First Taste of Sharpness

The words had barely left his lips when Sasuke gave those inside no chance to react.

His hands blurred through a series of seals.

Immediately, his chest swelled, and a mass of scorching flames erupted forth!

It was the Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, which he had mastered to Level 3 over the past six months!

The air warped as the rolling flames surged forward; Uzuki Yugao, the only one in the shop capable of using ninjutsu, saw this and her expression shifted drastically!

The next moment.

Her slender fingers danced in a rapid, unpredictable sequence.

She crouched slightly, slammed a palm against the ground, and shouted:

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!..."

BOOM!

A massive wall of earth rose from the ground, imposing and sturdy, like a fortress rampart!

The moment the Earth Wall rose, in the blink of an eye, the Fireball slammed into it without a hint of hesitation!

WHOOSH!

As the two collided, the moisture within the soil hissed and sizzled under the intense heat of the fireball!

Before long, the distinct, acrid stench of scorched vegetation filled the air.

However, Sasuke was still only a genin.

After a dozen seconds, as the fireball faded away.

The Earth Wall, which had stood like a mountain, was left with nothing more than a large, charred crater...

Phew... Good thing that kunoichi stepped in...

Sasuke had calculated that Uzuki Yugao would intervene; after all, even if the shopkeeper was malicious, his crimes didn't warrant death.

He had opened with the Fireball Jutsu because it was the most powerful technique currently in his arsenal.

First, he wanted to test the practical combat strength of this Level 3 Fire Style.

Second, he wanted to take this opportunity to teach the shopkeeper a lesson!

After all, Sasuke was not the type to take things lying down!

Bullying him would come at a price!

"You... you are actually a real ninja!..."

The shopkeeper stood at the doorway, staring at the calm-faced Sasuke in shock.

At this moment, he was completely terrified by what he had just witnessed!

He, a mere seller of ninja tools, had actually provoked a real ninja!

And a remarkably powerful one at that!

Thinking of this, the shopkeeper felt his legs go weak.

At the same time, he cursed Sasuke in his heart:

"If you're a ninja, why don't you wear a headband when you go out?"

"Is it really fun to play the 'pig eating the tiger' and go around entrapping people like this?..."

Uzuki Yugao changed her hand seals, dispelling the Earth Wall, and stared at Sasuke not far away with a grave expression:

To be so young and already possess the strength of a genin—which family does this kid belong to?

Why have I never heard of him in Konoha?...

Could he be that Neji from the Hyuga clan?...

No, aren't the eyes of the Hyuga clan white? But he...

Uzuki Yugao and the shopkeeper stood at the entrance, both stunned.

The crowd of onlookers continued to gather.

Hearing the shopkeeper's exclamation, a question arose in Sasuke's mind:

What does he mean by, "So you are a real ninja"?

Could it be that this cunning old man didn't realize I was a ninja before?...

As he thought this, Sasuke glanced at Uzuki Yugao, and upon reflection, he understood...

So it's the ninja headband...

I never expected the graduation exam in a few days to be this important...

In truth, aside from the headband, Sasuke had also avoided wearing clothes bearing the Uchiha crest to keep from inviting trouble.

Otherwise, given the shopkeeper's experience in selling ninja tools, he would never have dared to clash with someone from the Uchiha clan.

Although the Uchiha had been wiped out six months ago, a starving camel is still larger than a horse.

In the world of Naruto, no matter how down-and-out a ninja might be, they are not someone a mere merchant can manipulate at will.

"You are quite impressive for someone so young, possessing such strength, but they are all ordinary people. There is really no need to kill them all..."

Uzuki Yugao stepped a few paces closer.

Although she was still several meters away from Sasuke, a faint, lingering fragrance drifted over, leaving Sasuke feeling somewhat dazed...

Clearing his throat to regain his clarity, Su Jian smiled and said:

"I never intended to kill them all. After all, aren't you standing right there in the room?"

"That is good. Let us drop this matter here, lest we alert the village guard patrol later, how about that?..."

Hearing this, Uzuki Yugao's tone softened slightly, and she offered a suggestion.

However, Sasuke curled his lip and retorted:

"Not good at all!..."

After a brief pause, Sasuke pointed at the shopkeeper, who was already paralyzed with fear, and asked:

"Are you saying that the fact he tried to bully me should just be forgotten like this?..."

"But you were not harmed, were you? Besides, he is just an ordinary person; he could never hurt a ninja like you who possesses chakra..."

Uzuki Yugao countered, leaving the surrounding onlookers stunned.

So, this young child before us is actually a ninja, and he was the one bullying the shopkeeper? they thought.

Facing the whispers of the crowd, Sasuke frowned and asked in return:

"I do have chakra, but did my chakra just blow in on the wind?"

"I owe this pig behind you no favors, so why should I not strike back when he tries to bully me?"

"Is it just because I am a ninja that I must be a fool, allowing him to push me around?..."

Uzuki was left speechless, and the crowd of onlookers suddenly realized the truth.

So, the true victim was actually the ninja, rather than the supposedly weaker ordinary person?

Looking again at Sasuke's youthful face, the crowd immediately grasped the situation, filling in the blanks themselves.

They figured this treacherous fat man must have seen how young the boy was and tried to bully him, never expecting that despite his age, the boy was already a ninja, and he was simply getting his just deserts!...

The tide of public opinion shifted instantly, and the onlookers began pointing fingers at the shopkeeper.

Seeing this, Su Jian smiled, then said in a cold voice:

"You can save him for a moment, but you cannot save him for a lifetime!"

"I will say this here and now! If he does not give me a proper explanation and help me vent the anger in my heart, I will come here every few days to practice my ninjutsu!"

"Anyway, I have high talent and learn everything quickly; I just happen to be lacking a sparring partner!..."

Uzuki Yugao's expression changed upon hearing this.

She did not doubt Sasuke's words in the slightest!

After all, from their brief, hurried exchange earlier, she had already felt it.

Sasuke's strength was not weak; he could even be considered an absolute standout among the genin!

It seems this matter can only be handled by the guard patrol after all... Uzuki sighed inwardly.

But the shopkeeper was a man of the world.

If the guard patrol were called, they would be ninjas, and Sasuke was also a ninja.

Since they were all ninjas, they would naturally favor their own kind.

In other words, why would they strike their own hand?

Hearing this, he hurriedly and frantically pulled out several stacks of banknotes.

At the same time, he picked up a sealing scroll from beside him, approached Sasuke with a fawning smile, and said:

"Young master, I was in the wrong before, and I will not make excuses. This is ten thousand ryo, and the batch of kunai and shuriken you needed earlier—I will give them all to you for free as compensation for my mistake..."

After speaking, he lowered his head.

A few seconds later, he realized that Sasuke had not accepted this offering of sincerity?

He paused, gritted his teeth, and added:

"I... I really only have this much. If you are not satisfied, then just beat me up. I will not resist at all!..."

Resist? Sasuke laughed.

If he truly struck, this fat man would die instantly; there would be no chance for resistance at all.

Knowing when to stop, Sasuke took the money and the sealing scroll. He snorted coldly:

"Hmph! You are sensible. You had better run your business properly from now on, otherwise, if I hear any more talk in Konoha that is unfavorable to you?"

"Then don't blame me for using your shop as a testing ground for my ninjutsu..."

"Yes, yes... rest assured, My Lord. In the past, I had no choice, but now I only want to be a good man, I..."

The chubby shopkeeper was overjoyed at these words, nodding repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice.

But when he looked up, he was astonished to find that Sasuke had vanished from before him!

At the same time, a log had inexplicably appeared on the ground, looking incredibly eerie...