Shūnen: I Report Someone's Cheating

Under Soseki's increasingly ferocious assault, Shūnen continued to walk as if strolling through a leisurely garden. With a casual flick of his kunai, he easily deflected the shuriken hurled from every direction.

Then, he advanced step by step.

"Before this eye, all your efforts are useless. This is the true glory of the Uchiha, a gap that you commoners can never hope to close! As a Medical Ninja, how will you deal with my close-quarters combat?"

In Shūnen's opinion, while his Taijutsu wasn't top-tier, it should be more than enough to handle a Medical Ninja.

After all, he had witnessed Soseki's battle two months ago, and the latter's Taijutsu was still far inferior to his.

The only thing worth noting was Soseki's medical ninjutsu, which was a bit troublesome.

However, Soseki let out a helpless sigh, "Shūnen-kun, has anyone ever told you that you're really... quite verbose!"

Then, to Shūnen's disbelief, Soseki rapidly closed the distance and landed a heavy knee strike to his lower abdomen, sending him flying.

Enduring the pain that made him feel like he was about to vomit bile, Shūnen struggled to get up and shouted again, filled with despair, "Why... why do you, a Medical Ninja, also know Taijutsu?"

Soseki pondered for a moment. "As a Medical Ninja, it's quite reasonable for me to learn some Taijutsu to protect myself, isn't it?"

Of course, he wouldn't give up on Taijutsu training. After all, he had been coveting Tsunade's Super Strength for a long time.

As for his poor Taijutsu before, it was entirely due to the lack of a teacher. When it came to the body, he didn't dare to train recklessly.

After becoming "best friends" with Asuma, he naturally began receiving guidance from Asuma-sensei.

Although Takeuchi Taiga was only a Special Jonin, he was indeed very capable in terms of systematic teaching. At the very least, Soseki had managed to temporarily shore up the weakness in his Taijutsu.

Shūnen cried out aggrievedly, "But... but your Taijutsu two months ago was clearly worse than mine!"

Soseki nodded and stated matter-of-factly, "Yes, but that was two months ago!"

If I, Uzumaki Naruto, can defeat the Six Paths in a year, then me, Shimizu Soseki, improving my Taijutsu a bit in two months, is not a problem.

Shūnen was utterly confused. While intelligence had an expiration date, an update taking only two months to become obsolete was too fast.

"If he continues at this pace, wouldn't it be possible that if I fight him again in a couple of days, he'll be able to instantly kill me?" Thinking of this possibility, Shūnen shivered involuntarily.

Does this mean this is my only chance to defeat him?

"There's nothing to be afraid of, it's just Taijutsu. At least your Illusion Arts, with my Sharingan, shouldn't... probably not work anymore?"

Shūnen hesitated to think further. He was afraid that if he continued to dwell on it, he would lose the courage to fight.

Shadow Clone Technique!

Shūnen quickly formed hand seals, creating five clones that surrounded Soseki.

However, Soseki, without the slightest hesitation, moved to intercept one of them, completely ignoring the attacks from the other "Shūnen"s.

"As expected, this guy's perception is too strong!" Shūnen cursed inwardly, no longer daring to pretend. While stabbing Soseki with the kunai in his right hand, he secretly grabbed a clump of steel wire with his left.

Soseki slightly turned his head to dodge the attack and struck Shūnen's chest with an elbow.

"Now!" Shūnen didn't dodge, forcefully taking the blow. Enduring the intense pain in his chest, he wrapped the clump of steel wire around Soseki with his left hand.

Then—Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!

Flames rapidly spread along the steel wire, engulfing Soseki completely.

"An attack of this level is still far from enough." Having witnessed the battle two months ago, Shūnen naturally understood that the opponent was also very skilled in the use of the Three Basic Ninjutsu.

Just as Shūnen was searching for an opening to launch his next attack.

The scorching flames dispersed, and a charred corpse heavily crashed to the ground.

Shūnen: "???"

Shūnen felt as if his intelligence had been severely insulted. He refused to believe that his opponent could be killed by an attack of this magnitude.

"Wait, could it be his Illusion Arts again?" Shūnen's mind raced with caution, and then, those noisy voices suddenly echoed in his ears again.

"Lost already? How boring."

"Is this the famed Uchiha? How laughable!"

"No way, does anyone actually think the Sharingan is strong?"

Hearing this, Shūnen's heart filled with irritation. "Damn it, I fell for Illusion Arts again! Wake me up!"

But at that moment, the charred corpse on the ground suddenly lunged at him.

Then, before Shūnen could react, he felt the familiar cold sensation around his neck again.

Shūnen asked with a lost expression, "Wait, is this still Illusion Arts?"

Soseki lightly chuckled and retracted his kunai. "My 'corpse' isn't, but the voices you heard are."

So, this time it was a sound-based Illusion Arts... Shūnen subconsciously opened his mouth, unsure what to say, collapsing to his knees as if his spirit had been drained.

"I lost. I, who possess the Sharingan, actually lost to an ordinary person. The glory of the Uchiha has been utterly disgraced in my hands!"

He didn't even dare to look up, afraid to see the mocking and malicious gazes he imagined were fixed upon him.

Soseki, who was walking away, stopped when he heard this. "Glory doesn't disappear because of a single lost battle. If anything, the glory you speak of was lost the moment you first bullied the weak."

Shūnen suddenly looked up, staring at Soseki and shouting hysterically, "What do you know? It's all because of my efforts that no one in the school dares to speak ill of the Uchiha!"

Soseki looked at him with calm, pure eyes. "Do you really think so?"

For some reason, Shūnen didn't dare to look the other directly in the eye, and asked with a lack of confidence, "Is, is there a problem?"

Soseki's lips curved slightly upwards. This guy was so young and inexperienced, almost cute. Manipulating him was completely stress-free.

"If you truly thought that, you wouldn't have been fooled by my Illusion Arts. It's precisely because you know in your heart that they don't truly accept you, and even your so-called 'companions' speak ill of the Uchiha behind your back, that you fear this lie being exposed."

"No, that's not true! They all fear me, they revere the Uchiha name!"

"That's just a lie you've woven for yourself, a dream you use to deceive yourself. Must the Uchiha be a clan that relies on lies to numb themselves?"

Hearing this, even Shūnen became confused, "Am I, am I really just deceiving myself all along?"

Seeing that Shūnen had been so thoroughly shaken that his worldview was overturned and he looked utterly broken, Soseki felt it was time to stop.

"At the very least, I absolutely do not believe that arrogance and prejudice can be eliminated through violence."

Shūnen subconsciously asked, "Then what should I do?"

"Do you love your family?"

Although a little embarrassed, Shūnen, who was currently in a state of indoctrination, nodded, "Yes."

"And does your family love you?"

"Yes."

Soseki earnestly preached, "Goodwill is always mutual. If you yourself don't love the world, why should you expect the world to love you? If that's still not enough, then add time. Time will prove it all."

Having been forcefully fed this bowl of spiritual chicken soup, Shūnen felt completely healed and elevated.

Seeing Soseki turn to leave, Shūnen looked at his retreating back and shouted, "I understand! I'll work hard to change all of this!"

This time, Soseki didn't stop, merely waving his hand, "Before that, go and ask for their forgiveness for what you've done."

Thanks to the 5000 tip from "Dancing with the Stars and Moon," the 1000 tip from "Three Reminders, No Dreaming a," and the 300 tip from "Yan Yan Swimming."