Konoha: The King of Souls from Uchiha

c65: Asuma is Messy in the Wind

The barbecue party lasted until around 8:30 in the evening, with everyone splitting the bill evenly.

Barbecue at Yakiniku Q is considered a relatively luxurious treat for both shinobi and civilians in Konoha. If someone were to cover the entire expense personally, only a few present could manage it without flinching.

Namely: Sarutobi Asuma, backed by the authority and wealth of the Third Hokage; Uchiha Gen, from the affluent and prestigious Uchiha clan; and Hatake Kakashi, who inherited the estate and savings of the renowned White Fang of Konoha. These three had the financial means.

After the gathering, everyone loitered a bit outside Yakiniku Q, sharing small talk under the orange glow of the street lanterns. Eventually, they trickled off in pairs or trios—heading home or splintering into smaller hangouts with those they were close to.

Soon, only seven people remained standing at the restaurant's entrance: Uchiha Gen, Mitarashi Anko, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuhi Kurenai, Uzuki Yugao, Moonlight Hayate, and Ebisu.

Uchiha Gen stood beside Uzuki Yugao, while Anko and Kurenai were clearly in sync, and Asuma was flanked by Ebisu. These formations reflected current relationship dynamics: Gen and Yugao had been growing closer lately; Anko and Kurenai were long-time academy friends; Asuma and Ebisu were teammates during earlier missions, with Ebisu often playing the straight-laced supporter.

Moonlight Hayate, slightly apart and coughing quietly into his sleeve, seemed like an outsider among the cozy clusters.

"Everyone, we'll head out first," Uchiha Gen said.

He had already invited Yugao to watch a movie at the cinema in the upper district—something lighthearted to unwind from their latest D-rank mission. She had accepted.

"Wait a sec, Captain."

"Hehe," Gen chuckled, raising a brow. "Kurenai, you didn't call me 'Captain' even once during dinner. Now suddenly you say it with all this fake formality—are you plotting something?"

"Yeah, Red—why'd you call me 'Captain Gen' all of a sudden?" Asuma asked, puffing lightly on a cigarette. His hair, untamed as always, fluttered slightly in the evening breeze. Hands on his hips, he looked genuinely confused.

"During the Kirigakure campaign," Kurenai explained, "I was reassigned under Gen's temporary command. I was one of his three direct subordinates."

Asuma gave a silent nod, lips tightening. He had petitioned to go to that same battlefield, but the Sandaime had denied his request.

Damn old man...

"No hidden meaning," Kurenai said lightly. "Just suggesting we go find a teahouse. Maybe have some dessert and share thoughts on our recent training."

She smiled and tugged gently at Anko's arm. Anko, catching the cue, chimed in.

"Yeah! It's rare for us all to be free like this. Breaking up early would be boring."

"Big bro, give us some face?" she added teasingly.

Uchiha Gen gave a modest smile and turned to Uzuki Yugao. "What do you think, Yugao?"

Aside from Moonlight Hayate, who was quietly watching with undisguised intensity, no one else realized Gen and Yugao had made movie plans. Hayate's eyes lingered on the kunoichi he admired, heart sinking at the prospect of her going out with another man.

Yugao felt warmth in her chest. She never expected someone like Uchiha Gen—heir to one of Konoha's noble clans and gifted with both intellect and Sharingan—to be so considerate of her, a genin from a humble background with nothing but kenjutsu and quiet diligence to her name.

For someone of Gen's caliber, charming women came naturally. His background alone was enough to tilt hearts. The same could be said for Sarutobi Asuma—being the son of the Hokage gave him a magnetic edge that most girls couldn't ignore.

Even in Kurenai's case, it was hard to dismiss how much prestige factored into their budding relationship. In modern-day terms, being the son of the Hokage was like being the president's heir, or the general's son. Few women could remain completely indifferent to that kind of power and influence.

Even among the present company, Anko, Yugao, Hayate, and Ebisu were still technically genin, despite having substantial combat experience.

"I'll go with you," Yugao said quietly, offering a small, sincere smile.

"Alright," Gen replied, his tone easy but respectful. "Let's go."

Because BBQ Q is located on one of Konoha's busiest commercial streets, the group quickly found a nearby teahouse.

They secured a large private room. Warm tea was poured, light snacks were served, and soon everyone began sharing their personal cultivation experiences and training insights, taking turns as the discussion moved around the table.

Uzuki Yugao and Ebisu both came from true civilian backgrounds, having no clan support or inherited techniques. Although Moonlight Hayate belonged to a small ninja family known for swordsmanship, their clan lacked influence or resources, making his upbringing not much different from the average genin.

By contrast, the remaining four had significantly stronger backgrounds. Even Yuhi Kurenai, who had the least prestigious origin among them, still hailed from a line of ninja with specialized talent.

The Yuhi family, while not a major clan like the Uchiha or Hyuga, had maintained a deep connection with genjutsu for generations. They were renowned for producing genjutsu specialists, and several of Kurenai's forebears had attained jōnin rank through mastery of the illusion arts. Though lacking in wide-ranging ninjutsu versatility, they were considered formidable in their field.

So despite not having inherited large-scale techniques or Kekkei Genkai, the three genin present listened closely to the discussion. They feared missing valuable details that could help them improve. Even minor advice from elite ninja could become life-saving knowledge on a mission.

Each person took their turn, sharing techniques, ideas, and philosophies on chakra control, elemental release, and battlefield tactics. Soon, only Uchiha Gen and Sarutobi Asuma remained.

Uchiha Gen, the only jōnin among them, knew that speaking last would help preserve balance in the discussion and not discourage the others. His words carried weight, and he didn't want to cast a shadow over those who had already spoken.

Sarutobi Asuma, though still a chūnin at this point, carried his own pride. Despite recognizing that Uchiha Gen's combat ability and rank surpassed his, he believed that his own insights refined under the legacy of the Sarutobi clan and years of elite training were not inferior.

He harbored mixed feelings toward his father, the Third Hokage. Although he resented Hiruzen's expectations, Asuma couldn't deny the foundation he'd been given. Hiruzen was not just a Kage; he was once hailed as "The Professor" for his mastery of countless jutsu. Asuma had received teachings and guidance from clan elders and jōnin instructors few others could access.

So when Asuma remained silent, merely lighting a cigarette and leaning back like an old sage, Gen simply smiled and shook his head.

Since Asuma clearly wasn't eager to go next, there was no need to pressure him.

Uchiha Gen sipped his tea, letting the warmth coat his throat, and began to speak.

He started with taijutsu his approach to hand-to-hand combat, footwork, balance, and precision. He then elaborated on his swordplay techniques and the importance of shurikenjutsu: the advanced throwing methods with kunai and shuriken, often overlooked by younger shinobi.

Moving into genjutsu, Gen explained the fundamentals. Illusion techniques manipulate the five senses sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Visual and auditory genjutsu were the most widely practiced. The other three were far rarer and more difficult to master due to the complexity of chakra control required.

He admitted that he had only begun exploring the lesser-used senses. For now, his visual genjutsu bolstered by his Sharingan was his strongest domain.

Finally, he addressed ninjutsu, starting with basic techniques like the Three Body Techniques: Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, and Transformation Jutsu. He discussed his improvements in Shadow Clone Jutsu and Body Flicker Technique, leading into his deeper knowledge of the Five Basic Nature Transformations.

His focus was on Fire Release, unsurprisingly. As a member of the Uchiha clan, he had been trained in high-temperature flame techniques since childhood. While his Wind and Earth Release were serviceable, he admitted they were still developing. But in Fire Style, he claimed confidently yet not arrogantly that few jōnin in Konoha could match him in sheer technique or temperature manipulation.

Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, though a master of elemental ninjutsu, may not have achieved such focused fire-style purity. The Uchiha and Sarutobi were the only two fire-specialist clans in the village but the Uchiha's scale and power made them the undisputed kings of Katon across the shinobi world. The Sarutobi clan was respected, yes, but never dominant.

As Gen spoke, he wasn't just reciting knowledge. He adapted his insights to suit his audience, offering tailored suggestions to each individual advice on chakra flow, posture, reflex training, even dietary suggestions for better stamina.

The volume of knowledge shared should have taken hours, yet Gen, with subtle deliberation, stretched his delivery.

Combined with the five earlier speakers, by the time Gen finished his detailed narration, the owner of the teahouse had quietly approached to inform them that the establishment would be closing soon.

While no one was drunk from tea, everyone felt a quiet satisfaction. They had absorbed new knowledge, sharpened their awareness, and left with tangible takeaways.

The group looked outside. The commercial street's lights had dimmed. The moon had shifted far west, and the streets were much quieter.

They paid the bill, splitting it equally once again, and left the shop.

Even after leaving the teahouse, they continued discussing the last part of Gen's talk, strolling through the cool night air.

As they passed through the shopping district, Gen finished his final point. The streets grew emptier, and fatigue began to set in. Most were ready to go home—especially those with strict parents or curfews.

In this atmosphere, no one had time or patience to hear a long monologue from Sarutobi Asuma. Any chance he had to impress the group with his own insights had evaporated.

Everyone quickly said their goodbyes and scattered.

Uchiha Gen didn't walk Uzuki Yugao home. He was thoughtful, yes, but even a confident boy must maintain some reservation especially one born into a legacy like the Uchiha.

One by one, the others dispersed. Ebisu, ever cautious, gave a hasty farewell. He feared awkward moments.especially ones involving "fried meat with bamboo shoots," a local idiom for getting caught in trouble after hours.

Eventually, Sarutobi Asuma stood alone at the intersection, the wind tugging at his collar, his hair a mess, a lone figure in the quiet Konoha night.

Why did it turn out like this?

The most frustrating thing was.he had been so absorbed in Gen's speech that he completely forgot to speak up for himself.

Staring at the sky for a while, Asuma sighed, lit another cigarette, and jammed his hands into his pockets.

A rebellious youth to the core, he figured there was nothing wrong with getting home late.or even staying out till dawn.

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