Letting the six little brats go off and play on their own, Kyusei sat down beside Uchiha Naoriki without the slightest bit of courtesy. At the same time, a beautiful calico cat jumped straight into Kyusei's arms.
"Didn't bring any catnip for you guys today."
Kyusei scratched the cat's chin, then casually reached into the bag in Naoriki's hand, pulled out a few dried fish, and held them up to the cat's mouth.
Watching Kyusei act exactly the same as ever, Naoriki said irritably,
"So what, bored out of your mind and thinking of switching careers to become a teacher?"
Naturally, Naoriki was referring to the group of kids nearby playing with the cats.
"Hmm… that's not impossible."
Kyusei actually put on a thoughtful expression.
"In the future, you can leave your kids to me, Naoriki."
Kyusei and Uchiha Naoriki were the classic no-fight-no-friends type.
Back when Kyusei first entered the Ninja Academy, he had arrogantly declared that he would be everyone's boss, which naturally sparked a lot of dissatisfaction.
As a result, Kyusei ended up beating everyone up at least once.
Some people submitted. Some were just along for the chaos and joined him.
But others resisted to the very end—and Uchiha Naoriki was their leader.
The two of them had been fighting since childhood.
Because of this relationship, the reputation of the younger generation of the Uchiha within Konoha actually improved quite a bit.
After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend—a universal truth.
The higher-ups of the Uchiha clan clearly noticed this too, so they allowed Naoriki to keep causing trouble with Kyusei and even focused on training him.
After all, fighting was fine—but how could the proud Uchiha clan afford to lose?
What should've been a complete background character ended up shining among the younger generation thanks to Kyusei's existence.
But beating Kyusei?
Still far from enough.
"You've got to be joking."
Naoriki snorted.
"If I left my future kids with you, would they even survive?"
"Huh?"
"You saying that really hurts my feelings."
Kyusei put on an exaggerated, wounded expression.
"Hmph, Uzumaki Kyusei."
"Just you wait."
"I won't lose to you forever."
Naoriki stood up, staring at the grinning red-haired boy.
"I've heard that line at least eight hundred times."
"Can't you come up with something new?"
Kyusei casually dug at his ear with his pinky, completely unconcerned.
Naoriki's face fell, and he snapped angrily,
"Just wait!"
"Next time!"
"Next time I'll definitely beat you!"
He threw the bag of dried fish straight into Kyusei's arms and stormed off.
"Naoriki, where are you going?"
Kyusei called after him.
"Training!"
"Don't come bother me!"
Naoriki didn't even turn his head as he left.
"Huh?"
"That's the first time I've ever seen Senior Naoriki like that."
Uchiha Obito, holding a little kitten, looked at Naoriki's retreating back in confusion.
As a member of the Uchiha clan, how could he not know about the clan's genius youth?
But the Naoriki he knew was always cold and unapproachable.
Seeing him leave in a huff completely shattered Obito's image of him.
"So that side of Senior Naoriki exists too…"
"Forget about that guy."
Kyusei raised the bag of dried fish and grinned at the kids.
"Alright, you little gremlins!"
"Come get your rations!"
"Ohhh!"
"Brother Kyusei is awesome! He even got dried fish from Senior Naoriki!"
Obito cheered and rushed over, grabbing a handful of dried fish.
But when he saw how crispy and fragrant they looked, he instinctively swallowed and tossed one straight into his own mouth.
"Meow meow meow!"
The little flower cat in Obito's arms stared at him angrily.
"Eww~~"
"Obito, you're actually stealing food from a cat."
Little Anko immediately mocked him.
"Idiot."
Kakashi glanced at him coldly.
"I—I—I was just tasting it for the cat!"
"What if it's not good?!"
Obito blushed and argued back.
"If you like dried fish, Obito, you can eat some later."
"After all, this was bought by Senior Naoriki for the cats."
Rin said kindly.
"Rin~~"
Obito looked at her with heartfelt gratitude.
Kyusei stroked the obedient calico cat in his arms with one hand and rested his chin on the other, watching the kids interact.
Kakashi looked annoyed on the surface, but Kyusei could clearly feel how relaxed he was inside.
This was probably the happiest period of Kakashi's entire life.
If things had followed the original path, Hatake Sakumo would have committed suicide not long from now.
But judging by Sakumo's current state, that likely wouldn't happen anymore.
Kyusei couldn't help but recall the time Sakumo had been ordered to stop him at the village gates.
The old Sakumo would've stopped him at all costs.
But this time, he hadn't.
Instead, he'd told him to go early and come back early.
Then he'd even knocked himself out to avoid the Third Hokage's punishment.
The future had already changed.
—
As the sun set, Kyusei walked through Konoha's streets with the group of kids.
After saying goodbye to Obito, who was heading home to eat his grandmother's cooking, Kyusei decided to treat the remaining kids to dinner and head back late.
"Brother Kyusei, are you hiding something?"
"Did you fight with Sister Kaoru?"
Even someone as dense as Anko had noticed something was off.
"Nonsense. Nothing like that."
"My relationship with Kaoru is great."
Kyusei poked Anko's forehead in dissatisfaction.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
An arm suddenly hooked around Kyusei's, the owner pretending to be displeased.
Kyusei looked at the blonde girl who had appeared out of nowhere, feeling slightly awkward.
"Of course I am. I'm telling the truth."
He said to the girl beside him.
"Eww~~"
"Brother Kyusei, that's so cheesy I can't stand it."
Anko made a dramatic face.
"Looking for a beating?"
"Don't run!"
"I'll let Brother Shishō teach you a proper lesson later!"
Kyusei grabbed Anko, pinching her cheeks and putting on a fierce expression.
"Im sowwy, I wus wong!"
Anko struggled helplessly, her apology completely garbled.
Kaoru watched Kyusei laughing and roughhousing with the kids, a gentle smile forming on her face.
Kyusei really seems to like children…
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