After-School Fight

After returning home, Toru practiced for a while and did not sleep until late at night.

The next day, Toru headed to the Ninja Academy as usual.

School life that day was nothing special; the only thing worth mentioning was that Asuma had proactively requested a seat change, and the person currently sitting in that spot was Mitarashi Anko.

After school, Yuhi Kurenai invited Toru to walk home with her, but Toru declined, telling her to go on ahead because he had some business to attend to.

Kurenai had no choice but to drag Anko away with her, looking somewhat displeased.

The business Toru needed to attend to was, naturally, the matter he had agreed to yesterday: resolving the conflict with those members of the Hyuga clan.

Uchiha Dohka and his group had been waiting at the school gate for a long time. From a distance, they bowed and shouted "Big Brother" at Toru, drawing the attention of passersby.

Once the passersby saw the Uchiha Clan Crest on the backs of these students, they realized they were young members of the Uchiha clan, and in their hearts, they elevated Toru's status significantly.

He looked like an ordinary, handsome guy, but to be respectfully called "Big Brother" by these Uchiha kids, who looked like trouble, meant he definitely wasn't someone to mess with.

Just like that, Toru's reputation began to shift from school heartthrob to school bully.

"Big Brother, we're going to wait for them at Training Ground No. 4. Those Hyuga guys said yesterday they liked the environment there, so they'll definitely go again today," Dohka said, leaning in.

Toru nodded slightly and, led by the group, headed toward Training Ground No. 4.

Toru was still unfamiliar with most locations in Konoha; after all, he usually just shuttled between his home, the Ninja Academy, and Yuhi Kurenai's house—a simple three-point line.

He usually practiced in the open space next to his house, rarely even visiting his own clan's training grounds, let alone the public ones.

Although Training Ground No. 4 was also on the edge of the village, it was closer than the others.

The group arrived after ten minutes of walking.

The training ground was quite large, and the spot where Dohka brought Toru was in a corner where many wooden stakes were driven into the ground.

The stakes were pitted and covered in scars, clearly the result of being used for taijutsu practice for years.

Toru walked up to examine the stakes closely and discovered that the newest marks were shallow, finger-sized craters.

Toru naturally recalled the injuries Dohka and Tekka had sustained yesterday, as well as the intelligence Fugaku had provided him.

"Gentle Fist," Toru identified the name of this fighting style.

Dohka nodded repeatedly from the side. "Yes, exactly, it's the Gentle Fist. That guy also kept talking about something called the Eight Trigrams."

At the mention of the Gentle Fist, Tekka subconsciously covered his injuries, as if they were still throbbing with pain. It was hard to tell if it was psychological or if the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist was truly that overbearing.

Toru looked at Tekka's reaction and sighed, "They call it 'Gentle' Fist, but this force isn't gentle at all. It looks like today will be interesting."

Hearing this, Dohka started playing the victim again, crying out, "Exactly, Big Brother! Those Hyuga guys hit so hard; they have no respect for us at all. And if they don't respect us, aren't they just disrespecting you?"

Toru waved his hand after listening. "No need to goad me. Since I'm here, I'll definitely help you beat them back. You can rest assured on that point."

Seeing that his intentions were too obvious, Dohka gave an awkward smile and started buttering him up again. "We're relieved to hear you say that, Big Brother. You're mighty!"

Tekka clenched his fists and said, "I want to beat them back today, too."

Dohka slapped Tekka on the head. "Forget it, don't go up there and embarrass yourself."

Tekka lowered his hands, looking aggrieved, but there was still reluctance in his eyes.

Toru gave Dohka a playful look. Although this kid was sly, cunning, and slick from a young age, he was quite concerned about his younger brother.

Clearly, Dohka didn't want Tekka to go up and get beaten again, but the dull-witted Tekka didn't seem to grasp his brother's good intentions immediately.

Not long after, the people they were waiting for arrived.

A group of boys of varying heights, all with distinct, pure white eyes, walked over.

"Do you Uchiha not have a memory? Or do you want another beating? This is Hyuga territory now, get lost!" a round-faced boy from the Hyuga clan shouted arrogantly, completely ignoring Toru and the others who had arrived first.

Dohka stepped out, puffed out his chest, and retorted, "You're the ones who should get lost! With my Big Brother Toru here today, all of you are going to get beaten!"

Dohka's words carried the momentum of a fox borrowing the tiger's might, and for a moment, it actually startled the round-faced boy.

Just then, the tallest Hyuga boy spoke up. "Is that the Uchiha Toru who defeated Hatake Kakashi?"

Upon hearing this, Dohka's momentum became even more aggressive, and he said proudly, "That is my Big Brother."

He wore an expression as if he were the one who had defeated Kakashi.

The tall Hyuga, however, said disdainfully, "Hatake Kakashi is nothing but a first-year student. How impressive could he possibly be? I'm about to become a genin; why would I be afraid of you?"

After speaking, the tall Hyuga looked at Toru with a provocative gaze. After all, Toru's white hair and blue eyes were too distinct to miss.

Toru stared at the tall Hyuga before him, calm and unruffled, completely unmoved.

The tall Hyuga felt his pride wounded, so he continued arrogantly, "I'll do you a favor. If you, Uchiha Toru, bow your head and concede, and give this place to us, I can let you all leave unscathed. Otherwise, don't blame us for being rude."

Toru calmly spat out three words: "You aren't worthy."

It was these three words that made Dohka and the others cheer excitedly about their Big Brother's might, while the faces of the Hyuga group changed drastically, looking as if they had just eaten dog excrement.

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Uchiha Toru, you're done for!" The tall Hyuga clearly couldn't accept that someone three years younger than him dared to act so cocky in his presence.

The tall Hyuga made a move to attack, and the Hyuga boys beside him also began to stir.

Dohka and the others, having suffered at the hands of these Hyuga before, were momentarily frightened and lost their previous bravado.

The tall Hyuga grew contemptuous of the Uchiha in front of him and shouted, "The Hyuga are the strongest clan in Konoha!"

He then charged forward recklessly.

Seeing such a sloppy move, Toru felt bored and shook his head slightly. He infused his body with Cursed Energy, leaped into the air, and flew forward with a kick.

The tall Hyuga hurriedly raised his arms to block, but he was still sent flying several meters away by the immense force, leaving a miserable trail on the grass.

"Makoto!" The round-faced Hyuga and the others lost their leader instantly and scrambled to surround him in a panic.

The tall Hyuga, named Hyuga Makoto, only felt a dull pain in his arms, but his face hurt even more.

Although Toru hadn't hit him in the face, the fact that Hyuga Makoto had made such a fool of himself in front of so many lackeys and members of the Uchiha clan was, without a doubt, a resounding slap to his face.