"You fool!"
Hyuga Takashi sneered. He turned sideways, bent his arm, and meant to block the strike with his forearm, then slam a fist into Genye's ribs while he was off balance.
Since his opponent wasn't using the Byakugan, he wouldn't use it either. He'd make sure the other guy admitted defeat fair and square—
Boom!
The instant their limbs met, a terrifying force erupted. Hyuga Takashi's expression changed dramatically.
His arm felt as if it had been struck by a horse-drawn cart. The force sent his entire body flying backward, and he slammed hard into the wall.
"Cough, cough... H-how is this possible?"
Hyuga Takashi's throat tightened. He coughed up blood, slid down the wall, and collapsed to the ground, muttering in a daze.
Gentle Fist clearly required the Byakugan's penetrating vision to identify weaknesses in an opponent's chakra pathways and organs before it could deal damage.
But that kid, Hyuga Genya, had just used brute force to drive his attack through Takashi's muscles and into his chakra network.
Even he, a Chunin, couldn't do that! How could a mere Genin...?!
And besides...
"Is that supposed to be Gentle Fist?!" Hyuga Takashi couldn't help roaring.
"This is Gentle Fist." Genye withdrew his arm and replied without expression.
With the system's power, victory was only natural. There was nothing worth celebrating.
"Genye, are you okay?"
Mei hurried over, anxiously looking Genye up and down.
"Damn it!" Hyuga Takashi nearly spat up another mouthful of blood.
Hey, I'm the one who got hit! I'm the one lying on the ground! I'm the one coughing up blood!
You're not asking if I'm okay. You're asking about him...
You're from the Hyuga Clan, with the strongest vision around. If your eyes aren't working, maybe we should donate them!
"I'm fine, it's just..."
Genye shook his head, frowning slightly as he examined his arm, the veins still bulging.
After using "Gentle Fist: Double," his arm felt sore and swollen.
Apparently, unleashing twice the force in an instant put quite a strain on his body.
Looks like I can't use this move too often in a fight—unless I find a way to strengthen my body. Genye thought.
He shook his head, then glanced at Hyuga Takashi, who was slowly getting back up, still unwilling to accept defeat.
"Hyuga Takashi, I know you value the Main Branch's honor above your own life, but have you ever considered this?"
"The clan head has already forgiven us. You're the one who went after a fellow clan member in private. Doesn't that mean you're defying the Main Branch and overstepping your authority?"
To make sure Hyuga Takashi wouldn't come looking for trouble again, Genye decided to fight fire with fire.
"I... I..."
His words hit home. Hyuga Takashi stood there, stunned, completely thrown off.
"Enough. Think it over. Mei, let's go."
Genye couldn't be bothered to deal with Hyuga Takashi any longer. He left the alley with Mei.
"Genye, when did you get so strong? Even Hyuga Takashi couldn't beat you!"
Mei gazed at Genye's perfect profile, her eyes shining.
"Haha, I've always been this strong. I just couldn't be bothered to show it." Genye laughed.
"Really? You must be incredibly lazy, then." Mei teased.
"During the last clan tournament, a six-year-old chased you all over the place, Genye. And you still couldn't be bothered to show what you could do?"
"Uh..." Genye was mortified, his whole figure turning into a colorless sketch.
Seeing him like that, Mei covered her mouth and giggled. "You really are an idiot, Genye."
Is Mei... a little strange too? Genye scratched his head, puzzled.
He'd stood up for her twice today. Why was she still insulting him?
The next morning, at a training ground west of Konoha.
"Good morning, Genye."
"Morning, Kurenai."
Genye sat down on the soft grass beside Yuhi Kurenai. He looked around, then asked in confusion,
"Where's Asuma? Is he not here yet?"
Kurenai sighed and pointed to a tree nearby. "He's here. Up in that tree."
Genye took a closer look, and the corner of his eye twitched.
"What's with him... standing in a tree and gazing dramatically at the sky?"
He had to admit, at ten years old, with the face of a thirty-year-old, the kid really did look like a melancholy middle-aged man.
"Aa—su—ma!"
Genye stood up with Kurenai and went over to the tree, calling out in Shikamaru's tone.
"Oh, you're here?"
Asuma dropped down from the tree, hands in his pockets, and gave them a slight nod.
At last, all three of them were together. They began waiting for their Jonin instructor.
"Asuma, do you know who our team leader is?" Genye asked curiously.
Team leader?
What a strange way to put it.
Asuma gave Genye a puzzled look, then nodded. "I do."
His father had drawn up the roster, so of course he knew.
"Our Jonin instructor is Shimura Hefeng." Asuma got straight to the point.
"Sh-Shimura?"
At the surname, Genye instinctively shivered.
But then he thought about it. He wasn't from the Uchiha Clan, so what was there to be afraid of?
Getting involved with the Shimura Clan early on might actually be safer. At least he wouldn't have to worry about someone stabbing him in the back.
"That's right."
Asuma nodded slightly. "Shimura Hefeng was a contemporary of the Yellow Flash."
"He was a first-rate shinobi of his time, both in intelligence and strength! It was only because the Yellow Flash shone so brightly that Hefeng never became well known."
Never became well known?
More like he probably died in the Third Shinobi War, right? Genye grumbled to himself.
Otherwise, that guy wouldn't have gone completely unnamed in the manga.
...Damn it!
Genye suddenly realized that he, too, seemed to be an unnamed cannon fodder character!
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
A low voice came from behind the three of them.
Genye turned around and saw a man in a pale white Shimura Clan Robe walking slowly toward them.
The man looked to be around twenty. He was slender and handsome, but his expression was cold and severe, making him seem difficult to approach.
"I'm your Jonin instructor, Shimura Hefeng." The man's gaze swept over the three of them. His voice was flat.
"Good to meet you, Senior Hefeng!" The three bowed slightly to Shimura Hefeng.
Shimura Hefeng waved a hand and said expressionlessly, "All right. Introduce yourselves."
"I'll go first." Asuma shrugged and stepped forward.
"My name is Sarutobi Asuma. I like shogi and training. My goal is to surpass the old man in my family."
"Mm." Shimura Hefeng nodded without comment, then tilted his head toward Genye and Kurenai.
Seeing this, Genye hurriedly spoke up:
"My name is Hyuga Genya. I like watching anime and reading novels. There's nothing I dislike. My dream is to keep living until I die."
After him, Kurenai followed suit.
"I'm Yuhi Kurenai. I like gardening and painting. My goal is to uphold the honor of the Yuhi Clan. That's all!"
"Good. Now that introductions are over, it's time for a practical assessment."
Shimura Hefeng rested his hand on the hilt at his waist, his eyes half-closed as he spoke calmly.
"If you can't pass, go back and repeat the course. Then wait for a new Jonin instructor."
"Useless people aren't worth my time to teach."
Before you continue