"OOOOH!" A few girls rumbled and the entire class turned into a frenzy.
"SILENCE!" Hideo roared and the room became quiet.
"We'll be on our way," said Kenji with a smirk, which turned into a frown when he glanced at Haru. But what about the other pervert? Why wasn't he called? He walked outside and led Kazuo to the Sage's office in silence. Upon arrival, he knocked on the door twice.
"Enter," said Kazutaka and the boys got inside.
Kenji's smile turned upside down when he spotted the katana on Natsumi's waist. "Where's Brother Ken?"
Natsumi rushed over to the boy and hugged him. "I'm so sorry, Kenji."
"No…" Kenji's jaw dropped. "You were together on a mission, weren't you, Sister Natsumi? Why is he not with you?" he asked, a tear trickling down his cheek. "Kazuo-chan," said Kazutaka, pointing outside. "Let us give them a moment."
As they walked, several thoughts clouded Kazuo's mind. How was he going to explain what he had done? Was he going to be exiled? Again? And if so, where would he go this time?
When they got outside, Kazutaka closed the door and started speaking. "We received a message from Kaen last night… It said that Shadow ninjas had infiltrated the village and attacked the royal palace."
Kazuo sighed. "W–Wait what? Is Mom… are they alright?"
"It did not say..." said Kazutaka, his tone somber.
Shit! Kazuo thought, an image of his parents flashing before him. I said I never wanted to see them again. "So, Grandpa… what are we gonna do?" he asked.
"My plan was to send a team of shinobi to investigate, however, most graduates are on other missions." Kazutaka stroked his beard before turning to Kazuo. "Would you mind going to Kaen village with two of your classmates?"
"No, I wouldn't… but who exactly?"
"Takumi and Mikoto."
"Whaaat!" said Kazuo, furrowing his eyebrows. "Why them?" he asked.
"They are the closest to graduating."
"Oh, if that's all…" Kazuo grinned, turning to walk back. "I'll be off–"
Kazutaka grabbed Kazuo by the shoulder. "Not so fast, young man..." His voice deepened. "I heard about what you did this morning."
Kazuo placed a hand behind his head and chuckled. "Um, about that..." he said, a drop of sweat trickling from his temple. "Whatever that guy told you, it's not true."
"Go wait for me in the dojo." Kazutaka's tone was final.
Kazuo bowed, and his started cracking. "It–It won't happen again, Grandpa."
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
"No, Grandpa Sir," said Kazuo, leaving for the training room.
Kazutaka got back into his office and saw Natsumi handing over Ken's sword.
"He would've wanted you to have it," she said.
"She's right, Kenji-kun," Kazutaka added.
"I don't think I'm ready to wield it, yet," Kenji replied, wiping the tears off his face. "Please hold on to it for a while, Sister Natsumi."
"Alright," said Natsumi before turning to Kazutaka. "Lord Sage."
She bowed and Kenji did the same before they left.
Kazutaka also got out and walked to the dojo. What were they after?
[
"I am sure you are wondering why I told you to come here, Kazuo-chan?" said Kazutaka, entering the dojo.
"Uh…" Kazuo held his chin. "For training or something, right?"
"Well, not quite." Kazutaka slid the door shut and started pacing. "As my grandson, you shall not get special treatment. What you did is worthy of expulsion, alas, where would you go if I did that?" he said, grinning as he stroked his beard. "I will give you a punishment far worse!"
What could be worse than that? Kazuo's mind raced.
"Now, begin one hundred push-ups–"
"One hundred?" Kazuo blurted out loud with a chuckle. "That's easy, old man."
"Not just ordinary pushups… Hindu ones."
Shit. Kazuo bit his lip. Rohan said next to one arm… these are the worst!
"Your silence suggests that you are unfamiliar with how they are done." Kazutaka removed his haori and rolled the kimono sleeves back. "I shall make a demonstration."
He got on the floor on all fours and brought his hands together. With each movement, he wriggled like a worm and stopped after five repetitions. "Your turn."
Kazuo's arms trembled as he struggled through the first few push-ups.
"Why have you stopped? There are ninety more to go."
"H–Hey old man…" said Kazuo, arms aching. "This shit isn't easy!"
"If it were easy…" said Kazutaka, placing his hands behind him. "It would not be punishment now, would it? Follow me..."
Kazuo resumed, panting through the pain. Halfway through the punishment, he was dripping with sweat. Whenever he stopped, Kazutaka shouted at him and he continued. After what felt like an hour of gruesome torture, he dropped to the floor. Finally! He sighed.
"Now give me another one hundred sit-ups and squats!"
What the hell? Kazuo frowned. "You can't be serious, old man!" When he realised his grandfather was unflinching, he got up and started the second round. Two hours later, he looked like a squid out of water with tentacles for legs.
"That was the warm up…" said Kazutaka with a slight grin.
"What!" Kazuo's face turned pale and he passed out.
Kazutaka cleared his throat. "This is not the time for resting…" he said, grabbing Kazuo by the arm and dragging him outside to the assembly area.
The midday sun was out in the clear sky and two wooden buckets with a long bamboo stick waited for Kazuo. He had to fill the buckets from a nearby sōzu fountain. When full, he sat on the grass and awaited further instructions.
"Now then, using the bamboo to lift the buckets," said Kazutaka as he walked to a pink sakura (cherry blossom) tree and stood underneath its shade. "Give me one hundred squats!"
Kazuo got up, legs wobbling and grunted. "One h–hundred…?" he murmured, trying to steady the stick.
"Begin!"
Kazuo squatted and raised himself at a snail's pace, counting each set aloud. The initial 'warm up' paled in comparison as his joints became on fire. The cloudless blue sky and scorching heat added to the punishment's severity. "T–twenty-two… t–twenty-three…" he said, puffing out hot air. The way he perspired, he could have filled another bucket.
By the time he reached the seventies, Kazuo's body ached all over. His wrists, back and thigh muscles felt like a dozen wasps had stung them. As he endured the dreadful pain, his single goal was to reach one hundred. "N–ninety-eight, ninety-nine…" he said, summing up his last bit of energy. "O–one… h–hundred!"
"Excellent," said Kazutaka, clapping his hands while he sat in the shade.
Kazuo fell to the ground before he heard his grandfather. He lay there unable to move an inch, having taken more than an hour to complete the last leg of the punishment.
Kazutaka got up and walked to his grandson. "That will be all, Kazuo-chan. I do hope we don't h–" he said, chuckling. Already passed out, huh? He thought, carrying him to the tree shade.
Kazuo opened his eyes minutes later, yawning. The rest of his body was still numb and unable to move. Oh, man… I can't feel a thing.
"It is not what you did that got you punished… but that you were caught," said Kazutaka, staring into the distance. "Had it been a mission in enemy territory, you would be dead." He paused and raised his index, middle and ring fingers. "There are three tenets to live by as a Lightning shinobi. First, thou shalt not be corrupted by power. Second, thou shalt not be corrupted by sex. And third, thou shalt not be corrupted by saké (rice wine). Not only do these cloud one's judgement, they fuel the ego and a shinobi filled with ego is an easy opponent to defeat."
The brief speech entered one ear and left through the other. Kazuo's limbs ached as Kazutaka raised him to his feet.
"Well done, Kazuo-chan…" said Kazutaka with a slight grin. He carried the boy to his room and let him rest. Afterwards, he proceeded to Hideo's classroom. On arrival, he broke the devastating news to his former student.
"Kenny was one of our best graduates," said Hideo, his tone sombre. They both paused for a moment before he continued. "This must be very hard for Kenji…"
"Indeed. He will be deeply missed," said Kazutaka, pausing. "On to my other reason for being here. I am requesting Takumi and Mikoto to accompany Kazuo to Kaen village."
"Noted, I will ask them about it."
"You have my gratitude, Hideo-kun," said Kazutaka with a slight bow. "Please ensure they are both willing to undertake the mission."
"Understood, Lord Sage." Hideo bowed before Kazutaka left.
The last lesson was after lunch and when the students returned, Hideo shared the news about Ken's passing. Sorrow filled the room as the students expressed their grief in various forms, some weeping and others silent. Ken had been like a brother and role model to many of them. Afterwards, the lecture flew by with little noise and class was soon dismissed.
"Okay, everyone, that is all for today," said Hideo.
More than half the class packed their stuff in a hurry and rushed for the door.
"Wait!" Hideo continued before anyone exited. "Will Mikoto and Takumi remain behind?" he asked, and the two students stayed back. "Right," he said, once it was the three of them remaining. "There is a level B reconnaissance mission in Kaen. Kazutaka-sama requested the top two undergraduates–"
"Amazing!" Mikoto beamed with excitement. My very first mission outside the village. This will be fun!
"Oh, and you'll be accompanying Kazuo-kun."
Mikoto furrowed her brows. "WHAT? No way, Yamazaki-sensei. Not with that pervert!"
"I see. If it's an issue, you can sit this one out..."
"It is! We caught him peeping in the girls' bath!"
Hideo turned to Takumi. "And you, Takumi-kun?"
"I'm not a big fan of the guy..." Takumi's tone was calm. "But he knows the place and how to get there. So, for the mission's success... I don't mind him."
Hideo fixed his glasses. "I agree. And as someone who's been on several missions with people I didn't like... I can attest to it." He faced Mikoto. "After his punishment, I doubt Kazuo-kun will do it again."
"Well, if you put it that way..." Mikoto muttered. "I guess I'm fine with it, but–" She made a tight fist. "Permission to beat him if he tries anything weird?"
Hideo chuckled and smiled. "Permission granted."
The two students said goodbye to their teacher and proceeded to Sage Kazutaka's office. Moments later, they arrived outside and knocked on the door.
"Takumi-kun and Mikoto-chan, welcome..." Kazutaka greeted them warmly as they entered. He followed up with a bit of small talk before he repeated the mission brief. "Are you two alright with escorting Kazuo-chan to Kaen village?"
Takumi and Mikoto nodded. "Yes, Lord Sage!"
"The mission specifications are level B, high-profile reconnaissance. When accomplished, you are to report to Kaminari with the intelligence gathered. Understood?"
"Understood!"
"Very well." Kazutaka grabbed his beard. "We shall rendezvous here tomorrow morning. Dismissed."
"Noted, Lord Sage!"
Mikoto and Takumi left for their rooms. Each one packed their things and prepared for the trip ahead. The next morning, Mikoto bid Kohaku farewell and rendezvoused with the others. Afterwards, they walked to Haru and Kazuo's room, where they found the latter almost done packing his satchel. The eight-hour sleep, some stretches and a warm bath had worked wonders for him.