The chubby kid's fierce expression suddenly deflated like a popped balloon, and he tumbled to the ground. Clutching his tender area, he let out a ridiculous roar that resembled a wounded animal, immediately followed by a torrent of tears.
The surrounding children gasped, their eyes widening, and quickly dispersed, creating a safe space around the fight. Akiko and Hiro, unable to contain their amusement, exchanged amused glances and gave Shin an exaggerated thumbs-up.
Akiko faced Gekko and said, " Take your brother and scram".
To everyone's surprise, Gekko remained silent, his eyes wide with fear. The two little troublemakers obediently rushed to their brother's side, trying to support him while struggling not to drop him like a sack of potatoes. The other group of four bullies, who had also received their fair share of beatings, wisely chose to retreat in a rather hasty manner.
Akiko approached Shin, his face a mix of concern and exasperation. "Does it hurt?"
Shin, rubbing his sore spots, replied with a sheepish grin, "It stings a bit, but I'll be fine."
"How is it going to be fine, you little.... I told you not to come here.....yet.... Youuu... and.. you got beat up as well. You idiot, you just got out of the hospital. Do you want to go back in so badly". Akiko's scolding tone escalated as he spoke.
"What was I supposed to do? Just stand there and watch while that guy pummeled both of you? I couldn't just sit back and let that happen. At first, I wasn't planning to jump in, but then there were just too many of them. You needed help, Aki, and deep down, you know it." Shin paused, then gently placed his hands on Akiko's shoulders. "Besides, Hiro and I had discussed this beforehand. We had a plan."
Hiro, eager to chime in, opened his mouth, but Shin swiftly gestured for him to stay quiet.
Shin continued, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Look on the bright side. No one else will dare to bother us around here anymore. Especially not that big, wobbly fatty."
A smile finally emerged on Akiko's face again. He raised his fist and declared in a determined tone, " I promise in front of both Hiro and you, I will train hard and protect both of you".
"Me too", Hiro excitedly raised his hands as well.
'Ah fuck it'. "Count me in too" Shin joined in.
In unison, both Hiro and Shin received smacks on their heads. "You idiots! Don't ruin my moment," Akiko bellowed, before pausing dramatically. "But, you know, it's a big brother's job to take care of the little ones."
Perhaps fueled by the adrenaline from the fight, Shin felt an inexplicable tugging at his soul. 'What's this feeling? I can sense his genuineness, his sincerity. It's like it's radiating from him.'
Suddenly It felt like Shin`s body produced a tiny spark. He could feel something was unlocked, powering him, tearing open, and fixing each of his cells around the area where he was punched. Despite his injuries, he felt a bit rejuvenated again.
Hiro, noticing Shin standing quietly for a few minutes, asked curiously, "What's up, Shin?"
Shin snapped out of his reverie and replied, "It's nothing. Let's just head home."
"But we can't go home like this! We're covered in dirt and bruises all over. Let's find a place to shower outside," Akiko suggested.
Suddenly, a mischievous idea crossed Shin's mind, sparked by memories of a certain "lord of perviness" and his usual hangout spots.
"Oh, I know! We can go to a hot springs inn and ask if we can use their showers. We just have to offer something in return. Do you guys have any money?" Shin proposed.
Both Hiro and Akiko shook their heads in response.
Akiko grinned mischievously. "We don't need to go anywhere else. Kiri will cover for us at home. Did you think this was our first fight?" He burst into maniacal laughter.
Hiro joined in, laughing even louder, until he noticed Akiko rubbing his hands together in a rather ominous manner.
"Alright, then let's head back," Shin said, trying to steer the conversation away from Akiko's mischievous thoughts.
Upon their return, Kirimoto was already waiting outside. They quickly explained their predicament, hoping for a solution.
Luckily, both Dai and Emi were preoccupied, giving them the opportunity to sneak in quietly, one by one, without making a sound. As Shin was about to enter his room, he froze in his tracks.
Yukimo stood in the hallway, her gaze fixed upon him.
Flustered and worried she might blow the whistle, Shin raised his finger to his lips, "Shhhhh."
He waited anxiously for a response, but the girl stood there like a statue, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his request.
"Please, don't tell anyone," Shin pleaded in a hushed tone.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Yukimo nodded in apparent agreement. Shin let out a relieved sigh and hurriedly made his way to his room. He freshened up quickly, ensuring every trace of blood was washed away from his face. After cleaning, he looked at himself in the mirror.
"Again, those golden light motes and that dark shadow. It's the same thing all over again," Shin observed, noticing the slow but steady healing process taking place on his face. Little by little, he could feel his skin repairing itself.
Pondering the situation, Shin thought to himself, 'When that guy punched me, I could sense something being released from my body. Was it chakra? But I don't feel that sensation again. It felt really good, though. I felt so strong, especially when I hit that tub of lard.' A smile crept onto his face at the memory.
"I'm willing to bet that this healing has something to do with my chakra," Shin mused aloud.
'Normally, if an ordinary person experienced the kind of pain I went through in the hospital, their chakra should have already activated. But mine didn't. However, during the fight, whether it was the adrenaline or something else, I was able to tap into that strength and move swiftly, landing a precise hit on that boy. With this weak body, I shouldn't have been capable of doing that,' he contemplated.
Shin's thoughts turned to the possibility that whatever was healing him might also be preventing his chakra from fully unlocking. 'But if I assume that's the case, only one question remains: Why?' After pondering this question for a few more minutes, Shin found himself unable to come up with an answer. He decided to put the thought process on hold and stepped out of the shower.
Shin glanced out the window, noting that it was still daylight at 3 pm. Despite feeling weak, he resolved to engage in some exercise to keep himself active. 'I should still get some work exercise done,' he thought to himself.
With this determination, he began stretching once again. To his surprise, the process felt much smoother this time. his muscles, though almost non-existent, seemed a bit looser than before, allowing him to bend more easily during the stretches. Shin proceeded to complete his basic sets of exercises, managing to complete two sets of squats, push-ups, crunches, and various other exercises.
Huffing and puffing from his exertions, he wiped the sweat from his brow and made his way to the kitchen to replenish himself with some water. However, he discovered that the kitchen was empty.
'Hmm, since I don't have the energy for more workouts, maybe I should take this opportunity to explore the village a bit more,' Shin pondered.
Even before the transmigration, Shin had been fascinated by the Naruto world. However, he had been too busy to fully explore it. So now, it seemed like the perfect time to do a bit of exploring.
Slipping out of the orphanage once again, Shin headed towards the renowned Ichiraku Ramen shop. Despite having already eaten two breakfasts, his curiosity drove him to explore the bustling bazaar area of Leaf Village.
Approaching an old couple, Shin asked for directions. They were initially amused by his request but kindly explained the way. With their guidance, he reached the Leaf Market area in just 30 minutes.
"Finally, I'll get to see the legendary chef," Shin smirked with anticipation.
As he arrived at the shop, he couldn't help but notice that it was a small establishment, yet still packed with customers.
'Hmm, it seems like it's gained popularity, but old man Teuchi hasn't upgraded it yet. Just as well, if he upgraded now, it might be destroyed during a tail beast attack,' Shin pondered humorously.
The tantalizing aroma of ramen filled the air, captivating Shin's senses. The rich scent of simmering broth and freshly cooked noodles enticed him, making his stomach growl.
Observing the scene, Shin noticed that Teuchi didn't look as old as he had imagined, and there was another helper working in the shop. However, he couldn't spot Ayame, who would have been around 5 or 6 years old by now.
"Hmm, smells delicious. No wonder Naruto went crazy for it," Shin muttered to himself, unable to contain his excitement.
Suddenly, a little girl emerged from the back of the shop and approached Teuchi. "Hey Dad, I don't think we have enough sliced chilies and cilantro."
"Oh, no worries, my angel. I sent Matsu to buy some from Ichimura town," Teuchi sweetly explained to Ayame.
"Oh, okay," Ayame replied, her gaze shifting towards the door where Shin stood, fixated on the shop.
"Dad, that little boy is just staring at the shop. Can we share some of the noodles with him?" Ayame asked, her eyes sparkling with innocence.
Teuchi looked at Shin and then back at his daughter, unable to resist her pleading eyes. "Okay, go tell him he can come inside. We'll give him one bowl for free."
"Thanks, Dad," Ayame beamed cheerfully and ran towards Shin.
"Hey, you can come inside now. My dad says he'll give you a bowl. Come with me," Ayame insisted, grabbing hold of Shin's hand and dragging him into the shop.
"Ah, I really don't..." Shin attempted to resist, but Ayame's determination prevailed.
"Oh, come on," Ayame urged, her enthusiasm infectious.
"Don't worry, little one. I'll whip you up some amazing noodles, on the house. You don't need to worry about the money," Teuchi chimed in, his excitement evident.
Raising his hands in protest, Shin replied, "Oh, thank you very much, sir. But I'm not feeling hungry at the moment since I just ate three hours ago. I simply wanted to come and admire your shop, as I've heard you sell incredible noodles."
"Oh, in that case, you're welcome to come anytime in the future. Your first bowl of noodles will always be on the house," Teuchi responded graciously.
"Thank you so much, sir. I'll definitely visit when I'm hungry next time," Shin expressed his gratitude politely.
"Such a respectful boy. If it were any other kid, they'd be drooling by now," Teuchi mused.
He bid farewell to the gracious restaurant owner and left to explore some more.
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Author`s Notes:
Thankyou mohammed_hassan_2200 for your power stones.