Teacher Ibuki Falls into Self-Doubt

The upperclassmen nearby joined in the jeering.

"Is that all the guts the Uchiha Clan has?"

"I think he's just afraid of embarrassing himself."

"After all, he's only five. How impressive could he possibly be?"

Uchiha Toru clenched his hands tight.

Hyuga Kazuki stood to the side, watching the scene unfold. A sudden sense of unease rose in his heart, and he instinctively glanced at the Child wearing Red Clothes.

That brat was squatting on the ground, studying ants, seemingly oblivious to everything being said.

But Hyuga Kazuki had seen with his own eyes just how bizarre that brat was.

He couldn't help but tug on Yamashiro Taiga's sleeve, lowering his voice. "Taiga, that's enough..."

Yamashiro Taiga turned back to look at him, frowning.

"What? Are you scared?"

"It's not that..." Hyuga Kazuki hesitated. "In this class... there are some people you shouldn't mess with."

"Who? That Uchiha kid?"

"No." Hyuga Kazuki didn't know how to explain it. "It's that one in the red clothes."

Yamashiro Taiga followed his gaze.

A small child in a red top was squatting on the ground, butt in the air, watching ants. He looked completely foolish.

He scoffed.

"Him? Kazuki, is your Brain broken?"

"No, he's really..."

"Alright, alright." Yamashiro Taiga interrupted him impatiently. "Since when did you become such a coward?"

He turned back around, continuing to stare at the crowd.

"Uchiha brat, are you going to do it or not?"

Hyuga Kazuki opened his mouth, but eventually shut it again. He had already tried to warn him; whatever happened next had nothing to do with him.

Uchiha Toru stood in the crowd, head bowed, his hands clenched tightly.

Those words pricked his heart like needles.

The Uchiha clan, nothing more than this.

Coward.

Uchiha Toru slowly raised his head and walked step by step to the center of the field.

"Finally out." Yamashiro Taiga looked at him and beckoned, "Come on, I'll let you have the first move."

Uchiha Toru stood firm and began to form hand seals.

Snake, Goat, Monkey, Pig, Horse, Tiger.

Yamashiro Taiga's smile froze.

The smiles of the older students beside him also froze.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A huge fireball spewed from Uchiha Toru's mouth, charging straight at them.

"Waaah!"

The older students screamed and scattered, hastily dodging.

The fireball exploded in the crowd, and waves of heat swept through.

Yamashiro Taiga staggered to a stable footing, smoke rising from his clothes, a lock of his hair singed.

Uchiha Toru retracted his hands and looked at him.

"Want to go again?"

Yamashiro Taiga's face turned pale, then flushed.

The older students beside him exchanged glances, none daring to step forward.

Hyuga Kazuki had already retreated several steps when Uchiha Toru began forming hand seals. Now, he was far away, showing no intention of stepping forward.

Logically, he should have backed down by now.

But Yamashiro Taiga couldn't afford to lose face.

He was a senior student; how could he maintain his standing if he was scared off by a first-year brat?

So, gritting his teeth, he said, "Come."

Uchiha Toru looked at him, his expression unchanged.

"You are no match for me."

Yamashiro Taiga's face turned red.

"What did you say?"

Uchiha Toru's gaze swept over the older students behind him.

"Come at me together."

Yamashiro Taiga froze for a moment.

The older students beside him were also stunned.

"Arrogant... Arrogant!" Yamashiro Taiga's voice trembled, "Who do you think you are?"

Uchiha Toru didn't answer, just stood there, signaling them to attack.

Yamashiro Taiga gritted his teeth and waved his hand.

"Attack together, he's just one person."

The older students beside him hesitated.

"But..."

"What are you afraid of? Five of us can't beat one of him?"

Those few people hesitated, but still slowly surrounded him.

Hyuga Kazuki stood in place, not moving.

"Kazuki." Yamashiro Taiga called to him, "What are you doing?"

Hyuga Kazuki shook his head, his tone firm, "I'm not going."

Yamashiro Taiga was so angry his face contorted, but he didn't have time to curse because Uchiha Toru had started forming hand seals again.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

Small balls of flame sprayed from Uchiha Toru's mouth, flying in all directions like scattered petals.

The three older students rushing at the front hadn't even had time to react before they were grazed by the flames, and holes instantly burned through their clothes.

"Ah!"

"So hot!"

They retreated backward, screaming.

But the flames continued to fly.

One ball flew straight towards Yamashiro Taiga's face.

Yamashiro Taiga's eyes widened, his legs rooted to the ground.

It's over.

Only this thought remained in his Brain.

Just as the flames were about to hit his face, a transparent shadow suddenly flashed from the side.

"Slap."

The ball of flame stopped in mid-air.

It seemed to be entangled by something, struggled twice, and then extinguished with a "poof."

Yamashiro Taiga stared blankly at what was hanging in front of him.

Transparent, sticky, with a slight sheen.

It looked like snot.

At the edge of the crowd stood a strange boy, hands forming a seal: "Secret Technique: Snot Dance Jutsu."

The entire place fell silent.

Beside him, Teacher Ibuki lowered his hands from the seal, a look of surprise on his face. His speed was actually slower than his student's.

Adai retracted his snot, his expression unchanged, his tone flat: "Dangerous, almost injured someone."

"You... who are you?" Yamashiro Taiga asked, his voice trembling.

"Adai."

And then nothing more.

On the sidelines, there was dead silence.

Uchiha Toru slowly lowered his hand, looking at Adai with complex eyes.

"Fire Style is strong," Adai spoke slowly, "but not controlled well."

Uchiha Toru was silent for two seconds.

"Mm."

Adai nodded, turned, and walked back to the edge of the crowd, continuing to stand quietly.

It was as if nothing had happened just now.

By the side of the field, there was dead silence.

The classmates' jaws were about to hit the ground.

Might Guy trembled all over with excitement: "Youth, this is the power of youth!"

Obito sat on the ground, his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time.

Hyuga Kazuki stood far away at the edge of the playground, never having approached.

He glanced at the Red Figure squatting on the ground watching ants, then glanced at Uchiha Toru beside him.

Then he silently took two steps back.

Good thing I didn't go up just now.

The playground gradually quieted down.

The older students left, and the jeering voices disappeared.

Teacher Ibuki stood by the field, having witnessed the entire process from beginning to end.

From Might Guy and Obito being defeated, to Uchiha Toru's single Fireball move stunning the entire crowd, to the Phoenix Flower Flame almost causing a disaster, and finally the new kid dissolving the crisis with snot.

He, the teacher, had done nothing from beginning to end.

He just stood there, like an idiot.

Teacher Ibuki slowly lowered his head, his voice a little hoarse: "Assemble."

The children gradually walked over and stood in formation.

Teacher Ibuki looked at them, suddenly feeling empty inside.

"I'm a teacher... How could I not even control the situation..."