He was already an hour late for their agreed time.
In Nami's eyes, this was a sign of someone who did not keep their word.
That was very bad.
At that moment, she both hoped Genya would show up and hoped he would not, caught in a conflicted state of mind.
Time slowly passed.
Genya still did not appear.
A few white doves occasionally flew across the sky...
The Method Actor
"Why didn't you come last night, you liar... achoo." Sarutobi Taro's face was pale. Before he could finish speaking, he sneezed.
September had just entered autumn.
Sarutobi Taro had worn only a short-sleeved shirt last night and stubbornly waited until dawn before leaving, so he had caught a cold.
Nami hesitated, her large eyes glimmering.
She seemed to want to ask.
Genya.
Why hadn't you shown up last night?
"You're just a coward, a weakling! You've disgraced your Uchiha clan!"
After sneezing again.
Sarutobi Taro mercilessly mocked Genya.
Faced with the other boy's ridicule, Genya said nothing. He merely raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle, gazed out the window with a hazy, lost look in his eyes, and said,
"When I was very young, my parents died in the Third Shinobi World War. Although they never fulfilled their responsibility of caring for me, I'm still grateful to them. They were heroes who protected the village."
"After they passed away, my grandmother and I depended on each other. Last night, just as I was about to head out for our fight, my grandmother's asthma flared up again. I hurriedly called the neighbors and had them help take her to the hospital."
"My grandmother is my only family in this world. I was afraid of losing her, so I stayed by her side in the hospital all night."
Genya turned around, looking at Sarutobi Taro apologetically as he solemnly apologized.
"Taro, I truly couldn't get away last night. I let you down. I'm sorry."
In truth, Genya had completely forgotten about the challenge last night. He had thought Sarutobi Taro was merely joking, never expecting him to take it so seriously that he would actually go to Hokage Rock at ten that night and wait for him.
So Genya made up an excuse, spouting nonsense with a straight face without the slightest psychological burden.
You challenged me for no reason. Why should I go fight you?
"So Genya took his grandmother to see a doctor. How pitiful..." Nami's eyes reddened. She found Genya terribly pitiful, and could not help feeling sympathy for him.
Those words left Sarutobi Taro completely at a loss. Though he disliked the Uchiha, he was not an unreasonable person.
Otherwise, he could have gathered a few clan members yesterday and blocked Genya's path to teach him a lesson. But Sarutobi Taro had not done that.
Moreover, young and innocent Sarutobi Taro did not think too deeply about it and believed him outright.
At that moment, he felt both self-reproach and guilt.
Then he thought of how aggressively he had pressed Genya.
He felt like a sinner.
He wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground.
"Then our fight..." Before he could finish, Sarutobi Taro covered his mouth and thought, This Uchiha is in a terrible state right now. Even if I beat him, it would be an unfair victory.
I'll compete with him properly once his grandmother recovers!
I, Sarutobi Taro, am a man who will become Hokage. I must be honorable and upright. I absolutely cannot take advantage of someone in need!
Sarutobi Taro firmed up his resolve, then looked at Genya and forced a smile. "Konoha Hospital has many excellent medical ninja. Your grandmother will definitely be fine."
"How about we visit your grandmother this afternoon?"
Sarutobi Taro looked at Genya expectantly, wanting to make up for the guilt in his heart.
Hearing that, Genya did not know whether to laugh or cry. He thought to himself.
My dear Sarutobi, aren't you meddling a little too much?
Genya shook his head and refused.
"My grandmother likes peace and quiet. She doesn't want anyone disturbing her."
What a joke.
He did not even know exactly where the hospital was.
If he took them there.
Wouldn't that expose his lie?
Thinking of that, Genya's head began to ache.
One lie.
Required more lies to cover it up.
It was truly an endless cycle...
"Alright." Sarutobi Taro did not insist, knowing that patients needed plenty of rest.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, more than two months passed.
The Sage Body's energy value had increased by over thirty thousand points.
It was estimated that he would need another five months.
Before Genya could upgrade the Sage Body to Level 2.
Six-year-old Genya was still young, so he could take things slowly.
By the time he became an adult.
Perhaps he could upgrade the Sharingan to the Mangekyo realm.
And he possessed the Sage Body.
The side effects of using the Mangekyo would be greatly reduced.
They might even disappear completely!
Besides that.
Over these past two months.
Itachi would occasionally come by to chat with him and share things with him.
Their little boat of friendship grew steadier and steadier!
Inside the classroom.
The morning cultural lesson was still dull and tedious.
Looking around.
Quite a few students were dozing off.
The chubby boy from the Akimichi clan was secretly eating snacks. He thought he was being careful, but little did he know that the homeroom teacher, Watanabe Yu, saw everything clearly and kept rolling his eyes.
Genya was actually quite interested in this sort of lesson.
The content covered local customs.
As well as knowledge about the various countries.
These were things that had never been explored in detail in the anime.
Genya listened with great interest.
While Nami listened attentively and took notes, she would occasionally prop her cheek up with one hand and study Genya.
"Genya is so focused. He's such a good student. If only I could settle down and study like him."
"And... Genya is so handsome."
Thinking of that, a bashful blush appeared on Nami's delicate little face.
Then Nami's gaze fell on Sarutobi Taro again. When she saw that he was sleeping soundly, her pretty brows furrowed slightly and she gave a soft snort through her nose.
"Ring, ring, ring!" Class was over.
Sarutobi Taro stretched lazily, feeling refreshed. After gulping down some water, he tentatively asked Genya,
"Uchiha Genya, how is your grandmother doing?"
"I'm not trying to challenge you. We're classmates, so I'm just concerned about your grandmother's health."
After saying that, even Sarutobi Taro felt guilty, and his face reddened awkwardly.
Even he did not believe what he had said.
Genya's pen paused. He turned around and looked at Sarutobi Taro, who was eagerly raring to go beside him, then pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling a massive headache coming on.
How could he not see through the other boy's intentions?
Why was this guy... so oblivious?
Didn't he just want to challenge him?
Why not just say it outright?
If you didn't say it.
How could I politely refuse you?
"Not so soon," Genya said with a smile.
Nami, who was mature for her age, also understood Sarutobi Taro's intentions and advised, "Taro, you can't be like this!"
After being called out by both of them.
Sarutobi Taro's face flushed crimson as he hurriedly explained, "I really am concerned about his grandmother." Then he glanced at Genya as if he did not care and said casually, "If I wanted to defeat this Uchiha, it would be effortless."
Unable to endure Sarutobi Taro's pestering, Genya suggested,
"There are plenty of other Uchiha at the academy. Why do you insist on challenging me? Can't you pick someone else?"
Sarutobi Taro stared at Genya and bluntly said, "I don't know why, but I just don't like the look of you. I want to beat you up."
Genya said, "Fine, you win..."
Homeroom teacher Watanabe Yu suddenly knocked on the blackboard and looked at the students below.
"To assess what you have learned over the past month, our class will be holding a taijutsu sparring lesson this afternoon. Your results will count toward your usual grades for the year-end final exam. No one may be absent. Give it your all and strive for victory in combat!"
Sarutobi Taro's eyes lit up.
His chance had come!
Genya's Strength
As Watanabe Yu's voice fell.
The classroom erupted with a commotion.
The students who usually attended taijutsu class seriously and trained diligently after school smiled smugly. Sparring lessons were their moment to shine.
As for those slacker students, their expressions turned sour, because sparring lessons existed to make fools of them.
Everyone reacted differently.
Generally speaking.
Before you continue