Noah had never taken Mizuki seriously at all, and this time, he intended to put on a proper performance.
His middling grades had been deliberate, but Noah had always performed well in actual combat. As for just how well, no one knew.
Still, one thing was rather interesting. As Noah grew older and the number of classmates gradually dwindled, the number of students from civilian backgrounds rapidly decreased. As a result, Noah received a certain amount of attention.
For instance, civilian-born ninja instructors at the academy and people in the neighborhood would encourage Noah. Some ninja instructors even hinted that if there was anything he did not understand, he could ask them anytime without standing on ceremony.
After all, civilian-born ninja could not compare to those from clans. Children from clans had elders at home to give them comprehensive guidance after school, and even inherited Secret Techniques waiting for them to learn. Civilians could only learn at the academy.
Noah politely thanked these "seniors" for their kindness. From time to time, he chose questions that were neither too simple nor too difficult to ask about, and he also tried asking about some ninjutsu, so as not to waste their goodwill.
Over time, Noah learned quite a few ninjutsu—including the Body Flicker Technique.
Noah would not miss such a chance to provide himself with a cover. At the same time, he was genuinely grateful to those "senior" instructors. At the very least, they had all treated him quite well.
Those "senior" instructors did not include Mizuki. Noah felt no psychological burden whatsoever about dealing with him. Even if Mizuki had taught him before, Noah would still have acted. This was now a matter of choosing the right side.
"You didn't run away?" Mizuki stared at Noah in surprise, but soon laughed.