At the barbecue restaurant, Kazuyama and Pakura were going wild devouring meat.
"Hahahaha! As expected, barbecue is so much better when eaten with a beautiful woman!"
"S...sh..."
"Boss, two more bottles of sake!"
Pakura shook her head at the sight of Kazuyama's flushed, smug face. They'd barely started eating, and the brat already wanted to drink.
How could he even think about drinking? He wasn't old enough!
When Pakura pointed this out, Kazuyama smirked. "Underage? Oh, please! I'm taller lying down than you are standing up!"
For a moment, Pakura froze, staring at his infuriating grin. Then, with a snap of realization, she nearly lunged at him to wring his neck. Furious, she decided she didn't care anymore—if he wanted to drink himself into trouble, so be it.
The frustrating part was that Kazuyama didn't even look underage, even though he wasn't yet 16. If no one revealed his secret, no one would guess he was still a minor.
After eating to their heart's content, Kazuyama—being the self-proclaimed responsible one—went to pay the bill. But when he reached into his pocket...
Oh no. No money.
He suddenly remembered he hadn't exchanged the Gold Dust yet. Neither of them had a single coin on them.
"Um, boss, wait a second..." Kazuyama's carefree mood vanished as he wilted under the owner's piercing gaze. Panicking, he pulled Pakura aside.
"Pakura, do you still have any money?"
"No, I spent it all on the bags and scrolls."
That answer hit him like a bucket of cold water. "What do we do? I got so excited I forgot we haven't exchanged the money yet. All we have is a bag of Gold Dust..."
"We can't pay with Gold Dust!" Pakura hissed, now glaring at him.
This idiot—he brought her to dinner with no money? Wasn't he just scamming her?
Kazuyama, still trying to keep his cool, turned back to the owner. "Well, uh, boss, can I put this up as collateral and let her go home to get the money?"
It wasn't that Kazuyama didn't think about running, but this was a barbecue joint in the heart of Konohagakure. If he tried to skip out on the bill, the Uchiha Police Force would be knocking on his door before he even made it home.
The owner, unimpressed, crossed his arms. "Huh? Fine. But you've got half an hour. If she's not back by then, I'm calling the Police Force."
Kazuyama's face twitched. Damn it! Just as I thought—they always call the Police Force!
He clenched his fists, inwardly cursing the Uchiha clan. Those guys are so annoying!
"Pakura! I'm counting on you! Go get the money from Aunt Ebisami!"
"I'll wait for you!"
Pakura nodded and bolted for the door.
The owner chuckled, leaning against the counter. "Kid, is she your girlfriend? She's pretty." Then, smirking, he added, "You're pretty awesome too, bringing your girlfriend to dinner without any money. What were you thinking?"
Kazuyama froze under the boss's teasing and flushed with embarrassment. He'd been so thrilled earlier that he completely forgot about the money. Now, all he could do was rely on Pakura.
As soon as she left the restaurant, Pakura sprinted straight toward Kazuyama's residence, not daring to slow down. However, upon arriving, she found the house empty.
"Aunt Ebisami!" she called out, searching from room to room. "Aunt Ebisami!"
She stopped in frustration, her hands clenched into fists. "Where could she have gone at this hour!"
With no one home, Pakura felt desperation creeping in. Determined, she turned and dashed toward the Ninja Academy instead.
When she reached the Academy, she didn't waste a second and ran straight to the principal's office, panting heavily as she stood before Sakumo Hatake.
"Lord Sakumo... I have a favor to ask."
Sakumo raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion crossing his face. "I thought you were supposed to be looking after that kid Kazuyama? Why are you here? Did something happen to him?"
His gaze narrowed. "What about the rescue?"
Pakura blinked in confusion. "Rescue?"
Sakumo grinned mischievously. "No? Well, if he were really in danger, coming to me would be useless, right? Or are you asking me to give him a quick death instead?"
The man chuckled at his own joke, seemingly finding Kazuyama's predicament hilarious.
Pakura's face darkened as she listened.
Was this really Sakumo Hatake, the feared Konoha White Fang? How did someone so legendary become so... unkempt when it came to Kazuyama?
Unbeknownst to her, the blame lay squarely with Kazuyama. Once a high-ranking figure respected throughout the ninja world, Sakumo had been reduced to this after enduring countless pranks from the boy, including the infamous One Thousand Years of Death. Even a man of his temperament had his limits.
"Okay, okay, I'm just joking," Sakumo said, still smirking. "What happened? It must be something serious for you to come find me yourself."
Pakura quickly recounted the situation, explaining how Kazuyama had taken her out for barbecue with no money to pay.
By the end of her story, Sakumo was doubled over in laughter. "Hahaha! That little brat! Taking you out to eat without paying—what was he thinking?" He wiped a tear from his eye. "Did he hit his head too hard while in the hospital?"
It took him nearly half a minute to stop laughing. Finally, he sighed, shaking his head. "Good thing I never leave the house without some cash. Otherwise, that little brat would already be hauled off by the Uchiha gang."
He pulled out 50,000 ryo and handed it to Pakura. "This should cover it. Go quickly and get him out of there. Hahaha!"
Pakura accepted the money gratefully, thanked Sakumo, and rushed out of the Academy toward the barbecue restaurant.
By the time she arrived, half an hour had already passed.
A small crowd had gathered outside the restaurant, drawn by the commotion. Among them were two figures with the unmistakable Uchiha fan emblem on their backs.
"So, he ate a free meal and let his companion leave?"
"Yes."
"How much did he eat?"
"45,700 ryō."
"Wow, I didn't realize it was that much."
Kazuyama was in a bad spot now. Despite his explanations, the shopkeeper had called the Uchiha Police Force the moment the half-hour passed.
By sheer bad luck, the ones who showed up were none other than Ao and Muren Uchiha—the very same people he had thrown into the women's bathhouse not long ago.
The moment they locked eyes, sparks flew. The Uchiha duo's expressions darkened, and their simmering grudge practically radiated off them. Kazuyama felt his heart throb uneasily.
"I didn't skip out on the bill. She really did go to get the money," he explained, keeping his tone civil. "Let's wait a little longer, okay?"
His attitude remained polite, but Ao and Muren weren't about to let it slide.
"Hmph! Everyone who skips out on the bill says that!" Ao sneered.
"Let's go, Kazuyama. Come to the Police Force with us," Muren added with a smirk.
Kazuyama's hands itched to fight, but he needed to stall for time. He had to trust that Pakura would come through for him.
He straightened up and said, "Don't worry, Ao, Muren. How about a bet?"
"A bet?" Ao frowned.
"Exactly," Kazuyama said, flashing a confident grin. "I bet my family will send the money within 10 minutes. If I lose, I'll go to the Police Force with you and take whatever punishment you decide. But if I win, you take one of my moves. Just Taijutsu, nothing else."
Ao and Muren exchanged looks, their eyes gleaming with vindictive glee. They didn't believe for a second that Kazuyama's family would show up in time.
"Fine, we'll take your bet."
"10 minutes. If no one comes, you'll get a taste of Uchiha punishment!"
The two were already savoring their imagined revenge, thinking about how satisfying it would be to humiliate Kazuyama.
"Sorry, you've already lost your be.!"
"I'm back!"
A cold female voice cut through the noise, coming from behind the crowd. Pakura, her face like ice, was striding quickly toward the entrance of the barbecue restaurant.
She hadn't expected the two Uchihas to stir up trouble during the brief moment she stepped out to get money. That smug grin—did he seriously think she didn't notice it?
"Ah! Pakura! You're finally back!"
Kazuyama Gekkō lit up instantly upon seeing her, his entire demeanor shifting. Without wasting a moment, Pakura handed 50,000 ryo to the restaurant owner, who carefully counted it before giving her the change.
With the coins now in her hand, Pakura turned her piercing gaze toward Ao Uchiha and Muren Uchiha.
"Now that you've lost, isn't it time you accepted your punishment?"
"Kazuyama Gekkō! One Thousand Years of Death!"
Kazuyama's grin widened as Pakura's words gave him the green light. He started rolling his wrists as he advanced on the two Uchihas, clearly enjoying the moment.
Pakura, you're absolutely right, he thought to himself. After spending so much time around me, you know exactly how my mind works!
"You'll see!"
He cracked his knuckles with an air of mischief. "I've mastered the secret technique of Konoha's White Fang, and I guarantee they won't be forgetting this anytime soon!"
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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