A Friendly Sparring Match

More than a year ago, when he first repeated a grade, he had once subtly expressed his feelings to her. After she failed to respond, he had the good sense to walk away.

Because he had found a new girlfriend.

At that time, her impression of him was very poor.

Frivolous, unfaithful.

Although he had some good looks, she would never like someone with poor character.

In the period that followed, his actions only confirmed her assessment.

He changed girlfriends batch after batch.

From upperclassmen, to peers who became upperclassmen, to underclassmen who became peers, to underclassmen who became upperclassmen... there was no telling how many girls in the entire Ninja Academy had been linked to him in rumors—no, they should be called news reports.

Because most of them were not false.

Her opinion of him finally solidified: a playboy dead-last who must absolutely be avoided.

Although his stunning performance with the Mystical Palm Technique had somewhat faded his reputation as a dead-last, the "playboy" label still shone brightly.

When she first learned she was in the same class as him, she felt just like Asuma Sarutobi—confused, bewildered, and extremely resistant.

Knowing she could not refuse the school's arrangement, she simply maintained a facade of politeness.

However, after spending a few days together, she discovered that he seemed different from her impression of him.

The playboy label might be accurate, but he also had his merits.

He was quiet and steady, unlike Asuma Sarutobi, who would throw tantrums or get angry at the drop of a hat.

Moreover, in these past few days, he had never made any excessive moves toward her, nor had he even paid her any unnecessary attention, rendering all her long-held worries moot.

Now, with Mikoto Uchiha inexplicably in a bad mood, he hadn't said a word of complaint, single-handedly weathering Mikoto Uchiha's intense onslaught.

He seems like a very reliable teammate—she thought.

Feeling that her stamina had recovered significantly, she braced herself to stand up, looked at the relentless Mikoto Uchiha and the sweat-drenched Nebula Kotetsu, and spoke.

"Mikoto-sensei, let me take over!"

"Bang!" With a straight leg, she kicked Nebula Kotetsu in the chest, sending him flying backward. Mikoto Uchiha stopped her movements and looked at Kurenai Yuhi, who had requested to join the fray.

A moment later, she stopped and lowered her hands, looking listless.

"Forget it."

"That's it for today's practice. Dismissed."

Nebula Kotetsu, who had just gotten up from the ground: ...

We agreed to go one by one, Mikoto-sensei, you've gone back on your word!

Returning home, he did his laundry and took a bath.

After changing into fresh, dry clothes, Nebula Kotetsu went out to eat.

Kotetsu Hagane wasn't coming home for lunch, and he was too lazy to cook, so he decided to just eat out.

Konoha Commercial District.

Nebula Kotetsu wandered around, but he really couldn't bring himself to eat sushi or sashimi, so he eventually headed to Ichiraku Ramen.

Teuchi looked younger than in his memories, but his eyes were still just as small; when he smiled to greet customers, his eyes completely disappeared.

Ayame was still a little girl running around the kitchen. After being scolded twice by Teuchi, she sat obediently on a stool watching him cook.

Her large eyes darted here and there until she spotted Nebula Kotetsu eating noodles, after which the little girl stared at him without moving.

"Big brother~"

The crisp voice made Nebula Kotetsu look up. The moment his face was fully revealed, the little girl's eyes grew even brighter.

"Can you beg Daddy to let me not sit here?"

"I want to go out and play~"

Nebula Kotetsu finished his noodles, wiped his mouth, and asked, "Why do you want to go out and play? Isn't it nice to sit here?"

Ayame said in a milky voice, "Sitting isn't nice, it's uncomfortable."

"Going out to play is comfortable."

"Uncomfortable, huh." Nebula Kotetsu offered a thoughtful suggestion: "If you're uncomfortable, drink more hot water."

With that, he placed the money on the table, pulled back the curtain, and walked out of the ramen shop.

Ayame: "?...?"

Afternoon.

Nebula Kotetsu sat on the rocking chair in the courtyard, basking in the sun.

With a "creak," the door was pushed open, and the bright, purple-haired girl stepped inside without ceremony.

"Don't you know how to knock before coming in?" Nebula Kotetsu said helplessly.

Uzuki Yugao gave a light smile: "Why be so formal when visiting a senior's home?"

As she spoke, she sat down in the chair beside Nebula Kotetsu as if she were right at home.

"Senior, didn't you just become a genin?"

"No training, no missions, just sunbathing at home—is it really that comfortable?"

"You don't understand," Nebula Kotetsu said. "I'm cultivating."

"As for you, I recall it isn't time for the Ninja Academy to let out yet, is it?"

"I asked for leave," Uzuki Yugao said. "I told the teacher a relative came to visit, and then I left."

"Senior, shall we lie down for a while, or start now?"

Nebula Kotetsu: "Either is fine."

Uzuki Yugao: "Then let's lie down for a bit first."

The two of them lay on their respective lounge chairs, basking in the sun and enjoying the gentle afternoon breeze.

Before long, Uzuki Yugao tilted her head slightly on her chair, silently observing Nebula Kotetsu's profile; the more she looked, the deeper the smile in her eyes became.

The gaze was too direct, making Nebula Kotetsu feel somewhat uncomfortable, so he simply stood up and went inside to retrieve two bamboo swords.

"Alright, let's begin."

Uzuki Yugao pouted, but still reached out to take one.

"Senior, is your swordsmanship any good?"

"Don't get beaten into the dirt by me."

"Even though this junior is gentle, I won't hold back during a sparring match."

Nebula Kotetsu gripped his bamboo sword and replied: "I'll do my best to last a while."

Uzuki Yugao gave a meaningful smile: "Senior, here I come~"

"Whoosh!"

"Bang, bang, bang!!!"

The bamboo swords clashed repeatedly in mid-air, emitting dull, rhythmic thuds.

Although Uzuki Yugao's words were sharp, she actually held back in her strikes. It seemed she was afraid that if she weren't careful, she might bruise her senior's ego.

After all, she knew her goal was to woo a handsome guy, not to have a serious duel.

Thus, she kept three points of strength in reserve, her body moving with ease as she swung her bamboo sword.

Nebula Kotetsu didn't spout any arrogant nonsense about her "giving it her all."

This was his first time sparring with someone skilled in swordsmanship, and getting familiar with it would be beneficial for him as well.

Seeing him respond with such focus, Uzuki Yugao was somewhat surprised.

She had assumed Nebula Kotetsu would struggle; after all, even though she was younger than him, she had practiced swordsmanship since she was a child and her level was quite high. As for Nebula Kotetsu, just a few days ago, he was the school's recognized pretty-boy dead-last. Even if he had defeated Mizuki, it was through hand-to-hand combat; when it came to swordsmanship, she didn't believe he could withstand her.

But once they clashed, she realized the rumors were wrong.

Nebula Kotetsu's strength was not bad at all!

Although she could feel from his strikes that he wasn't accustomed to this style of combat, his power and speed were not weak in the slightest.

Relying on raw strength and speed to keep pace with her at fifty percent power without falling behind—such strength shouldn't belong to a dead-last.

"Not bad, Senior."

"You're much stronger than I imagined."

"I'm going to get serious now~"