Beating Asuma!

Looking at Shangteng before him, Roy's expression grew somber.

When a ninja attacked an ordinary person, the punishment was far more than simple detention.

They had to pay several times the amount of the victim's losses and face severe punishment.

The teachers told everyone about this during their first year at the Ninja Academy.

"Uchiha Roy, I never thought someone from the Military Police Force would abuse his authority like this!"

Before Roy could ask anything, Shangteng pointed at him and roared, his face twisted with anger.

At the same time, he gripped his kunai.

"Hmm?"

Hearing Shangteng's words, Roy was bewildered.

He glanced at the shopkeeper, who had been beaten, and his expression grew even more serious.

Was this a setup targeting him?

Honestly, the clumsy trick gave away who was behind it.

"Uchiha causing trouble again?"

"Hey, Roy..."

"I heard that not long ago, you people were doing good deeds around the village."

"How many days has it been, and now you're just like those other bastards, bullying ordinary villagers?"

Just then, that familiar voice chimed in.

"The Lord Third's son!"

"Uchiha really are no good. They actually attacked an ordinary person, ate without paying, and smashed things in the shop."

"You saw it?"

"That ninja just said so. What else could it be?"

Before long, quite a few "spectators" had gathered around them.

"Roy, this is your first offense."

"If you apologize now, admit what you did, and pay for the damages,"

"I'll mediate and keep the shopkeeper from reporting it."

"How about it? We're old classmates, after all."

Asuma watched Roy with a mocking expression.

The setup was crude, but it was enough to deal with the Uchiha.

He didn't even need to explain much. In everyone's minds, the Uchiha were exactly like this.

They would fill in the blanks themselves.

Besides, he had already sent the nearby Anbu members away.

No one would come and interfere.

There was only one thing he needed to do: bribe the shopkeeper.

When the man learned that the Hokage's son was asking him for a favor, he agreed without a word.

His child had died during the Nine-Tails Incident.

His hatred for the Uchiha had not faded in the slightest over the years.

"What are you people talking about?"

"We came because someone asked for help."

"And plenty of people saw us when we arrived."

Uchiha Naishiro said indignantly.

As a ninja, he had excellent hearing and eyesight.

The onlookers' pointing and murmuring made Naishiro very uncomfortable.

"Then can anyone come forward and testify for them?"

Asuma looked around confidently.

"You..."

"Shu!"

Before Uchiha Shu could speak, Roy stopped him.

"Roy, boss..."

"Listen to me."

Roy cut Shu off again.

Shu had been about to expose Asuma's trick outright, but when he saw Roy's calm expression, he quieted down.

"Asuma, I'd really like to know what you hope to gain from doing this."

"That false sense of pride?"

"In terms of talent, you can't measure up to your older brother."

"As for character... you don't seem to have any."

"If you want to prove how strong you are, then let's fight."

Roy looked at Asuma with an amused expression.

Every word Roy spoke was like a knife slicing open Asuma's wound, then rubbing salt into it.

Asuma's mocking expression vanished, and his brows knitted together.

They had never gotten along at the Academy, but they had at least never been this openly hostile.

"Fight?"

"You're just a mere Chunin."

Asuma laughed in anger, looking at Roy with disdain.

In his eyes, Roy wasn't even qualified to be his opponent.

"What are you so proud of?"

"You know how much your Jonin rank is worth, don't you?"

Roy narrowed his eyes, goading Asuma further.

"To the training ground!"

Asuma's body trembled slightly as he spoke in a low voice.

It was true. No matter what he achieved as the Hokage's son, people would always grumble about it behind his back.

But because of his status, no one would say such things to his face.

He also knew that his status had played a part in his passing the Jonin exam.

That was why Roy's words had provoked him.

Soon, the two arrived at the training ground.

After whispering a few words in Uchiha Naishiro's ear, Roy walked to the center of the training ground.

Naishiro turned and disappeared from sight.

"Go tell the Lord Third."

"I'll keep watch here. This Uchiha seems strange."

The Anbu had known about the situation for a while, but since Asuma was the one who had made the first move, they hadn't intervened.

After all, Asuma had the moral high ground.

But now, things seemed more complicated.

Most of all, Uchiha Roy's calm demeanor worried them.

"Roy, if you lose today, you'll have to apologize and pay compensation, and you'll be punished by the village."

"Have you made up your mind?"

Asuma frowned.

Even now, he still wanted Roy to bow his head to him.

"I have."

"Have you ever beaten me in a sparring match?"

"Even with the Lord Third's careful guidance and your constant medicinal baths,"

"a loser is still a loser!"

With that, Roy vanished from where he stood using the Body Flicker Technique.

Two kunai shot out from an unknown direction.

"Clang! Clang!"

Asuma immediately drew his Chakra Blade and knocked both kunai aside.

"Fire Style: Dance of the Fire Snake!"

Asuma might have been a bit of a failure, but at least he had passed the Jonin exam.

He launched a Fire Style attack.

At the same time, he quickly formed Hand Seals and searched for Roy's position.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

Asuma soon pinpointed Roy's position and unleashed a blast of Wind Release.

The terrifying pressure of the wind forced Roy out from one side.

"Not bad."

"Then let's try out this new ability."

After appearing in front of Asuma, Roy began to walk slowly.

Soon, there were two Roys before him... then three...

In just a few seconds, dozens of Roys were circling around Asuma.

"Is this... the Body Flicker Technique?"

Asuma was stunned by the display.

The only person in all of Konoha who could reach this level was Uchiha Shisui.

But... Uchiha Shisui's Body Flicker Technique left no afterimages.

"Damn it..."

"Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning!"

Asuma instantly sprayed ash in every direction, then bit down hard.

"Boom!"

Roy, swallowed up by the ash, vanished into the thick cloud of dust.

"Thud!"

Before Asuma could react, a terrifying force slammed into his stomach.

He was sent flying in an instant.