Asuma and Kurenai's Devious Plan

"Your physical condition is pretty good, isn't it? How could you not take Kurenai down?"

Sarutobi Asuma examined Chiga from head to toe in surprise.

At Sarutobi Asuma's age, how could he understand the deeper meaning of "do"?

Chiga gave a wicked grin. "That's what you said. If I do Kurenai in the future, don't get mad at me!"

"I mean go easy on her and leave Kurenai some dignity!"

"."

Seeing that Sarutobi Asuma remained unmoved, Chiga suddenly lost interest.

As for Sarutobi Asuma's request, Chiga thought about it briefly before agreeing.

After all, Sarutobi Asuma wasn't asking him to lose, just to hold back a little. It wouldn't make much difference.

As for this assessment, Chiga planned to show off a little.

If he wanted to change the relationship between the Uchiha clan and Konoha, strength was one factor, but prestige was necessary as well.

And prestige had to be accumulated over time. He needed to show his talent starting at the Ninja Academy and begin attracting the attention of the Uchiha clan and Konoha.

Only then could he climb to the very top step by step.

Still, when a sucker came knocking, Chiga saw no reason not to fleece him.

Thinking this, Chiga looked at Sarutobi Asuma with a you know what I mean expression and rubbed his fingers together in front of him.

"All right, I suppose I can hold back, but shouldn't you show me a little appreciation?"

"Chiga, we're classmates!" Sarutobi Asuma looked at Chiga without expression.

He didn't understand what "do" meant, but he was very familiar with that gesture.

Whenever Sarutobi Asuma saw shinobi trying to find out what his old man liked so they could give him gifts, he wore the same expression and made the same gesture himself.

Negative emotions from Sarutobi Asuma detected. Emotion Points +5! First-time acquisition of Sarutobi Asuma's Emotion Points. Wind Release proficiency +80!

After receiving Sarutobi Asuma's Emotion Points, Chiga was in an excellent mood. He stepped forward, patted Sarutobi Asuma on the shoulder, and chuckled. "Yeah, classmates. We're all classmates. Shouldn't classmates help each other out? Since I helped you, shouldn't you help me too?"

Sarutobi Asuma's face flushed with anger. He shook off Chiga's hand and snarled, "What do you want?"

Chiga's smile became even more cordial. "Asuma, you know I'm already an orphan. My buffs are fully stacked—cough, I mean, I have to handle all the household expenses myself, so money's inevitably tight. As the biological son of the Third Hokage, shouldn't you help out a poor fellow like me? I don't want much. One hundred thousand ryō will do."

Negative emotions from Sarutobi Asuma detected. Emotion Points +3!

Sarutobi Asuma really wanted to punch Chiga twice. The guy had actually tried to extort him.

But when he thought of his objective, he had no choice but to endure it. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I don't have any money! Do you want a jutsu instead? Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning Technique. Your Uchiha clan doesn't even have this jutsu recorded!"

"Ash Pile Burning Technique? All right, I suppose that'll do. Since you're being so sincere, I'll reluctantly accept it."

Chiga wasn't interested in the jutsu itself. He was simply in an excellent mood because he had collected Sarutobi Asuma's Emotion Points.

"In that case, go easy on her two days from now. Kurenai's taijutsu is weak, and she barely knows any ninjutsu! You'd better let Kurenai make the first move, too. That way, if she loses, Ryōichi-sensei won't give her a low score."

Chiga was about to say that Kurenai also knew genjutsu, but when he glanced at Sarutobi Asuma, he found the guy staring intently at him, as if trying to see through him.

Chiga sensed that something was off. After thinking it over, he said, "Don't worry. I'll hold back a little during close combat and give Kurenai a chance to shine. That way, Ryōichi-sensei won't give her a low score."

"Good! Then it's settled. I'll bring the jutsu to your house tomorrow."

Sarutobi Asuma didn't know whether he was satisfied with Chiga's answer or had seen through something about him, but he left with a pleased look.

He walked over to Yuhi Kurenai, and the two left the classroom together.

Chiga's eyes flickered, and he quietly followed behind them.

Sarutobi Asuma and Yuhi Kurenai left the Ninja Academy without noticing Chiga sneaking after them, so they didn't lower their voices as they spoke.

"Asuma, I'll gather Chiga's information myself. You don't need to go out of your way to get close to him."

Yuhi Kurenai had seen Sarutobi Asuma going to look for Chiga.

The two had known each other since childhood and could be considered childhood sweethearts.

Sarutobi Asuma shook his head. "Kurenai, you've got it wrong. If I wanted to find out about Chiga, I'd go to Obito. Why would I go to Chiga himself to gather information?"

"Then what did you go over there for?" Yuhi Kurenai asked, startled. She had never seen Asuma and Chiga have any sort of relationship.

In response to Yuhi Kurenai's question, Sarutobi Asuma explained, "Heh heh, I went to find out whether he knew you could use genjutsu."

"Could it be that Chiga..."

Hearing this, Yuhi Kurenai understood Asuma's intentions. A glint flashed through her eyes.

"Heh heh!"

Sarutobi Asuma grinned. "He had no idea you could use genjutsu. I even made him lower his guard by showing weakness, so he stopped gathering information about you."

As he spoke, Sarutobi Asuma remembered being extorted by Chiga. His face darkened, and he snarled, "The Uchiha clan supposedly loves genjutsu, so I want to see whether Chiga will cry his eyes out after losing to your genjutsu!"

"Mm, don't worry. I've mastered that technique completely. I'll definitely give Chiga a huge surprise!"

Yuhi Kurenai was also excited at the thought of defeating Chiga, the top student, with genjutsu during the match.

The Uchiha clan had the Sharingan's ocular techniques, so they always looked down on genjutsu users without a Bloodline Limit, treating their genjutsu as nothing more than child's play.

Her father had once been looked down upon by the Uchiha clan as well.

"By the way, Asuma, you should learn a little about your own opponent too."

After finishing discussing Chiga, Yuhi Kurenai also showed concern for Sarutobi Asuma's opponent.

Sarutobi Asuma said indifferently, "Don't worry. My opponent is just a civilian shinobi. He has no special abilities, and I don't even take him seriously."

The two continued walking farther away. After hearing this, Chiga decided not to listen any longer and stepped out of the shadows.

"What a pair of despicable lovers!"

Chiga sneered. If he hadn't sensed that something was wrong and come over to eavesdrop on this conversation, he really wouldn't have known that Sarutobi Asuma, with that honest-looking face, had such a meticulous mind.

If you won't show me any mercy, don't blame me for doing the same.

Originally, for the sake of the jutsu scroll, he had intended to fulfill Sarutobi Asuma's wish and hold back a little.

But now, it seemed he had to teach Sarutobi Asuma a lesson.