Strength Revealed

The flames in the classroom were quickly extinguished.

Rinto and Jiraiya, as the troublemakers, and Uchiha Ryota, as the victim, were all taken to the classroom office by the stern-faced Nakaryu Taiku. Princess Tsunade, as a witness, came along as well.

Inside the office, Nakaryu Taiku wore a cold expression as he held a palm-sized scroll.

"Teacher Souichi, please bring Uchiha Ryota's parents here."

After saying that, Nakaryu Taiku slammed the scroll down and turned his gaze to Rinto.

"As for you, Sakuta Rinto, who is your guardian?"

His icy voice rang out.

Rinto did not care in the slightest. He shrugged. "My dad is Hiruzen Sarutobi. Go get him!"

"Bastard! You're still spouting nonsense at a time like this! Lord Hiruzen's surname is Sarutobi, while yours is Sakuta!"

Nakaryu Taiku slammed his hand on the desk, rose to his feet, and glared furiously at Rinto.

"Hehe, I took my mother Sakuta Mizuguma's surname." Rinto spun his nonsense without a care. At Nakaryu Taiku's rank, he had no authority to access Rinto's information anyway.

Tsunade tried several times to speak, only for Rinto's stern glare to force her back each time.

Rinto also wanted to see just how poor the intelligence-gathering skills of the so-called Ninja School teachers were.

Although Nakaryu Taiku had entered the classroom while Rinto was grabbing Uchiha Ryota by the collar, wasn't it a little too early to draw a conclusion based on that alone?

Jiraiya, on the other hand, stood beside Rinto with a guilt-ridden expression, apology written across his bruised and swollen face.

Hearing Rinto's words, Nakaryu Taiku's fury surged even higher.

"Fine! Fine! Fine! I'll bring Lord Hiruzen here right now and see what else you have to say!"

With a cold snort, he found another teacher and had him summon Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Inside the Hokage Building, a ninja wearing an odd expression found Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Hiruzen, you... no, Sakuta Rinto caused trouble at school. Chunin Nakaryu Taiku asked you to come take a look."

The ninja teacher held back for a long while, but he still did not dare mention that Rinto had claimed Hiruzen Sarutobi was his father.

The moment he heard that Sakuta Rinto was in trouble, Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand trembled. His brush fell to the floor as he hurriedly rose and grabbed the ninja teacher by the shoulders.

"What happened?"

"Uh, your son... Sakuta Rinto had a conflict with a Uchiha kid at school. It seems the Uchiha kid used Fire Release in the classroom and attacked Sakuta Rinto."

As one of the people who had helped put out the fire, this ninja teacher had easily learned the truth from the students.

He simply had not gotten a chance to tell Nakaryu Taiku, who had been in the middle of a rage.

He had assumed it was nothing major, no more than being a little too harsh toward a student.

Yet what he considered no big deal would forever crush Nakaryu Taiku's dream of becoming a Jonin.

After learning what had happened, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately left the ninja teacher behind and rushed out of his office.

He was not worried about Sakuta Rinto. What worried him was that Sakuta Rinto had clashed with the Uchiha.

Normally, a mere spy could never be a match for the Uchiha Clan, but Rinto was different! What this brat did best was digging pits for people and sowing discord in their hearts.

His good friend Shimura Danzō was the best example.

Even now, Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered how Rinto had planted a seed of distrust in everyone's hearts with only a few words, while also making Teacher Tobirama abandon his plan to choose Danzo as a Hokage Candidate.

Moving quickly, Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the Konoha Ninja School.

The moment he entered through the gates, he spotted Kagami Uchiha hurrying over as well, and his expression instantly turned strange.

"Kagami, what brings you to the Ninja School?"

Kagami Uchiha had noticed Hiruzen Sarutobi too. He gave him a gentle smile.

"My neighbor's kid, Ryota, was apparently bullied at school. His parents asked me to come take a look."

At those words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned faintly sympathetic.

Looks like you really have no idea what kind of person your neighbor's child has crossed.

Sakuta Rinto! Once that guy latched onto someone, even if they survived, they would lose a layer of skin.

And after something like this happened, your clansmen sent you to deal with it?

Kagami, caught between the village and the clan, you really don't have it easy.

Still, with a good friend like Kagami present, this should be much easier to resolve.

Kagami Uchiha sighed inwardly as well.

He did not know the full story, but based on his understanding of his clansmen, if Ryota's parents had asked him to step in—asked the Second Hokage's personal disciple to step in—then this was most likely Ryota's fault.

After all, everyone knew that when one's side was at a disadvantage, one had to use power and influence to crush the other party.

"By the way, Hiruzen, what are you doing here?" Kagami Uchiha asked in confusion.

"You'll find out soon enough. Prepare yourself."

With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi took the lead and entered the Konoha Ninja School building.

Creak. The door to the teachers' office was pushed open.

Nakaryu Taiku sat in his chair, his cold gaze repeatedly sweeping over Rinto.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart immediately tightened at the sight.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kagami Uchiha enter, Nakaryu Taiku hurriedly stood.

Rinto turned around as well.

"Dad, you finally made it. Have a seat."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face instantly darkened.

Who the hell is your dad? You little brat, don't shout nonsense like that! What if Biwako beats me to death?

"No, I'm not your dad. I can't accept that!" Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head like a windmill, frantically distancing himself from the claim.

As for Kagami Uchiha, his heart skipped a beat as he sighed inwardly that things had become troublesome.

Uchiha Ryota had already awakened and was standing with his head lowered behind Nakaryu Taiku. In front of Nakaryu Taiku stood three children: Rinto, Tsunade, and Jiraiya.

Tsunade was the princess of the Senju Clan, and Kagami Uchiha did not want to make an enemy of her.

But Rinto was someone he wanted to deal with even less. He knew exactly how troublesome that guy was.

To put it bluntly, he would rather face Princess Tsunade than face Rinto.

Of course, if the person involved had been that unfamiliar white-haired brat beside them, this matter would have been far easier to handle.

As the Second Hokage's personal disciple, he had never intended to use authority or strength to suppress the other side.

It was simply that if the person involved had been the white-haired kid, he might have had a lot less trouble.

Those thoughts flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kagami Uchiha's minds in an instant.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi deny his relationship with Rinto, Nakaryu Taiku's face stretched long.

"Lying—does the Ninja School teach you to lie to teachers? You little bastard!" Nakaryu Taiku cursed loudly, pointing at Rinto.

Rinto did not like that.

He raised a hand and slowly pushed aside Nakaryu Taiku's finger, his gaze turning sharp.

"Watch your attitude. You are a ninja, and more importantly, a teacher."

"Look, Lord Hiruzen, Lord Kagami, look! This kid... this guy treats his teacher like this!" The flustered Nakaryu Taiku pointed at Rinto again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned at the sight.

It was not because of Rinto's attitude. He had never considered this brat a child, so he did not think there was anything wrong with what Rinto had said.

Rather, this teacher named Nakaryu Taiku was indeed behaving somewhat excessively.

"Teacher Nakaryu Taiku, what exactly happened? Can you explain things clearly?"

At that, Nakaryu Taiku recounted the scene he had witnessed after barging into the classroom.

Both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kagami Uchiha frowned when they heard it.

They had their own judgment. What they lacked now was information.

At that moment, Tsunade could no longer hold herself back. She shot a concealed, disgusted glance at Uchiha Ryota behind Nakaryu Taiku, then slowly began to speak.

As Tsunade told the story, Nakaryu Taiku's expression grew increasingly ugly. Behind him, Uchiha Ryota lowered his head further and further.

Kagami Uchiha's expression also became incomparably grim.

Openly bullying a classmate, using the powerful Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique inside the classroom, with another student as the target.

This... leaving aside anyone else, Kagami Uchiha himself wanted to slap this disgrace to the clan to death.

Where was the Will of Fire you had learned? Was this how the clan elders taught you? Was ninjutsu meant to be used against classmates?

At that moment, Kagami Uchiha's expression was ugly beyond measure.

Just as Tsunade finished recounting everything in her sweet, clear voice, Uchiha Ryota abruptly raised his head. Within his eyes spun a tomoe.

The brat had awakened his Sharingan.

At that moment, Uchiha Ryota's bloodshot eyes glared viciously at Rinto as he pointed at him and roared:

"It was him! He said I was an evil brat from the Uchiha Clan. He said the Uchiha Clan were all traitors. He said we betrayed Madara Uchiha!

It was clearly him who betrayed us!"

His hysterical voice rang out, and the entire office fell silent.

After a long time, the stern-faced Kagami Uchiha turned and looked at Rinto.

"Rinto-kun, did you say that?"

Rinto nodded carelessly.

"It's actually very simple. I enrolled and didn't want to take practical combat classes. This guy mocked me. I ignored him from beginning to end, then he kept harassing me in all sorts of ways. Later, he had Jiraiya beaten up."

Before Rinto could finish, Uchiha Ryota cried out, "I didn't beat him up! It wasn't me!"

"Wasn't it?" Rinto smiled, but that smile carried an incomparably chilling killing intent.

"What if it was related to you?" Rinto said, enunciating every word.

Click, click, click. Three mechanisms unlocked.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Three more heavy thuds rang out as his weighted gear fell away.

In an instant, Rinto vanished.

"Stop!"

Kagami Uchiha and Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted at the same time.

Before their voices had even faded, Rinto had already appeared behind Nakaryu Taiku. One hand lifted Uchiha Ryota into the air, while his other hand hovered in front of the boy's eyes.

Cold sweat broke out across Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kagami Uchiha's backs.

Fast, far too fast!

His speed had not exceeded the Sharingan's tracking limit, but their bodies simply could not react in time.

Moreover, relying purely on physical strength, this terrifying brat had already reached the level of a Chunin.

This was not as simple as being equivalent to a Jonin. One had to understand that a Chunin's overall strength included ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, and all kinds of special skills.

Yet Rinto could reach a Chunin's overall evaluation through physical ability alone.

To put it more simply, Rinto's score in physical ability alone was already equal to the sum of a Chunin's scores in every category.

"Uchiha Ryota, if you're lying, I'll take your eyes."

Rinto stared expressionlessly at Uchiha Ryota, beastlike and terrifying killing intent flooding the entire office.

In an instant, a chill rose in everyone's hearts.

Hiruzen Sarutobi finally understood what his teacher had meant. Why Rinto could not be allowed into the Konoha High Council, and why no one should ever hope to reform him.

How much suffering had Sakuta Rinto endured? How many people had he killed? How much darkness was hidden in his heart for him to possess such horrifying killing intent?

Dangling in Rinto's grip, Uchiha Ryota was trembling like a sieve, while yellow fluid streamed continuously down his pant legs.

"I-I... y-yes, it was me. I told people... told people to do it."

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Rinto gave a contemptuous smile and let go. Uchiha Ryota immediately collapsed onto the floor.

Rinto turned back to Hiruzen Sarutobi and spread his hands helplessly.

"See? From beginning to end, I did nothing wrong, right?"

"Something with no Will of Fire at all not only openly set fire at school, but also secretly had people bully an unrelated classmate."

Hearing that, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed deeply inwardly.

How could he not know that?

But what could he do?

At that point, a frighteningly wicked smile suddenly curled across Rinto's lips. His entire demeanor abruptly changed as his gaze shifted to the utterly miserable-looking Kagami Uchiha.

"Of course, he's still a child. He can still be shaped. As a member of the village, I'm naturally willing to give him another chance.

But!"

"But what?" Kagami Uchiha's eyes suddenly lit up as he pressed for an answer.

"One million ryo. I guarantee I'll never mention another word about this."

Damn it, Rinto!

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately cursed inwardly. He should have known it. With Rinto's nature, everything would ultimately come back to money.

So his earlier premonition had been completely right. Once this guy latched onto someone, even if they survived, they would lose a layer of skin.

One million ryo was the reward for a top-tier A-rank mission, and only if it was completed alone.

For the massive Uchiha Clan, it was not much.

After considering it for a moment, Kagami Uchiha slowly nodded.

If money could solve this guy, it was not a bad option.

After all, ever since losing Madara Uchiha, the Uchiha Clan could no longer withstand much more turmoil.

Honestly, if this accident had not happened, Kagami Uchiha might even have wanted the resourceful Rinto to give him some advice on how to resolve the conflict between the village and the clan.

Having received the answer he wanted, Rinto's expression instantly turned mercenary. He sidled up to Kagami Uchiha with a shameless grin.

"Big bro, card or cash?"