Asuma stepped forward two paces with great self-awareness, cracking his knuckles. "Did you come here specifically to get beaten up?"
At Asuma's words, everyone in the classroom broke into snickers. They had been feeling annoyed already, and this bastard had practically delivered himself to their door.
Seeing the increasingly vicious smiles on the first-years' faces, Shūnen hurriedly stopped them. "Wait, I didn't come here to fight you."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Soseki. "Shimizu Soseki, keep your lackeys under control!"
"Your attempt at sowing discord isn't very skillful." Soseki spread his hands. "There are no lackeys here, only my companions."
"Of course, people see the world according to what lies in their own hearts. Someone like you probably doesn't understand what companions mean at all!"
The students in Soseki's class would not have their relationships stirred up by a single remark, but they were still somewhat displeased. After hearing Soseki's words, they all haughtily fired back.
"Yeah, where are those 'companions' of yours now?"
"I bet all those 'companions' have abandoned you!"
Shūnen felt a wave of stifled frustration, yet he had no way to refute them.
After all, when they heard that he wanted to reclaim the Uchiha Clan's glory, his "companions" either claimed there was a wedding in their family and they could not come, or said toilet paper was on sale at the mall and they needed to stock up.
Did they really think he was an idiot? If they were going to make excuses, they could at least come up with convincing ones!
Seeing that Shūnen was speechless, Asuma's eyes lit up. In an extremely punchable tone, he mocked, "Don't tell me we got it right? Tsk, tsk. You really are a complete failure as a person!"
Shūnen waved his hand in embarrassment and anger. "Stop talking. I didn't come for you today."
He widened his eyes and tried his best to look imposing as he stared at Soseki. "Where one falls, one rises again. The glory I lost to you will be reclaimed by my own hands!"
Soseki blinked. Even he could not quite figure out what the other boy was thinking for a moment.
No wonder lunatics had such broad ways of thinking.
With that in mind, Soseki helplessly spread his hands. "All right, then how do you plan to reclaim your glory?"
"I'll defeat you in front of everyone—" Shūnen shouted with great vigor, but before he could finish, the people behind Soseki all glared at him in unison. His momentum instantly wilted, and he weakly finished, "—and have a friendly exchange with you."
Asuma looked at him disdainfully from the side. "And you said you didn't come to fight us!"
Shūnen's mouth twitched. Of course he had not come to fight "them." Who could withstand a one-against-sixty-nine fight?
Soseki merely smiled faintly. "You're a third year, and I'm a first-year. Doesn't that seem a little unfair?"
Shūnen was somewhat troubled. Although Shimizu Soseki had not participated in the last fight because he had been treating Mizuki, it was not difficult to infer from the battle at the beginning of the school year and Asuma Sarutobi's performance in the previous brawl that Soseki was definitely not weak.
It would be fine if he fought with everything he had, but if he had to hold back, he was not very confident.
"Then... then I won't use the Three Basic Ninjutsu. Is that acceptable?"
"There's no need for that." Soseki loosely clasped his hands and rested them on the desk. "As long as, if I win, you agree to one condition."
Shūnen asked warily, "What condition? Let's be clear first, I'm not going to be your underling."
In his mind, this despicable guy surely wanted to take him in as a subordinate.
"Of course not." Soseki smiled helplessly, then turned serious. "I only hope that, if you lose, you'll apologize to Mizuki, and apologize to the students you bullied before as well!"
After hearing Soseki's condition, the admiration in the surrounding students' eyes grew even stronger. Meanwhile, their gazes toward Shūnen were filled with contempt.
Compared to this member of the Uchiha Clan, their Class Leader was truly towering!
Shūnen opened his mouth. He had never expected the other boy to make that his condition. Those people had little to do with Soseki; some were strangers he had never even known about. Why would he go so far for them?
This was a perfect opportunity to subdue a genius of the Uchiha Clan!
Even as an opponent, Shūnen instinctively felt a trace of respect rise within him.
"Fine, I agree!"
"Mm. Then let's head outside now."
Soseki did not dislike fighting. The reason he had not agreed to the delinquents' proposals for one-on-one fights before was mainly to strengthen the class's unity.
As for now, properly displaying his strength was also a necessary means of reinforcing his leadership.
Of course, he had made that decision based on the fact that he had already learned of Shūnen's strength during the brawl two days ago.
Meanwhile.
"Soseki-kun won't be in danger, will he?" Shizune asked worriedly, her hands clasped together.
"It could be troublesome. That bastard isn't weaker than me!" Asuma said gravely.
"Oh, then I'm relieved." Shizune patted her chest in relief.
Asuma abruptly turned his head, his face full of question marks. He felt insulted.
For energetic children who craved recognition from others, it was not uncommon for them to learn one or two ninjutsu and then run off to show them off extravagantly before the entire school.
But this battle was different. One was a super rookie who had stirred up a storm the moment he entered the school, while the other was a vicious bully feared by every grade. Naturally, quite a few people were very interested.
Before Soseki and Shūnen even reached the training ground, the railings of every level of the school building were already packed with people.
"Has that Uchiha Shūnen been beaten stupid? He actually dared to come cause trouble for the first-years again."
"Who knows? Everyone in the Uchiha Clan is mentally unstable anyway."
"Exactly! That bastard even stole my lollipop before! First-years, you have to beat him!"
Uchiha Shūnen did not know what the people above thought of him. Or rather, even if he did know, he would not have cared.
After forming the Seal of Confrontation, Shūnen immediately grabbed a handful of shuriken from the tool pouch at his waist and hurled them at Soseki.
"Shuriken Throwing Techniques? If you watched that battle two months ago, you should know that this happens to be what I'm best at!" Holding a kunai, Soseki effortlessly knocked aside every shuriken flying at him from all directions.
"If you don't have anything else... Wait, what is this?!" As Soseki spoke, he was horrified to discover that another shuriken was hidden within the shadow of the final shuriken he had deflected.
With no time to think further, Soseki hurriedly twisted aside.
"Heh, that was the Shadow Shuriken Technique, which hides a second shuriken in a blind spot! The fact that you could dodge even that means you really are quite capable. Unfortunately, any mistake when fighting an Uchiha means defeat!"
Shūnen let out a cold, disdainful laugh. As if he had foreseen it, he appeared in the direction Soseki had dodged beforehand. After knocking Soseki flying, he stepped on him. "Is the so-called strongest rookie only capable of this much? Before the Uchiha name, you're nothing at all!"
Soseki immediately burst into tears. "I'm far too weak, Lord Shūnen! Please take me as your underling!"
Shūnen threw back his head and laughed wildly. "Hahahaha..."
"What's that idiot laughing about?"
"Who knows? Maybe the blow was too much, and he lost his mind."
The irritating words drifting hazily into his ears, coupled with a faint chill at his neck, jolted Shūnen awake.
Then, he saw that Shimizu Soseki, who should have been beneath his foot, was instead holding a kunai against his neck.
"That just now... was Genjutsu?" Shūnen froze at first, then suddenly understood. He looked at Soseki in grief and indignation. "Why... why would a Medical Ninja like you use Genjutsu?"
Soseki wore an utterly matter-of-fact expression. "As a Medical Ninja, it's perfectly reasonable for me to learn a few Genjutsu to help patients forget their pain, isn't it?"
Thanks to Bai Jiushiqi You for the 100 reward, and Shangshan Yu for the 100 reward. Um, I suddenly remembered that this week has two recommendations, so please help by voting with recommendation tickets. It would be awkward if poor results got the recommendations cut off, haha. Remembering this only on Wednesday means I'm really too carefree. (.`ω).
Before you continue