Intentional Punch

I acknowledge your youth.

So, next time, don't say it again.

Ye Ning suppressed the urge and desire to retort, earnestly beginning to treat Might Guy's injuries.

It was... too cringey!

So cringey that Ye Ning felt a sense of shame.

Especially when paired with Might Guy's gestures, the entire sentence seemed to have been elevated to a new level...

Beyond awkward, it was just plain cringe!

"Is this... medical ninjutsu?"

Noticing the shift in Might Guy's gaze from longing to disappointment as he looked at the medical ninjutsu, Ye Ning said softly, "It is medical ninjutsu. Do you want to learn it?"

"I don't have that talent. Even the Clone Technique took me a long time and I still couldn't master it. I can only walk the path of taijutsu."

Might Guy seemed to have opened up, his mood suddenly plummeting:

"Actually, sometimes, I really envy geniuses like Kakashi. You know Kakashi, right? The genius who graduated from the Ninja Academy at five. I envy him for having such talent, and I envy him for being able to cast all kinds of ninjutsu as he pleases."

"Hard work can surpass genius. I always comfort myself with that thought, but perhaps those geniuses are working just as hard as I am?"

"Hard work might not help you surpass a genius. But without hard work, you won't even be able to see the back of a genius."

Ye Ning stood up and patted Might Guy's bowl-cut hair.

"I believe in you. One day, you will be able to stand before Kakashi and challenge him."

"Really... can I?"

"Keep working hard, and one day you will be able to do it. After all, as you said, this is youth!"

Ye Ning stood up, feeling a sudden, inexplicable emotion, and mimicked Might Guy's tone, being a bit cringey himself.

Under Ye Ning's comfort, Might Guy perked up again, his eyes gradually becoming bright and firm.

Following Might Guy as he ran back to the school, Ye Ning finally found his way home.

For this, he was even mistaken for someone escorting Might Guy to school, and received a heartfelt thank you.

Watching Might Guy's retreating figure as he sprinted into the Ninja Academy, Ye Ning smiled knowingly.

Once Might Guy's figure disappeared into the school and was completely out of sight, Ye Ning turned around, preparing to return to the Senju Clan Grounds.

This incident served as a lesson for him.

In the future, he would have to make Tsunade give him a proper tour of Konoha, otherwise, he feared he might get lost a few more times...

However, just as he turned around, Ye Ning saw a guy with his butt stuck out, crouching at the corner of a shop, occasionally letting out a lecherous, wicked laugh.

Ye Ning shifted his gaze to the shop's sign, and sure enough, it read "Hot Spring Inn" in large characters.

The identity of this guy was self-evident.

The famous Sannin of Konoha, Jiraiya!

Ye Ning's expression wasn't very pleasant as he stood not far away, arms crossed over his chest.

This guy...

When watching the anime, he didn't think Jiraiya's behavior was that excessive, at most thinking the character had a unique personality. But seeing it happen right before his eyes, he couldn't feel good about it at all.

Even though Jiraiya was one of his favorite characters.

Peeping at others bathing...

Ye Ning suddenly felt a strong urge to punch Jiraiya in the head.

"Captain, there's someone over there..."

"I can see that!"

Uchiha Fugaku felt a headache coming on.

Someone was peeping at the women's bath, and according to protocol, the Police Force had the authority to arrest them.

But of all people, the one peeping at the women's bath was Jiraiya!

One of the Sannin, who had rendered meritorious service on the battlefield during the Second Shinobi World War. Not to mention whether he could actually arrest Jiraiya, even if he did, what would be the point?

When the time came, the Third Hokage would pressure the Uchiha clan, and wouldn't they just have to obediently release Jiraiya?

"Captain... what should we do now?"

You're asking me what to do, how would I know?

Uchiha Fugaku's expression was grim, suddenly regretting leading the patrol today.

If he hadn't seen this, he could have pretended not to know, but seeing it and then pretending not to see it was a dereliction of duty for the Police Force!

Once someone in the bath filed a complaint, the Police Force would be in for a world of trouble.

Uchiha Fugaku gritted his teeth, and just as he was about to step forward to stop Jiraiya's peeping, he saw a young man walking quickly toward Jiraiya.

!?

Who is this now?

Uchiha Fugaku hesitated and came to a halt, and in the next moment, he witnessed a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Seeing Jiraiya wearing a lecherous, pig-like expression, Ye Ning simply could not hold back any longer and strode to his side.

He had intended to remind Jiraiya to mind his reputation, but Jiraiya showed no reaction at all, continuing to chuckle with a "hehehe" sound that was exceptionally lewd.

"Hoo..."

Ye Ning took a deep breath, his patience completely exhausted.

Just think, in a situation like this, what would Tsunade do?

Ye Ning circled around Jiraiya, who was completely lost in his own world and oblivious to everything happening around him, as if searching for the perfect angle.

Immediately after, Ye Ning clenched his fist and slammed it down with all his might.

This punch not only contained the basics of the Strength of a Hundred he had learned from Tsunade, but also the fury he had been bottling up for a long time!

Intentional Punch!

A miserable shriek instantly echoed through the sky.

The terrifying Strength of a Hundred smashed Jiraiya directly into a crater in the ground.

Yet, Ye Ning felt a wave of relief.

Hoo...

That feels better.

Now, Ye Ning finally understood why Tsunade resorted to her fists at the drop of a hat.

When you can use your hands, never waste time arguing!

Landing that punch felt truly satisfying!

"Damn it! Who dared to interrupt this great master's research?"

As the dust settled, Jiraiya climbed out of the crater in a disheveled state. Although he was covered in dirt and looked a mess, he was not seriously hurt and had sustained no injuries.

As expected of a guy who had been hammered by Tsunade since childhood; his ability to withstand a beating was truly impressive.

While climbing up from the ground, Jiraiya quickly scanned his surroundings and soon locked his gaze onto Ye Ning, staring at him with a hostile expression:

"Kid, was it you who interrupted this great master's research?"

"Research? You mean your lack of character and upbringing while peeping into the women's bathhouse?"

Ye Ning sneered with a sarcastic tone:

"As a big shot of Konoha, you come to peep at Konoha's own villagers. Even a rabbit knows not to eat the grass around its own burrow! Ugh, disgusting! A man having desires and wanting to vent is something I can understand. You could just spend some money on it! Even if you did it on the sly, it wouldn't cost much. And this is Konoha's Sannin? You're nothing but a hooligan, worse than a hooligan. In a word: disgusting! Disgusting!"

Jiraiya's face instantly flushed, turning a mix of white and red.

Being caught peeping was bad enough, but to be caught red-handed was worse. And to be caught red-handed and then lectured so mercilessly by a kid?

How embarrassing!

Jiraiya awkwardly filled in the hole he had dug, muttering to himself:

"I'll stop looking, alright... was it really necessary to talk to me like that?"