Take My Punch

"No, don't laugh at me~!"

Uchiha Obito's face reddened, veins bulging across his forehead.

Seeing himself become everyone's laughingstock—

Even his excuses under Ebisu and Shiranui Genma's mockery... seemed to be heading in the direction of Uchiha Yiji...

Hyuga Sho stepped forward at once and waved a hand. "You're not allowed to bully my good friend!"

"!!"

That thunderous shout

made every sound at the scene vanish instantly.

Ebisu and Shiranui Genma looked stunned.

Uchiha Obito stared at Hyuga Sho with an extremely complicated look in his eyes.

There was a hint of gratitude in his expression, but also regret and shame.

The next moment,

Uchiha Obito turned his head away, his gaze darting aside as he no longer dared look at Hyuga Sho.

Because all he had ever done was brag and talk big.

He had never fulfilled his promise to let Hyuga Sho witness Fire Style: Great Fireball.

Yet even with him being like this... Hyuga Sho, as his friend, still stood by him.

Uchiha Obito felt deeply ashamed, wishing he could crawl into a crack in the ground.

"Mm..."

Beside them, Hatake Kakashi, who had squeezed into the crowd, frowned as he watched Hyuga Sho's actions.

Kakashi thought, Did I guess wrong? Is this Hyuga Sho not some scheming boy after all, but genuinely just a simpleton?

Nohara Rin said, "Sho..."

Hyuga Mami was also watching Hyuga Sho.

This Young Lady of the Main Family seemed... somewhat surprised.

She was surprised that aside from his fanatical defense of the Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Sho actually had thoughts of his own.

She had once believed

that Hyuga Sho should have no interest in anything other than training and defending the Hyuga Clan.

She had paid even less attention to his flimsy friendship with Uchiha Obito.

But she had not expected that he would actually...

Ebisu, this Hyuga Sho jumped out a little too early...

How would I know? Maybe that's just how hotheaded fools are.

Ebisu and Shiranui Genma swiftly exchanged looks.

The two made up their minds.

No matter what, they would first seize the moral high ground with words, then beat Hyuga Sho up.

"Look... it's Hyuga Sho from the Dead Last Duo!"

The elementary school students spectating nearby recognized Hyuga Sho.

There were plenty of rumors about him.

Training Machine Hyuga Sho, hotheaded Hyuga Sho, stubborn Hyuga Sho...

Of course,

there was also the title of "fanatical Hyuga extremist."

Just as everyone watched the situation develop with great excitement,

even waiting for Ebisu and Shiranui Genma to redirect their hostility...

Hyuga Sho said only one thing: "Take my punch, and I'll spare your life."

The next moment,

Hyuga Sho moved, charging toward Shiranui Genma like a gust of wind.

"This isn't in the script! Tch!"

Facing the charging Hyuga Sho,

Shiranui Genma was surprised, but not afraid.

Because...

His strength was more than a level above that of his good buddy Ebisu.

To put it bluntly,

if he went all out, he could take Ebisu down in an instant.

There were only a few people in the entire class stronger than him.

But Hyuga Sho was not among them.

Shiranui Genma spat out his toothpick and immediately launched a spinning kick at Hyuga Sho with a piercing whistle.

"Konoha... Leaf Whirlwind!!"

Shiranui Genma's move drew waves of astonished cries.

The Hyuga Clan's Taijutsu was the Gentle Fist.

The Taijutsu used by other shinobi was the Rigid Fist.

Leaf Whirlwind was one form of Konoha Style Taijutsu, invented long ago by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage.

What made this move formidable was that it started at D-Rank difficulty.

It required Genin-level strength or talent to learn.

From that alone, it was clear that Shiranui Genma was more than one level stronger than Ebisu.

So then,

Rigid Fist versus Gentle Fist.

Who would win?

It had to be Rigid Fist, right?

Because Rigid Fist was known for its power, while the Gentle Fist's attacks leaned toward softness and subtlety.

"Hmph! A D-Rank Leaf Whirlwind can even put up a fight against Genin. Let's see how you take this!"

In Shiranui Genma's heart, he had already won.

But only at the moment their fist and foot met... did he realize how absurdly wrong he was.

Bang!!!

The instant his sole met Hyuga Sho's fist, the air trembled slightly.

The next moment,

an overwhelming force surged from Hyuga Sho's fist into Shiranui Genma's foot.

Then it spread through his calf and thigh.

Shiranui Genma only felt a sharp pain in his right leg.

Then his entire body was Sent Flying Backwards like a shooting star, smashing into the ground and rolling several times before finally stopping.

"..."

The spectators who had been cheering and whistling, eager for things to get bigger,

fell silent in an instant.

As though their throats had been seized.

Shiranui Genma, clutching his right leg tightly, stared at Hyuga Sho with a Stunned expression.

A sense of absurdity rose in everyone's hearts.

Wasn't Hyuga Sho a Dead Last?

Why... was he so strong?!

He had actually defeated Shiranui Genma with a single punch?

And... he had not even used the Gentle Fist, but the Rigid Fist?

Did he look down on Shiranui Genma that much?

Ebisu, who had originally wanted to rush over to help, was utterly stunned when he saw his good friend floored with one punch.

"..."

Hyuga Mami was somewhat dazed as well.

Then she remembered something...

"Our Hyuga Clan is Konoha's number one clan!!!"

After beating someone up, Hyuga Sho followed his usual routine.

He shouted loudly and struck a Gentle Fist stance.

This time...

No one laughed at him again.

"What... is going on with this guy..."

Kakashi clenched his fists as a sense of crisis welled up inside him.

Perhaps he could no longer underestimate this Hyuga Sho in the future.

"Obito."

After ending the fight, Hyuga Sho walked over and held out his hand to Uchiha Obito.

That honest and simple smile made Uchiha Obito's eyes sting.

He slowly reached out and grabbed Hyuga Sho's arm.

"Good friend."

Uchiha Obito said forcefully, his eyes full of emotion.

"You're my good friend!"

Half an hour later...

In the classroom.

Funano Daihoku looked at the textbook, his gaze also sweeping over the students.

Today... the atmosphere in the classroom seemed somewhat different.

The students below the podium had no mind for the lesson, their gazes all fixed on Hyuga Sho.

Only Hyuga Sho himself seemed to have Detected nothing, listening attentively to Funano Daihoku's lecture.

"This Hyuga Sho..."

Holding the textbook, thoughts ran through Funano Daihoku's mind.

"Back during the entrance test, I really misjudged him..."