At that moment, the final test-taker completed their assessment.
"Alright, then it's my turn," Kazuki said with a confident smile. His gaze shifted to Neji Hyuga and Rock Lee before he added, "You two don't rush off after the exam. Once it's done, let's grab some barbecue together—Guy-sensei is treating us!"
Neji and Lee both nodded in agreement.
Might Guy clutched his head dramatically and wailed, "Oh no! Why am I the one paying again?"
Kazuki chuckled and looked directly at him. "Guy-sensei, as a Jōnin, would you really make a few kids who aren't even full-fledged shinobi pay for their own meal? Imagine what people would say—it'd be embarrassing!"
Might Guy's eye twitched.
(Disciple, don't you feel even a little guilty saying that?)
If they were talking about wealth, even ten of him wouldn't match Kazuki! The missions he had worked so hard to complete for months didn't earn as much as a single piece of ore Kazuki casually purchased.
(He's loaded, and he still makes me pay for dinner? This feels like a scam…)
For the first time, Might Guy truly realized—
(Having a smart disciple has its downsides. Even as their sensei, if you're not careful, you'll get played!)
"Fine, fine! I'll treat you all today!" he declared with a dramatic thumbs-up, his usual enthusiasm returning.
Might Guy was a generous person at heart. A barbecue dinner wasn't a big deal to him, as long as his students were happy.
Kazuki entered the examination room and breezed through the assessment with ease.
Once the exam was over, the five of them—Kazuki, Might Guy, Neji, Lee, and Tenten—headed to the barbecue restaurant as planned.
As expected, the meal was amazing.
Even Kazuki had to admit—
(After all these years of traveling with Guy-sensei, trying food from various places, Konoha's barbecue and ramen are still unbeatable!)
Truly, the world of Naruto had its own food gods.
After passing the Ninja Academy graduation exam, Kazuki received his Konoha forehead protector.
Following their earlier agreement, the group walked toward the barbecue restaurant together.
As he strolled through the familiar streets of Konoha, Kazuki couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia.
(After four years away, I'm finally back.)
It was no wonder that other nations coveted the Land of Fire. In terms of climate, agriculture, and overall livability, it was the most prosperous and abundant region.
After years of experience outside the village, Kazuki had matured greatly.
Now twelve years old, his once-childish features had sharpened, revealing strikingly refined looks. His eyebrows were sword-like, his deep-set eyes held an intensity akin to obsidian, and his high-bridged nose and sharp jawline gave him an almost sculpted appearance. His long black hair was tied high into a ponytail, complemented by a white feather-patterned haori, silver-white boots, and a white jade crown.
His entire demeanor radiated an aristocratic elegance, exuding an effortless charm.
As Kazuki walked alongside Might Guy, Neji, Lee, and Tenten, his presence did not go unnoticed.
Unbeknownst to him, his return had caused quite a stir in the village.
Throughout the streets, young girls turned their heads, their eyes locking onto him.
"Whoa! That guy is insanely handsome!"
"Oh my god, where did he come from?! He's almost too good-looking!"
"Wait… isn't that Neji from the Hyuga clan beside him? I never thought I'd see someone outshine Neji in looks!"
Excited murmurs and whispers filled the air, with the occasional squeal from a particularly bold admirer.
Kazuki, unfazed, smiled and greeted familiar villagers as he passed.
At that moment, inside Yamanaka Flowers, Ino Yamanaka was tending to the shop when she overheard the commotion outside.
Curious, she looked up—only to catch a glimpse of Kazuki's profile as he walked past.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Whoa… that guy is gorgeous! He's totally my type!"
Ino clasped her hands together, practically swooning on the spot.
Her exclamation caught the attention of her teammates, Shikamaru and Chōji, who were also in the shop helping out.
Shikamaru sighed. "Seriously? Weren't you obsessed with Sasuke just a moment ago?"
"How could Sasuke ever compare to him? If I could be with this guy, Sasuke would probably just hand Sakura his forehead protector!" Ino said, crossing her arms with a smug look on her face.
"Yeah… what a drag," Shikamaru muttered, yawning in boredom, his expression exasperated.
"No way! I can't miss this chance to meet this handsome guy!" Ino's eyes lit up with excitement. She quickly grabbed a basket of flowers and dashed out of the shop.
"Huh? Where's she running off to?" Choji asked, pausing as he crunched on a potato chip.
Shikamaru sighed and shook his head.
"What else? She's obviously trying to start a conversation."
"Hey, handsome! Would you like a bouquet? Our flower shop is running a special promotion today. You can get a bunch of your favorite flowers for free~"
Yamanaka Ino's pale blonde hair swayed as she smiled radiantly, her confidence shining through.
"This one, then," the young man, Kazuki, said.
Ino blinked in surprise. The flowers he picked were… cosmos?
Wait a second—her favorite flowers were cosmos. Was this just a coincidence?
"You don't like my choice?" Kazuki asked with a teasing smile.
Snapping out of her daze, Ino quickly shook her head.
"No, no! Of course not! Here you go!" she said, handing him the bouquet a little too quickly.
Curiosity got the better of her.
"How… how did you choose these flowers?"
Kazuki's smile remained gentle.
"Because I think they're beautiful and have a wonderful meaning."
The meaning of cosmos… a pure and sincere heart.
Ino's face flushed slightly.
Why does it feel like I just got confessed to by accident…?
Kazuki then asked,
"Does your family's shop deliver? I'd like to have flowers sent to my home weekly."
"Yes!" Ino responded eagerly.
Wait, if he orders flowers, that means… I can find out where he lives! And maybe I'll see him again later… Ohoho, what a golden opportunity!
"This is my address. I'll be looking forward to your flowers. Thank you, Ino san."
Kazuki handed her a slip of paper with his address, his demeanor graceful and refined.
Ino quickly grasped the note like it was a rare treasure.
"Got it!" she said, beaming.
As Kazuki walked away, Ino stood there giggling to herself—until realization struck her like a kunai to the forehead.
Wait, wait…
That guy… how did he know my name?!
Kazuki had returned to Konoha just in time for the Ninja Academy's graduation exams. He passed with ease, earning his Konoha forehead protector.
His family was ecstatic, especially his parents and Tenten's. Their excitement was practically boundless.
Even at their family's weapons shop, Kazuki's father, Takeshi, couldn't stop boasting to every ninja who walked in.
"My son and daughter are both officially shinobi now! Isn't that amazing?" he would say, his pride practically radiating off him.
Kazuki and Tenten exchanged helpless glances but decided to let their parents have their moment. After all, seeing them this happy was rare.
Meanwhile, news of Kazuki's return spread fast. It wasn't long before Naruto and Hinata heard about it.
The very next morning, Naruto, brimming with excitement, skipped class entirely and rushed straight to Kazuki's house.
"Big Bro Kazuki! Big Bro Kazuki! You're back, right?!" Naruto's loud voice echoed through the house.
Still half-asleep, Kazuki stepped out of his room, rubbing his eyes.
"It's way too early for this, Naruto… you sure have a lot of energy."
"Of course! Tell me, tell me! What kind of crazy stuff did you see while training outside?" Naruto asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Did you meet a guy with six arms? Or someone with four legs? Or maybe even a two-headed monster?! Do those things actually eat people?!"
Kazuki: "…"
What kind of insane stories is he imagining…?
But then he thought back.
Actually… he had encountered a guy with six arms. And another with four legs. And even someone with two heads.
Maybe Naruto wasn't entirely off the mark…
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