The sun climbed higher, approaching noon.
Located within the forest, Konohagakure had little industrial pollution. The river shimmered clear and bright under the sunlight as it flowed gently along. The river's surface reflected the light, rippling with sparkling waves that seemed to blink mischievously, mocking the two kids on the bank who hadn't caught a thing.
There were clearly fish in the river. Some had even swum into the shallow water near the shore to feed. But perhaps they had grown wary after being caught too many times by ninja—no matter what, they wouldn't take the bait. At the slightest disturbance, they would retreat back into deeper water.
"Is there something wrong with your bait, Hayate?"
"That can't be it. Even though my father bought it a long time ago, it's been kept at home and never opened."
"What?" Higashino Makoto immediately took the package from the side, glanced at it, then sniffed it. "Damn it. The smell's off. It expired ages ago."
Gekkō Hayate didn't quite understand. "Ah—this… that can't be right, can it? Bait can expire? Then what do we do? Makoto, how about we go dig up some earthworms?"
"Not fishing anymore."
Before transmigrating, I couldn't catch anything. After transmigrating, I'm training chakra and even became a ninja, and I still can't catch anything—what would be the point of transmigrating then? Unacceptable. I can't stand this. I'll deal with it.
Higashino Makoto tossed the fishing rod aside, rummaged through his backpack, pulled out several large fishhooks, tied them to lines, and with a single leap, jumped straight onto the surface of the river, standing there steadily.
He spread out his perception, quietly focusing on what was happening beneath the water.
His perceptive ability came as a byproduct of absorbing white natural energy. It was different from a ninja's chakra sensing or the Uzumaki clan's Kagura Mind's Eye—more precise and less easily misled by other methods. This had already been proven during his bouts against Higashino Jirō.
Before long, he sensed a school of fish drifting near him.
Higashino Makoto struck like lightning. He tested once first, calculating the angle of light refraction in his mind. Then, using the same technique he would use to throw a shuriken, he flicked the fishhooks into the water, hooking them directly into the mouths of several large fish.
With a gentle pull, he hauled up all of today's lunch at once.
The fish: "???"
Gekkō Hayate looked on with envy at Higashino Makoto's feet standing on the surface of the water. He really wanted to do the same, but he still couldn't.
Uzuki Yugao didn't think that much about it. She was holding a bouquet of wildflowers she had put together herself and carrying a cloth bundle. She ran to the riverbank, cheering excitedly—today's lunch was finally secured.
After coming ashore, Higashino Makoto gave instructions: "I'll handle the ingredients. Hayate, go gather some dry firewood to start a fire. Yugao, go wash the pot. Later we'll stew some fish soup to soothe our throats."
"Hey, hey, Brother Makoto, can we put mushrooms in the soup? It should be really fresh, right?" Uzuki Yugao said as she opened the cloth bundle in her hands. Inside was the result of her recent labor—brightly colored and very pretty.
Higashino Makoto looked at the mushrooms, then at her. "Where did you pick these?"
"In the woods behind us. There are lots of them."
Gekkō Hayate's eyes couldn't help but twitch violently. "Hey, hey, these are obviously poisonous at a glance, aren't they?"
"Not all of them." Higashino Makoto sorted through them, tossed all the poisonous ones into the river to feed the fish, then warned Uzuki Yugao, "When we get back today, you're punished by carefully reading The Ninja Field Emergency Edible Plants Manual several times. Now, go wash the rest thoroughly."
The little girl stuck out her tongue. "I know."
The fish in the river: "???"
With the combined efforts of the three, the fire was soon started. A pot was set up above it, and around the fire on the ground were five branches stuck into the earth, each skewering a large fish that had already been marinated with seasonings.
Higashino Makoto planned to give the little girl one fish. He and Gekkō Hayate would each take two. If Hayate couldn't finish his share, Makoto could help—after all, he had a big appetite.
While waiting for the food, Higashino Makoto asked curiously, "Have you been training at home this past month or so? What are the main things you've been doing?"
Gekkō Hayate said, "About the same as you, I guess—studying basic knowledge, training the body, refining chakra, practicing swordsmanship, things like that. Right now, I can already refine chakra at any time during combat."
"You train together with Yugao?"
"Yeah. Our two families' combat styles are pretty similar, and we're old family friends. So for convenience, the juniors of the same age just train together."
"Good. I look forward to your growth."
Uzuki Yugao puffed out her cheeks. "Brother Makoto, the way you talk really sounds like my dad. Don't underestimate me—Mom says I'm a genius too."
"Mm-hm, you're a genius!" Higashino Makoto smiled and ruffled the little girl's head, but she glared with wide eyes and smacked his hand away.
Gekkō Hayate looked at Higashino Makoto, a little embarrassed, but in the end he still spoke up. "Um, Makoto—can you teach us the trick to chakra control?"
As soon as she heard that, Uzuki Yugao lifted Higashino Makoto's hand again and placed it on top of her own head, staring with watery eyes.
Things like chakra control—she still didn't really understand them right now, but being able to stand on the surface of the water had to be really fun.
Higashino Makoto naturally wouldn't be stingy. "No problem. I'll teach you after we eat."
The fish soup rolled in the pot. The grilled fish, under the high heat of the flames and Higashino Makoto's occasional turning, gradually changed color. A rich aroma drifted out. It not only stirred up the craving in the bellies of the three, it also attracted uninvited guests.
"Smells so good. I told you coming to play by the river was the right call—just in time, I was getting hungry and now there's something to eat."
"Big Brother Iwazetsu is right."
Along with the noisy chatter, four figures walked out of the forest and appeared in front of Higashino Makoto and the other two.
All four were half-grown kids—three boys and one girl—looking about seven or eight years old. Higashino Makoto sensed chakra on them; they were probably students from the ninja academy.
Konohagakure's ninja academy system was similar to his previous life's Japan: there were three terms in a year, and the new term started on April 1. In other words, school had already started some days ago.
And this place was on the edge of the village, far from the academy. Even if there was a midday break after classes, it would be impossible to run all the way to the river.
Clearly, these disobedient little brats had skipped class.
At this moment, the lead dark, stocky boy planted his hands on his hips and shouted, "Hey, you three little brats—hand over the food, as a salute of respect to your seniors."
Uzuki Yugao was so angry at that her little face puffed up like a ball. Gekkō Hayate looked at the four with an unfriendly gaze as well. Even though they were all very young, they weren't afraid at all.
Higashino Makoto was momentarily taken aback. This was… running into brat bullying?
In his previous life, watching anime, he had always felt that Konohagakure had plenty of unruly kids who dared to bully anyone— even the eldest son of the Uchiha clan head and the Hyūga family's eldest daughter were beaten without hesitation.
He usually didn't go out much. He hadn't expected that on the rare occasion he came out to play, he would run into this. So, with curiosity, he asked, "On what grounds?"
The dark, stocky boy glared at Higashino Makoto. "Yo, brat, you're pretty arrogant, huh. Fine, I choose you. Let's play a round of ninja games."
"Right now I'm the Hokage of Konohagakure, and you're ninja from an enemy country. Surrender. You bastards who dared to invade—I'll represent Konoha and defeat you."
After saying that, he raised his fists and charged at Higashino Makoto. It seemed that since demanding food hadn't worked, he had switched to outright robbery.
Unfortunately for him, in Higashino Makoto's eyes, his movements were full of openings, and his speed was painfully slow.
Higashino Makoto appeared in front of him at an even faster speed. While lowering his body to dodge the attack, he instantly drove a punch into the boy's stomach.
The dark, stocky boy immediately clutched his belly, fell to the ground crying out in pain, and was unable to get back up.
"Boss Iwazetsu!" the other two boys shouted. But Higashino Makoto was far too fast. Before they could rush over to help, they followed in their boss's footsteps, collapsing onto the ground and curling up like cooked prawns, endlessly muttering, "Monster… there's a monster."
The remaining girl looked at Higashino Makoto standing in front of her, much shorter than herself. She immediately held her head and squatted down defensively, screaming loudly, "Ah! Don't hit me, I surrender!"
Higashino Makoto thought about it for a moment, then still added a punch to her head—after all, there had to be gender equality.
The dark, stocky boy named Iwazetsu endured the intense pain and struggled to stand up. His body trembled like a motor, but his mouth still stubbornly held on. "Damn it. I didn't expect the enemy to be this strong. I'm the dignified Hokage."
Higashino Makoto was moved by his professional dedication. "You're really that immersed, huh, brother? That said, if the Hokage were as weak as you, Konohagakure would really be finished."
"Don't underestimate my dream, bastard. I'm a man who's determined to become the Hokage."
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