Completely Fleeced Bald

Jueming realized that his skin had become even tougher, combined with the defensive buff from the Handstand stance.

He had properly gained the abilities of a meat shield.

"Obito Uchiha, I understand what's in your heart now."

Jueming immediately smiled.

That smile instead gave Obito Uchiha the creeps.

"You..."

Obito Uchiha attacked again.

Bang! Smack! Clang!

The two exchanged blows repeatedly, fighting to a standstill.

Obito Uchiha felt that he had finally met a worthy opponent.

Meanwhile, Jueming was naturally going easy on Obito Uchiha.

Let alone one opponent, he would have been fine against two.

The reason he did not immediately decide the outcome was naturally because he was constantly farming skill proficiency.

[Tough Skin +1]

[Tough Skin +1]...

In the blink of an eye, fifteen minutes passed.

Obito Uchiha did have plenty of brute strength.

Only now had he begun panting heavily.

"I'm done."

He waved a hand.

Why was this guy named Senju Jueming so enduring?

He could not even defeat him while he was doing a Handstand.

Was he even human?

"Obito Uchiha, do you understand my heart now?"

Still upside down, Jueming smiled and extended his right hand.

"..."

Obito Uchiha, who was supporting himself on his knees, froze for a moment.

Then he shook that grimy right hand.

For a moment, a strange, warm atmosphere blossomed between them.

Obito Uchiha: "This guy seems like a good person."

Jueming: "Time to line up another Fencing Tool."

"Obito, so this is where you were."

Kakashi and Rin Nohara walked over and saw the two shaking hands.

Apparently, friendship had formed between them.

Though their poses were a little strange.

One was standing, while the other was upside down.

But never mind the details.

"This is the Will of Fire."

Kakashi sighed.

"My dad's here. I'm heading out first."

Kakashi waved, then left with his father.

Mito Uzumaki: "That is Konoha's White Fang."

Following Mito Uzumaki's prompt, Jueming looked over.

Konoha's White Fang, famous throughout the Ninja World and second only to the Hokage in strength within Konohagakure, looked like a gentle middle-aged man from next door.

"Kakashi."

Hatake Sakumo walked down the road home with his son.

"What did you think, Dad?" Kakashi asked his father.

He was asking about Senju Jueming.

"Well..."

Hatake Sakumo scratched his silver hair.

"He is no creature meant for a small pond."

Not a mouse, nor a snake, and certainly not an eagle.

But rather...

"A dragon..."

Hatake Sakumo sighed inwardly.

"In short, Kakashi, get along well with him from now on. The achievements he gains in the future will certainly not be beneath mine."

"What?"

Kakashi looked confused, wearing an expression of disbelief.

"Even if he is from the Senju Clan, isn't that a little exaggerated?"

The Senju Clan had already declined. How strong could they possibly be?

After saying that, Kakashi thought of someone.

"Dad, you should tell me about that... 'Might Guy' from earlier instead."

Hatake Sakumo said, "Well, that child Might Guy... his future potential is also immeasurable. He will certainly surpass you..."

Kakashi: "Huh?"

After leaving the academy, Jueming did a Handstand all the way home.

He did not say a word the entire way.

Although he drew many sidelong glances, Jueming did not care in the slightest.

That utterly self-willed behavior made Mito Uzumaki feel a trace of concern.

"This Kid... he refuses to accept discipline completely. Even though I interfered with his control over his lower body, he still refuses to yield to me..."

Mito Uzumaki did not know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

On one hand, it showed that Senju Jueming possessed extraordinary willpower.

On the other, it meant he might very well go down the wrong path in the future.

Splash...

After casually washing his hands, Jueming prepared some Instant noodles and began eating lunch.

After he finished, he lay down on the floor.

Once his stamina had recovered enough, he got up, did a Handstand, and headed to the Ninja Academy again.

He refused to waste even a second.

That afternoon, after arriving at the academy...

"Obito, would you like to have a Friendly Spar with me?"

Jueming meant that he wanted to fence with him.

"Sure!"

Obito Uchiha's eyes lit up. He really is a good guy.

"Come on."

A practice match was a practice match.

The two came to the open space before the podium and began their Friendly Spar.

Smack! Bang! Clang!

[Tough Skin +1]

[Tough Skin +1]...

"Obito, that guy..."

Kakashi stood at the classroom entrance, watching the scene.

In his view, Senju Jueming was clearly going easy on him.

Judging from his footwork, strength, angles of attack, and so on...

Senju Jueming was obviously not weak.

However, because Obito was too weak, Kakashi could not gauge Jueming's true capabilities.

After all, Jueming was completely at ease.

"Jueming and Obito get along so well."

Rin Nohara watched the scene with a smile, feeling that everyone was a good person.

After the fencing match ended.

Jueming smiled.

"Obito, you've become stronger than you were this morning."

"Really?" Obito was delighted.

"Let's continue tomorrow."

"Sure."

Obito agreed without hesitation.

After Jueming left, Kakashi glanced at him.

"Obito, he was going easy on you."

"Bullshit."

Obito immediately shouted back.

"Senju Jueming and I were evenly matched~!"

"You're such an idiot."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, utterly speechless.

"Why are you getting along so amicably with that Obito Uchiha?"

Mito Uzumaki was dissatisfied with Jueming's behavior.

After all, he was one of the evil Uchiha.

Every Uchiha was a potential psychopath.

"Even if you want to make friends, aren't there better choices? You are far stronger than him. Sparring with him is nothing but a waste of your time..."

Jueming: "Shut up."

"You..."

One sentence from Jueming left her speechless.

Mito Uzumaki was furious.

So she simply fell silent.

At dusk, when school let out.

"Jueming, want to have a Friendly Spar~?"

Obito Uchiha stood up and consciously walked over.

After only two sessions, he had already taken Jueming's Shape.

Having met a worthy opponent, the exhilarating battles, and the feeling of growing stronger had made him unable to stop.

"Come on, Obito."

Jueming took his stance and began another round of fencing in the classroom bathed in dusk light.

Bang! Smack! Clang!

[Tough Skin +1]

[Tough Skin +1]...

"I don't get it. I really don't get it."

Kakashi shook his head.

From the day they enrolled until now, he had never understood Jueming's way of thinking.

What was the point of sparring with Obito Uchiha?

"This Senju Jueming, even if he is choosing an opponent, he should choose someone stronger. Practicing with Obito is purely a waste of time..."

Kakashi did not know that Jueming could improve his epidermal defense by fencing with others.

Perhaps it would not be long before Jueming came looking for Kakashi.

One at a time. Don't rush. Get yourselves all cleaned up and wait for me to fleece you one by one.

Jueming thought as he fenced with Obito Uchiha.

That day, Jueming fenced with Obito Uchiha until very late.

Only after the moon appeared did Obito Uchiha finally leave reluctantly.

"Jueming, you are the good buddy of me, Obito Uchiha~!" Obito Uchiha howled before finally leaving the academy.

After he left, Jueming's gaze gradually turned cold.

Then he turned and left.

If he kept fencing, he would probably soon be able to completely withstand an ordinary person's attacks.

Just imagine standing still and letting a group of ordinary people gang up on him.

Yet he would remain as immovable as a mountain. That would definitely look impressive.

Jueming nodded in satisfaction and immersed himself in training...

The next morning.

"Obito, come fence."

During the break, Jueming found Obito Uchiha.

"Sure!"

Obito was excited.

Fencing during the break was an experience he had never had before.

Bang! Smack! Clang!

Under everyone else's watchful eyes, the two sparred.

However...

"No more growth prompts?"

Jueming frowned.

Fencing with Obito Uchiha no longer gave him the Tough Skin +1 prompt.

"So it's finally time to make a move on other people."

After finishing their fencing match, he looked around the classroom.

He memorized each classmate's face, preparing to arrange new fencing partners afterward.