The Many Bullying the Few

Watanabe made a judgment instantly.

Would a young lady from the prestigious Hyuga clan beg a stranger for mercy out of fear of getting hurt? After all, for many ninja clans and noble families, dignity was sometimes more important than life itself.

Besides, if Hyuga Rei were truly afraid of getting hurt, she could have surrendered immediately upon meeting him.

"All right, I'll go easy on you."

Watanabe replied, at the same time making up his mind that if he encountered Hyuga Rei in the afternoon, he would simply overwhelm her with a barrage of high-level ninjutsu, no questions asked, and take her down first.

Hyuga Rei's smile grew even sweeter upon hearing this. "Thank you, Watanabe-kun. You're truly very gentle!"

"Then I won't disturb you any longer, Watanabe-kun. I hope to have the chance to treat you to a meal after the exam."

"We'll see," Watanabe replied casually, brushing her off.

A meal is impossible. After the exam, you'll probably want to kill me.

After leaving the ramen shop, Hyuga Rei's sweet expression immediately turned contemptuous.

"Men are all the same. Say a few words to them, and they get completely dazed. Nothing more."

Hyuga Rei thought Watanabe must be eagerly anticipating her invitation to a meal, unaware that he had completely fallen for her honey trap.

Watanabe had achieved outstanding results in the first two rounds. To determine the top spot, Hyuga Rei was convinced the academy would arrange a practical combat match between them.

She even imagined Watanabe on the arena stage that afternoon, going easy on her as she put on a weak act, only to be sent flying with blood spurting from a single Eight Trigrams Empty Palm Strike from her.

"I just want to win, no matter what means it takes."

Hyuga Rei whispered, reaching up to touch the cloth wrapped around her forehead.

She didn't have a ninja headband yet, so unlike other branch family members, she couldn't use one to openly conceal the ugly Caged Bird curse mark. A piece of cloth inexplicably appearing on her forehead looked out of place no matter how you looked at it.

Fortunately, she had an opportunity to remove that cloth forever.

Watanabe and Jiraiya returned to the Training Ground before noon.

The spectator stands were still packed. The afternoon's practical combat tests were the main event, and people would rather miss the Illusion Technique test than the combat matches between students.

The vast Training Ground was divided into over a dozen rings, with boundaries clearly marked in chalk. Everyone had heard the rules explained by Gekko Hayate that morning: losing meant being knocked out of the ring boundary or losing consciousness.

"Clan Leader Tenfu, I'm very much looking forward to your daughter's performance this afternoon," Nara Clan Leader said, trying to curry favor with Hyuga Tenfu. Among the clan leaders, he was the most talkative.

"In practical combat, Rei should achieve good results," Hyuga Tenfu stated frankly, not being modest this time.

He knew his daughter's level best. The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist Style was already immensely powerful. With Tsunade absent, Hyuga Tenfu couldn't think of anyone at the academy who could be Rei's worthy opponent.

"I, however, am very much looking forward to that Watanabe," Hatake Clan Leader interjected with a chuckle. "So far, his results have been the most outstanding. Even if his practical combat ability isn't as good as Clan Leader Tenfu's daughter's, it shouldn't be too far off."

Hyuga Tenfu paused, then pondered.

If it were that guy, he indeed couldn't be underestimated.

"Which ninja clan is Watanabe from?" Uchiha Chiri suddenly asked, still bothered by Watanabe's immunity to her Illusion Techniques and starting to pay special attention to him.

"Chiri doesn't know yet?" Hatake Clan Leader asked in surprise and explained, "Watanabe is just a civilian. His parents both died in the First Shinobi War. However, he's very close to Tsunade."

Chiri understood immediately upon hearing this. Are they already making moves on each other at this age...

She felt a strange sensation. She had been single since birth for thirty years, and Watanabe and Tsunade were still just children, weren't they?

"Illusion Techniques don't work on you. How far can you go in practical combat?"

Chiri dismissed the stray thoughts, her gaze like a telescopic sight, accurately locking onto the black-haired youth in the crowd.

"Jiraiya and Yūhi go to Ring 1."

Gekko Hayate recited the pre-prepared list for the practical combat matches.

"Hyuga Rei and Sakamoto Mai go to Ring 2."

"Orochimaru and Sakurajima go to Ring 3."

"..."

As Gekko Hayate read out the names, the people around Watanabe dwindled. Just as he was about to go watch the match where Jiraiya was—

"Watanabe and Inuzuka Kiba go to Ring 8."

Inuzuka Kiba?

It's this guy again.

Watanabe recalled the scene half a year ago in the small forest where he had soundly beaten Inuzuka Kiba.

He couldn't defeat him half a year ago, and he certainly couldn't defeat him now. The gap between them would only widen.

When Watanabe arrived at Ring 8, Inuzuka Kiba was already waiting for him, with the familiar Green Haired Puppy perched on his head.

"Watanabe, surprised? Your first opponent is me!" Inuzuka Kiba said, his eyes burning with intensity.

"I'll make you understand that a weakling like you doesn't deserve Tsunade..."

"Enough with the crap!"

The referee for Ring 8 impatiently interrupted, "Finish this quickly, we have several more matches after this."

Inuzuka Kiba shut his mouth sullenly.

"Watanabe and Inuzuka Kiba, right? Let me see your admission tickets."

After verifying both their admission tickets and confirming they were in order, the referee nodded. "No problem. Whatever grudges you have, now is the perfect time to settle them by fighting."

Watanabe wanted to complain, feeling the other person wasn't a referee but a spectator eager to stir up trouble.

"Watanabe, I've been waiting a long time for this day!" Inuzuka Kiba gritted his teeth, truly intending to settle his score with Watanabe.

"I'm so much stronger now than I was six months ago, I can definitely defeat you!"

As he finished speaking, he quickly pulled a Soldier Pill from his pocket and tossed it into the air.

"Woof!"

The Green Haired Puppy on his head leaped up, swallowed the Soldier Pill in one gulp, and its body rapidly grew. In moments, it ballooned from a small teddy bear into a fierce dog as tall as a man.

Watanabe stared blankly at the sight and asked the referee, "Isn't it against the rules for him to bring a dog onto the stage?"

The referee glanced sideways at Inuzuka Kiba and said indifferently, "It's not against the rules. The Inuzuka clan members are all like this; the dog is the person, and the person is the dog. Man and dog become one."

Watanabe: "..."

"Heh heh."

Inuzuka Kiba sneered, "Watanabe, are you scared?"

"Let me tell you the truth, Green Maru is my partner. No matter how many enemies we face, I will fight alongside it!"

"Don't blame me for ganging up on you. If you have the guts, go raise a Ninja Hound yourself."

"Woof woof!"

The fierce dog barked wildly, foul saliva dripping from its mouth.

Watanabe took a deep breath. "Since that's the case, I have nothing more to say."

"However, I'm going to use your own words against you: 'ganging up on someone'."

The next second, a sharp glint appeared in Watanabe's eyes. He rapidly formed hand seals and silently recited:

"Ninjutsu, Multiple Shadow Clone Technique."

"Puff puff puff puff puff..."

Hundreds, thousands of white mist clouds exploded on the stage, their sound echoing throughout the entire Training Ground.