Who Gave You the Nerve?!

Tejima Shinichi looked at Uchiha Sasuke standing before him.

During their six years at the Ninja Academy, he had crossed hands with Uchiha Sasuke countless times. Every time, the black-haired boy came with his head held high and left gritting his teeth. Even when knocked to the ground, those black eyes burned with an unyielding fire.

Now, Uchiha Sasuke had his head lowered and his back bent. That pride of his was like firewood drenched in water, unable to burn again.

Tejima Shinichi's lips twitched.

"Fine."

Uchiha Sasuke abruptly looked up. His body visibly stiffened, as though he had never expected that answer. All the arguments he had prepared clogged in his throat.

"You... what did you say?"

"I said fine." Tejima Shinichi's tone remained flat. "I agree to guide you."

Uchiha Sasuke straightened up, undisguised astonishment on his face. He stared at Tejima Shinichi as if trying to determine whether those words were true.

Tejima Shinichi paid no attention to his surprise.

He had agreed so readily for a simple reason.

His promise to the Third Hokage—to become Konoha's next Hokage.

Since he was going to shoulder that responsibility, nurturing the village's future strength was also part of his duty.

Rather than letting Sasuke be tempted by Orochimaru and stray down the wrong path in the future, it was better to set him straight now.

After all, Uchiha Sasuke was the strongest talent of this class aside from him, and the reincarnation of Indra.

Letting him follow Orochimaru and become a rogue ninja would be a loss to Konoha and do no good for Shinichi's future leadership of the village!

Rather than letting hatred drive him into darkness, it was better to keep him within a controllable range now.

"Why?" Uchiha Sasuke finally asked. "Why did you agree?"

Tejima Shinichi looked into Uchiha Sasuke's puzzled black eyes.

"What are you talking about, Sasuke?"

"I agreed because you're my comrade!"

Uchiha Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly.

His lips moved, as though he wanted to refute the word "comrade." Other than rivalry, had there ever been any camaraderie between them?

...Maybe "rivalry" was not even the right word. More accurately, he had been beaten up by Tejima Shinichi for six straight years!!!

Tejima Shinichi gave him no chance to speak.

"Konoha ninja don't turn a blind eye when their comrades ask for help. Besides, my method of guidance definitely won't disappoint you."

Uchiha Sasuke's gaze sharpened once more. "As long as I can grow stronger, I can accept any method."

Tejima Shinichi looked at the fighting spirit rekindled in Uchiha Sasuke's eyes and nodded.

"Then in that case, follow me—"

Before he could finish, a burst of commotion from nearby interrupted him.

The two turned their heads at once. At the street corner where they had parted earlier, Konohamaru was sitting on the ground while Kankuro held him up by the collar. Temari stood beside them with her arms folded.

Uchiha Sasuke's gaze immediately fixed on the forehead protectors the two wore—Sunagakure.

"Huh!? Sand Village ninja? Why are they here?"

Tejima Shinichi did not answer him. He snorted coldly.

"How reckless... They dare act so brazenly even in someone else's village!"

With that, his figure vanished from where he stood.

Uchiha Sasuke was startled. "So fast! I couldn't see him at all!"

In the distance, Kankuro was holding Konohamaru by the collar and looking disdainfully at Uzumaki Naruto. "I hate brats the most. If you make me unhappy—"

Before he could finish, his words came to an abrupt stop—

Tejima Shinichi appeared between Kankuro and Temari. His arms wrapped around both their necks, pulling them violently toward him.

Kankuro only felt an immense force clamp around his throat, cutting off his breath. The rest of his words were forcibly trapped in his throat.

Temari was equally shocked. Instinctively, she tried to draw the Triple Star Fan from her back, but she had no time. The force from the arm around her neck instantly threw her off balance, making her stagger.

The sudden attack and overwhelming strength restrained them completely. For a moment, neither could move, their faces filled with horror.

They had no idea how this person had appeared!

"You dare act so arrogantly on someone else's turf?" Tejima Shinichi's voice rang out beside their ears. "Do you have a death wish?!"

Tejima Shinichi's arms suddenly tightened, forcibly pulling the two together until their faces were nearly pressed against each other.

Kankuro's entire face flushed red. Gasping sounds came from his throat as he struggled desperately, yet he could not budge the arm in the slightest.

Temari fared slightly better, but she was still struggling to breathe. With difficulty, she turned her head toward Tejima Shinichi. "Y-you... who are you?!"

Freed from Kankuro's grip, Konohamaru scrambled up from the ground and hid behind Tejima Shinichi, both startled and delighted. "Big Brother Shinichi!"

Udon and Moegi hurried over as well. The three children huddled together, nervously watching the scene before them.

Not far away, Uzumaki Naruto's mouth hung open, his eyes wide as saucers.

"S-so amazing! He subdued those two guys in one move!"

Haruno Sakura covered her mouth as well, her face full of shock. "Shinichi... when did he...?"

Uchiha Sasuke stood where he was, his brows tightly furrowed.

As he watched Tejima Shinichi effortlessly restrain the two, a sudden feeling stirred within him, and his gaze snapped toward the other side.

On a large tree not far away, a figure hung upside down from the trunk, seemingly blending into the tree's shadow.

Had he not been standing so far away, Uchiha Sasuke might not even have noticed that person's presence.

"Let them go."

Gaara's voice sounded as he slowly drifted down from the tree, turning into sand.

His eyes remained hollow, but a faint killing intent began to radiate from him.

As if he had not sensed that icy killing intent, Tejima Shinichi tilted his head slightly, looked at the two struggling in his arms, and tightened his grip once more.

Kankuro's vision immediately darkened, while Temari let out a muffled groan of pain.

"I'm asking you a question." Tejima Shinichi spoke again. "Who gave you the nerve to bully children in someone else's village?"

"Bastard..."

Kankuro forced out the word through clenched teeth and tried to control Crow behind him, but the Chakra strings had barely formed before a stronger force shattered them.

Tejima Shinichi did not even look at him. His gaze fell on Gaara.

"Keep your subordinates in line. Otherwise, I don't mind disciplining them for your Kazekage."

Gaara's pupils narrowed slightly.

The killing intent around him suddenly grew intense, and the sand on the ground began to stir without wind.

Uchiha Sasuke instantly assumed a fighting stance, a Kunai already in hand. Feeling that nearly tangible killing intent, cold sweat seeped down his back.

This red-haired kid... was strong!

Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura were also intimidated by the killing intent and unconsciously took half a step back.

The atmosphere instantly became taut with tension.

Yet Tejima Shinichi released his grip at that moment.

Kankuro and Temari staggered back several steps, clutching their throats and gasping for air, their faces filled with fury and alarm.

"Get lost." Tejima Shinichi shook his hands as though he had touched something filthy. "Don't let me see you bullying children in Konoha again."

Kankuro was burning with rage and wanted to say something, but Temari grabbed him and pulled him back. The way she looked at Tejima Shinichi was full of apprehension.

Gaara's killing intent slowly receded.

He stared deeply at Tejima Shinichi, those hollow eyes seemingly trying to see through him completely.

"Tell me... your name."

Tejima Shinichi merely returned his gaze indifferently without speaking.

"..."

Seeing this, Gaara frowned slightly. A faint ripple seemed to pass through his lifeless eyes.

But in the end, he did not ask again.

"Let's go, you disgrace to the village!"

Gaara said this to Kankuro, then turned and left.

Kankuro's expression changed. He gave Tejima Shinichi another wary glance before following Gaara with Temari. The three soon disappeared at the end of the street.

Only after the people from Sunagakure had completely vanished did everyone let out a breath of relief.

"S-so scary..."

Konohamaru patted his chest, still shaken.

Udon and Moegi nodded repeatedly.

Uzumaki Naruto jumped over and excitedly slapped Tejima Shinichi on the shoulder.

"Shinichi! You were so cool! What was that move just now? Teach me, teach me!"

Haruno Sakura also walked over and said worriedly, "Shinichi, won't this cause a diplomatic dispute...?"

Hearing Haruno Sakura's words, Tejima Shinichi turned to look at her.

"A diplomatic dispute?"

"If we don't even dare stand up when children in our own village are bullied by outsiders, then... this village has no reason to exist!"

As soon as he said that, the eyes of Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi lit up at once as they looked at Tejima Shinichi with pure admiration.

"Well said!" Konohamaru waved his little fist excitedly. "Big Brother Shinichi is so cool!"

Uzumaki Naruto also jumped up excitedly. "Well said! Shinichi! That's exactly right!"

Haruno Sakura opened her mouth, but after thinking it over, she realized he was right. In the end, she swallowed her words.

Uchiha Sasuke stood to the side, silently watching the scene.

He remembered the speed with which Tejima Shinichi had subdued those two Sand Ninja, then recalled the tone he had used when saying "comrade."

This person seemed somewhat different from the Tejima Shinichi he had known at the Ninja Academy—the one who only crushed opponents with his strength and had such an indifferent personality.

Tejima Shinichi said nothing more and turned toward Uchiha Sasuke.

"Come on. Let's continue our earlier discussion."

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes brightened, and he immediately followed Tejima Shinichi. The two quickly disappeared around the street corner.

Only Konohamaru's group of three and Team 7's Naruto and Sakura remained.

Konohamaru looked in the direction Tejima Shinichi had left, his little face filled with admiration. "Big Brother Shinichi is so cool!"

Udon pushed up his glasses. "Not only is he strong, he speaks with great presence too."

Moegi nodded vigorously. "He's much more reliable than someone who calls himself our big brother."

The three children turned their heads in unison toward Uzumaki Naruto.

Konohamaru put his hands on his hips and looked up at Naruto. "Big Brother, you're so lame! You actually got scared off by that guy carrying the gourd!"

Naruto's face immediately turned red as he waved his arms around in protest. "W-who got scared off!? That was a strategic retreat! Besides, Shinichi moved too fast! Before I could react, he already—"

Sakura sighed and punched Naruto on the head. "Shut up, dead last. If Shinichi hadn't shown up in time today, who knows how bad things would have gotten."

Naruto crouched on the ground, clutching his head and muttering miserably, "Sakura, why are you doing this too...?"

Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi looked at Naruto's sorry state, exchanged glances, and shook their heads together.

"Sure enough... Big Brother Shinichi is more reliable."