This kind of bloody scene could be found in every story, and this one was no exception.
Just as Kaede was about to buy some special snacks to take home for his mother, a voice filled with disdain rang out from the crowd.
"Hmph, letting lowly commoners like you live here is already a blessing, and you still dare to ask for money? What a joke."
"I really don't know what the higher-ups were thinking, letting people like you breathe Konoha's air is already a waste."
The street fell silent. The nearby civilians clenched their fists, their faces filled with anger, but none dared to act.
Kaede approached quietly, his expression unreadable. He had a good idea of what was happening, but he preferred to see it with his own eyes before acting.
"You've gone too far! We agreed on the price before you came, and I've already given you the ninja sword! You're still trying to extort more?"
The one speaking was a middle-aged man, his face red with anger. Though he stood his ground, Kaede could tell—he was forcing himself to stay calm, like a paper tiger.
As Kaede watched, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Oh, it's them again. That's the fifth time this month."
"Yeah. Always throwing their weight around just because they're ninjas."
"The new clan leader just moved to Konoha. He's unfamiliar with the place—he can't fight back."
'Clan leader?'
Kaede's interest was piqued. He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
So the man was the head of a small clan. No wonder he couldn't afford to start a commotion.
Still, to be blackmailed by a mere chunin... pathetic.
He guessed the newcomer didn't want to cause trouble—understandable for someone newly settled in Konoha. But in his experience, the more you showed weakness, the more others would trample over you.
And sure enough, the scene unfolded just as he expected.
The middle-aged man's reasoning was ignored. The group of bullies smirked with open contempt. When he finally fell silent, they laughed louder.
"Hahaha, an untouchable really is an untouchable. Doesn't even have the courage to fight back."
"Forget it, I'm feeling generous today. Let's not waste time with this trash."
"I thought he'd put up a fight... how boring."
The so-called clan leader clenched his fists, but no words came out. His face was calm, yet the anger in his eyes burned bright.
As they turned to leave, Kaede's lips curved faintly. Under the sunlight, his pupils gleamed with a soft blue light.
Ripples spread across his vision like waves on still water.
**[Eye of Time: Deceleration]**
The world around him shifted.
Everyone, every sound, every motion slowed to a crawl.
It was as though the flow of time itself had been shackled.
To Kaede, the world had turned into slow motion. Every subtle movement was visible—the twitch of a muscle, the flutter of dust in the golden sunlight, even the faint rhythm of hearts beating sluggishly in their chests.
It was as if time had frozen.
Only Kaede's thoughts remained moving at their normal speed.
The eerie stillness gave him a taste of divinity, of power beyond human reach.
At this moment, he felt like a god. The boundary between life and death, between motion and stillness, seemed meaningless.
A rush of exhilaration surged through him.
But Kaede quickly slapped both cheeks, forcing his mind to steady.
"Don't lose yourself. Pride makes you fall behind."
"Kaede, don't let this power shake your will. Calm down."
He repeated the words to himself until the dizzying thrill faded.
With a deep breath, he turned his focus back to reality.
The arrogant ninja stood before him, frozen mid-smirk. Kaede frowned and reached into the man's vest pocket.
A thick stack of ryo notes came out. Kaede's grin returned.
Satisfied, he looked at the others, ready to do the same—
—but the chakra sustaining the temporal space was already running low.
With a resigned sigh, he stopped.
Time resumed.
Everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
The leader yawned. "Boring. Let's go."
The group left with arrogant laughter, unaware of what had transpired.
The onlookers dispersed too, leaving only the defeated clan leader standing alone in the street, frustration clouding his face.
He turned to leave, shoulders slumped, when a small tug pulled at the corner of his robe.
Looking down, he found a smiling Kaede gazing up at him.
Seeing it was just a child, the man forced a tired smile.
"Little one, is something wrong?"
"Uncle, are you new to Konoha?" Kaede asked casually.
"Ah... yes," the man hesitated, then nodded. "I just arrived."
"It's not a secret," he added, chuckling faintly. "You could've found out just by asking around."
"So, what do you think of Konoha?" Kaede's tone was calm, yet his eyes were sharp.
The man blinked, a little taken aback by the question, but still answered.
"It's a good place. Peaceful. Much better than wandering from place to place."
A faint smile finally returned to his face.
Even after what happened, he still spoke warmly of Konoha.
As he began to speak more, his voice softened, as though unburdening himself to the young listener.
"I used to be a samurai. When Konoha was founded, I thought it'd be a good place for my family. So, I brought my wife and settled here."
"Luckily, the Hokage took notice of us. Our Hatake clan was given a bit of land. We're not wealthy, but we live in peace—and that's enough."
His expression brightened as he spoke, filled with hope and gratitude.
Kaede, however, froze at a single word.
*Hatake...*
His smile stiffened as his mind raced.
*Of all the places to wander into... I actually ran into the Hatake family by chance?*
*Just walking down the street and I stumble into a future legend's bloodline. Talk about luck.*