At this time, Might Guy was not yet the Konoha Azure Beast who would become a ninja and wield forbidden techniques in the future. He was merely a ninja student who knew only taijutsu and was striving toward his goal of becoming a Konoha Ninja.
Veigar's invitation just now made him feel that his persistence and hard work had finally received someone else's recognition.
Moreover, that person was Veigar, one of the village's famous Super Geniuses.
Veigar's words were like a ray of dawn in the darkness, illuminating his heart and warming his chest.
"No problem."
While running, Might Guy gave Veigar a thumbs-up and revealed an extremely moving smile.
"Then it's settled. We'll train together when we have time."
Veigar was still smiling, but his smile now held a little more sincerity and a little less ulterior purpose.
Might Guy hurriedly nodded, then shouted, "Veigar, I'll work hard to let you feel the surging passion of my youth."
Under the quietly rising morning sun, a Konoha villager spotted two children competing with each other, chasing one another and running forward with all their might.
"Guy, the finish line is just ahead..."
Estimating the time, Veigar figured that the Ninja Academy was about to begin classes. To keep Might Guy from being late, he looked toward the crossroads ahead—the same place where he and Might Guy had met that morning—and shouted.
"Veigar, then let's settle this and see who gets there first!"
Blazing flames ignited in Might Guy's eyes as he challenged Veigar to a race to the finish.
"Sure, bring it on!"
Veigar's reply was like the trigger of a starting pistol being pulled at a track meet, instantly sending out the signal for their decisive battle.
"Ah..."
"Ah..."
Veigar and Might Guy sprinted toward the finish line ahead with all their strength. They were practically neck and neck, and it was impossible to tell who was ahead.
Veigar and Might Guy were both focused entirely on reaching the finish line before the other. Neither noticed that, at the corner of the crossroads ahead, Shizune Kato and Kurenai Yuhi were walking together and chatting as they headed through the intersection to the Ninja Academy.
The race between Veigar and Might Guy had reached its final showdown. Just as they were about to reach the finish line, Shizune Kato, who was a little ahead of Kurenai Yuhi, suddenly appeared at the crossroads with a faint smile on her face, directly blocking Veigar's path.
"Watch out!!!"
Seeing someone blocking his way, Veigar shouted instinctively while desperately trying to change direction.
But at that moment, he could not stop his body's forward momentum at all, and the distance between them was simply too short.
Almost the instant his voice fell, Shizune Kato, who had heard the warning, had no time to react. She stared in horror as Veigar charged straight toward her, about to collide with her.
"Ah..."
Amid Shizune Kato's terrified cry and Kurenai Yuhi's scream...
Veigar crashed straight into Shizune Kato, catching her in his arms.
"Bang."
To keep Shizune Kato from falling and protect her from injury, Veigar stretched out both arms and pulled her into his embrace. He fell backward with her in his arms, using himself as Shizune Kato's cushion.
"Cough, cough. Shizune, are you all right?"
After hitting the ground and taking the impact, Veigar coughed twice before asking Shizune Kato in his arms.
"Shizune, how are you? Are you hurt?"
After seeing Shizune Kato being held by Veigar as they fell to the ground, Kurenai Yuhi, who had just screamed, immediately came over and asked Shizune Kato with great concern.
"I-I'm fine!"
Shizune Kato's chest throbbed faintly from the collision. She answered softly, then hurriedly climbed off Veigar. Her little face was as red as a freshly ripened apple.
"Cough."
Veigar had not yet caught his breath, and Shizune Kato had used his body as support to get up. He could not help coughing again.
"Serves you right!"
"Pervert, bastard..."
After getting up, Shizune Kato looked at Veigar lying on the ground and coughing, cursing him furiously in her heart.
Might Guy arrived as well. Looking at Veigar, who had just rolled over and climbed to his feet, then at Kurenai Yuhi, who was holding Shizune Kato with a frightened expression, he asked Veigar and Shizune Kato with concern, "Veigar, Shizune, are you all right?"
Before either of the two involved could speak, Kurenai Yuhi, like a tigress protecting her cub, put one hand on her hip and pointed at Shizune Kato as she said, "Fine? Does my Shizune look fine to you?"
"We were walking along perfectly well, and Veigar just had to run straight into my Shizune."
"You two idiots, don't you know what's dangerous?"
"My Shizune is precious, you know!"
After being thoroughly berated by Kurenai Yuhi, Veigar and Might Guy looked dejected. Veigar, knowing that he was in the wrong, only now realized that when the usually gentle and refined Kurenai Yuhi got angry, her fighting power was terrifying. She did not even pause between attacks.
Could this be what they mean by anger driving people mad?
Listening to Kurenai Yuhi scold Veigar and Might Guy, Shizune Kato felt extremely embarrassed. She tugged at Kurenai Yuhi's red sleeve and called out, "Kurenai~~"
Kurenai Yuhi stopped berating Veigar and Might Guy. She turned to look at Shizune Kato, who was shaking her head, and the next moment, her little face reddened too.
"I'm done for, I'm done for. There goes my image as a lady."
Remembering how outspoken she had just been, Kurenai Yuhi nearly cried.
"I'm really fine. Let's hurry to class!"
"Otherwise, we'll be late soon."
Shizune Kato urged Kurenai Yuhi to leave.
At this moment, Veigar also apologized to Shizune Kato. "Shizune, I'm truly sorry."
"If you're hurt anywhere, please be sure to tell me. I'll take responsibility."
Hearing Veigar's words, Shizune Kato's mind automatically filtered out part of them. Instead, Veigar's words, I'll take responsibility, kept echoing in her head, while she also recalled the scene of herself sprawled on top of Veigar just moments ago.
"Bah! Damn you, Veigar. Who asked you to take responsibility?"
She quietly cursed Veigar again. Ignoring him, Shizune Kato took Kurenai Yuhi's hand and said, "Kurenai, let's hurry and go."
"Don't bother with them."
Kurenai Yuhi came back to her senses after seeing Shizune Kato's bashful expression. Then she threw one last threat at Veigar and Might Guy: "It's a good thing Shizune is fine. We'll let you off this time."
"And don't tell anyone about what just happened."
With that, Kurenai Yuhi and Shizune Kato quickly jogged away.
"Yes, we're truly sorry."
Veigar and Might Guy apologized in unison once more to the retreating backs of Shizune Kato and Kurenai Yuhi.
Might Guy was a little confused. He was not the one who had crashed into Shizune Kato, so why did he have to apologize?
Unable to figure it out, Might Guy stopped thinking about it. Since he saw Veigar apologizing, he apologized along with him.
It could be said that Might Guy had not fully processed what was happening. He had been stunned by Kurenai Yuhi when she transformed into a tigress, which was why this scene of him apologizing had come about.
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