Return to School

A few days later, following the tragedy in his family, Ning Xue returned to school. He had spent the time at home, burying his father's remains and waiting for his mother's health to improve slightly.

However, on the way to school, those who recognized him could clearly see that he seemed even more... frigid than before.

When Ning Xue stepped into the classroom again, the noisy chatter died down instantly. Many turned their heads to look, but upon seeing it was only Ning Xue, some simply went back to their own conversations.

"Geez, what is it? I thought it was Iruka sensei."

These were the ones who didn't care.

"Hey, don't you feel like Ning Xue seems... colder than he used to be?"

These were the ones who had noticed him and were discussing it with their companions.

The old Ning Xue had merely seemed reticent, but now he possessed an air of melancholy and chilling detachment.

He walked silently to his seat, ignoring the various gazes cast his way—some concerned, some curious, and others engaging in undisguised gossip.

He sat quietly in his seat as he always did, took out his notebook, and stared at it in silence.

"Hey, Ning Xue, why haven't you been here the last few days?" a classmate he usually spoke to asked cautiously.

Ning Xue did not look up. He only stared at his book and replied with an "mm" in a volume so low it was barely audible. There was no emotion in that sound; it was so icy that the other boy shivered and shut his mouth in embarrassment.

But there are always those who lack tact.

"Hey, Ning Xue! I heard your old man kicked the bucket? Died in the line of duty, right? Tsk tsk, how glorious!"

The boy's tone was contemptuous, carrying the kind of naive, punchable arrogance of someone who had yet to face the world.

"But you haven't been here for days—don't tell me you were just hiding at home crying your eyes out? Hahaha!"

The few lackeys behind him joined in with boisterous laughter.

Had this been in the past, Ning Xue might have ignored them, but they had provoked the wrong person today.

Before their laughter had even faded, Ning Xue instantly raised his head, left his seat, and leaped in front of him.

Those pale Byakugan eyes stared at him with cold indifference.

Seeing Ning Xue jump in front of him so suddenly, the boy hadn't even had time to react with shock, nor had anyone else in the class.

In an instant.

BANG. With a single sound, he slammed the boy's head hard against the solid wooden desk, causing the furniture to emit a thunderous crash.

The massive impact plunged the entire classroom into dead silence.

The desk vibrated violently. The student's face was pressed firmly against the surface, twisted and distorted, and blood instantly gushed from his nose. He didn't even have time to let out a scream before he passed out cold.

The classroom was instantly struck dumb, and everyone gasped in unison.

They hadn't expected Ning Xue to strike so suddenly, nor for his movements to be so vicious. This moment completely overturned everyone's perception of him.

They had only ever seen him as a loner, but now, they saw only violence—pure, unadulterated violence.

Ning Xue maintained his pressing posture, but his cold gaze had already swept toward the few who had been mocking him earlier.

As they met Ning Xue's icy Byakugan, they collapsed to the floor in terror, watching his every move with dread.

Ning Xue said nothing; there was only pure killing intent.

"Stop! Ning Xue!"

An anxious shout came from the doorway. It was Iruka sensei, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Seeing the scene before him, his expression changed drastically. He lunged forward in a flash, pulling the two apart.

Before Iruka could even touch him, Ning Xue had already released his grip and stepped back in silence, as if he hadn't been the one to strike just moments ago.

He still wore no expression, but the chill radiating from his body made even Iruka feel a jolt of alarm.

The student who had been pressed against the desk slid limply to the floor, blood streaming from his nose, already unconscious.

Upon inspection, it appeared to be nothing more than a broken nose and a mild concussion.

"Quick! Take him to the infirmary!"

Iruka hurriedly signaled the other students who had gathered at the door to help, while looking at Ning Xue with a complex expression.

"Ning Xue, you... come with me to the office!"

Ning Xue did not resist; he simply followed him out of the classroom in silence, leaving behind a room of dead silence and countless gazes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

Once the two had completely vanished from the sight of those in the classroom, the whispering began.

"My god... was that really Ning Xue?"

"He... how could he..."

"Such a terrifying look. I almost couldn't breathe just now..."

"Hey, hey... is this for real? That guy Ning Xue... he just smashed someone's face into the desk until they passed out?"

Inuzuka Kiba held Akamaru, his face full of disbelief, though a trace of wariness flickered deep in his eyes.

Though he was usually arrogant, he knew exactly how brutal that strike had been.

"So... so scary..." Sakura's face turned pale, and she subconsciously leaned closer to Ino.

The focus of their usual discussions was always Uchiha Sasuke, and they had almost no impression of the silent Ning Xue; at this moment, that impression had been completely overturned.

"Hmph, childish, boring." Uchiha Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and commented with an air of indifference, though his eyes flickered slightly.

He had noticed the speed and power Ning Xue erupted with just a moment ago, which far exceeded the level he displayed during their usual taijutsu sparring. This discrepancy stirred a trace of suspicion in his heart.

Uzumaki Naruto, on the other hand, was somewhat dazed. He looked at the faint trace of blood left on the floor, then at Ning Xue's empty seat, and scratched his head.

"That guy... he was angry, right? Because those people were talking about his dad..."

Although he was thick-skinned, he still felt an instinctive resonance with the pain of losing a loved one.

Nara Shikamaru, sitting in the middle, still wore his usual lazy expression, but his eyes were a few degrees sharper than usual.

He propped his face up with his hand and muttered under his breath, "Ah, ah... so he really was deliberately hiding his strength... what a drag."

Beside him, Choji added, "I just get the feeling this scene is so familiar."

In Iruka's office, the atmosphere was heavy.

"Ning Xue, I know that a tragedy occurred in your family and you're in a bad mood. But using such heavy force against your classmates is absolutely forbidden!"

Iruka tried to make his tone sound sterner, but looking at the boy standing before him with his head bowed and an icy aura, he couldn't bring himself to voice the reprimand.

In the end, he just sighed and said helplessly, "For this incident, the school will issue you a disciplinary mark. You need to reflect on this properly! For now, go back to class."

Ning Xue bowed slightly, still not saying a word, and turned to leave the office.

When he returned to the classroom, the room, which had been filled with whispers, instantly fell silent. Every gaze was focused on him, filled with fear and curiosity.

Ning Xue ignored all the stares, walked straight back to his seat, and took out his notebook, as if nothing had happened at all.

Only, the icy, stay-away-from-me aura radiating from him was even thicker than before.