Konoha: You're letting me build up my bonds, but you're offending the entire ninja world.

The remaining crows regrouped in the distance, forming the body of Uchiha Itachi, who also had several knife wounds on his body, covered in blood.

"Nissan!"

Sasuke on the stage shouted, so anxious that he was already crying. Unfortunately, the child's voice was too immature and was completely drowned out by the screams. His brother couldn't hear him at all.

"Shimura Genzuki..."

Uchiha Itachi was panting heavily, his chakra and stamina almost completely depleted, but he was unwilling to admit defeat.

For the honor of the Uchiha clan, even if it means dying in battle, we will never admit defeat.

Moreover, he did not sense any killing intent from Shimura Gengetsu.

That was completely... a joke.

A mad glint flashed in Itachi's red Sharingan eyes as he charged forward once more.

boom-!

Shimura Gengetsu dodged the harmless thrust by sidestepping, punched Uchiha Itachi in the arm, knocking the longsword out of his hand, and then kicked him away.

Uchiha Itachi fell to the ground and immediately lost consciousness.

The special Jonin examiner counted down to ten and announced the final winner.

"The winner is Shimura Gengetsu!"

The stadium erupted in a final cheer and prolonged applause.

Only Gengetsu Shimura shook his head regretfully.

The emotions still aren't quite there...

Uchiha Itachi seemed crazy just now, as if he wanted to die together with him, but in reality he had seen through a lot.

Killing a fellow villager in this situation is indeed impossible. Since there are no more worries, it's better to take a gamble and lose gracefully as soon as possible.

With this thought in mind, it's naturally impossible to generate more intense emotions.

That's why he ended the battle so decisively.

After the exam, the decision on promoting someone to Chunin was not made immediately, but would be made three days later.

Gengetsu Shimura wanted to find Sasuke to see if he could get the second stage reward, but he had already been taken away by Shisui to the hospital to see Itachi Uchiha.

Helpless, Gengetsu Shimura could only take Kurenai Yuhi and Yugao Uzuki home to celebrate.

the next day.

"Xuan Yue, it's time to get up! Hurry up and pack your things, we need to get ready to leave!"

Early in the morning, Yekura's excited voice woke Shimura Gengetsu up.

"coming!"

Shimura Gengetsu yawned and changed into casual clothes.

Today is the day the two of them are moving. Ye Cang is even more excited than the owner of his new property. He started planning what to bring over after dinner last night.

After another morning of fussing, everything was packed up, and a few members of the Shimura family were called over, and they moved everything over in one trip.

However, Yoko insisted on arranging the items in the new house herself, saying that it would be easier and more convenient for her to use them. At this time, Kurenai and Yugao Uzuki also came over to help, and the two of them even chose a bedroom for themselves in a very familiar way.

The reason is that if we stay out too late here, we can just go to sleep.

Holding a list of items to buy, Gengetsu Shimura was kicked out of his house.

"Get away from me, brat!"

"We're not selling anything here to you!"

On the street, a thin boy was pushed out of a grocery store and fell to the ground, but the people around him were as indifferent as ice. No one had the intention to help him up. Instead, they avoided him as if he had encountered a plague.

The boy's blue eyes were filled with tears, and the mustache on either side of his mouth trembled.

why...

Why did the villagers harbor such hostility towards him? What did he do wrong...?

Why does everyone say he's a fox demon?

He's just an ordinary kid.

"Oh, so there's someone in Konoha who's even more arrogant than me?"

A surprised voice rang out above the boy's head. He subconsciously looked up and saw a boy a few years older than him standing behind him.

"Shimura Genzuki?"

The grocery store owner who had just shoved the boy recognized Xuan Yue's identity.

Unfortunately, with Danzo's promotion and Hiruzen Sarutobi's tacit approval, Gengetsu Shimura is now the most popular genius in the village.

"So you refused to sell this child anything and even beat him up?" Shimura Gengetsu pointed at the boy on the ground and asked the shopkeeper.

"He's a fox spirit, he'll bring disaster!" the shopkeeper shouted. "I can choose not to sell to anyone, and I won't!"

"Very well, you have a lot of courage to try to fool me with this kind of excuse."

Gengetsu Shimura nodded, stuffed the list he had been holding into his pocket, and then...

"Art fire escape ho fireball!"

boom!

The blazing flames swept past the dazed figure of the grocer, rushing into the house and instantly igniting a raging fire.

"Ah! My shop!"

"This is no longer your shop," Shimura Gengetsu said coldly. "From today onwards, if you can find any job in Konoha to make a living, my name will be written backwards."

"This village will not allow anyone more arrogant than me to exist."

After speaking, he looked around and saw not only passersby watching the show, but also nearby shop owners.

Faced with the boy's gaze, everyone was so frightened that they hurriedly backed away.

"You're the same. Anyone who dares to pick and choose who to do business with in the future should quit Konoha."

After half an hour.

Leaving the bustling commercial street, Shimura Gengetsu led the boy to a dam in the village, where the two sat on the embankment.

"Big brother, you're so amazing!"

The boy's eyes were full of envy and admiration, and he even imitated the hand seals that Shimura Gengetsu had just performed, saying, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

Unfortunately, there was no response at all.

Xuan Yue waved her hand, "It's only so-so. Fire Release can't kill people, but it's quite useful for burning things."

"I'm sure I'll be able to learn ninjutsu someday," the boy encouraged himself.

"By the way, big brother, what's your name?"

"Didn't you hear what they called me just now?" Shimura Gengetsu looked at him in surprise. This kid has been a natural airhead since he was a child?

"Hehe." The boy scratched his head sheepishly. He had been so amazed by seeing real ninjutsu for the first time that he hadn't heard a thing.

"My name is Shimura Gengetsu." Gengetsu introduced himself slowly.

"What about you?"

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki." The boy smiled brightly; it seemed to be the first time someone had asked him his name.

"Brother Xuan Yue, are you a ninja?" he asked curiously, looking at the headband casually tucked into his waistband.

"Yes."

Gengetsu Shimura nodded. "I just passed the Chunin Exams, and in two days I'll be a Chunin in the village. Do you know how powerful a Chunin is?"

Naruto Uzumaki shook his head blankly. "I don't know."

"It's okay if you don't know."

Gengetsu Shimura snapped his fingers. "I can't explain it to you either, but looking at your stupid face, you'll never become a Chunin."

"hateful!"

Naruto was so angry at these words that he shouted and clenched his little fists.

"Grandpa Hokage is the strongest! I want to be Hokage someday, and I'll definitely be stronger than a Chunin!"

"Chunin can use ninjutsu, but have you ever seen a Hokage use ninjutsu?"

"No." Naruto Uzumaki felt a little guilty. He had never seen his grandfather, the Hokage, use ninjutsu; he had only ever heard him talk about how amazing the Hokage was.

"But the Hokage must also know ninjutsu."

"If a Chunin can lead a team of Genin, can a Hokage?"

"Grandpa Naruto will definitely be able to help the people!"

"A Chunin might dare to eat shit, but would a Hokage dare?"

"Grandpa Hokage is willing..."

"Cough cough!"