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Kaito stepped into the alley, his presence unnoticed by the kids as they prepared to throw more stones. His gaze flicked to the injured bird, its small body trembling, barely able to move.
"Hey."
His voice was sharp, cutting through their laughter. The kids froze, turning to face him. One of them, a boy with messy brown hair and a smug grin, scoffed. "What? You wanna throw some rocks too?"
Kaito didn't answer. He simply walked past them, crouching down beside the bird. Up close, he could see its rapid breathing, its dark eyes flickering with fear.
"The hell are you doing?" another kid sneered. "It's just a dumb bird."
Kaito ignored them again and slowly reached for the bird. The little thing snapped its beak at his finger before he could even get close.
Kaito pulled his hand back, eyeing the bird carefully. "Feisty, huh?" He tried again, this time moving slower, but the bird bit back again, clearly not trusting him. Kaito sighed, eyeing the bird's desperate struggle. Even in its weakened state, it still had enough fight left in it to resist.
"Stubborn little guy, huh?" he muttered.
The kids behind him snickered. "See? It doesn't want your help."
Kaito ignored them. Instead of reaching again, he simply sat still, letting the injured bird adjust to his presence. Its dark eyes darted between him and the others, still filled with fear.
"I'm not here to hurt you," he said softly.
A tense moment passed. The bird's trembling slowed, just a little. Kaito reached out once more, slower this time. The bird flinched but didn't bite. "That's it…"
He carefully scooped it into his hands, mindful of its broken wing. Its body was warm, fragile. Kaito barely had any medical experience yet, but he knew one thing—if he left it here, it wouldn't survive the night.
The kids, who had been watching with mild amusement, suddenly scowled.
"Oi, what do you think you're doing?" one of them sneered, stepping forward.
"Taking the bird," Kaito said flatly, standing up.
The tallest of the three scoffed, cracking his knuckles. "That bird's ours. We found it first."
Kaito's eyes flicked between them, sizing them up. Their stance was all wrong—too stiff, too uncertain. They weren't ninja, just regular kids looking for trouble. He didn't want to waste his time on this, but if they forced his hand, he wouldn't hesitate.
Kaito looked at them, expression unreadable. He adjusted his grip on the bird, his other hand slipping into his pocket.
"You threw rocks at it," he said, voice calm, almost bored. "And now you want it back? What, planning to finish the job?"
The tallest kid scoffed. "So what? It's just a dumb bird."
Kaito tilted his head slightly. "And you're just a dumb kid. Guess that makes it fair."
The boy's face twisted in anger. "What'd you just say?"
Kaito met his glare, completely unfazed. "You heard me."
A tense silence followed. The two other boys exchanged glances before smirking. "You got a real mouth on you," one of them sneered. "Think you're tough or something?"
Kaito glanced down at the bird in his hands, then back at them. "Tough enough to handle a few nobodies."
That did it.
Instantly, the tall kid at the front charged at Kaito, swinging a wild punch straight for his face.
Kaito didn't move at first, letting the fist get close—too close. Then, at the last second, he shifted just enough for it to graze past his cheek. Before the kid could pull back, Kaito drove his elbow straight into his ribs. A sharp exhale of pain escaped the boy's mouth, his body folding slightly from the impact.
With his free hand still cradling the injured bird against his chest, Kaito stepped in and yanked the kid forward by the collar—then snapped his knee up. The sickening crack of bone meeting bone filled the alley as the kid's nose exploded in pain. He barely had time to stumble back before Kaito shoved him aside into the garbage.
The other two hesitated for half a second...just long enough for Kaito to decide who was next.
The one on the right had his fists up but was stiff, scared.Kaito didn't give him time to think. He shot forward, ducked under the pathetic excuse for a punch, and slammed a brutal leg kick into the kid's thigh. His opponent barely had time to react before Kaito followed up with another, targeting the same spot. A strangled gasp left the boy's lips as his leg buckled, but Kaito wasn't done.
He held the kid by the collar, yanking him forward, and drove his forehead into his face. Another pained cry. Another body collapsing to the ground.
The last one tried to back away. Kaito turned to him slowly, rolling his shoulder. "Going somewhere?"
The kid flinched, then scowled, trying to save face. He let out a yell and rushed forward. This one was desperate, but desperation made people sloppy.
Kaito barely sighed before shifting to the side. As the boy rushed past, Kaito caught his wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, and pressed his shoulder forward. A sharp cry rang out as the kid's joints made an audible pop, " GWAHH! " the boy screamed.
Kaito leaned in slightly, his voice calm. "If you're gonna fight, at least try to land a hit."
With a dismissive shove, he released the hold, sending the last kid stumbling forward before he fell onto his hands and knees.
Silence. Just the sound of ragged breathing and pained groans.
Kaito ignored them and petted the bird on its head once more, adjusting it carefully in his arm. "Waste of time," he muttered, before walking past them without so much as a second glance.
Kaito walked out of the alleyway and headed straight home. He would have preferred to heal the bird right then and there, but if anyone was watching, it would be suspicious. For now, keeping a low profile was the priority.
Then again, beating up three kids in an alley wasn't exactly the best way to stay low-key. But it happened.
Plus, it was about time people started recognizing him. As long as he kept most of his jutsu and knowledge to himself, no one would get too suspicious.
The bird, however, was in critical condition. He used a bit of his Mystical Palm Jutsu to stop the bleeding and heal most of its wounds, but its wing was still bent at an awkward angle. If he wanted to fully heal it, he'd have to reset the bone first. That meant snapping it back into place before using his jutsu. Healing the wing at that angle would only cause it to heal incorrectly, permanently deforming the bird.
The bird ruffled slightly in Kaito's arms, already seeming more at ease now that its worst injuries were healed.
Kaito glanced down at it, inspecting the bird.' Isn't this a raven? ' He mused.
Ravens were known for their intelligence—some of the smartest birds in existence. They could use tools, plan ahead, solve complex problems, recognize individual faces, and even hold grudges. Their cognitive abilities were often compared to primates, and their complex communication included gestures and vocalizations. Some could even mimic human speech.
' If I could tame this raven… ' Kaito thought, an idea forming in his head. ' Maybe I could use it as a summon. '
But there was a problem—he didn't have a summoning contract, nor did he know the actual process to bind one. And even if he did, could a normal, non-chakra beast even be summoned?
' Hmm… I'll deal with that later, ' Kaito thought, pushing the idea aside for another day.
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Kaito stepped inside his apartment, shutting the door behind him. He moved straight to the small table and carefully set the injured bird down. It staggered to its feet, took a few slow steps, then turned to face him.
"Thank you, human," the raven said.
Kaito didn't react. No shock, no surprise—just a blank stare. "Oh. You can talk."
The raven tilted its head, seemingly intrigued by Kaito's lack of reaction.
"Yes. I can talk," it confirmed, ruffling its bloodied feathers. "And I must say, you're awfully calm for someone hearing a bird speak for the first time."
Kaito leaned back in his chair, propping an elbow on the table and resting his chin in his palm. His gaze stayed steady—calm, unreadable. "I've heard of summons before," he said. "So this isn't exactly shocking."
The raven let out a rough, scratchy sound—something close to a chuckle. " I didn't expect a kid like you to know about that."
Kaito shrugged. "They covered it in the Academy. Nothing complicated."
The bird glanced down at itself, then back at him. "Hmm… interesting."
Kaito sighed, already feeling the headache forming. "So, you gonna explain why a bunch of kids were trying to stone you to death, or is this just some kind of bad luck on your part?"
The raven ruffled its feathers, shifting its injured wing before locking eyes with Kaito. "I was searching for a contractor," it said plainly.
Kaito leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable. "Contractor?"
The bird gave a slow nod. "My family—our entire lineage—is bound to a tradition. When we reach a certain age, we are sent out into the world to find a contractor, someone worthy to form a summoning pact with us. We, the Ravens of the Black Veil, do not settle for the weak. I came here because I heard the Leaf Village had strong people."
Kaito hummed. "And instead, you got shot out of the sky with a rock."
The raven clicked its beak in what might have been irritation. "Yes. While I was flying over the village, I was searching for someone with power or potential. But before I could find such a person, a rock struck my wing, and I fell."
Kaito exhaled through his nose. "So why didn't you say something earlier? Instead of getting stomped on?"
The raven turned its head slightly. "I was hit in the throat. I couldn't speak."
Kaito blinked. "Then how are you talking now?"
The raven shifted, its sharp eyes studying him. "Because you healed me."
Kaito stilled.
"I felt it," the raven continued. "That warmth. That flow of chakra running through me. You used medical ninjutsu on me, didn't you?"
Kaito sighed, resting his cheek against his knuckles. "Yeah. I healed you while I was carrying you. Thought I'd at least make sure you wouldn't drop dead in my hands."
The raven was silent for a moment before bowing its head slightly. "I see. Then I owe you a debt, human. You saved my life."
Kaito's fingers tapped idly against the table. "You were already looking for a contractor, right? Maybe I just made your decision easier."
"Hmm... I suppose. Normally, we don't make contracts with kids. We prefer those who are already strong," the raven said, tilting its head. "But with your skills, there might be a chance. I'll have to speak with my elders and see if you're eligible."
"Alright," Kaito replied, indifferent. ' I've never heard of a raven summon before… I guess there really are more out there. But the real question is—are they even strong? ' He mused, while letting the bird test him he was assessing whether they were worth his time.
The raven gave a small nod. "What's your name?"
Kaito rested his chin on his hand. "Kaito," he said. "You?"
The bird puffed out its chest, feathers flaring. "Deimos," it said, full of pride.
Kaito gave a small nod, his eyes dropping to Deimos' injured wing. "Want me to fix that?"
Deimos perked up, nodding fast. "Yes… it hurts a lot," he muttered weakly.
Kaito chuckled, gripping the wing. "This is gonna hurt. Bite down or something," he warned. "I'll count down—"
Before he could finish, he snapped the wing back into place.
"CWAAAHHHHH!!!" Deimos shrieked, flapping his now-set wing wildly. "You didn't have to do that!" he grumbled.
Kaito leaned back with a sigh. "Better when you don't see it coming."
Kaito placed his hand over the Deimos's wing, his chakra flaring to life as a soft green glow chakra covered the area of injury. A moment later, the broken wing was mended, good as new.
"There. Should be fine now," he said, pulling his hand back.
Deimos stretched his wing, giving it a few test flaps. "Hmph… yeah, much better," he admitted. "You might be a worthy human after all." He turned toward the open window leading to the balcony, ruffling his feathers. "Well then, I'm off. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you."
Kaito smirked. "Please do."
With a final flick of his wings, Deimos shot out the window and disappeared into the sky.
The moment he was gone, Kaito's smirk faded. He exhaled through his nose and pushed himself up from the table. His gaze dropped to his arm, smeared with blood from Deimos.
"…Guess I should take a shower and make dinner... "
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