"Ho ho ho, you two are quite close. Is this the same Little Hanabi that cried to me about not having any friends?"
Because of Snail's continuous cackling and Hanabi's clingy conduct, Kenja was unaware of when the Second Elder had appeared next to him.
"Uncle, stop! Don't mention that!" She hushed him with a sharp whisper.
"Ho ho ho ho ho ho," he laughed merrily at her reaction before steering the conversation to another topic, "Little Hikaru, would you like to assist me on a new tool I am creating? It will be a machine that can detect high levels of dirt and filth from a distance before washing the uncleanliness away. I plan for it to have eighteen levels of functionality with the most important one being a self-refilling tank of water that collects vapor from the air when it is not active. Once we complete it, we can enhance it so that a single one can keep an entire sect clea—"
"Second Brother! The Genius Armlet you made for me stopped working," the Sixth Elder interjected after squeezing in between Kenja and the Second Elder from somewhere.
He took a metallic bracelet out of his storage ring and passed it to Inazuma.
"Hmm? What part of it?" He held the bracelet up to his only working eye while using his monocle to inspect the bracelet closely from certain angles.
"Where's the challenge if he tells you, Second Brother? Don't you want to see if you can figure out the issue by yourself?" This time, it was Fourth Elder Ariyoshi Miji who popped up next to Hanabi.
"Indeed, che, che, che. If Second Brother gives up, just say so, and I will tell you what does not work."
Inazuma's lone eye sparkled at the sight of a new puzzle. "Hoh, my brothers are right! Thank you for giving me this challenge."
He began earnestly examining the bracelet as they walked, forgetting that he was in the midst of a dialogue with Kenja.
Gao Diao and Ariyoshi Miji gave each other a secret thumbs-up for their collaboration in distracting Inazuma. They held out hope that Hirai Hikaru would become their own personal disciple, so they could not let the tool-brain gain a head start over them.
"Did you enjoy our little spar, Little Hikaru?" Ariyoshi Miji initiated a chat with Kenja.
"Mm, did you gain any insights, che?" Gao Diao joined in.
Kenja grew nervous.
These were the mythical elders of the Flowing River Sect, the phoenixes and dragons of the entire Freezing Desert.
He had spied on the sect above ground for three years and not once had a single one of these elders made an appearance in that time.
Rumored to keep to themselves, often going months or years without making a public appearance, with the legendary power to flip mountains and part seas, these figures were currently crowding him on all sides.
Not only crowding him, but they each went out of their way to speak with him.
First, it was the Third Elder, then the Second, and now, the Fourth and Sixth Elders working in concert.
He thought they could have been interested in familiarizing themselves with the friend of Ryuga's second princess, but here she was, next to him, yet they were still directing their questions towards him.
His next best guess was that they wished to meet with the Fifth Elder's other new disciples as they were already acquainted with the princess. But, from Shizuka and Yoshie's earlier account, they had slipped away when they left their cave without being stopped by the elders guarding their front door.
Now, he was worried that the elders had uncovered the truth behind his disguise and were intentionally playing with him before revealing their wrath. Or they somehow knew he was the one who made off with so much of the treasury's spirit stones and were waiting for him to make a mistake before revealing their true colors.
Although Kenja knew he was being paranoid, his guilty conscience continued to terrorize him.
"I am embarrassed to admit that the level of your match was beyond my capabilities. I wouldn't dare share my meager insights with the venerable elders."
Kenja's answer was a polite half-truth that he hoped would nip the discussion in the bud before it began.
Both elders were taken aback by Kenja's reply.
Although the latter half of their battle might have exceeded his ability to track their movements, the earlier half was purposely fought at a slower, drawn-out pace for the younger disciples' benefits.
He must have witnessed enough to say a few words, yet he was clearly dodging the topic, making them jump through hoops to keep the conversation going.
Normally, a disciple would kill for the opportunity to converse with them and showcase their capabilities in hopes of earning some benefits.
Yet, this Little Hikaru was doing the opposite!
This was the first time they has seen a disciple trying her best to avoid speaking with them, moreover by claiming her skills were too weak to warrant their attention.
Such a refreshingly strange feeling, it made their desire to apprentice Hirai Hikaru increase.
"No need for my niece to be so formal with Fourth Uncle here. Just share anything you've glimpsed, and we can discuss it with you."
"Che, che, yes. Sixth Uncle is curious. I can help elucidate any doubts or questions regarding the match."
The Six Elders were peers, so they naturally addressed each other using "brother" or "sister", and their "brother's disciple" would be a "nephew" or "niece".
Intentionally reminding Hikaru to address them as uncles, they were both showcasing their desire to grow closer to her.
Kenja sighed exasperatedly.
With Snail's never-ending laughter in his ear, Hanabi not letting go of his robes, and three elders relentlessly hovering over him, his mood had worsened.
He breathed in deeply, circulating some Qi out of habit to calm himself.
"Third Elder is powerful, but his adaptability is more fearsome than his strength. Although Fourth Uncle's speed is unrivaled and unmatched, his trump card is his powerful body. Sixth Uncle's plots are countless and unpredictable, yet his ability to control the flow of battle left me in awe," Kenja gave his honest analysis in the shortest manner while complimenting them profusely.
Kenja knew the rich and the powerful often enjoyed being praised by others.
Whether the elders were sincerely looking for his insight or just fishing for compliments, he covered both bases with this answer.
The elders were stunned.
"Che, did Second Brother mention these things to you?"
"Yes. Was he explaining the fight as he watched it?"
Walking in front of Aoi Rin and Shimizu Mizutani, Third Elder Kondo who was eavesdropping wanted to ask the same question because Kenja's assessment was spot-on.