[ Author note : One of Kazeo's power is presence concealment, he doesn't turn invisible but his presence complete get erased like a professional assassin or ninja. Chakra concealment is part of this.
]
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Today, the half-yearly exam results were out and as expected, Kazeo ranked first in theory, once again. At this point, even the teachers looked bored while announcing it. The twist this time? Butchering was also added. Surprisingly, he came third—just behind an Inuzuka kid and a civilian boy whose family ran a small meat shop affiliated with the Akimichi clan.
At this point, none of the kids hesitated anymore when it came to cutting meat, separating bones, or peeling off fur. They'd adapted. Kazeo had a tough time adjusting in the beginning too. But now… he could say, he didn't like it… but he didn't exactly hate it anymore either. And that's what bugged him.
"I'm still the same. Still an Earthling," he told himself for the hundredth time.
But every time he caught himself humming the academy's marching chant or instinctively reaching for kunai when someone knocked too hard—yeah, he knew. Deep down, he was changing.
Of course, he would never admit he was slowly being influenced by the ways of Konoha. Living among its people, training with its future ninjas. His mindset was shifting, little by little, even if he refused to accept it consciously. So he did what any smart, slightly paranoid, reincarnated human would do: made a backup plan. He decided he would leave Konoha once he became a Chunin. Simple.
He'd move to the city where the Daimyo lived. It was safer there, quieter, far away from the chaos that seemed to constantly plague this village. Because let's be real—this village? It's basically a magnet for world-ending disasters. The Uchiha Massacre, which would occur in two years. Orochimaru's attack with the Sand Village. Pain's assault that would destroy the village itself. All of it centered here.
Why?
Because the main character lives here. Of course the universe drops all its trauma here. And Kazeo had no interest in playing a "tragic side character" in someone else's story. He would leave and train, grow stronger, enjoy a good bath every night and live his best life as the millionaire he technically already is in this world.
Let this world follow Naruto.
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Over the past few months, Kazeo had quietly continued his training in both the vibrational wire technique and the Body Flicker. Though he didn't train them daily with the same intensity as before, his mastery over both had gradually improved. His Body Flicker range had now extended to nearly 37 meters—something he was quietly proud of. Not everything needed to be rushed; he was building his foundation, step by step.
The vibrational wire, though, was where he saw real change. Earlier, he had to pour all of his focus just to make the wire vibrate. Now, he could do it while keeping a quarter of his mind elsewhere, three-fourths of his focus still went into maintaining the precise chakra pulses, but it was undeniably progress.
Still, he wasn't satisfied. He had thought of an idea, an ambitious one. What if he could control the wire's movement using chakra, shaping it as he wished, and at the same time, make it vibrate? It sounded possible in theory, but the moment he tried it in practice, everything fell apart. He'd been trying for a month now, but the techniques refused to cooperate. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he let out a soft sigh.
"I'm not even sure if this can be done together," he thought. "To control the movement, I need a steady chakra coating… and to vibrate it, I need pulses. Two different natures… maybe it's not meant to work that way."
Despite the failure, there was progress worth holding onto. With vibrational wire alone, he could now cut through trees effortlessly—it felt almost too easy. That sense of improvement brought a quiet satisfaction. He planned to practice the vibrations a little more, then try applying them to solid weapons like kunai or swords. He had attempted that once, a month ago, but it hadn't worked back then. Maybe now would be different.
Shaking his head gently, he let those thoughts drift to the back of his mind.
"I should visit the orphanage today…" The thought came softly, but with a deep warmth. "It's been nearly three months since I last went. I've been so caught up in training and academy, I lost track."
He paused for a moment, thinking of the children's voices, the way they smiled when he came back, how their eyes lit up when he played with them or brought them something small. He missed that, more than he had allowed himself to admit.
"I'll take some meat with me… I can say I got first place in the half-yearly exam. That way grandma won't scold me for spending money without any reason." he thought with a small smile.
He hesitated for a moment, then smiled gently to himself.
"I think I'll sleep there too… I miss those nights. It's warmer there—not the room, but the feeling."
Making a mental note, he reminded himself to take his own bedroll this time, just in case there weren't enough beds. Kazeo stood up slowly from the floor, stretching his body a little after sitting so long. He turned toward the clock on the wall, 4:30 PM. Still time left.
"Perfect… I can finish my training, pick up the meat, and reach the orphanage by 6:30."
With calm determination, he settled back into his meditative stance, letting the warm, familiar swirl of chakra fill his body as he prepared for one more round of vibrational training.
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Kazeo reached the orphanage at exactly 6:30, just as he had planned, the storage scroll in his hand holding the meat he had bought for the children. As he stood at the entrance gate, he looked around, expecting to see a few kids running about or at least a caretaker nearby, but the area was oddly quiet. Not a single soul was in sight.
A slight crease formed on his brow as he stepped through the familiar doors. Still no one.
He closed his eyes gently and activated his chakra field. A moment later, a wave of warmth passed through him as he sensed several chakra signatures clustered near the back—at the playground behind the orphanage.
He made his way there quietly, the sound of his footsteps soft on the stone floor. As he turned the corner, he was met with the lively sight of all the kids gathered around, laughing, playing, their small bodies glowing with the faint light of dusk. A peaceful smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Hey everyone," he called out softly.
A cheer erupted as the children noticed him. Their faces lit up in surprise and joy. He greeted each of them, his voice soft but steady, and then pulled out the scroll. With a puff of chakra, he summoned the meat—fifteen kilograms of it.
One of the caretakers stepped forward, slightly startled by the quantity. Kazeo handed it to her with a sheepish smile. "Please cook this for dinner."
The kids went wild with cheers at the sight of the meat. Their eyes sparkled with excitement.
Just then, Kaori appeared, clearly on her way to scold him. But before she could say a word, he beat her to it. "I got first place again… in the theory exams," he said with a small grin.
She blinked, taken aback, and the tension in her expression softened. "Again?" she murmured, then sighed and gave him a half-smile. "Still, you shouldn't keep bringing things. Save your money, Kazeo. Use it on yourself."
"I know," he whispered. But something in him just wanted to give. Maybe because once, he too had waited for someone to bring something—anything.
This time, he hadn't brought toys, and a few kids pouted at first. Their little faces turned away from him, arms crossed. But the moment the scent of sizzling meat drifted through the air, their mood changed instantly. Within a minute, all their disappointment vanished. They clustered around, their faces eager.
Watching them, the caretakers and Kazeo couldn't help but chuckle. It was these little moments that made it all worth it.
Later, after playing "Demon Slayer" with them—each child pretending to be a hero, slaying invisible demons with giggles and wooden sticks—they all gathered for dinner. The room was filled with laughter, the sound of spoons clinking, and the warm feeling of shared joy.
When the meal ended and the children started settling down for the night, Kazeo stepped outside to get some fresh air. There, he found Kaori sitting alone, her gaze distant, lost in quiet thoughts.
He approached and asked softly. "You seem… distracted lately?"
She looked at him and, after a moment, began to speak, about parents, about the kind of strength that comes from love, and how sometimes people protect others just by being there. Her voice was calm, laced with a depth of emotion that only years of experience could bring.
Kazeo listened silently, not interrupting. He simply sat beside her and let her words settle in his heart. About half an hour passed. Slowly, his eyelids began to droop. It was already four hours past his usual sleeping time. Kaori noticed and smiled gently. "Go sleep inside. You've done enough for one day."
He nodded and went in. A bed was already prepared, he didn't even need to set up his own. Most of the kids were already asleep. Kazeo laid down, expecting sleep to take him instantly like always. But it didn't come.He tossed, turned, shifted his position. The blanket felt heavy, the air too still. Something was bugging him.
It wasn't loud, just… present, like a whisper he couldn't catch. From the day he came to this world, sleep had never been a problem. He would lie down, and in minutes, be lost in deep rest. But tonight, he couldn't. His mind drifted to a memory from Earth—when he used to scroll through his phone in bed, eyes drooping… yet the moment he put it down, the sleep would vanish as if it had never existed. Frustrated, he sat up after half an hour of trying.
"It's no use," he thought quietly. "I need some air."
He got up and walked to the door, deciding to take a short stroll. After all, ever since he left the orphanage and started living alone, he had rarely stepped outside after dusk. His strict sleep routine had left little room for aimless walks.
But maybe tonight… he needed one.
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Konoha was still alive with energy, even at 9 p.m. . The streets bustled with activity, shops were open, the aroma of food drifted from restaurants, people laughed in public baths, and others strolled under the gentle street light. The village didn't sleep early, and tonight was no different.
Kazeo decided to take the rooftops, just like it was shown in the series. He leapt across tiles and chimneys, letting the wind slap against his face. It was exhilarating, raw freedom in every jump, every heartbeat syncing with the rhythm of the night.
But that moment didn't last long.
A faint sound caught his attention— soft, almost like a whisper. He paused. Took another leap forward. Then froze. Down below, in a dark alley, a woman lay in a spreading pool of blood. Three figures surrounded her, their backs facing Kazeo, one of them holding a blade that gleamed under the pale moonlight.
Kazeo's heart skipped and he instinctively suppressed both his chakra and presence. But his mind… it wasn't prepared. Watching something like this on a screen was one thing. Seeing it unfold right in front of him… was another. He took a step back, chest tightening.
'I should leave. This isn't my fight. She's probably already gone… and I'm not about to throw my life away playing hero.'
His jaw clenched. He told himself he'd just report it to the Konoha Police. That'd be enough, right? But then another thought crept in.
'Who are these guys? Killing someone so boldly inside the village? And… who is she?'
Curiosity, sharp and stubborn, got the better of him. He flickered near a dumpster, five metres from the murder in the alley, crouching low and hidden in the shadows. What he saw next made the blood in his veins turn to ice. The woman wasn't just anyone.
It was Grandma Kaori.
Her face, facing exactly the spot where he had been moments ago, was pale and bloodied. Blood poured from her mouth, her chest rising in strained, broken breaths. Beside her, soaked in the pool of red, was a yellow-colored document, half-crumpled.
Kazeo's breath hitched. 'No… this isn't real. I must be seeing things.' But then that scent hit him. The unmistakeable familiar metallic tang of blood… It was real.
His limbs locked up. His mind blanked out in terror. His knees buckled slightly as he stumbled back and in that moment, his foot nudged a stray can.
—Tink.
The hollow metal echoed in the silence. Kazeo winced and instantly shrunk back, holding his breath, trying to quiet the fear crawling up his throat. But it was too late.
One of the three men turned slightly. His voice came out cold, lifeless without even a hint of emotion.
"Mantis, go check there. There shouldn't be a witness—as usual."
The shortest one among them with brown hair nodded silently and began walking toward the dumpster.
To be Continued...