Sparring

Konoha.

"Come quick! Yakumo's challenging Shinji again!"

"What?!"

"Yakumo really hasn't given up, huh?"

In groups of two and three, students from the Ninja Academy hurried toward the training ground beside the school.

Along the way, rumors spread from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred, drawing even more students who had been resting at home into the crowd.

And with Shinji's recent notoriety, even some shinobi had heard the news and decided to go take a look.

Training Ground.

Shinji rubbed his wrist as he walked to the center of the training ground.

Yakumo, who had been waiting there, bowed to him. "Shinji, please go easy on me!"

"Sure!"

Shinji nodded.

Contrary to the rumors, Yakumo hadn't challenged Shinji. The two had simply agreed to a friendly match.

After losing her Red Dragon Eye, Yakumo had been working hard to find herself again. Shinji, now free of his burdens, was reassessing himself too. That was how this sparring match came about.

As Shinji stepped into the arena, his classmates gathered around the edge grew excited.

Ino asked, "Shinji can win, right?"

Kiba shook his head. "Who can say? But Shinji even took down a member of the Akatsuki Organization. Yakumo probably isn't his match!"

Choji stuffed a handful of snacks into his mouth. "I don't know either."

Shikamaru folded his arms and rested a hand under his chin. "I understand Shinji less and less. That guy's like a monster—you can't even tell where his limits are! So I think Shinji will win this match!"

On the other side,

Sakura tugged at Shion. "What's going on? Seeing Shinji and Yakumo step into the arena has me nervous, even from out here!"

"It's just a spar. What's there to be nervous about?" Shion said.

Sakura asked, "Shion, who