Hyūga Neji narrowed his sharp, pale eyes as he observed the situation. His gaze swept over the civilians and the struggling drunks, and then settled on the familiar figure standing beside him. His brows furrowed as he processed the words that had just been spoken.
"Shouta Kazuki... What do you mean by this?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of restrained curiosity mixed with caution.
The young man in question, Shouta Kazuki, merely smiled—a chilling, almost playful curve of his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes. His grip on Neji's arm was firm but not forceful, as if silently urging him to stay put.
"It's simple," Shouta replied smoothly, his tone calm but edged with something dangerous. "You're a ninja now, Neji. That means there are certain lines you can't cross—rules that bind you. Konoha's laws forbid shinobi from attacking ordinary civilians, no matter how much they deserve it." His smile widened, though his eyes darkened. "But me? I'm just a student at the Academy. I'm not a ninja yet."
He let those words linger in the air for a moment, letting their implications sink in. Then, in a tone far colder, he added, "Which means if I break a few bones, it's not against the rules."
A murmur rippled through the group. Even Neji, who was normally composed, was taken aback. He had expected Shouta to be angered, perhaps even to step in—but this level of ruthless calculation? It was something else entirely.
The drunken men who had been jeering and laughing moments ago were sobering up quickly as they caught the dark gleam in Shouta's eyes. But before they could react—
BANG!
One of them was sent flying across the street, tumbling several feet before landing in a crumpled heap. The onlookers gasped.
Shouta had barely moved. Just a single, well-placed kick.
The unfortunate drunk groaned, clutching his ribs, but before he could even process the pain—
BOOM!
Shouta was already upon him again. He used the Body Flicker Technique to reappear beside the man in an instant, his foot already descending.
CRACK!
The unmistakable sound of bone snapping filled the air. A howl of agony tore from the man's throat as he writhed on the ground, his leg twisted unnaturally. His hands clutched at the mangled limb, his face contorted in sheer horror.
"My leg... my leg...!!! Someone, help!!!" he wailed, tears streaming down his face.
Shouta leaned down slightly, his expression completely unbothered as he tilted his head. "Huh? It hurts, doesn't it?" His voice was almost casual, as if he were merely discussing the weather. "But that's strange. Didn't you enjoy hurting others just a few minutes ago?"
The man's screams only grew louder. "I-I was wrong! Please—no more! I won't do it again! I swear!!!"
But Shouta merely scoffed, pressing his foot down harder. "Sober now, are you?" He feigned curiosity, his grip tightening. "I bet you regret your words, huh? Calling my friends 'monsters' so easily."
The man whimpered, nodding frantically. "Y-Yes! Yes! I regret it! I—"
"Oh, but it's too late for regrets," Shouta cut in, his voice dropping to a whisper. Then, with one final downward stomp—
SNAP!
His other leg broke just as brutally. The shriek that followed was ear-piercing.
The other drunks stood frozen, their faces ashen. Whatever intoxication had clouded their judgment before was long gone now, replaced by sheer, unadulterated terror.
Shouta finally stepped back, turning to look at the remaining men, his expression as cool as ever.
"Next?" he asked simply.
For a few seconds, no one moved. The sheer dominance in his stance, the cold finality of his actions—it paralyzed them.
Then Uchiha Sasuke stepped forward, flipping the kunai in his hand before tucking it away. His dark eyes held a new glint of approval as he cracked his knuckles. "No need for weapons," he muttered. "Hand-to-hand is enough."
"Couldn't agree more," Shouta replied.
One by one, the rest of the group moved forward, their previous hesitations dissolving. Yamanaka Ino, who had been watching with wide eyes, suddenly found herself mesmerized. The raw confidence, the absolute authority Shouta had displayed—it sent her heart racing.
'If I were in danger... would he protect me like that?' she wondered, a faint blush creeping onto her face.
Meanwhile, Hyūga Hinata, who had been silent all this time, clenched her fists. For once, she felt no fear. The sight of Naruto lying injured had been too much. Her Byakugan activated, and with newfound determination, she stepped into the fray.
Inuzuka Kiba let out an excited growl, Akamaru barking in agreement. "Time to teach these bastards a lesson!"
Akimichi Chōji popped the last potato chip from his bag into his mouth. "Let's hurry up and finish this. I'm starving."
Nara Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he finally joined them. "This is way too much trouble... but I guess that's what friends are for."
And then the chaos began.
Fists flew. Feet slammed into ribs. The drunken men barely had time to register what was happening before they were being systematically dismantled. Some tried to run—but before they could, Tenten's well-aimed kunai pinned their sleeves to nearby walls.
Haruno Sakura, meanwhile, watched Sasuke from the sidelines, fuming.
"How dare they dodge when Sasuke-kun is punching them?! That's so rude!!!" she muttered, clenching her fists.
Aburame Shino, as usual, was the quietest of them all. His kikaichū bugs skittered along his arms, darting into the fray at just the right moments to inflict extra pain.
Within minutes, the battle was over. The drunkards lay scattered across the ground, moaning and groaning in agony. Shouta stood at the center of it all, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he spoke.
"Remember this lesson." His voice was calm, but his eyes carried a warning. "If I ever hear any of you call Naruto or Hinata monsters again... I won't be so forgiving next time."
The weight of his words settled over the broken men like a heavy blanket.
And with that, Shouta Kazuki turned on his heel, gesturing for the others to follow.
"Now then," he said, as if nothing had happened. "Let's go eat."
4o