow. You alone can't handle so many troubles."
"This world is chaotic precisely because of brats like you who don't know their place."
Takeda Izo coughed violently.
He could no longer stand, but sheer willpower forced his arms to hold him up.
"Ahem… how would you know… if you don't try?!"
"Ahhh!"
With a desperate roar, Takeda Izo pushed himself up again, as if returning from the brink of death.
It was useless.
The ninja showed no expression beneath his mask. With just a little pressure from his foot, Takeda Izo was forced back down again.
Takeda Izo's resistance clearly angered him.
The ninja's voice rose sharply.
"Do you think this makes you a hero?" he shouted. "A wild dog will always be a wild dog! When you die today, those two will follow you. No one will remember what happened here. Everything will return to how it was before."
"In the end, doing things beyond your identity will only bring disaster—"
"It's none of your business!!!"
Before the ninja could finish, Takeda Izo interrupted him.
Though his face was pressed into the dirt, his voice remained loud, firm, and unyielding.
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