The Bonds Forged in Blood

The aftermath of the brawl was nothing short of brutal. The once-rowdy group of drunkards now lay sprawled across the ground, writhing in pain, their bodies marred with injuries that would take weeks—if not months—to fully heal. Each of them had suffered at least a broken leg, while many bore additional wounds: bruised ribs, shattered bones, and swollen faces. The most unfortunate of them all, the one who had the misfortune of being targeted by both Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, had suffered particularly severe injuries—six missing teeth, eight broken ribs, a fractured arm, and, of course, a shattered leg. The agony in his groans was a testament to the sheer ferocity of the beating he had endured.

Amidst the scattered bodies, the young shinobi-in-training stood together, their breathing still slightly ragged from the adrenaline coursing through their veins. Yet, despite the violence they had just engaged in, there was a strange feeling among them—a sense of exhilaration, of camaraderie that had never been so palpable before.

For many of them, this was their first real fight. Not just sparring matches at the academy or staged training sessions under their instructors, but a real battle where the consequences were tangible. Their fists had connected, their strength had been tested, and they had stood together, side by side, to protect one of their own.

Uzumaki Naruto, however, remained still, standing slightly apart from the group. He had not raised a hand against the drunkards, not because he wasn't angry, but because he couldn't bring himself to cross that line. Seeing the battered and broken men before him filled him with an unsettling mix of emotions—pity, guilt, and, more than anything, an overwhelming sense of gratitude. These people had stood up for him, fought for him, risked everything for him. His heart swelled at the thought.

"They... did this for me..." Naruto clenched his fists, his eyes stinging as an unfamiliar warmth spread through his chest. "They really see me as... a friend."

On the other side of the battlefield, Hyūga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten stood frozen, mouths slightly agape as they took in the scene before them. For years, they had known these kids as nothing more than fellow academy students, classmates who had yet to graduate. But now, after witnessing the sheer ruthlessness of their actions, Neji couldn't help but feel as if the roles had been reversed.

"Are we really the graduates here?" Neji thought, his pale eyes scanning the faces of the younger students, each of whom carried themselves with a confidence that was, quite frankly, terrifying. "They're just academy students… yet they fight like true shinobi."

Unlike their own missions—which mostly consisted of mundane tasks like finding lost pets, pulling weeds, and running errands—these kids had faced actual combat and acted with an unwavering decisiveness that was far beyond their years.

And at the center of it all stood Kazuki Shouta, a faint smirk playing at the edges of his lips. He looked over the battlefield like a general surveying the aftermath of war, satisfaction gleaming in his sharp eyes. This... this was exactly what he had wanted. A tightly bonded unit, a force that moved together as one, unafraid to spill blood for the sake of their comrades.

Lowering his gaze to his friends, Shouta chuckled. "So? Did you all enjoy the fight?" he asked, his voice light but carrying a dangerous edge.

Sasuke was the first to respond, his breath still slightly ragged, but his face alight with exhilaration. "Hmph. It was hardly a challenge," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. But the spark in his eyes betrayed him. He had enjoyed every second of it.

For some reason, the battle had reminded him of something Shouta had once sung—a strange, foreign song that had stuck with him.

"I am the most powerful person in the world, and I am admired by everyone—"

A smirk crept onto Sasuke's lips. "Heh. Sure enough, I am a superstar in troubled times."

Lost in his thoughts, Sasuke casually tilted his head back, his sharp gaze lifting toward the sky at a perfect forty-five-degree angle. It was a pose that radiated an undeniable sense of arrogance and confidence—the undeniable presence of an Uchiha king.

Naruto, noticing this, scowled and immediately bounded up to him. "Oi, you're doing that arrogant pose again, bastard!" he huffed, folding his arms. "But… since you actually stood up for me today, I guess I can reluctantly admit that we're friends." He grinned wide.

Sasuke scoffed but didn't deny it.

Meanwhile, Neji's sharp gaze found Shouta's once more. His expression was unreadable, but his mind was racing. This isn't going to be easy to brush aside.

"This whole incident caused quite a commotion," Neji finally said, his voice quiet but firm. "Even if you are only academy students, this might not be something you can simply walk away from."

Shouta tilted his head slightly before letting out an amused chuckle. "Oh? And why should I be worried?"

Neji frowned.

"Do you not realize the trouble you've stirred up?"

Shouta's smirk widened. "Tell me, Neji… have you forgotten our last names?"

Neji's breath hitched for a second before realization dawned on him.

Uchiha. Akimichi. Aburame. Hyūga. Yamanaka. Nara. Inuzuka.

Every single person who had taken part in the fight came from a well-established clan within Konoha. Even Shouta, despite being from a smaller family, was still of noble lineage.

Shouta crossed his arms, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "So tell me, what exactly do we have to worry about?"

Realizing the truth in his words, Neji exhaled and shook his head with a reluctant chuckle. "Fine… I see your point."

"Great! Now, let's put this behind us." Shouta clapped his hands together. "We have a dinner party at Sasuke's place. You three should come too. No missions today, right? Let's make the most of it."

Tenten and Lee exchanged glances, clearly tempted by the offer. Neji, however, remained hesitant until a soft voice spoke up beside him.

"Brother… please come," Hinata said gently, her large, hopeful eyes peering up at him. "It'll be more fun with everyone together."

Neji found himself at a loss for words. Just minutes ago, this same girl had been ferociously beating down a drunkard, yet here she was, back to her soft-spoken self.

Finally, with a resigned sigh, he nodded. "Alright… we'll come."

Hinata beamed, and Choji cheered, already thinking about the food. But just as they were about to leave, a voice cut through the air.

"…Trouble's coming."

Everyone turned to look at Shikamaru, who had his hands lazily stuffed into his pockets, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

Naruto blinked. "Trouble? What trouble? C'mon, Shikamaru, let's go eat—"

Swish. Swish. Swish.

A gust of wind kicked up as several figures in dark cloaks appeared before them, their animal-masked faces unreadable.

The elite of Konoha. The ANBU.

One of them, a silver-haired man with a familiar head of spiky hair, stepped forward. His one visible eye locked onto the group.

"As ninja of Konoha," he began, his voice calm yet firm, "you are forbidden from attacking civilians. You must come with us for questioning."

Shouta's smirk didn't falter. In fact, if anything, it widened.

With a casual shrug, he replied, "I think there's been a misunderstanding, Mr. Ninja… We aren't shinobi yet. We're just academy students."

For a moment, Kakashi's eyes narrowed in surprise.

Damn… he has a point.