CH_127

"Good—that's all I needed to hear…" Kenji pulled out several scrolls. "If you really do have that special ability to sense things, then I'm counting on you to look after my son Genta."

He handed the scrolls to Tōji. "What I mean is—if you ever sense something again before Genta becomes a proper shinobi, I hope you'll think of him."

"Naturally—but what are these scrolls?" Tōji didn't reach out to take them.

"Take them—they're a few Water Release and Earth Release jutsu. Spoils of war, not family heirlooms." Kenji said generously. "The Kokubō clan doesn't have many inherited jutsu. If it's convenient, would you mind giving Genta some pointers when the time comes?"

Tōji didn't hesitate and took all the scrolls.

Having spent years on the battlefield, Kenji had a habit of looting bodies, capturing prisoners, and interrogating them—so he'd likely accumulated quite a haul.

To Tōji, it sounded like Kenji was settling his affairs. But Tōji didn't dwell on it. He forced a light tone. "Whether we end up as master and disciple or not, I'll take Genta on as my student—as long as you're not afraid I'll corrupt your precious son."

Earlier, Kenji had mentioned that the Kokubō clan was in a similar sorry state to the Kazamatsuri. They had two retired elderly shinobi, one middle-aged shinobi retired due to injury, only Kenji himself as a young adult shinobi, and not a single teenager with enough aptitude to become a ninja.

So the Kokubō clan's future rested on the children not yet old enough for the Academy.

Kenji's son, Kokubō Genta, was one of them—and he was almost old enough to enroll.

If Kenji never came back, only the two old men in the clan would be left to train Genta.

Then Genta would likely end up in the same tough spot Tōji had been in. Tōji's early training had been a mix of Academy guidance and his own "scientific" design—otherwise, he wouldn't have had much of a foundation.

To be honest, the elderly shinobi left in minor clans weren't there because they were strong—they were there because they were weak enough to be kept off the battlefield.

The strong members of minor clans—even the clan head—couldn't avoid being sent to war. They'd all charge forward in pursuit of "clan glory," leaving few capable members behind.

Major clans were different. Their strongest member was usually the clan head, and unless the village was in existential danger, those clan heads had the right to refuse high-risk missions.

Besides, those powerful figures had a much higher survival rate on the battlefield—their strength far exceeded that of minor clan heads, and they had dedicated bodyguard units.

So Kenji didn't trust the elderly clan members to train the kids.

"We'll be entering a peaceful era soon! With you looking after Genta, I'll be at ease." Kenji had also subtly suggested in the past that if Tōji had lived in peacetime, he'd have been a more upright, honorable person.

"Don't be so sure! My abilities are limited—even if I promised, I might not do well. You'd better come back safe!" With that, Tōji stopped walking.

They'd reached the end of the street—their paths home diverged in different directions.

"That's it, then. I'm going home to handle a few things, then I'll see the Hokage." Kenji turned his back to Tōji and said, "I trust you, Tōji."

Before Tōji could even say goodbye, Kenji had vanished with Body Flicker.

"Goodbye, Captain… Master."

Tōji stood still under the scorching afternoon sun, staring down the road, his emotions in turmoil.

After a long while, a young couple walked past him with a child in their arms…

He suddenly remembered—he hadn't told his parents he was going out. They were probably worried about him still "recovering" from his illness. So he hurried home.