"OOOOH!" A few girls rumbled and the entire class turned into a frenzy.
"SILENCE!" Hideo roared and the room became quiet.
"We'll be on our way," said Kenji with a smirk which turned into a frown when he glanced at Haru. But what about the other perv? Why wasn't he called? He walked outside and led Kazuo to the Sage's office in silence. Upon arrival, he knocked at the door twice.
"Enter," said Kazutaka and the boys got inside his office.
Kenji's smile turned upside down when he spotted the katana on Natsumi's waist. "Where's... Brother Ken?"
Natsumi rushed over to the boy and hugged him. "I'm so sorry Kenji."
"No…" Kenji's jaw dropped. "You were together on a mission, weren't you, Sister Natsumi? Why is he not with you?" he asked, a tear trickling down on his cheek. "Kazuo-chan," said Kazutaka, pointing outside. "Let us give them a moment."
As they walked, several thoughts clouded Kazuo's mind. How was he going to explain what he had done? Was he going to be exiled? Again? And if so, where would he go this time?
When they got outside, Kazutaka closed the door and started speaking. "We received a message from Kaen last night… It said that Shadow ninjas had infiltrated the village and attacked royal palace."
Kazuo sighed. "W–Wait what? Is mom… are they alright?"
"It did not say..." said Kazutaka, his tone somber.
Kuso! Kazuo thought, an image of his parents flashing before him. I said I never wanted to see them again. "So, grandpa… what are we gonna do?" he asked.
"My plan was to send a team of shinobi to investigate, however, most graduates are on other missions." Kazutaka stroked his beard before turning to Kazuo. "Would you mind going to Kaen village with two of your classmates?"
"No I wouldn't… but who exactly?"
"Takumi and Mikoto."
"Whaaat!" said Kazuo, furrowing his eyebrows. "Why them?" he asked.
"They are the closest to graduates."
"Oh, if that's all…" Kazuo grinned, turning to walk back. "I'll be off–"
Kazutaka grabbed Kazuo by the shoulder. "Not so fast, young man..." His voice deepened. "I heard about what you did this morning."
Kazuo placed a hand behind his head and chuckled. "Um, about that..." he said, a drop of sweat trickling from his temple. "Whatever that guy told you, it's not true."
"Go and wait for me in the dojo." Kazutaka's tone was final.
Kazuo bowed and his started cracking. "It–It won't happen again, grandpa."
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
"No grandpa sir," said Kazuo, leaving for the training room.
Kazutaka got back in his office and saw Natsumi handing over Ken's sword.
"He would've wanted you to have it," she said.
"She's right, Kenji-kun," Kazutaka added.
"I don't think I'm ready to wield it, yet." Kenji replied them, wiping the tears off his face. "Please hold on to it for a while, Sister Natsumi."
"Alright," said Natsumi before turning to Kazutaka. "Lord Sage."
She bowed and Kenji did the same before they left.
Kazutaka also got out and walked to the dojo. What were they after?
[
"I am sure you are wondering why I told you to come here, Kazuo-chan?" said Kazutaka, entering the dojo.
"Yeah…" Kazuo held his chin. "For training or something, right?"
"Well, not quite." Kazutaka slid the door shut and started pacing. "As my grandson, you shall not get special treatment. What you did is worthy of expulsion, alas where would you go if I did that?" he said, grinning as he stroked his beard. "I will give you a punishment far worse!"
What could be worse than that? Kazuo's minded started racing.
"Now, begin one hundred pushups–"
"One hundred?" Kazuo blurted out loud with a chuckle. "That's easy, old man."
"Not just ordinary pushups… Hindu ones."
Kuso. Kazuo bit his lip. Rohan said next to one arm… these are the worst!
"Your silence suggests that you are unfamiliar with how they are done." Kazutaka hanged his haori and rolled the kimono sleeves back. "I shall demonstrate."
He got on the floor on all fours and brought his hands together. With each movement, he wriggled like a worm and stopped after five repetitions. "Your turn."
Kazuo's arms trembled as he struggled through the first few sets.
"Why have you stopped? There is ninety more to go."
"H–Hey old man…" Kazuo felt his arms ache. "This shit isn't easy!"
"If it was easy…" said Kazutaka, placing his hands behind him. "It would not be punishment now, would it? Ikuzo!"
Kazuo resumed, panting with each rep. Halfway through the punishment, he was dripping in sweat. Whenever he stopped, Kazutaka shouted at him and he continued. After what felt like an hour of gruesome torture, he dropped to the floor. Finally! He thought, letting out a huge sigh.
"Now give me another one hundred sit-ups and squats!"
What the hell? Kazuo frowned. "You can't be serious, old man!" When he realized his grandfather was unflinching, he got up and started the second round. Two hours later, his legs felt like jelly and he looked as if he had come out of water.
"That was the warm up…" said Kazutaka with a slight grin.
"What!" Kazuo's face turned pale and he passed out.
Kazutaka cleared his throat. "This is not the time for resting…" he said, grabbing Kazuo by the arm and dragging him outside to the assembly area.
The midday sun was out in the clear sky and two wooden buckets with a long bamboo stick waited for Kazuo. He was tasked to fill the buckets from a nearby sōzu fountain. When full, he sat on the grass and awaited further instruction.
"Now then, using the bamboo to lift the buckets," said Kazutaka as he walked to a pink, sakura (cherry blossom) tree and stood underneath its shade. "Give me one hundred squats!"
Kazuo got up, legs wobbling and grunted. "One h–hundred…?" he murmured, trying to steady the stick.
"Begin!"
Kazuo squatted and raised himself at a snail's pace, counting each set out loud. The initial 'warm up' paled in comparison as his joints became on fire. The cloudless blue sky and scorching heat only added to the severity of the punishment. "T–twenty two… t–twenty t–three…" he said, puffing out hot air. The way he was perspiring, he could fill another bucket to the brim.
By the time he made it to the seventies, Kazuo's body ached all over. His wrists, back and thigh muscles felt like a dozen wasps had stung them. As he endured through the dreadful pain, his single goal was to reach one hundred. "N–ninety eight, ninety n–nine…" he said, summing up his last bit of energy. "O–one… h–hundred!"
"Excellent," said Kazutaka, clapping his hands while he sat underneath the shade.
Kazuo fell to the ground before he heard his grandfather. He lay there unable to move an inch, having taken more than an hour to complete the last leg of the punishment.
Kazutaka got up and walked to his grandson. "That will be all, Kazuo-chan. I do hope we don't h–" he said and chuckled. Already passed out, huh? He thought, carrying him to the tree shade.
Kazuo opened his eyes some minutes later and yawned. The rest of body was still numb and unable move. Oh, man… I can't feel a thing.
"It is not what you did that got you punished… but that you were caught," said Kazutaka, staring into the distance. "Had it been a mission in enemy territory, you would be dead." He paused and raised his index, middle and ring fingers. "There are three tenets to live by as a Lightning shinobi. First, thou shalt not be corrupted by power. Second, thou shalt not be corrupted by sex. And third, thou shalt not be corrupted by saké (rice wine). Not only do these cloud one's judgement, they also fuel the ego and a shinobi filled with ego is an easy opponent to defeat."
The brief speech had gone over Kazuo's head. Kazutaka raised him with a chuckle and he felt his limbs ache as they walked to the school building.
"Well done, Kazuo-chan…" said Kazutaka with a slight grin. He carried the boy to his room and let him rest. As it was lunchtime, he proceeded to Hideo's classroom and notified him of what had occurred.
"Kenny was one of our best graduates," said Hideo with a somber tone. "This must be very hard for Kenji…"
"Indeed. He will be sorely missed," said Kazutaka, pausing for a moment. "On to my other reason for being here. I would like to request Takumi and Mikoto to accompany Kazuo to Kaen village."
"Noted, I will ask them about it."
"You have my gratitude, Hideo-kun," said Kazutaka with a slight bow. "Please ensure that they are alright with the mission."
"Understood, Lord Sage." Hideo bowed before Kazutaka left.
The last lesson was after lunch and when the students returned, Hideo shared the news about Ken's passing. Sorrow filled the room as the students expressed their grief in various forms, some weeping and others silent. Ken had been like a brother and role model to many of them. Afterwards, the lecture flew by without much noise and class was soon dismissed.
"Okay everyone that is all for today," said Hideo.
More than half the class packed their stuff in a hurry and rushed for the door.
"Wait!" Hideo continued before anyone exited. "Will Mikoto and Takumi remain behind?" he asked and the two students stayed back. Once everyone else had gone, he got them up to speed about the mission in Kaen village.
My first mission outside the village. Mikoto's beamed as she listened. Sugoi!
"Oh, and you will be going with the Sage's grandson… Kazuo-kun."
Mikoto furrowed her brows. "WHAAAAT?" she said, raising her voice. "The pervert!"
I should have known. Hideo sighed. "I take it you're not okay with going with him?"
"Absolutely not! We caught him peeping in the girls' bath this morning."
"I wouldn't say I'm for or against it," said Takumi, his tone calm. "After all, he knows the place better than us. For the success of the mission, I don't mind going with him."
Hideo fixed his glasses and said, "Precisely."
"I didn't consider that," said Mikoto in a mutter. "Well, if it's for the mission then I guess I'm fine with it. But permission to beat his ass if he tries anything weird?"
Hideo burst into laughter and smiled. "Permission granted."
The two students said goodbye to Hideo and proceeded to the Sage.
"Takumi-kun, Mikoto-chan… welcome," said Kazutaka, greeting them as they entered his office. He followed up with a bit of small talk before asking, "Are the two of you alright with accompany Kazuo-chan to Kaen village? This is a level B mission, high-profile intelligence gathering and when accomplished, you are to report back."
"Hai!" they said, nodding in unison.
"Very well. You can prepare and we shall rendezvous here tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Lord Sage!"
Mikoto and Takumi each went to their rooms and packed their things.
The next morning, Mikoto bid Kohaku farewell and met with Kazutaka and Takumi waiting for her at the Sage's office. Soon after, they walked to Haru and Kazuo's room where they found the latter almost done packing his satchel. It appeared the eight-hour sleep, some stretches and a warm bath had worked wonders for him.