The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the leaves in a golden hue.
In his forge, Kazuki continued working on puppet mechanisms, his hands moving with precision. The special order for Tsunade was already completed, but he decided to deliver it at another time.
Though he had not spoken to Tsunade today, Kazuki could tell she was in a foul mood. Ever since she returned from the Hokage Building yesterday, her demeanor had been off. She hid it well, as expected of a Sannin, but Kazuki noticed the subtle signs—her usual visits to the casino had ceased for the past two days. That alone was enough for him to conclude that something was bothering her.
He didn't ask what it was. Tsunade was the Princess of Konoha—was there really anything she couldn't handle?
"Ding, ding, dong, dong!"
The rhythmic sound of hammering echoed through the forging room.
"I'm back!"
The front door swung open as Tenten's energetic voice rang out. No one answered.
Kazuki was still deep in his work, and with his parents out, the shop was left unattended.
"My brother's in the forge. Go ahead and sit in the living room—I'll call him."
Tenten understood the importance of the forging room. While Might Guy and Lee weren't exactly strangers, she knew better than to let them step inside without permission.
"Hey, brother! Brother!"
She called out loudly at the door, refraining from entering.
"Mr. Guy, Lee, and Neji are here to see you!"
The rhythmic hammering paused briefly.
"I got it. Keep them company for now—I'll be there once I finish up."
Kazuki resumed his forging. Normally, he would use his personal forging space, but working in the family's expanded forge kept up appearances. If he kept pulling weapons out of nowhere, people might start asking questions.
Besides, this forge was something his parents had built for him—it was their way of supporting his craft. Working here gave them peace of mind.
From outside, Tenten called again, her voice laced with concern.
"Make sure to shower before coming out! You've been in there all day, and your clothes are filthy. Just toss them in the laundry room—I'll wash them later!"
"Alright, got it."
With that, the hammering resumed.
Half an hour later, Kazuki finally wrapped up his work. He took a quick shower, changed into fresh clothes, and made his way to the living room.
"Yo, hey, everyone."
Might Guy, Lee, and Neji were seated, waiting for him.
"Kazuki! You've grown taller again!" Guy laughed, giving him a once-over.
"Big Brother Kazuki, long time no see!" Lee greeted him with his usual enthusiasm.
Neji, the most reserved of the three, simply nodded. "It's been a while."
Lee, never one to hold back, got straight to the point. "I heard from Guy-sensei that you just got back from an S-rank mission and are on leave! How was it? Were S-rank missions really that difficult?"
Kazuki chuckled but gave a serious response. "S-rank missions are no joke, Lee. They're extremely dangerous, and you should never underestimate them."
Seeing Lee's excitement, he softened his tone. "I was lucky this time. My team in Anbu worked together, and that's the only reason we pulled it off."
"Lucky?" A skeptical voice cut in.
"Lee, don't listen to his humility!" Guy declared, crossing his arms with pride. "Kazuki isn't just any ninja—he's the captain of his Anbu squad! His team is one of the strongest!"
Lee's eyes sparkled with admiration. "I won't lose to you, Big Brother Kazuki! I'll train even harder!"
"Good! Then run 500 laps around Konoha—upside down—every day!" Guy instructed with his usual over-the-top enthusiasm.
"Yes, Guy-sensei!" Lee responded with fiery determination.
Meanwhile, Neji's sharp eyes studied Kazuki. "Captain of an Anbu squad… Kazuki is already at that level?"
Kazuki simply laughed, saying nothing.
Might Guy laughed and added, "The captain of an Anbu squad must have the strength of a Jonin to hold that position."
"In addition to being in the Anbu, Kazuki's treatment in Konoha is almost the same as mine!"
Neji Hyuga was startled.
He knew Kazuki was strong… but this strong? He couldn't believe it.
"Guy-sensei is joking. How could I be on equal footing with you, Sensei?"
Kazuki chuckled.
He would never forget the bond between Might Guy and his students.
"Guy-sensei, Lee… and Neji, it's been a while. You guys wait here for a moment. I'll go out and buy some good food—we should have a proper chat!"
Saying that, Kazuki stood up.
When guests visited, he couldn't just let them sit idly.
Especially since Might Guy had given him so much—training him in the Eight Gates!
"Hahaha, no need, Kazuki!"
"We didn't come here to eat!"
"Lee and I haven't seen you in a long time, so we came to check in. Besides, Lee wants you to give him some pointers on his training."
"Guy-sensei, I…" Rock Lee hesitated, worried he might trouble Kazuki.
Kazuki smiled. "Of course!"
Before Lee could say anything, Kazuki had already agreed.
"It'll be a good chance to see how much Lee has improved!"
"Then shall we head out now?"
After a moment, Kazuki suggested, "How about Training Ground 1?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Might Guy, Rock Lee, and Neji fell silent.
Meanwhile, Tenten lowered her head slightly.
"…What's wrong?"
"Training Ground 1 isn't available," Lee replied hesitantly. "Lady Tsunade and Tenten… destroyed it yesterday."
"Uh…"
Hearing that, Kazuki turned toward Tenten.
She had already looked away, avoiding his gaze.
"…It wasn't my fault. I tried to stop her! But Tsunade-sensei wouldn't listen…"
Tenten muttered, her head still lowered.
"Uh… then how about Training Ground 2?"
"The Academy's graduation exams are coming up," Neji chimed in.
"Training Grounds 2 and 3 are occupied by students preparing for their final tests."
"Then…" Kazuki hesitated.
"We should go to the Forest of Death outside Konoha," Might Guy suggested. "No one will disturb us there—it's a great place for training!"
"Wait a second!" Neji stood up abruptly. "The Forest of Death is full of dangerous creatures. That place isn't safe!"
"It's fine. We'll train there," Kazuki said with a smile, finalizing the location.
Danger?
With both Kazuki and Might Guy—two elite Jonin—watching over them, what could possibly go wrong for Tenten and Lee?
"Yeah! Let's listen to Big Brother Kazuki!"
Rock Lee, excited that Kazuki had agreed to train him, ignored Neji's concerns entirely.
And as for Tenten…
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