Naruto: Power in Play

Chapter 4

Twice. Since he had reincarnated, Ando had eaten meat at the orphanage only twice. The first time was on head matron Takara's birthday. He remembered it clearly because he had gotten lucky and ended up with two pieces of meat in his meal.

Isobe had made a fuss about it and attracted the head matron's attention. But in the end, the woman just laughed it off and told Ando to keep it. It was also the first time he had heard the strict woman's laughter. It did not sound as evil as he thought it would.

The second time was during the dragon festival, a local celebration to commemorate the day the Senju and the Uchiha made peace and ended the war in the region. It honored the founding of the hidden village of Konoha and its leaders: Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.

And today, they were having meat again, making it the third time. Ando knew something was up, but he couldn't remember if there was anything special about the day. Shrugging to himself, he made his way to his usual table and waited for what was to come.

As the room filled with bustling conversations, an authoritative figure stepped forward, instantly commanding attention. The atmosphere seemed to shift, as if the very air recognized the gravity of her presence. With a stern expression etched upon her face, her piercing eyes scanned the crowd.

Taking a deep breath, Takara raised her hand, signaling for silence. The room gradually fell into hushed whispers, then complete stillness. Without the need to shout, her voice traversed the room like a wave of water. Every syllable was enunciated with precision, carrying a weight that demanded immediate attention.

"Everyone, quiet down for a while," she declared. "I have important news to share! The Hokage, our exalted leader and the most important person in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, will be gracing us with his presence today. He will be arriving around nine." She paused for a second to let the information sink in before continuing. "I want all of you to be on your best behavior. I don't want any ruckus, and I don't want to see any sign of trouble. Follow these instructions diligently, and you will avoid facing the consequences of displeasing me. Have I made myself clear?"

The orphans nervously bobbed their heads up and down. "Very good. You may get back to your meal."

The head matron scanned the room one last time with a superficial smile on her face before walking away.

Ando let a small smile tug at his lips as he observed the orphans slowly evacuate the tension. He had no doubt that Miss Takara knew how to handle the kids. She commanded respect effortlessly. He felt like the woman had an interesting story, but he was too scared to approach her.

Time passed quietly as the orphans followed their daily routine, studying until the bell rang at nine. They headed to the gathering hall, where Ando joined the others on a large carpet in the center of the room. He glanced around, taking in the scene, then focused on the podium ahead.

An old man in a white robe and wearing a red triangular hat stood at the front. His face was marked by wrinkles, his beard whitened by time, but there was no mistaking the vitality in his eyes. He was dressed in a long red robe that covered all but his feet, topped with an open white coat and a white scarf. He held a brown smoking pipe in his right hand, while his left hand rested on his back.

He smiled as he waited for the children to fill the hall. Only when the last child was seated and focused on him did he finally open his mouth.

"Greetings, my dear children. I hope you have all been doing well." The man gave the room a kind smile as he started his speech. "I have once again come to wish you all a happy new year. I would have come earlier if I could, but alas, my duties to the village have kept me busy."