Seeing the prompt that had suddenly appeared from the system, Nebula Kotetsu froze.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he said, "Bind."
[Bound Target 3: Kurenai Yuhi (Copy—Asuma Sarutobi)] [Current Mission: Second Impression (Change Kurenai Yuhi's first impression of you as a womanizer who can't be trusted, and make her understand that you're a high-quality man of the Shinobi World, more reliable than Asuma Sarutobi)] [Mission Time Limit: One year.] [Mission Reward (choose one): Genjutsu: Drifting Snow Lv1, Trap Making Lv2, Genjutsu Resistance Lv2.]
After briefly scanning the panel, Nebula Kotetsu closed it.
Binding Kurenai did nothing to quell the anger in his heart.
Looking at Asuma Sarutobi, who stood before him with an arrogant, condescending expression, Nebula slowly rose to his feet.
As everyone watched with eager anticipation, Nebula, half a head taller than Asuma, lowered his own head slightly and looked down into Asuma's eyes. He enunciated clearly enough for everyone in the large classroom to hear.
"If you're unhappy with the team assignments,"
"then you should run home and beg your father, the Third Hokage, to change them."
"Instead of standing here, barking at me like a rabid dog because you're powerless to do anything."
"Prince Sarutobi."
Asuma's eyelids visibly twitched.
His eyes quickly reddened, and his fists clenched involuntarily.
Nebula's expression remained unchanged. In truth, every muscle in his body was already tensed and ready. With the boost from Lv1 Taijutsu, his Lv1 Big Slap was also primed to strike, so that if Asuma attacked in anger, Nebula could hit him first.
"You! You! How dare you!" Asuma roared, furious.
He hadn't expected Nebula, whom he'd thought was an easy target, to actually dare stand up to him.
Even less had he expected Nebula to hit him right where it hurt.
"Go home and beg your father, the Third Hokage."
He hated the old man!
What infuriated him even more was that this was exactly what he'd planned to do.
Humiliation and rage sent his blood rushing, and even his cheeks began to redden.
He clenched his fists, feeling that he could no longer hold back his fury. Looking at Nebula's devilishly handsome face, he couldn't wait to punch it in.
"Asuma." At the sound of a gentle voice, Asuma felt someone tug at his sleeve.
It was Kurenai Yuhi.
"Asuma, don't." Kurenai shook her head slightly. "Our teacher will be here soon."
With Kurenai's gentle gaze on him, Asuma quickly regained some of his composure, but his anger still wouldn't subside.
He glared at Nebula. "Just you wait!"
Nebula said nothing.
He gave Asuma a look that said, That's it? This only made Asuma even more furious. Then Nebula returned to his seat.
The other newly formed teams chattered away, but their own team sat in stony silence.
Asuma was thinking about how to deal with Nebula.
Nebula was trying to figure out how to get Kurenai to admit that he was a high-quality man of the Shinobi World, more talented and reliable than Asuma.
A headache.
"Creak..."
The classroom door opened once again.
A graceful figure appeared before the three of them.
Beneath her standard-issue Konoha Jonin vest, she wore a simple black shirt.
Her long legs traced an elegant line, and her fair, beautiful face drew everyone's attention.
Nebula was looking at her too, and recognized her at once.
The wife of the Uchiha Clan's leader—the woman her kind-hearted eldest son would one day send to her death with his own hands.
Mikoto Uchiha.
Beautiful.
That was Nebula's first impression.
In both her figure and her looks, Mikoto Uchiha seemed to embody the finest qualities of the Uchiha Clan.
And combined with the composure of a Jonin, she had a distinctive presence.
It was an overwhelming aura.
Among his girlfriends and ex-girlfriends, and even among the Ninja Academy teachers, Mikoto Uchiha was probably the kunoichi with the strongest presence he had ever met.
She briefly surveyed the people in the classroom, then spoke in a cool voice. "Asuma, Kurenai, Nebula Kotetsu."
"Come with me."
Kurenai immediately stood and tugged Asuma along after her. Nebula followed behind them.
Before long, they arrived at a spacious, shaded spot in the woods behind Konoha.
Mikoto stopped and looked over the three of them.
Their tense, awkward team atmosphere wasn't lost on her.
But she had no interest in calling them out on it just then.
"Sit down and take a break. There's no need to be so stiff."
"I'm Mikoto Uchiha, your Jonin team leader."
"Starting today, you'll be teammates. To help you get to know each other as quickly as possible, introduce yourselves in detail."
"Asuma, you can start."
Asuma didn't want to say anything, but under Mikoto's intense gaze, he replied, "Asuma Sarutobi. I'm good with Wind and Fire Release... My dream is to become a great ninja whose name will be remembered for generations." As he spoke, he glanced at Kurenai beside him. "And to protect the people who matter to me."
"My name is Kurenai Yuhi. I'm good at chakra control and genjutsu... My dream is to live a peaceful, happy life."
"My name is Nebula Kotetsu. I specialize in Medical Ninjutsu. I like quiet and hate trouble. My dream... is world peace."
The others gave him strange looks.
For a ninja, fighting was the norm.
Kurenai's wish for a peaceful life was already unconventional. Nebula's dream was even more outlandish.
Mikoto's gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds before she spoke. "All right, that's enough introductions for now. Before the team is officially formed, you have one more test."
"What test?" Asuma asked instinctively.
"Attack me." Mikoto's gaze turned cold.
"You have ten minutes to discuss your strategy. After that, the three of you will attack me using every means at your disposal."
"I want to assess your abilities and see whether you meet the standards for being a team."
Of course, that was just an excuse.
Kurenai had excellent grades, and Nebula had mastered advanced Medical Ninjutsu.
And given Asuma's identity alone, Mikoto would never send him back to the Ninja Academy.
For the Uchiha Clan, improving relations with the Hokage's faction was far more important than a little team assessment.
There was no need to tell a few newly graduated kids any of that.
"If you pass the test, there'll be a reward."
"A reward?" Kurenai's eyes brightened.
After Mikoto stepped away for a while, the three of them gathered to discuss their strategy.
Kurenai asked, "What should we do? Fighting a Jonin seems a little difficult."
Asuma thought it over, then said, "If she takes us seriously, of course we don't stand a chance. But don't worry, Kurenai. No matter what happens, I'll be right by your side."
"Let's come up with a plan first."
As he spoke, he looked hesitantly at Nebula.
Nebula said, "Don't worry about me. If the plan makes sense, I'll follow it."
That wasn't what Asuma was worried about. He was wondering if they could leave Nebula out of the plan.
Before you continue