Twenty: The Mob Beating of Uchiha Ken

"Now I see why he's so arrogant. He's got some influence behind him!" Hyuga Shin said with a laugh.

"Yeah! He's always throwing his weight around. He's incredibly annoying. Even in the Uchiha Clan, nobody likes him." Even Mikoto, usually so gentle, looked disgusted as she finished speaking.

Twenty: The Mob Beating of Uchiha Ken

Watching them glare at each other without throwing a punch, Hyuga Shin started to lose interest.

"Judging by your expression, Mikoto, you hate this guy too. I'll teach him a lesson." After saying that, Hyuga Shin started to get up.

Mikoto hurriedly reached out and tugged at him, then said anxiously, "Shin, you mustn't go. He's really obnoxious, but he's no weakling. He's a genuine genius."

"Oh? Mikoto, are you worried about me?"

Hyuga Shin gazed deeply into Mikoto Uchiha's eyes.

"I, I..." Mikoto's face flushed bright red, like a big apple, making him want to take a bite.

"Don't worry!" Hyuga Shin patted her little hand, then stood up.

"Hiashi, I don't think you're qualified to become the next clan leader."

Hyuga Shin's words drew everyone's attention. They all turned to look at him.

Especially Hyuga Hiashi. His pale white eyes gave nothing away, but everyone could still see the anger in his expression.

"What did you say?"

"You're angry already? You're only tough with your own people. He was practically climbing all over you just now, and you didn't dare say a word. You were shaking like a frightened quail. So why are you putting on an act in front of me?"

"You only became the next clan leader because you belong to the Main Family. Without that, you'd be nothing."

Hyuga Shin said contemptuously, completely igniting Hyuga Hiashi's anger.

"You're saying I was afraid of him?" Hyuga Hiashi pointed at Uchiha Ken and snapped.

"That's right. If you're not afraid of him, then beat him up and prove yourself." Hyuga Shin nodded.

"Fine. Today I'll show you, you good-for-nothing, why I became the next clan leader."

Hyuga Hiashi gathered his chakra and slapped the table, smashing it to pieces, then walked toward Uchiha Ken.

"Tsk, tsk! The table didn't do anything to you, yet it became your punching bag. I feel sorry for it!" Hyuga Shin said, folding his arms.

"I, Hyuga Hiashi, challenge you. Do you accept?" Hyuga Hiashi said coldly.

"Why wouldn't I? I'll show you that your Hyuga Clan's Byakugan is worthless compared to our Uchiha Clan's Sharingan," Uchiha Ken said arrogantly.

Uchiha Ken's words completely infuriated Hyuga Hiashi. He valued the honor of the Hyuga Clan greatly. How could he let anyone trample all over it?

"Hey, you're Uchiha Ken, right? You say the Byakugan is worthless compared to the Sharingan. Does that mean you've already awakened the Sharingan?" Hyuga Shin said with a smile.

Uchiha Ken was at a loss for words. Then he said angrily, "Even without the Sharingan, I can still trample all you trash underfoot."

That remark enraged everyone. If Nara Shikaku hadn't been holding them back, Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi would have stood up.

"Nawaki, look at how arrogant he is. Can you stand for this? Let's beat him up together. There's a saying: the law doesn't punish a crowd." Hyuga Shin added fuel to the fire.

While Hyuga Shin was stirring things up, Hyuga Hiashi had already made his move, slapping Uchiha Ken and sending him flying.

Nawaki couldn't hold back either. He rushed forward and punched Uchiha Ken in the face before he could get up.

Seeing Hyuga Hiashi and Nawaki make their move, and hearing Hyuga Shin's suggestion that the law wouldn't punish a crowd, everyone in Class A except Hyuga Shin, Mikoto Uchiha, Minato Namikaze, and Nara Shikaku charged in.

Hyuga Shin watched with a smile. Even on his own, Hyuga Hiashi could have beaten Uchiha Ken into submission.

The Hyuga Clan might have been treated as a minor clan, but at five years old, almost no one could beat one of them.

At that age, unless they were extraordinary geniuses, nobody knew any ninjutsu, so everyone mainly relied on Taijutsu.

As a Taijutsu clan, the Hyuga Clan naturally had the advantage. And even if someone did know ninjutsu, they couldn't form Hand Seals quickly. They'd be interrupted before they could finish.

"If you do this, you'll definitely incur the Uchiha Clan's displeasure. Why would you do that?" Nara Shikaku asked, looking at the calm Hyuga Shin.

Hyuga Shin hadn't thrown a punch, but he was the one who had started it all.

"No reason. I just felt like stirring up trouble." Hyuga Shin folded his arms and enjoyed the show.

If he weren't strong enough, Hyuga Shin definitely wouldn't have acted so boldly. But now that he was fairly strong, he had every right to.

They were in Konoha, and even if the Uchiha Clan was unhappy with him, they couldn't do anything to him. Besides, from his conversation with Mikoto, Hyuga Shin knew there was discord within the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Ken was a contender to become the next clan leader, so he was sure to be at odds with the current leader's branch. Whether anyone would come after Hyuga Shin was still uncertain.

"What's going on? Everyone, stop!"

Everyone stopped and looked toward the door, then quickly returned to their seats.

"What on earth happened here?" Ueno Juri, the Class A teacher, said, pointing at the battered Uchiha Ken.

By then, Uchiha Ken had already passed out. Ueno Juri examined him and found only superficial injuries. He wasn't badly hurt, which was a relief.

If Uchiha Ken had been seriously injured, Ueno Juri would have been held responsible. Still, such a serious incident on the very first day of school enraged him.

"Everyone who took part, stand up. I saw everything, so you can't hide it from me." Ueno Juri's expression was stern.

After Ueno Juri spoke, most of the class stood up. Only Hyuga Shin, Mikoto Uchiha, Nara Shikaku, and Minato Namikaze stayed calmly in their seats.

Everyone turned their attention to Hyuga Shin.

"Why are you all looking at me? I didn't do anything," Hyuga Shin said innocently.

Shameless! Utterly shameless.

He was the one who'd egged them on, but now he was acting as if nothing had happened. Everyone was so angry their teeth ached.

Looking at the students, Ueno Juri felt troubled. Almost all the children in the class came from prominent clans, making them extremely difficult to manage.

"You're all going outside to stand as punishment." Enraged, Ueno Juri could only give them this punishment.

"Teacher, Hyuga Shin started all of this. You can't let him off!" Hizashi Hyuga pointed at Hyuga Shin.

Hyuga Shin rubbed his chin, feeling that he hadn't taught Hizashi Hyuga a harsh enough lesson.

"Who's Hyuga Shin?" Ueno Juri roared.

Then, under Mikoto's worried gaze, Hyuga Shin reluctantly stood up.

"You're going outside too." Though surprised to see that Hyuga Shin didn't have the Byakugan, the furious Ueno Juri couldn't spare a thought for it.