"Actually, starti month, you won't be getting any mo all."

  Silence.

  Kazeo froze.

  "W-What?!" he blurted out, his usual calm demeanor crag for the first time.

  His mind raced, trying to process the words, but they didn't make sense. His money—gone?

  Kazeo's hands ched into fists. His money wasn't just some pocket ge—it was his. He had ear, every single ryo.

  Hiruzen's expression became kind, the warmth of a grandfather, but his words carried the weight of authority. "Don't worry, Kazeo," he reassured. "I'm not taking your money aermaly. You'll get it all bace you bee a Genin. And every month, I'll send you an at of how much your book earns."

  Kazeo's shoulders tehat… was better than ht losing it. But still.

  "But why?" His voice was quieter this time.

  Kazeo's fiwitched at his sides. He waue but Hiruzen had already anticipated it.

  The Hokage said exhaling a soft puff of smoke from his pipe. "A child managing that amount of wealth in the vilge. If people found out, they'd try to take advantage of you... You could be robbed, deceived or worse."

  Kazeo frowned. "But the money is in a scroll. No one will know."

  Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head. "It's not just about the money, child. It's about keeping you safe. Even the scroll—do you really think no one would be tempted if they knew what was inside? Money be dangerous. More than kunai, more than jutsu. People do foolish things for wealth, Kazeo."

  His eyes, warm and kind, held a sile.

  "The money in your scroll is already more than enough for daily spending. You ear, and I made sure of that. But beyond this? It's too mud too soon. If you ever need more after this ends, just ask. I promise."

  Kazeo stared at him, heart pounding.

  His mind scrambled for a ter argument. Any argument.

  But nothing came.

  He knew Hiruzen wasn't lying. The logic made sense. If wot out, things could get dangerous. But it still stung.

  Because deep down, it wasn't just about the money.

  It was about trol—and Hiruzen had just reminded him that agaie everything, he was still a child in this world.

  His throat felt tight as he forced the words out.

  "...Okay, Hokage-sama," The words tasted bitter on his tongue.

  His voice was quiet, his tone of relut acceptance.

  'It isn't like I had a choice.' He muttered, voice tinged with defeat.

  Hiruzen studied him for a moment and gave a small nod, watg him carefully.

  After a few more minutes of versation, Kazeo left. His footsteps felt heavier than before.

  ----------

  ( Hiruzen's POV )

  The office door clicked shut, and Hiruze out a slow breath.

  "He took that better than I expected."

  No tantrum. No outburst. Just… quiet acceptance.

  And that worried him more.

  A normal six-year-old would have cried, whined, argued. But Kazeo? He had thought about it. Tried to ter it.

  The boy really was far too mature for his age.

  He turoward the window, watg the vilge below.

  This decision wasn't just about money.

  It was about keeping him safe—from human greed, and most of all... It will motivate him to bee a genin faster.

  Then Hiruzen's gaze darkened for a moment

  His fiightened on the desk due to a report he read a day ago.

  'Danzo is taking i in him for some reason.'

  His heart heavy with the weight of a thousand past mistakes. He wouldn't fail another child.

  "I o hahis before Danzo tries something."

  --------

  Three Months Later – The Academy

  Theory exams had been pleted a week ago. Kazeo had pced sixth—a deliberate choice as he didn't want to be in spotlight. He had left some questions bnk, written a few wrong answers. He had aimed for fourth pce, but even that had been too optimistic.

  'These kids are too damn intelligent for their age.'

  One month ter -

  Academy life had started shifting. Taijutsu training was now a daily m routihe Leaf tration exercise had been introduced.

  Kazeo had also pleted the basic Earth Chakra trainiioned in his scroll. Now, he trained both Wind ah altero maximize efficy.

  After two weeks -

  Academy also introduced taijutsu sparring and Shuriken Throwing.

  Today was Kazeo's first mat taijutsu against someoer his practice of taijutsu katas.

  --------

  The sun cast long shadows over the Academy's training field. Students gathered in a rough circle around the sparring ring, eager for the match. Kazeo adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders as his first oppo stepped forward.

  Hyūga Kaito.

  The boy's white eyes gleamed with quiet fidence, his stance rexed yet firm. Kazeo exhaled, shaking off the nerves. He had seen how the Hyūga fought. 'I just o keep my distance. Avoid his palms.'

  "Begin!"

  Kaito moved first.

  Fast.

  Kazeo's eyes widened—a flicker of white, a shift in the air—and then, a palm was already at his ribs. His muscles screamed as he twisted, the strike grazing him by a hair's breadth —Kaito's sed strike was already ining. A palm aimed at his abdomen.

  Kazeo mao block with his forearm, but the shockwave of chakra rippled through his muscles. A dull numbness spread through his limb.

  'Tch! So, this is how gentle fist feels. '

  Kazeo gritted his teeth. His strength meant nothing against the Gentle Fist.

  Arike. Another block. But the momealiated—

  Kaito's hand twisted, his fingers striking near Kazeo's shoulder.

  His arm went limp.

  A sharp gasp escaped his lips. 'My chakra flow… it was disrupted.'

  Kaito didn't stop. His strike smmed into Kazeo's chest, sending him skidding backward.

  "Winner, Hyūga Kaito!"

  Kazeo staggered back, his chest rising and falling with deep, frustrated breaths. He wasn't out of stamina. He wasn't exhausted.

  He was just… outcssed.

  Kaito stood a few steps away, watg him with narrowed eyes. Then, he spoke, his voice carrying that same arrogahe Hyūga always had.

  "Hmph. I thought you were strong when you hit Okabe-sehat day. But now? Feels like that was just luck." He crossed his arms. "I wao fight you sihen… so I trained. A lot. But you—" he frowned, shaking his head, "you're just weak."

  Kazeo didn't say anything. He barely even looked at Kaito.

  But inside—his mind ed, searg, analyzing. 'Where did I g? What could I have done differently?'

  Yet, no matter how much he thought… he found no answer.

  --------

  Two days ter -

  It was sed fight of Kazeo with an Uchiha prodigy.

  The instructor stepped forward.

  "Kazeo vs Ishikawa. Begin!"

  Kazeo exploded forward, his muscles coiling like springs as he threw a lightning-fast punch aimed at Ishikawa's face.

  A miss.

  Ishikawa's body barely shifted, yet Kazeo's fist sliced through air, missing by a hair's breadth. A slight tilt of the Uchiha's head was all it took.

  Too trolled.

  Kazeo didn't hesitate—his other hand snapped forward, followed by a sharp low kick aimed at Ishikawa's knee.

  Blocked.

  A palm strike smmed into Kazeo's shoulder, knog him off-bance. He stumbled back, gritting his teeth.

  Ishikawa let out a chuckle. "You're fast. Strong, even. But predictable."

  Kazeo's eyes narrowed.

  The Uchiha wasn't just fast—he was reading him. Not with the Sharingan, but through sheer skill and teique.

  The Uchiha Intercepting Fist.

  A style desigo ter oppos before they could even finish an attack. Every time Kazeo moved, Ishikawa was already oep ahead.

  But Kazeo wasn't done.

  He charged agaiing a right hook before twisting mid-air to unch a devastating spinning kick—his stro move.

  Ishikawa sighed. "Slow."

  Kazeo's kiever nded.

  Ishikawa twisted his body, catg Kazeo's ankle mid-air, and yanked hard.

  Sm!

  Kazeo hit the ground, hard, his breath leaving him in a sharp gasp.

  Damn it!

  Ishikawa crouched beside him, his voice dripping with dession.

  "You really thought brute strength would work? Against an Uchiha?" He shook his head, clig his tohis is why non- kids struggle. Academy taijutsu is garbage."

  Kazeo ched his fists. His fingers curled into the dirt beh him, his breath still ing just a little too fast, a little too unsteady.

  He didn't liked how calm this Uchiha kid was. How effortlessly he trolled the fight. How his voice oozed superiority.

  But the worst part?

  He khe Uchiha was right.

  Academy taijutsu wasn't enough. It was rigid, basic, g depth. Against refined styles like Uchiha's, it felt like he was fighting with blunt ons against a sharpened sword.

  The instructor's voice cut through his thoughts.

  "Winner: Uchiha Ishikawa!"

  The crowd cpped, some cheering for Ishikawa's fwless victory.

  After two more weeks -

  The spars tinued. Kazeo mao win against the average students, but when it came to the prodigies—

  Uchiha Ishikawa – First pce.

  Hyūga Kaito – Sed pce.

  Senju Rin – siween third and fifth.

  Kazeo – siween fifth ah.

  It was clear.

  Their teiques were superior. Their bat experieheir instincts—they had been raised for this.

  Kazeo had worked hard. But hard work alone wasn't enough.

  ---

  Kazeo sat alone by the training grounds, his fists resting on his knees, his jaw locked in frustration.

  His pink muscle training had given him a stronger body. His stamina was better. He had studied the Academy Taijutsu katas .

  But—

  Kaito's Gentle Fist and Byakugaralized his strength.

  Ishikawa's ters left no openings.

  Even Senju Rin had teiques that had brute ford endurance which gave her an advantage.

  The Academy Taijutsu he had learned?

  It was garbage pared to their teiques.

  'I thought I was strohan these kids atleast.'

  His fingers dug into the dirt.

  His body was stronger. His training was effit. Yet, these kids had geions of refieiques bag them.

  His thoughts drifted.

  He exhaled slowly, rubbing his . If he kept following the same Academy training routine, he would never bridge the gap.

  'I need something else. A different angle.'

  He tightens his fists, dust slips from his hands.

  "Should I ask for Taijutsu teiques as first-year academic exam reward ?"

  (To be tinued....)

  --------

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