Chapter 167: Chapter 167: This Shade of Green
The setting sun filtered through the chain-link fence of the training ground. Kitahara Kaede had just finished packing his ninja tools and was preparing to head home when a blur of green blocked the exit.
Might Guy stood there, hands on his hips, sporting a brand-new flak jacket.
"Kaede!"
He beamed, flashing a huge thumbs-up. "I passed the Chunin Exams! I’m a Chunin now!"
Kaede looked at the uncontrollable joy radiating from Guy’s face.
"Congratulations."
"Hehe." Guy rubbed the back of his head. "Come have dinner at my place tonight. I couldn’t have improved this quickly without your help, and it’s been a while since you’ve visited."
Kaede thought about it. He didn’t have any plans for the evening. "Sure, let’s go."
The two walked side-by-side through the streets of Konoha. At this hour, the roads were filled with people taking evening strolls after dinner, with the occasional ninja rushing past them to get home.
As they crossed an intersection, a few teenagers around fifteen or sixteen were huddled together, chatting. One of them nudged his friend and jerked his chin toward Guy.
The three of them turned to look.
"Look, isn’t that the kid from the Might family?"
"Dressed like a giant green bean. He’s just like his father—that eternal Genin."
"Ha! Look at him, he actually made Chunin? I guess he’s a bit more capable than his old man."
"Hahaha, exactly. Running all over the village in those weird clothes every day... how embarrassing."
Kaede didn’t stop walking, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Guy’s shoulders stiffen. The joy vanished from his face, and those eyes that were always shining dimmed for a fleeting moment.
Guy didn’t snap back. Instead, he reached out and tapped Kaede’s shoulder, his voice dropping. "Kaede, let’s just walk faster."
Kaede looked at him. *So this is the ’will of dominance’ from the locals of Konoha,* he thought. He hadn’t expected to witness it firsthand. Judging by Guy’s reaction, this clearly happened often.
Kaede stopped in his tracks and turned his gaze toward the group of boys.
"And what about you?"
His voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough to make the teenagers freeze.
"Senior Duy may be who he is, but he has contributed to this village. What have you done?" Kaede stared them down. "Other than eating and breathing, what are you actually good for?"
The boys’ expressions soured. One of them bristled, leaning forward to retort. "Who the hell do you think you—"
Before he could finish, the person beside him violently yanked him back, his face pale. "Shut up! That’s Kitahara Kaede!"
"The one from the rumors!"
The mouths that had been ready to hurl insults snapped shut instantly. Some shrank back awkwardly; others simply turned and bolted without daring to say another word. Within seconds, the group had vanished.
Guy remained where he was, staring at Kaede in a daze. Kaede retracted his gaze and resumed walking. "Let’s go."
Guy hurried to catch up, rubbing his nose and speaking in a muffled voice. "Kaede, you didn’t have to stick up for me... I’m used to it."
"Used to being called an idiot?"
Guy fell silent. Kaede looked at the road ahead. "Truly powerful people don’t care what those weaker than them think."
"Your father’s green outfit isn’t a joke," Kaede continued. "It’s proof of twenty years of blood and sweat." He paused. "One day, the entire shinobi world will remember this shade of green."
Guy stopped dead in his tracks. A second later, tears and snot erupted in a flood.
"Kaede—!"
He grabbed Kaede’s shoulders, sobbing uncontrollably, yet his eyes were burning with intensity. "You understand me so well! You really are my best friend!"
Kaede felt a headache coming on from being shaken so violently.
"To thank you!" Guy slapped his chest. "I’ll take you to the tailor right now and get you a set of green spandex! We can wear matching outfits!"
The image of himself in a green skin-tight suit flashed through Kaede’s mind. His lip twitched. *Repaying kindness with cruelty.*
"No need."
"Don’t be modest, Kaede!"
"I said, no need."
The answer was fast and final, leaving no room for negotiation. Guy tried to persist, but one sharp look from Kaede shut him down, leaving him to give up with a disappointed sigh.
Guy’s house was on the outskirts of the village, a small, modest building. The interior was excessively simple, with almost no proper furniture, but it was spotlessly clean. The walls were covered in training schedules, and a pile of well-worn weight tools sat in the corner.
Might Duy hadn’t returned yet. Kaede’s gaze lingered on that wall for a moment.
Shortly after, the door pushed open. Might Duy walked in, covered in mud and sweat, with grass clinging to his pant legs. He had clearly just finished some D-rank chore, like catching cats or pulling weeds. Yet, the smile on his face was even more brilliant than Guy’s.
"Haha! The sweat of youth has been spent in full today!"
He looked up and saw Kaede, blinking in surprise before his entire face broke into a wide grin. "Oh, if it isn’t young Kaede!"
He rushed over and threw an arm around Kaede’s shoulder, his grip so strong it nearly knocked Kaede off balance. "I heard about what happened at Mount Kikyo! Impressive!"
Kaede struggled to keep his footing. "You flatter me, Senior Duy."
"And another thing!" Duy patted him on the back. "Thanks to you accompanying Guy in his training, the boy has improved so quickly! I really must thank you!"
Kaede looked at Duy’s face. The man was in his forties, yet when he was happy, he acted like a child.
After chatting for a while, Duy tied on an apron and disappeared into the kitchen. There weren’t many ingredients, yet he managed to produce a table full of food. During the meal, he constantly piled food into Kaede’s bowl.
"Eat more. You’re as thin as Guy was when he was little."
"Speaking of Guy as a child, let me tell you! Back then, he couldn’t even catch a wooden kunai. He’d drop it right on his own forehead and run all over the yard crying—"
"Dad!" Guy shouted, embarrassed.
"Hahaha!"
The house was filled with laughter and the steam of home-cooked food. Kaede ate quietly, a strange feeling stirring in his heart. This warm, noisy atmosphere of a home was something he had never experienced growing up.
After dinner, Kaede rose to take his leave. The night air was chilly, and the streets were nearly empty.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Duy’s hands. They were covered in calluses, the knuckles severely deformed from years of striking training posts. Yet, those hands had been perfectly steady when serving him food. And there was that unrestrained laughter at the table.
Kaede’s pace slowed. A scene from the original story surfaced in his mind.
To protect Guy and his teammates, Duy had opened the Eighth Gate in front of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure. Once the Gate of Death is opened, there is no survival. Might Duy had died in that battle.
Kaede clenched his fist. Guy was one of the few true friends he had. If possible, he would change that ending.
Just as he was wondering when that event would occur, a figure appeared at the street corner. Minato was carrying his ninja gear, walking much faster than usual.
"Kaede, why are you still out so late?"
Kaede snapped back to the present. "Lord Minato, is something happening?"
"There’s movement from Kumogakure." Minato adjusted the gear bag on his leg. "A and his group have appeared at the border again. I’m heading there overnight."
Kaede processed this. Given the intelligence he had previously leaked to Minato, dealing with A’s group shouldn’t be too difficult this time.
"Then I shall look forward to your safe return, Lord Minato."
Minato smiled. "Alright. I’ll see you when I get back."
He turned to leave, then paused.
"By the way, the Hokage has been reviewing your files recently."
Minato looked at him, his tone casual.
"I’m sure you can guess what that means. Make sure you perform well in the coming days."
Kitahara Kaede nodded.
Minato patted him on the shoulder and quickly vanished into the night. Silence returned to the street.
Kitahara Kaede stood still, staring in the direction Minato had departed.
Kumogakure.
Minato’s departure for Kumogakure meant that a significant portion of Konoha’s combat power was now tied down toward the Land of Lightning.
In the original story, Kirigakure had seized this exact opportunity, dispatching the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to infiltrate the Land of Fire. It was during that time that Guy, Genma, and Ebisu’s team had crossed paths with them, eventually leading to Duy’s arrival and his opening of the Gate of Death.
Kitahara Kaede lowered his gaze, reflecting on Minato’s words.
The Hokage was reviewing his files. The implication was clear: the Third wanted to push him toward a higher position.
Kitahara Kaede slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the layers of rooftops and drifting toward the Land of Water—that land shrouded in thick, eternal mist.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
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