Shikigami Summoning in Konoha

Chapter 36: "Smack" "Smack" "Smack"

"Hmph, take this!"

Liangou Sheng also had some tricks up his sleeve. Without waiting for a formal start, he launched a preemptive strike at Katsuragi with a punch, clearly aiming to catch Katsuragi off guard.

"Tsk!"

Watching the slow punch, Katsuragi let out an ambiguous sigh. He really didn't want to bully anyone, but he knew that if he didn't show some strength now, more trouble would likely follow.

He easily blocked Liangou Sheng's punch with his right hand, then quickly moved behind him and pushed him hard on the back, making Liangou Sheng face-plant into the ground.

"Ouch!"

Maybe Katsuragi pushed too hard, because when Liangou Sheng raised his head, his face was covered in dust, and his nose was bleeding profusely, making him look particularly pitiful.

However, Katsuragi didn't care whether he was pitiful or not. He had already said he'd let him feel despair, so why would he let Liangou Sheng off easily? Blinking, Katsuragi appeared next to him again as he tried to get up and stepped on him, while scanning the surroundings and calling out to Naruto:

"Naruto, help me collect that branch over there, the long, thick one!"

"Okay!"

"What are you going to do?" Liangou Sheng, hearing Katsuragi's request, became unnervingly anxious and shouted, "My dad is a ninja, don't mess around!"

"Shh!"

Katsuragi looked down at Liangou Sheng disdainfully, ignoring him. What did he care if his dad was Danzo? There were plenty of ninjas in the village, and at four years old he could already take down a ninja from another village!

"Here, Katsuragi!"

Naruto returned with the branch as instructed, looking at Liangou Sheng being pinned under Katsuragi's foot, somewhat pleased, then asked Katsuragi, "What do you need the branch for?"

Katsuragi didn't answer but looked in Hinata's direction, then instructed Naruto, "Go back and tell Hinata not to look this way. Tell her I asked you to!"

"Okay!"

Naruto nodded and ran back to Hinata to relay Katsuragi's message.

Once Katsuragi saw that Hinata had obediently turned away, he looked back at Liangou Sheng, who was struggling to escape from under his foot. He also noticed a few ninja who looked like teachers possibly moving to intervene, so without further ado, he grabbed Liangou Sheng by the pants and pulled.

"Ah!"

There was an immediate uproar around them, mostly from the small group of girls watching, who, between blushes and shy glances, seemed mortified at the scene. Katsuragi shook his head slightly and raised the branch, bringing it down hard on Liangou Sheng's bare bottom.

"Wow~"

Still not fully aware of what was happening, Liangou Sheng felt the pain on his bottom and finally came to his senses, screaming in agony, "Katsuragi Kotori, I won't let this go! Wuu wuu!"

"Smack!" Another crisp strike. Katsuragi looked down menacingly at Liangou Sheng, "Still think you won't let this go?"

"Wuu wuu! You'll regret this! Katsuragi!!"

"Smack!"

"Wuu~ My dad is a ninja!"

"Smack!"

"I..."

"Smack!"

"I was wrong! Classmate Katsuragi, I was wrong, please stop! Wuu wuu!"

Katsuragi nearly continued swinging but seeing Liangou Sheng's tearful and snotty face, he finally relented a bit. He hadn't intended to go this far, but he needed to set an example for the onlookers—if they wanted to trouble him, this would be their fate.

"Where did you go wrong?"

"Uh!" Liangou Sheng looked dumbfounded at Katsuragi, clearly not understanding what he had done wrong.

"You shouldn't have troubled me, and you shouldn't have asked me to meet you in the woods. Do you understand?" Katsuragi explained patiently.

"Oh! Oh!" Liangou Sheng nodded hastily, eager for Katsuragi to let him go, "I won't do it again, Katsuragi, please let me go!"

"Remember this, before you think about troubling me next time, think about the consequences!"

Though his words were a warning to Liangou Sheng, Katsuragi's gaze swept over the group of kids that Liangou Sheng had brought with him, clearly warning everyone around. If they thought about causing trouble, they should remember this lesson.

"Hmm! Hmm!"

Watching the nodding Liangou Sheng, Katsuragi finally stepped off him.

He might have intended to make an example of him, but for Katsuragi, who was adept at controlling his strength, Liangou Sheng wasn't seriously hurt—at least physically. Mentally, however, Katsuragi couldn't estimate the damage he'd inflicted, but still, he had shown some mercy by only tearing a small part of the pants at the back. Had he exposed more, Liangou Sheng might have been shamed into oblivion.

Watching Liangou Sheng scurry away with his pants hoisted up, Katsuragi shrugged and walked back to Naruto and Hinata, while the crowd dispersed, still buzzing about what had just happened. In this world where the strong prey upon the weak, the powerful naturally commanded respect.

Not far away, the two who appeared to be teachers were laughing and chatting.

"This kid…"

"Has quite some strength!"

"How could he not when the Third Hokage has taken special notice of him?"

"True!"

Unbeknownst to them, Katsuragi had overheard their entire conversation.

"So it was the Third Hokage, huh!"

Back beside Hinata, Katsuragi mused silently, smiling at her, "It's all right now, Hinata! It's over!"

"What happened, Katsuragi?" Hinata, who had been instructed not to look, asked curiously, her voice tinged with concern.

"Nothing! I just taught that guy a harsh lesson."

Katsuragi grinned, deciding that Hinata's sweet eyes shouldn't be sullied by such filth. He then turned to an exhilarated Naruto and whispered a word of caution,

"Naruto, you need to be careful! They might not bother me anymore, but they might come after you next."

"Hmph! I'll beat them all up just like you did, Katsuragi!" Naruto was undeterred, practically bouncing with anticipation.

"Uh..." Katsuragi was momentarily at a loss for words but didn't bother to dissuade him further. After all, Naruto was always under surveillance and protected; no serious harm would come to him.

As they prepared to leave, Katsuragi glanced at a large tree not far away and couldn't help but smile at the figure hiding behind it. Disregarding whoever it was, he walked Naruto home and began escorting Hinata back to her place.

After the trio had left, the figure behind the tree—a young man with black hair, a cool demeanor, and a fan symbol that only one clan in the village bore—emerged. It was Sasuke, the boy Naruto would chase for hundreds of episodes.

"This guy is really strong!" Sasuke muttered as he watched Katsuragi walk away, "Katsuragi Kotori, I'll remember you!"

"And when I get home, I'll ask my brother to teach me more about taijutsu. Using shuriken and kunai in school seems too dangerous!" Thinking of his brother, Sasuke's face lit up with anticipation, and without further thought about Katsuragi, he hurried home.

End of Chapter 36