When Ebisami and Pakura returned home, they were shocked by the scene before them.
In the courtyard, Kazuyama had hung Hayate from the branches of a tree, and the boy was swinging wildly.
"Put me down, you evil older brother!"
"I'll tell on you when Aunt Ebisami and Sister Pakura get back!"
With his back to the door, Kazuyama scoffed.
"Hmph! Kid, I'm your older brother, and you know what they say—an older brother is like a father."
"I will fix you, that's for sure."
"And you dare to tattle on me? Fine, you want to experience sleeping with a snake? Don't worry, it's completely harmless!"
Biting his finger, Kazuyama swiftly formed a hand seal and slammed his palm onto the ground.
"Summoning Technique!"
Boom!
A cloud of white smoke appeared, revealing a green snake slowly coiling up from the ground.
Seeing the creature emerge, Hayate's entire body tensed, and he screamed in pure terror.
"Aaaaaah! The devil is releasing a snake to eat his little brother! Help!!!"
Kazuyama, however, was momentarily stunned.
Wait… I was just trying to summon a small snake… but this is… a green snake?
Before he could react, the snake lifted its head and spoke.
"Ah, so this is the outside world? Just as Kinrin said."
"So, you're Kazuyama? Nice to meet you. I am Seirin, a highly poisonous bamboo-leaf green snake."
The one-meter-long serpent gracefully coiled itself, raising its head as it spoke in a calm, intelligent voice.
Hayate's reaction?
He fainted on the spot.
Seeing his younger brother in such a pitiful state, Kazuyama walked up and delivered a sharp slap to his butt.
"Ahhh! Brother, why did you hit me?!"
"It hurts!"
"The snake talked! It talked!"
Hayate, now awake, screamed again.
Before Kazuyama could say anything, Ebisami and Pakura—who had been watching from the door—could no longer stand it.
"You bastard, Kazuyama, what the hell are you doing?!"
Ebisami's furious yell made Kazuyama flinch. He quickly put on a smile and turned to explain.
"I'm training Hayate. He'll be going to school soon."
"You have to start young with this stuff!"
"Look, I even got a snake to keep him company."
"Seirin, introduce yourself."
Kazuyama frantically winked at the small serpent on the ground, causing everyone present to twitch.
"Hiss… I'm a snake, not a human. No need for introductions."
"Hmph, you can't trust a single word Kinrin says. Watch out, or I might just poison you."
Seirin shot Kazuyama a glare before slithering past him and moving toward Pakura.
"You have a different scent… is it Kekkei Genkai?"
"The scent of fire."
The snake flicked its tongue, studying Pakura closely.
A strange energy field suddenly surrounded her.
It was unlike anything she had ever encountered before—unfamiliar, yet undeniably powerful.
This caught Pakura a little off guard. A summoned beast that could talk was one thing—
but one that radiated this kind of presence?
That was something else entirely.
"Huh? Seirin, can you use Senjutsu?"
Kazuyama spoke, only to receive another glare from Seirin.
"Many snakes in Ryūchi Cave know Senjutsu. The one you're looking at is me—I just changed my form."
"If I reveal my true form, your little courtyard will be gone."
Kazuyama nodded at Seirin's words. After all, there were no truly small snakes in Ryūchi Cave. Shrinking was just a matter of using natural energy, something even the previous Manda had done before.
"Kazuyama, don't change the subject! Hurry up and put Hayate down."
As Ebisami and Pakura returned, Kazuyama knew he couldn't keep taking advantage of his younger brother. Reluctantly, he let him down from the tree.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Hayate bolted toward Aunt Ebisami and Sister Pakura.
"Aunt Ebisami! Sister Pakura! Help! My brother let the snake bite me!"
Kazuyama: Nonsense! It didn't even bite you!
Seirin: …I'm not even interested in biting him.
At Hayate's cries, Kazuyama didn't hesitate—he vanished in an instant with the Flying Thunder God Technique before he could be caught and "punished" for bullying his little brother.
There was no other choice. He had been caught red-handed.
"Seirin, can you teach me how to use natural energy?"
"I still can't use it properly."
Seirin coiled around Kazuyama's arm, shaking its snake head.
"No, you're human, after all. The Snake Princess told us about your situation. While you can condense natural energy, it'll take a long period of training before you can actually use it."
Kazuyama sighed. He really wanted to activate Sage Mode. That was Senjutsu! Just the thought of it was exhilarating!
"Fine. I didn't summon you to fight anyway—that's boring."
"I'm heading back now. Remember my name: Seirin. My specialty is poison. I'm a bamboo leaf green snake!"
The bamboo leaf green snake was venomous, and Seirin had also mastered Senjutsu energy, making him even more dangerous.
With a puff of smoke, Seirin vanished.
Kazuyama, on the other hand, activated his laid-back mode and strolled through the village streets.
As he walked, a voice suddenly called out from behind.
"Hey, you! Kazuyama!"
That familiar voice and tone—he didn't even need to think. It was from the Uchiha Clan.
Turning around, Kazuyama saw Fugaku Uchiha, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the hand of a pretty girl—his fiancée, Mikoto Uchiha.
"Huh? Fugaku, aren't you at the front line?"
"I just got back not long ago. What are you doing? Oh, right, here you go. Come back in a week."
Fugaku reluctantly handed over a red envelope.
Kazuyama opened it, eyes widening before he blurted out,
"Holy shit, you asshole's getting married?"
Fugaku's face immediately darkened.
"Mikoto, see what I mean? We shouldn't have called this asshole! Where's my sword? I'll just kill him!"
Maybe it was just natural antagonism, but Fugaku always lost his temper whenever he saw Kazuyama, and this time was no exception.
"Come on, Fugaku, last time in the Land of Grass, it was still Kazuyama who saved you. We should be grateful!"
"Although I do think he's an asshole. But one thing doesn't cancel out another."
Mikoto smiled, patting Fugaku's hand before turning to Kazuyama.
"Fugaku and I are getting married next week. I've already invited Pakura, so remember to come."
"Hmph!"
Fugaku snorted and nodded.
"Yes, Mikoto and I are getting married. I came back from the front lines especially for that."
Kazuyama stared at the loving couple in front of him, eyes nearly popping out of his head.
They're getting married? That's so… Well, actually, it's not that fast. Fugaku is quite a bit older than him and Minato
Thinking about it, the timing makes sense. In just two more years, the future wrinkle-faced kid will be born.
"Congratulations, Fugaku! It's in a week, right? I'll bring a present!"
Kazuyama was already thinking about what kind of wedding gift to get. There was no way he'd let this opportunity slip away.
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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