"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, a figure in a green ninja vest flashed into view. Yūhi Shinku immediately grew wary, stepping in front to shield Yūhi Kurenai.
"Sarutobi Shinnosuke!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke sneered, his eyes falling on the girl behind Yūhi Shinku.
"Not bad looking. In the future, you'll definitely grow into a beauty. You're qualified to become a woman of the Sarutobi clan."
Yūhi Kurenai's small face flared with anger.
"Like hell I'd ever want to be part of your Sarutobi clan!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke slowly approached, his black, ink-like eyes radiating an oppressive aura as he stared straight at Yūhi Shinku.
"Jōnin Shinku, can't even control your own daughter? Are you planning to rebel against the Sarutobi clan?"
Yūhi Shinku remained silent.
"Hic~"
Kairen let out a hiccup, instantly drawing Sarutobi Shinnosuke's gaze toward him.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's eyes brimmed with contempt as he looked him over.
"Drinking on the battlefield, and you're not even an adult. You're no qualified ninja. One of the three taboos of the ninja, the alcohol taboo—you've already broken it."
"But I suppose it's only natural. After all, you're just a commoner."
Kairen swayed unsteadily, zigzagging from left to right. Hearing Sarutobi Shinnosuke's words, he raised his drunken eyes to look at him. His vision was a little blurry.
"Hic~ Who the hell are you? The… grown-up Asuma!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke let out a cold snort.
"I am Sarutobi Shinnosuke, a Jōnin of Konoha, and Asuma's elder brother!"
Kairen, muddle-headed, shook his head.
"Hic~ So you're just… a background extra. In the manga… you don't even get a panel!"
"What did you just say?"
Kairen staggered forward, wobbling drunkenly toward Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
Yūhi Kurenai gasped, covering her mouth.
"Kairen… don't provoke him!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke got a good look at Kairen's face.
Delicate features, about the same age as Asuma. But that outfit he wore made Shinnosuke itch to beat him senseless.
"So you're Moku Kairen. Pretty gutsy, daring to trample on the face of the Sarutobi clan!"
"Hic~"
Kairen hiccuped, his eyes glazed with drunkenness.
"Hic~ So… what of it? Who… who the hell do I fear? Sarutobi Hiruzen… that… that hypocritical old politician… I don't give a damn. Why would I be afraid of a measly little Asuma? Hic~"
"…"
Silence. A heavy, suffocating silence. The three of them were completely stunned by Kairen's outrageous words.
Yūhi Kurenai: ◝₍ᴑ̑ДO͝₎◞
She nervously pinched Yūhi Shinku's thigh.
It's over! It's over! Kairen actually insulted the Hokage? They were doomed now!
Yūhi Shinku's eyes widened in shock. He had pinned his hopes on Kairen, hoping that someday he would grow strong enough to become Hokage himself, to change the way the ninja clans ruled the village.
And now Kairen had actually dared to curse the Third Hokage. That was grounds for treason.
"Moku Kairen!!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's eyes blazed with murderous intent. Sarutobi Hiruzen was his father, and the Hokage who ruled the entire village.
He would never allow a mere commoner Genin to insult his father.
Kairen hiccupped again, drunkenly staggering in his steps.
"Hic~ What are you barking for? Isn't… isn't it true? That… that old geezer, what has he contributed?"
"Hic~ During the Second Great Ninja War, did he ever even leave the village? It was… it was his three students running around everywhere… they're the ones who actually won the war."
"…And now? Does he even show up on the battlefield? Hic~ The Third Raikage of Kumogakure died for his village, but that… that old geezer… is he just waiting to die of old age?"
Naruto's Negative Talk no Jutsu activated!
"You bastard!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's eyes turned bloodshot. Kairen's words carried the [Naruto's Negative Talk no Jutsu] attribute, directly inflaming Shinnosuke's killing intent to its peak.
He raised the kunai at his knee, and with a Body Flicker leapt straight at Kairen.
"Kairen, watch out!" Yūhi Kurenai cried out.
Yūhi Shinku was just about to step forward and block him when he suddenly saw Kairen collapse drunkenly to the ground, casually dodging Shinnosuke's kunai thrust.
Kairen's steps were unsteady. His arms swung forward and back, his palms cupped as if holding a wine cup.
He swayed left and right, muttering drowsily.
"Behold… my Immortals Drunken Fist!"
"Reckless fool!" Sarutobi Shinnosuke flickered again, his sharp kunai about to pierce Kairen's chest.
Kairen toppled backward into a roll, narrowly avoiding Shinnosuke's strike.
The system's voice rang out:
"Detected: Host developing Taijutsu. Taijutsu Development Template recording progress!"
"Taijutsu Development Progress 1%…"
"2%…"
"What kind of fighting style is this?!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's shock was plain. Kairen was completely drunk, barely conscious, and yet somehow managed to evade his ferocious attacks!
His expression hardened. He lunged forward, simultaneously hurling three shuriken.
Kairen bent backward in a deep arc, spun suddenly, and dodged the shuriken from all three angles.
Shinnosuke closed in and swung a punch. Kairen, seemingly falling in drunken stupor, collapsed just in time to avoid the blow.
"Taijutsu Development Progress 20%…"
Kairen swayed his head, his drunken hands pushing forward as Shinnosuke's fist came barreling down.
Kairen fell once more, then sprang upward suddenly, headbutting Shinnosuke in the chest.
Shinnosuke staggered back two steps. Kairen wavered closer with drunken steps.
"Taijutsu Development Progress 40%…"
But Kairen was too short. He couldn't reach Shinnosuke's throat and instead latched both hands onto his right arm.
Shinnosuke yanked it free with force, then raised a leg and kicked at Kairen.
Kairen lazily spun aside. Shinnosuke's high leg came slicing down, but Kairen swiftly sidestepped and lunged forward like a wild wolf.
"Taijutsu Development Progress 70%…"
Kairen's foot lashed out. Shinnosuke evaded.
Shinnosuke retreated dozens of steps, staring at Kairen in disbelief. Every single strike of his had been dodged. Kairen's movements alternated between real and feigned, completely unreadable.
Like… like a feather drifting with the wind.
"What is this Taijutsu?!"
"Hic~"
Kairen belched, answering drunkenly.
"…Ultra Instinct!"
"Hic~"
Kairen bent backward again, as if guzzling from an invisible bottle of wine.
He staggered two steps, then struck a drunken pose.
"Taijutsu Development Progress 100%!"
"Taijutsu development complete. Please name this style!"
"Hic~ Drunken … Flow!"
"Naming complete. Drunken Flow recorded in Ninja Sect Taijutsu Archives!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke grew serious, freeing both hands. He weaved hand signs, chakra gathering in his throat.
Kairen staggered forward in drunken steps, then suddenly leapt into the air, spinning like a top.
"Behold…!"
"Don't blame me!" Sarutobi Shinnosuke snorted coldly, unleashing a blaze.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!"
Yūhi Shinku's eyes widened.
"Shinnosuke, you truly mean to kill a comrade ninja?!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke did not answer.
Yūhi Kurenai's crimson eyes reflected the flames. That fiery blaze swallowed the boy in white clothes whole…
"Kairen——"
"Ding!"
"You were burned to death by Jōnin Sarutobi Shinnosuke's Fire Release. EXP +200!"