If You've Got the Guts, Don't Leave After School

Shangguan Yue froze. He rose and used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing on the podium. The students below stared at him, dumbfounded.

They still hadn't recovered from learning that their teacher was a Jonin, and now they'd seen Shangguan Yue use the Body Flicker Technique, too.

A Jonin was a village's high-level combat force. They were rarely assigned to teach at the Ninja Academy, but this time, the students had certainly seen something remarkable.

And Shangguan Yue's Body Flicker Technique shocked them even more, since he was their age.

Genin had to learn the Three Body Technique: the Clone Technique, the Substitution Technique, and the Transformation Technique.

Jonin also had three techniques to learn: the Body Flicker Technique, the Immobilization Technique, and the Invisibility Technique.

Shangguan Yue could actually use the Body Flicker Technique. They'd begged their families to teach it to them, too, but it put tremendous strain on the body. Without sufficient physical strength, a few uses could leave you with a broken leg.

Shangguan Yue was suffering on the inside, too, standing on the podium and forcing himself to keep it together.

Damn, the strain is still too much. I can't move.

Shangguan Yue introduced himself as if nothing was wrong.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Shangguan Yue. I'm an orphan. My teacher is Tsunade, and I live at her house.

"Senju Nawaki is my little brother. From now on, anyone who dares bully him will have to get past me first.

"My interests are robbing homes. My hobbies are women. My goal is to become Hokage. I'm going to build my own clan and make the name Shangguan ring throughout the Ninja World.

"Not to brag, but every one of you here is trash. If you've got what it takes, don't leave after school. Let's fight one-on-one.

"But if you lose and want to get your elders to come after me, you'd better think twice. I live with the Senju Clan. Consider your own weight before you come looking for trouble."

Shangguan Yue bragged away on the podium, leaving his classmates completely dumbfounded. Beside them, Sarutobi Hinai's scalp prickled, and the corners of her mouth twitched.

This little brat sure knows how to brag. Who introduces himself by revealing all his cards? This is...

The students below were all flushed with anger. To them, this was nothing less than a direct provocation.

The commoners were genuinely afraid, of course, but they also felt insulted, as if they were being looked down on.

Nawaki covered his face, feeling embarrassed. Shangguan Yue, on the other hand, was relieved.

Thank goodness. I've been bragging for so long, I've finally recovered. I have to keep up this act now.

Shangguan Yue used the Body Flicker Technique again and returned to his seat. His classmates stared at him as he suddenly appeared beside them.

The students who'd been flushed with anger opened and closed their mouths, but whatever they wanted to say caught in their throats.

"Ahem. Next student, come on up."

Nawaki was right beside Shangguan Yue. When it was his turn, he didn't hold back. He stepped on the desk and sprang into the air, landing on the podium.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Senju Nawaki. My dream is to become Hokage. If anyone has a problem with that, we can fight one-on-one.

"My interests and hobbies are..."

Nawaki imitated Shangguan Yue, bragging wildly onstage and exaggerating his past record of defeating everyone he'd ever fought.

Shangguan Yue watched, squirming with embarrassment. His toes were practically curling up. After him came the other clan heirs.

Without exception, they all glared at Shangguan Yue, eager to fight him for three hundred rounds.

Feeling his body slowly recover, Shangguan Yue looked at their faces and nodded with satisfaction.

Not bad. Looks like I've got everyone riled up. There'll be plenty of fights after school, haha. I can use up my remaining challenge chances in the Cultivation Room and get another batch.

But why is Balance's random refresh so useless? It's almost been a month, and not one of the refreshed opponents can fight.

Can it only record people I encounter in real life? That's way too restrictive.

Shangguan Yue was lost in his worries. Once everyone had finished introducing themselves, Sarutobi Hinai handed out textbooks.

"Class, let's begin our first lesson. I'll tell you about the history of the Ninja World.

..."

Shangguan Yue and the other nobodies listened with interest. The clan heirs were all nodding off, and Nawaki had already fallen asleep beside him, sprawled over his desk.

The parents watching from outside all glanced at Tsunade before leaving one by one.

Tsunade wasn't intimidated. She met each of their gazes and stared them down. It was true that the Senju Clan was gradually declining.

The main reason was that the Second Hokage had changed the surnames of half the clan, integrating them into Konoha. They had married and had children, leaving only a few clan members behind.

But who among those present would dare touch the Senju? There might not be many of them left, but they were all top-tier fighters.

They didn't want to be the last glimmer of a setting sun. They wouldn't make a move against the Senju unless absolutely necessary. What they wanted was to wear them down gradually.

Tsunade knew what they were thinking. Aside from the night watchmen, the clan members who remained were a sorry lot. They couldn't have many children, and they wouldn't live very long.

Tsunade herself was powerless, too. A hidden attack was hard to guard against, and she couldn't stay by their side every moment.

Once everyone had left, Jiraiya asked worriedly, "Tsunade, with Shangguan Yue acting like this, could he be in danger?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes at Jiraiya. "You don't need to worry about that. You look so obnoxious. There's more to what you're saying, isn't there?"

"Not at all, not at all. I'm just concerned about your dear~ student~"

"Yeah, right. Give it six years, and all this will be meaningless. For those six years, the Senju will be his towering tree.

"Even if that tree falls, he'll become the next one."

In a place Tsunade and the others hadn't noticed, someone stared at Shangguan Yue, lost in thought.

"Young master..."

Then he disappeared. Shangguan Yue's gaze instantly turned toward the spot. "That feeling... Was it just my imagination?"