Megumi left the Nara clan compound and went straight into the nearby forest.
After a few steps, he stopped and turned around.
"Please. I am already having a bad day. Do not turn yours into mine."
Something like this had happened before, long ago, with Kakashi. That encounter had ended with Kakashi losing an arm.
These people, however, did not carry the strength or the malice that once existed back then.
In the past, Megumi's weakness had been his sensory perception. But after death, that flaw had disappeared. His senses had expanded beyond anything he had known before. At first, he could feel every presence in Konoha that carried negative emotions. Six months later, his awareness had grown even further. He could now sense every living thing within the village, all defined by their life force.
From behind a tree, Kurenai and Anko stepped out of hiding.
They had followed him earlier when he was with Yoshino, but neither of them had dared to approach the Nara compound itself.
Anko studied Megumi closely. He had changed, both in stature and in presence.
"Hey, brat. Long time no see," Anko said with a grin. She had heard that Megumi had returned to the Academy. "I knew you would accept the Will of Fire and become its protector."
If this were the Megumi of the past, he would have argued. He would have ranted about ideals and philosophy.
Now, he had no interest in preaching or debating. If someone disagreed with him, reality would teach them far better than words ever could.
"Why are you following me?" Megumi asked, ignoring Anko and directing his gaze at Kurenai instead. She was the one who would have brought Anko along.
"Hey, brat. Are you ignoring me again?" Anko stomped her foot, irritation flaring, but Kurenai held her back before she could make a scene.
"Calm down, Anko. We already discussed this," Kurenai whispered into her ear.
She then looked at Megumi. "We just wanted to say hello."
It was not the real reason, but it was all she could say.
Megumi looked at the two women standing by the trees. He had no patience for games or half-truths. Without another word, he turned around and began to walk away.
"Wait," Kurenai called out. "Would you like to have lunch with us?"
She wanted to see him up close, to understand what kind of person he had become.
Megumi stopped and tilted his head slightly in their direction.
"I do not remember us being friends," he said calmly. "Not close enough for lunch invitations."
"I know," Kurenai replied. "But we are closer than you think. This could clear away any bad blood between us."
Megumi's eyes sharpened.
"I do not like people who hide their intentions," he said. "I am sorry, but I cannot be your student. And if I remember correctly, you once wanted to fight my mother. Are you not afraid that I could kill you for that?"
His voice remained even.
"I have seen my mother's memories. You should be careful. Still, I promise this. If you ever truly need help, I will help you. But do not try to see me as your student or as a younger brother."
He then glanced at Anko, who was still being held back.
"And you," he added. "Watch how you eat. At this rate, you will grow into a very round figure in the future."
Silence followed.
Megumi left them there and made his way home.
When he arrived, he found Yakumo and Hana waiting outside.
"Why are you late?" Yakumo demanded, arms crossed tightly.
Megumi said nothing.
Hana remained quiet, surprised by how close Yakumo stood to him.
"Sorry," Megumi finally said. "Something came up."
"Hmph," Yakumo turned her face away as if she had not heard him. Hana only nodded repeatedly, stiff and awkward.
"Alright, Hana," Megumi said. "I called you here because I want to give you some of my summons."
"What?" Yakumo snapped. "Why are you giving her something without even talking about giving me anything?"
Megumi sighed. Explaining this was already tiring.
"First, you never asked," he said. "Second, you live with me, so you have no immediate need for a summon. Third, I am saying this in front of you because I intend to give you one as well."
If he still had his old emotions, he would have shouted. He had never liked children who felt entitled to what did not belong to them.
Yakumo lowered her head in shame.
"Let us begin."
Megumi stepped a few feet away from them.
"Rabbit Escape."
"Round Deer."
"Piercing Ox."
"Divine Dog."
"Great Serpent."
The shikigami appeared, standing side by side. The ox scraped its hoof against the ground, eager to charge.
"You," Megumi said, pointing at Hana. "You will take the rabbit and the deer."
Hana's face lit up with excitement.
"Why does she get the cutest ones?" Yakumo protested. "I want the rabbit too."
"I gave them to her because they suit her needs," Megumi replied. "And you do not want to see the rabbit's other side. Stop questioning me simply because you dislike my decision. That does not make it wrong."
His tone was firm.
Yakumo's eyes filled with tears. She turned and ran inside the house.
"Will she be okay?" Hana asked. Not out of concern, but obligation.
Megumi sensed her emotions but chose to ignore them.
"The rabbit can multiply endlessly," he explained. "It is useful for distraction and escape. The deer can heal. Since you want to help people, it fits you."
Hana lifted the large rabbit, but it struggled violently. Unused to her grip, it bit her finger, forcing her to drop it.
Before she could react, the giant deer stepped forward and gently lowered its head to her hand. The wound closed instantly, as if it had never existed.
"Now that you understand them," Megumi said, "you should head home. It is getting late."
He watched Hana leave from the gate. Through the eyes of his crows, he observed her all the way, noting how she argued with the rabbit as she walked into the distance.
---