(A.erday’s chapter…)

  ***

  Kaida and Shisui started w on adding a new gate in the backyard. Cutting the fend installing the gate with some screws was hardly a task a ninja couldn’t handle in an hour. Especially since Kaida insisted on adding some seals, like a cealment seal and a hardness seal.

  Since he didn’t know many advanced security seals, he decided to do the bare minimum. The cealment seal would help hide the gate, so unless someone specifically looked for it, they wouldn’t find it—particurly si wasn’t on the main road. It was unnecessary, but si was free, there was no harm.

  The hardness seal simply increased the durability so the bear wouldn’t break the gate actally.

  After the gate was installed, Kaida let the bear i sat nearby, watg them work and occasionally trying to help, like moving the pieces of fehey had cut or cheering them on.

  ‘I don’t regret bringing him with me o,’ Kaida thought, watg its antics.

  “If you guys are done, e ihe food is ready,” Yomi called.

  “Guah!” The bear was the most excited at the mention of food.

  “You just ate; are you still hungry?” Kaida asked. Though he hadn’t given the bear quite as much as it might usually eat, it wasn’t a small amouher.

  “Guah!” The bear nodded enthusiastically, showing its hunger.

  “Fine, I’m sure Aunt made plenty for you too,” Kaida said, at which the bear’s excitement faltered.

  “Don’t worry; we’ll arrange something afterward,” Shisui said, patting its head.

  “Guah,” the bear roared happily.

  As the three of them went ihe intense aroma of food filled the air.

  “Guah,” the bear cried, and though there was a nguage barrier between it and Kaida and Shisui, they both uood it wao eat whatever Aunt Hae had cooked.

  “Don’t worry, I made some for you as well,” Hae said, bringing a rge pte outside. It wasn’t the usual bear food. Something white iled under pieces of chi, which were covered in a sauce made with honey.

  “I hope you like it,” Hae said, giving her usual motherly smile.

  The bear jumped for joy before running toward Hae. She was startled but, seeiher Kaida nor Shisui moving, knew she was safe. As expected, the bear stopped a little distance away, sitting and waiting for her to pce its food down.

  “Good boy,” Hae said, setting the food on the ground. The bear took a bite and was immediately startled by the fvor.

  “Guah!” Though none of them actually uood the words, its expression made it clear how much it liked the food.

  “Aunt, we’re hungry too,” Kaida said.

  “Of course. The food is ready; let’s go inside.”

  Kaida and Shisui entered, where Yomi was almost doing up food on the dining table.

  “Go and up quickly while we finish the final preparations,” Hae said.

  “Yes, Mom.”

  “Okay, Aunt.”

  After a quick bath, both Kaida and Shisui came back.

  “Let’s eat! And why don’t you guys also tell me about your journey?” Hae suggested, knowing that si wasn’t a mission, they could share the details.

  …

  “What? 32 million! No, that’s not important. Who gave you permission to bet anyway?” Hae asked. Kaida could almost see a red aura of anger around her. He activated his Sharingan to check if this sudden rage had somehow awakened her chakra, but it wasn’t the case. Sadly, it was just an illusion he could see, refleg Hae’s anger. Worse news came from Shisui.

  “No, Mom. I was sure Kaida would wich, and there was no ould lose our money. Even Jiraiya-sama pced a bet with me…”

  “Enough with the excuses. You’re not getting any breakfast tomorrow,” Hae said.

  “Yes, Mom,” Shisui replied dejectedly.

  “Now about the bear’s name. We ’t keep calling him ‘Bear.’ Do any of you have suggestions?” Hae asked.

  “Pochi,” Kaida said.

  “Chibi,” Shisui offered.

  “Both of you have terrible naming sense. He’s not a dog,” Hae said.

  “How about Kenta?” Yomi suggested.

  “Hmm, Kenta. Good suggestion as usual, Yomi,” Hae said.

  “Mine was good too,” Kaida mumbled under his breath.

  “Alright, it’s settled. His name will be Kenta. Kaida, let him know. Also, about his food—I ’t cook that much every day, not with running the bathhouse as well.”

  “No worries, Aunt. I was thinking ing a restaurant tract for it.”

  “That’ll be costly,” Hae noted.

  “Well, money isn’t something we’re short on,” Shisui said with a cheeky grin.

  “Add two days to your room time as punishment,” Hae said. Shisui was about to say something when she added, “Am I clear?”

  “Yes, Mom,” Shisui replied with a pout that didn’t suit him at all.

  ‘Well, no matter how powerful you are, Mom is always the oo fear,’ Kaida thought, chug along with Yomi.

  “Alright, regarding the food, you and Shisui go discuss it, but keep the cost under 1 million a year. If it exceeds that, no matter how cute the bear is, he’s going back to the wild,” Hae said.

  Kaida nodded in uanding. Even 1 million was a stretch, only acceptable because of their increased earnings.

  …

  After eating, Kaida and Shisui headed to a nearby restaurant te food for Kenta.

  “Hello, boss. We’d like to discuss something with you,” Shisui said, approag the ter where the owner was seated.

  “I don’t do dists, even if you’re a Jonin,” the owner replied, reizing Shisui immediately.

  “We don’t need one, sir. We’d like to pce a bulk order for food: 50 kilos of meat and 10 kilos of rice, twice a day, with different fvors occasionally,” Kaida expined.

  “Hmm, doable, but it won’t be cheap—2000 Ryo per serving,” the owner said after some quick calcutions.

  ‘1.5 million… it’s pricey but reasonable,’ Kaida thought.

  “Boss, we’re sidering using your restaurant for a year. But if the price is that high, we ’t afford it,” Kaida said.

  The owner pohis, then did some further calcutions before saying, “1400 per meal. I ’t go below that. Take it or look for another pce.”

  “No hat’s fine. you start delivering food from tomorrow?” Shisui asked.

  “Of course, I even start today if you’d like,” the owner replied fidently.

  “Alright, then I’ll deposit the advaomorrow. Would a month’s payment suffice?” Kaida asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Then we have a deal,” Kaida said with a big smile.

  …

  “You’re better at this than I am,” Shisui admitted.

  “Thanks, brother. Now, why are we heading in this dire?” Kaida asked.

  “Oh! I fot to mention, the head wants to see you. He asked me t you by after you’d rested. Since we’re already here, let’s get it done.”

  “He’s not your head anymore, brother,” Kaida chuckled.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Shisui replied dismissively.

  …

  “Good evening, Fugaku-sama,” Kaida said, bowing slightly.

  “Good evening, Kaida. I’m very impressed with your performan the in exams. You did well, improving the reputation of both the vilge and our .”

  “Thank you, head,” Kaida replied.

  “I also heard you almost defeated Itachi?” Fugaku inquired.

  “That was only because it was a friendly match. I used my excess chakra to my advantage. In a real battle, things might go differently,” Kaida said, n to be modest—it was the truth, and Fugaku k. Itachi hadn’t shown his true capabilities in the exams, knowihe risk of exposing all his skills to potential enemies.

  “Well, I’ll leave that to you. But as head, it would be shameful if I gratuted you with just words. Here,” Fugaku said, flig a paper towards Kaida, who caught it without issue.

  “This…?” Kaida asked, genuinely shocked by the reward.

  “I heard that, although you’re quite powerful for ye, you know very few jutsu—unusual for someoh your talent. I wao give you some jutsu, but since I didn’t know whies you’d want to learn, take that instead,” Fugaku expined.

  As Kaida looked at the paper in his hand, he saw it was worth 1 million tribution points. No matter how impressed Fugaku was, wasn’t this too much?

  “ head, this is 1 million tribution points,” Kaida said, w if Fugaku had made a mistake.

  “Hahaha, yes, I know. Do you know why I’m so pleased to give you this reward?” Fugaku asked.