Your Youth, I Approve!

Might Guy could not help but clench his fists.

Nebula Kotetsu's voice continued.

"However, I am too poor."

"I have no talent for ninjutsu; even performing the Basic Jutsu is a struggle for me."

"I wanted to study taijutsu, but the pain and setbacks I faced over and over again made me doubt myself."

"In the dead of night, I often wondered."

"Perhaps, this is it for me."

"I am just a person with no talent at all."

"I won't graduate, I won't become a qualified ninja, and in the future, I'll just be an ordinary person, marrying a pretty lady from a wealthy family and living a boring life of luxury."

Might Guy's train of thought struggled to keep up.

Before a "?" could even rise in his mind, his attention was diverted by Nebula Kotetsu's next words.

"Until I met you."

"Guy!"

"I heard your story from other students and teachers."

"How you bore the pressure, step by step, entered the academy, and grew into who you are today."

"An outstanding classmate with powerful taijutsu!"

"Seeing you, it is as if I can see the light of youth illuminating the darkness before me."

"I gained confidence!"

"I will definitely become an excellent ninja!"

"And so, I resolutely chose to repeat a grade."

"Two years."

"In these two years, there hasn't been a single day I haven't worked hard. Sometimes, I was even busy until eleven or twelve at night."

"I have only one goal, and that is... progress!"

Might Guy was filled with sudden respect.

At this moment, Nebula Kotetsu, having basically recovered his stamina, slowly stood up.

"Guy."

"Tomorrow is the third graduation exam I am about to face!"

"That is why I am challenging you at this time!"

"Two years—I spent two years finally feeling my own progress. So, even though there is still a gap between us, and even though it might be overestimating my own abilities, I still want to challenge you."

"Please accept my challenge, I beg you."

He formed the Seal of Confrontation.

Might Guy's eyes shone with brilliance.

Feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up, he stood up, moved to face Nebula Kotetsu, and formed the Seal of Confrontation.

"Do not say things like 'overestimating your own abilities'."

"It is my honor to accept your challenge."

"Make your move, Nebula Kotetsu. Out of respect, I will use my full strength."

Nebula Kotetsu's heart tightened.

Although his physical state had recovered and his chakra was quite abundant for his age, he did not know if he could withstand Might Guy once he got serious.

But at this point, he had to keep up the act.

"I'm coming, Guy!"

"Boom!" Soil splashed beneath his feet as he exerted great force, and Nebula Kotetsu's figure suddenly lunged forward.

The next second, he was locked in combat with the focused and guarded Might Guy!

"Bang, bang, bang!!!"

After three sounds, Nebula Kotetsu's figure was thrown from the fray, landing on the ground with a thud.

Fortunately, it was soil and grass beneath him, so he didn't suffer secondary injuries. Even so, Nebula Kotetsu's face turned pale.

Might Guy's strength was immense.

He had only managed to block two heavy attacks with his fists and feet before a front kick sent him flying.

Opposite him, Might Guy looked a bit flustered.

Was he too heavy-handed?

"Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

"It's fine!" Nebula Kotetsu reached out a hand to cut her off.

He braced one hand against the ground, slowly pushed himself up, and rubbed his numb chest. After confirming there were no serious issues, he once again assumed a combat stance.

Come again!

A flicker of emotion flashed through Might Guy's eyes.

"Alright, then I'm coming for you!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!!"

Fists and kicks collided, producing a series of dull thuds.

Nebula Kotetsu went all out, disregarding the drain on his stamina as he pushed his physical functions to the limit. Whenever he encountered an attack he couldn't block, he activated his Lv1 Big Slap skill, which had a high probability of intercepting the blow.

However, Might Guy's strength was far superior to his own.

With immense physical fitness, exceptional reflexes, and movement transitions that had become almost instinctive, Might Guy was simply too well-rounded when it came to taijutsu.

Before long, Nebula Kotetsu had been knocked to the ground multiple times.

Yet, as long as he could still hold on, he would grit his teeth, climb back up, and resume the sparring.

This was the method he had chosen to ensure his friendship progress with Might Guy.

Exchanging blows that landed with real impact was the fastest way to accelerate the bond between men.

Finally, when he tried to push himself up from the ground only for his legs to give way and send him stumbling back down, Might Guy lowered his guard.

"Stop here, Kotetsu."

"I... I can still go." Nebula Kotetsu exerted force once more, enduring the stinging pain in his muscles as he slowly stood up from the ground.

He resumed his fighting stance once again.

Might Guy shook his head.

"Kotetsu, that's enough."

"I acknowledge your youth."

Nebula Kotetsu looked at Might Guy, then slowly lowered his hands.

"Sorry, I wasn't able to make you use your full strength."

Might Guy said, "Don't say that."

"I am very happy to have an opponent like you."

Nebula Kotetsu: "Really?"

Might Guy said, "Of course."

"Kotetsu, I'll be waiting for you to challenge me again, but we cannot continue today."

"Tomorrow is the graduation exam; you need to maintain your condition."

Nebula Kotetsu: "I understand, thank you."

"I will definitely challenge you again."

Might Guy left.

He had originally wanted to help the injured Nebula Kotetsu home, but the latter refused.

Because there was someone else waiting for him.

"Let me think, whose turn is it for a date today... right, Honjo Aya."

"And then Kanako."

Recalling his date, Nebula Kotetsu tidied up his disheveled appearance slightly before limping along the path behind the mountain. Before long, he arrived at a quiet and secluded spot.

Beside a small lake, willow trees swayed, and a clear spring trickled by. A woman whose tall figure could not be hidden even by her ninja uniform stood on the pebble shore, lost in thought.

Hearing the footsteps behind her, the woman turned around.

A face that was both handsome and possessed a hint of heroic spirit, with slender brows, a high nose bridge, and an imposing aura.

Honjo Aya.

She was one year younger than Nebula Kotetsu but one grade ahead of him. She was one of the prominent figures from the previous graduating class of the ninja academy, possessing both exceptional talent and a striking appearance. In the words of his previous life, she was a cold, high-class "big sister" type with sharp, defined features.

However, looking at Nebula Kotetsu as he appeared, a trace of displeasure flickered in the woman's eyes.

She frowned slightly and spoke coldly.

"What have you been doing? Why do you look like this?"

Nebula Kotetsu was already used to her cold demeanor.

Back at school, she had always been like this, maintaining a perpetually icy style. Yet, paired with her tall stature and spirited eyes, she had no shortage of admirers.

Countless boys would say in private that just being glanced at by those cold eyes provided enough material for their dreams for several nights in a row.