Ever since Chiri became Watanabe's team leader, he had given her no end of grief—more than she'd suffered in the previous dozen years combined.
With Chiri's strength, people treated her with the utmost respect wherever she went. Even the Hokage was always courteous and deferential toward her. Who would dare behave as outrageously as Watanabe did?
At first, he'd only talked back to her. Now he even dared to order her around and tell her to please someone else?
How ridiculous! I, Uchiha Chiri, need to please anyone?
She felt she had to teach Watanabe a lesson and show him who was in charge. Otherwise, with that boy's audacious personality, one day he'd stop taking her seriously altogether. Before long, he might even climb all over her and betray his teacher.
At the thought, Chiri's gaze on Watanabe grew increasingly dangerous. She was considering how best to teach him a lesson—
"Good morning, Teacher Chiri!"
Hiruzen came jogging over with a cheerful smile and greeted Chiri warmly. Then he turned to Watanabe. "Good morning to you too, Watanabe."
"Mm." Watanabe nodded in greeting.
Compared to half a month ago, Hiruzen had grown a lot too, in both strength and personality. At the very least, he no longer stammered when talking to Chiri.
"What's so good about it? Couldn't you have come earlier?" Chiri scolded him, her pretty face icy.
She'd been just about to teach Watanabe a lesson, but Hiruzen had suddenly interrupted her. Naturally, she took out her frustration with Watanabe on him instead.
"I... I'm sorry, Teacher Chiri. I'll make sure to arrive early from now on!" Hiruzen apologized meekly.
He figured that since Chiri was scolding him, he must be in the wrong. He didn't dare defy her in the slightest.
Watching Hiruzen stand there obediently like