The next morning, Fuyuki first made a round of the construction site at the resort, then headed to school at an unhurried pace.
The Hyuga family didn't need to attend the Ninja Academy. The academy's education simply wasn't suited to shinobi from bloodline clans.
But this class was an exception. The heirs of Konoha's major clans had all signed up to attend, and the reason Fuyuki and Hinata went to the Ninja Academy was to make friends and meet the heirs of Konoha's various Secret Technique Clans. No one—the teachers or their family elders—would bother them about whether they attended class each day.
One of the privileges of being born into the Hyuga Clan was getting a direct recommendation to take the Chunin Ninja Exams. Genin exams were waived entirely.
"Good morning, Iruka-sensei."
Fuyuki pushed open the door and waved to Iruka, completely unconcerned by his homeroom teacher's twitching forehead.
"Fuyuki! You're late again today!"
Iruka's voice nearly shook the floorboards, startling the students who'd been goofing off into sitting bolt upright. Hinata, who'd arrived early with Neji, gazed at Fuyuki standing in the middle of the Lecture Hall, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Hinata was afraid Fuyuki and Iruka would end up in a real-life PvP match.
She wasn't worried that Fuyuki would get beaten up by a teacher. She was worried Iruka-sensei would lose face.
"Iruka-sensei, sorry. I had something to take care of this morning. I invested sixty million in Konoha a few days ago, and construction started today. The carpenters insisted I come check the plans." Fuyuki stated the facts in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.
"..." Iruka fell silent for a long moment, not sure how to reprimand Fuyuki. After all, Fuyuki hadn't been late because he'd skipped class to go have fun. He'd been busy with the family business.
It wasn't as though Iruka could go on a home visit and talk to the Hyuga Clan Head, Lord Hiashi, could he?
That would just be asking for trouble!
How many zeroes were there in sixty million, anyway?
Iruka fell into an existential crisis. He began to wonder whether all the years of hard work that had left him with barely a six-figure balance in his wallet would be enough to help him find a good wife before he turned forty.
"Iruka-sensei, Fuyuki isn't lying. The Hot Spring Resort is right beside the Uchiha Clan Compound. Fuyuki invested sixty million to start with, and Father added another forty million."
Seeing the awkward silence in the classroom, Hinata panicked. Thinking Iruka-sensei was still going to reprimand Fuyuki, she hurriedly stood up to vouch for her little brother, afraid he and Iruka-sensei would get into a real fight.
"Hiss..."
Iruka took a deep breath and waved a hand helplessly. "All right, all right. Fuyuki, try to be on time next time. Being late affects your grades, and making a habit of it is a serious breach of a shinobi's principles."
What could he say to a rich kid?
Was he supposed to invite Lord Hiashi to the Ninja Academy, or go to the Hyuga Clan himself and face a hundred hostile Byakugan?
Not worth it, not worth it. Whatever you say, sir!
"Got it. I won't be late next time." Fuyuki acknowledged his mistake perfunctorily, then returned to his seat. He took out his Ninja Handbook and set it on the desk, then started teasing Akamaru, who was sprawled on top of Kiba's head. "I have a pet, too. I'll bring it next time. I think you two will get along."
One swore like a sailor, the other couldn't talk. Put them together and they'd make a perfect pair of dogs.
"Woof!"
Akamaru barked happily, showing how excited he was to meet his new friend.
"Fuyuki, what kind of pet do you have?" Hinata, sitting beside him, asked curiously.
She and Fuyuki ate, drank, and slept in the same compound. She'd even gone to tuck him in last night. How had she never seen a pet cage in his room? Maybe he had a large animal and kept it in the yard?
"A fox I caught in the Land of Demons?" Fuyuki thought for a moment and decided to describe Moryo as a Great Fox. He honestly didn't know how else to explain Moryo. He couldn't exactly say it was as big as a mountain, with countless Black Dragon heads, and could fire energy cannons filled with Senjutsu Chakra from its mouth, could he?
"Hm?" Naruto, still half asleep, raised his head. He thought he'd heard someone calling him.
"I'm not talking about you. I have a black fox outside!" Fuyuki gestured for Naruto not to misunderstand. He hadn't meant him when he'd said "fox." He meant a new fox.
"Oh." Naruto lay back down and went to sleep again.
That was how Iruka-sensei's class went. The civilian students sat in the front and listened attentively, while the Lucky People and big spenders chatted and snacked in the back. If they got too rowdy, Iruka-sensei would punish them by making them stand outside for a whole class.
Well, they were in the same classroom, but the atmosphere at the front and back was completely different.
"Bang!"
The second latecomer of Iruka-sensei's class violently shoved the door open and entered with Killing Intent radiating from him. He looked coldly at Iruka-sensei. "Sorry. The doctor only let me leave the hospital today. I'm officially reporting for class."
Although the entire Uchiha Clan had ascended, leaving Sasuke with a heart full of negative emotions, he hadn't lost his manners. Unless something involved Uchiha Itachi, he wouldn't turn dark.
"Mm. Go back to your seat."
With Fuyuki setting the precedent, Iruka didn't reprimand Sasuke and simply let him return to his seat.
He'd tried to lecture Fuyuki, but not only had it gotten him nowhere, that damned rich kid had ended up rubbing his wealth in Iruka's face.
And reprimand Sasuke? Iruka was afraid he'd fly into a rage over the Uchiha Clan Massacre. He'd heard about it, after all.
Iruka felt deeply sorry for Sasuke, and pitied him, too.
"Tch."
Feeling the pitying looks from his teacher and classmates, Sasuke knew they meant well, but he didn't need their sympathy. He was an Uchiha. He didn't need anyone to feel sorry for him!
Every word of comfort, every look of pity or sympathy, only made the proud Uchiha feel humiliated. He didn't need anyone's sympathy!
He needed strength—the strength to kill Itachi!
Then Sasuke looked toward Hyuga Fuyuki, sitting right in the center of the Lecture Hall like a lord. In the entire grade, the only person stronger than him was Fuyuki, who came from another bloodline clan with an ocular technique. Using him as a whetstone to hone his own skills seemed like an excellent idea!
First he'd beat Fuyuki, then take down the Ninja Academy, then learn his clan's Fire Release and awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. After that, he should be able to kill that man!
"Hyuga Fuyuki! I challenge you!"
Sasuke was straightforward to the point of being a dummy. He did whatever came to mind, never stopping to reflect on why he'd been beaten by Fuyuki in Taijutsu class.
"You're serious?" Fuyuki asked, looking confused.
For an ordinary spar between classmates, Sasuke wouldn't have called him by his full name. Using his full name was basically saying, "I challenge the Hyuga Clan!" It meant a battle for their clans' honor, with the stakes starting at a hundred million!
"That's right. I, Uchiha Sasuke, am serious!"
Whoa!
The classroom erupted into a commotion. Even Iruka-sensei couldn't stop Fuyuki and Sasuke now. They were about to stake the honor of the great clans of the shinobi world on a duel. Only the Hokage could step in and stop them.
No one else—not even a Jonin—had the right to interfere in their duel unless they belonged to the Senju.
Sasuke said coldly, "Come on. Let's go to the training ground!"
"Ugh." Fuyuki sighed.
"Wha—?" Hinata cried out. "Tokuma, Tokuma! Hurry and get the medical ninja from home! My little brother's going to kill someone, and the Uchiha Clan's going to be wiped out!"
Three chapters again today. Please vote and support this chapter.
I'm on the recommendation list. Every vote means a lot to the author—please vote, everyone!
Before you continue