Chapter 16

Two hours later, Kenshin made his way to town, noting that he was barely tired from the effects of his daily training. He wanted to get in as good shape as he could, and he wanted to keep up with his stronger children.

After eating lunch at a local cafe, he began to stroll through the city, learning a lot about himself. It was the first time he had seen a Konoha shinobi up close, and outwardly, the man standing ten meters away from him - did not inspire any awe. At first glance an ordinary man in his thirties, about 170 centimeters tall, with a physique not marked by pronounced musculature, but in the next moment, Kenshin stopped considering him "ordinary" because the man turned sharply towards the young man, as if feeling the back of his eyes directed at him.

Kenshin quickly averted his eyes, and walked on, trying not to attract unnecessary attention. After a moment, he came across a store with a picture of a shuriken on the sign, and went inside. In the store he found a huge variety of shinobi paraphernalia, ranging from vests with extra pockets to shurikens and kunai.

- Hello, do you have a basic manual for chakra control? - He asked the fat salesman lounging lazily in his rocking chair.

- Yes, we do, but you can't afford it. - The fat man answered contemptuously, giving the boy a single glance of appraisal and then closing his eyes again.

- How much is it? I might be able to find the right amount...

- The basic guide to chakra management costs 50,000 ryo, and includes explanations of chakra control, and folding hand seals. If you find the money, come back, but until then, stay out of my sight. Now get out, you poison the aura of my pious store with your miserable presence! - The fat man muttered angrily, and closed his eyes again, not at all afraid of the young man's displeasure at first sight.

Kenshin realized that the fat man was not just being perfectly relaxed, and understood who could be rude, and who needed to wag his tail in front of him. Young man decided not to argue, and left the store, heading for a clothing store.

Purchasing a simple pair of pants and a T-shirt, young man paid for his clothes, making him 200 ryo poorer, and went outside. The sun was already setting, and Kenshin decided that he would not make it back before dark, so after asking a passerby for the location of the nearest lodging house, he headed in the right direction, deciding to spend the night in the city and go home in the morning. Aya was aware of the plan, so Kenshin was not worried that she would panic.

He was in a dead alleyway and realized too late that he had gone the wrong way when he heard a shout three meters away.

- Hey, what are you doing out here? This is my territory. Pay me 500 ryo to get in, and you can go on your way. - Said the big bald man who appeared out of nowhere.

- Yes, you have to pay to get in, or you're dead! - One of his two hangers-on added.

"Damn, I got into trouble on the straight and narrow!" - Kenshin thought to himself, his whole body bracing itself for a fight. He didn't want to give 500 ryo to the unknown bandits, and he was well aware that seeing his money it wouldn't be enough for 500 ryo and the bandits would take everything.

- Why don't you say something? Give me the money! - The big bald man spoke up again.

- Why don't we just walk away peacefully? I don't want any trouble. - Kenshin declared, smiling, and waving his hands in front of him.

- Trouble? Ha-ha-ha, no, did you hear that? He's going to get us in trouble. Who the hell do you think you are, puppy! - The big guy's smile instantly turned into an animal grin, and he reached out to put his arm around Kenshin's neck, but he wiggled to the side and threw two punches. The first to the big guy's solar plexus, and the second to his chin, expecting to knock him out by surprise.

The right blow to the chest reached its goal, but at the last second the big man shifted position slightly, and Kenshin's fist hit the strong as steel chest muscle, not hurting the bald big man much. A planned left-handed punch didn't reach its target at all. The big man deftly jumped back a meter.

- Freeze! Don't interfere! - The big guy commanded his two henchmen, who were about to attack Kenshin from two sides.

- We weren't going to, Koga-san. - The boy, who looked about twenty years old, said ingratiatingly, and added, "Not bad for a kid to stand up to an elder... You may not know it, youngling, but Koga-san was a student at the Shinobi Academy in Konoha!

- Yeah! So what if he got kicked out? He'd take you anyway! - The second henchman, as thin as the first, a boy of about eighteen, with a large scar on his cheek, added ingratiatingly.

- Shut your mouth! - The big guy growled at him, and the other henchman was instantly silent.

- You want to get me in trouble? Come on, show me what you got! - With a laugh Koga said, and headed towards Kenshin.

Kenshin took his usual boxing stance, surprising the bald big man, and as soon as Koga was a meter and a half away, Kenshin made a sharp swing with his right hand, aiming for his enemy's chin, but he dodged quite easily, and made a counter-punch to Kenshin's chest area.

Kenshin blocked the blow at the last moment with a hand block, and took two steps back. His left arm exploded in pain, and the young man could barely wield it. Koga grunted in surprise, and made another lunge with his fist. Kenshin had trouble reacting to the big man's speed, and ducked only at the last moment, wiggling to the side, and in the next second met a straight punch to the stomach.

The young man's eyes darkened almost immediately and his stomach exploded with unbearable pain, and Kenshin collapsed to his knees, reflexively lying on his left side, legs bent at the knees and arms at the elbows, protecting himself from future blows.

But no further blows came, and there was a loud shout: - Hey y'all, what's going on out there?!

- Shit, let's go! - Koga called out, and the trio instantly disappeared around the next corner.

- Hey, are you alive in there? - Asked Kenshin a man in a green vest, with a Konoha tread on his forehead. In this shinobi, the young man recognized the same "inconspicuous" man, with eyes on the back of his head.

- Kha, kha! - Instead of words, Kenshin's breath came out coughing, and half-digested miso soup.

- Come on, get up, and get out of here. - The shinobi commanded, totally uninterested in helping the young man. He had been watching the whole situation from the start, but didn't interfere, wanting to see what an uncommonly curious boy he was. When he saw the young man "deflated" by one weak blow from the under-genin, he instantly lost interest in him, and called out to the trio only to give them time to escape, not wanting to engage in apprehending them and complicate his job.

Kenshin got up somehow, coughed a few more times, and, holding his stomach, slowly staggered to the exit of the alley.

Finding the right inn, he barely booked a room for the night, locked the door once inside, and collapsed on his bed, falling into a deep sleep almost immediately. He woke up several times during the night and threw up the remains of his dinner, his left arm hurting badly, but not as much as his stomach. The young man hoped that his internal organs were intact and that things would get better.