A Sage Body Punch Decides the Battle

The short blade passed through the swarm of insects and shot straight for Chiba's chest.

Mizuki had just raised his hand when a wooden kunai flew in from the side and knocked the short blade aside.

The two ninja tools landed in the mud, while Sasuke remained in his throwing stance.

"Using concealed weapons in a spar—were you trying to kill someone?"

Shinraku turned to look at Sasuke.

"Mind your own business!"

The uncontrolled battle insects lunged at Chiba. Shinraku drew a second short blade and charged forward from behind the swarm.

Mizuki shouted sharply for him to stop.

"Aburame Shinraku, stop!"

Shinraku did not stop.

The insects had already been released, and the whole class had seen the short blade. Backing down now would only make him a laughingstock.

"What's so great about the Senju? There's nobody left in your clan anyway!"

Chiba pulled the short blade from the mud and flung it backhandedly before Shinraku's feet.

The tip sank into the ground, blocking the foot he was about to step forward with.

"Take another step, and you'll be the one lying down."

"You?"

Shinraku stepped over the short blade. The insect swarm gathered from his arm around the outside of his fist, forming a writhing layer of black armor.

"The Kikaichū will eat your chakra for me. You won't even be able to touch me!"

Chiba pulled his hands from his pockets.

As the Sage Body released its restraints, chakra flowed into his legs, pushing the loose dirt around his soles outward.

Shinraku swung a punch, and the insect swarm pounced at Chiba's face ahead of it.

Chiba stepped forward.

His foot came down. Power traveled from his calves into his waist and abdomen. His shoulder opened with his charging body, his right fist hidden where the insects could not see it.

Only half an arm's length remained between them.

Shinraku tried to pull back his fist to protect his abdomen, but he was already too late.

Chiba's fist slipped past the insect armor, passing beneath Shinraku's raised arm as its knuckles pressed against his lower abdomen.

At first, there was no sound.

His clothes caved in first, followed by the muscles of his abdomen taking the blow. Shinraku's feet were still planted on the ground, but his back had already arched outward.

The next instant, all the power stored within the Sage Body burst forth.

A dull impact rang across the training ground.

Shinraku flew off the ground. The insect swarm scattered from his fist, and his body shot past several students before slamming into the low wall at the edge of the training ground.

Fine cracks spread across the wall, and loose dirt fell over his hair and shoulders.

Shinraku curled up as he slid down to the base of the wall. He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but the pain in his abdomen left him able to produce only broken gasps.

"You... you..."

Chiba stood where he was, a fragment of beetle shell stuck to his knuckles.

The Sage Body absorbed the recoil force, leaving not the slightest injury on his wrist.

No one around them spoke.

Kiba touched his own abdomen, then looked at Shinraku by the wall.

"When he hit me last time, he really wasn't using his full strength?"

Naruto stood there with his mouth open. After a moment, he shoved a finger into his collar to stop Akamaru from poking his head out.

"Kiba, can you fly too?"

"That's getting punched flying! Who would want to learn something like that?"

After saying that, Kiba swallowed.

"But this guy flew farther than I did."

Hinata activated her Byakugan and looked at Shinraku on the ground.

"His chakra pathways aren't severed. His abdomen took a heavy impact, so he can't get up for now."

Naruto turned toward her.

"When did you activate your Byakugan?"

"When the insects pounced just now."

"Then did you see how Chiba threw that punch?"

Hinata shook her head.

"I saw chakra gather in his legs and waist, then move into his arm, but it connected too quickly."

Sasuke picked up the wooden kunai he had thrown from the ground and gripped it tighter than usual.

He had seen the footwork, and he had seen the path of the punch.

If he had been standing in Shinraku's place, he could have avoided the insects, but he might not have been able to dodge that punch.

"Teacher Mizuki, he used a lethal ninja tool."

Sasuke handed the wooden kunai to Mizuki.

"This spar should have ended long ago."

Mizuki took the kunai and quickly walked over to Shinraku.

"Can you still hear me?"

Shinraku clutched his abdomen, his forehead pressed against his knees.

"It was him. He provoked me first..."

"I saw you use a sharpened short blade."

Mizuki pulled the ninja tool from the mud and wrapped the hilt in cloth.

"Battle insects aren't on the list of ninja tools permitted at the Academy either. Once the medical team is done examining you, you'll come with me to see Teacher Iruka."

"I just wanted to win!"

"So you were prepared to kill a classmate?"

Shinraku did not answer. The remaining beetles in his sleeves withdrew into their nests as well.

Footsteps came from the direction of the school building.

Iruka pushed through the students gathered at the edge of the field. He first saw the insects scattered across the ground, then Shinraku unable to rise beneath the wall.

"What happened?"

Naruto was the first to jump out.

"Aburame Shinraku attacked Chiba with a real blade, Sasuke knocked the blade away, and then Chiba punched him flying!"

"Slow down."

Iruka held Naruto by the shoulder.

"Did anyone suffer a critical injury?"

"Shinraku's chakra pathways aren't severed."

Hinata deactivated her Byakugan.

"Chiba isn't injured."

Iruka walked over to Shinraku. After examining his abdomen, he looked at the short blade in Mizuki's hand.

"Why was there a real blade in a free spar?"

Mizuki handed him the short blade.

"I checked the communal ninja tool box. Shinraku brought this one himself."

"What about the battle insects?"

"He brought those from his clan too."

Iruka did not question Mizuki further. He raised a hand and called over the ninja responsible for the training grounds.

"Take Shinraku to the medical department first. Seal up all the insects and notify the Aburame clan."

As Shinraku was lifted onto a stretcher, he finally raised his head to look at Chiba.

"You used monstrous strength. What kind of skill is that?"

Chiba walked past him.

"The kind that makes you shut up."

"You're only relying on Senju blood!"

Chiba stopped, but did not turn around.

"Whether the Senju name is worth anything isn't for you to judge."

The stretcher was carried away from the training ground, and the watching students consciously made way.

Chiba returned to the group and put his hands back into his pockets.

Naruto hurried after him.

"How did you train that punch just now? Teach me!"

"Start by keeping the leaf on your forehead."

"What does taijutsu have to do with a leaf?"

"If you can't control your chakra, you'll fall even if you learn it."

"Then I'll master it today!"

Naruto ran off to retrieve his leaf. After sticking it to his forehead, he remembered that taijutsu class was not over yet.

The leaf was bounced away by his chakra and landed right beside Mizuki's feet.

Mizuki picked up the leaf, his gaze falling on Chiba's fist.

"Iruka, Chiba's strength has already exceeded Academy training standards. If he continues taking part in ordinary spars, he could easily injure other students."

Iruka looked at Chiba.

"How much strength did you use just now?"

"Half."

Kiba immediately shouted from behind them.

"Teacher, he's definitely lying! He said he wasn't using strength when he beat me too!"

"I never said that."

"You definitely thought it!"

Iruka rubbed his forehead.

"Chiba, from now on, the teachers will arrange your opponents separately. You are not allowed to accept private challenges without permission."

"Fine."

"Shinraku used concealed weapons, and we'll investigate the matter thoroughly. But you must remember that where your fist lands can completely change the outcome."

"I avoided his ribs and spleen."

Iruka opened his mouth, then swallowed the words that followed.

For a seven- or eight-year-old child to consider such things while throwing a punch was already beyond the lecture he had prepared.

"Back to the classroom."

As Chiba passed Sasuke, he paused for half a step.

"That kunai was unnecessary."

"I wasn't helping you."

Sasuke lowered his empty hand.

"He blocked my throwing line."

"Next time, aim for the hand holding the blade."

"I know."

The two passed each other, but Sasuke did not leave with the group.

He stared at the cracks in the training ground wall and clenched his hand again.

Iruka had walked a few steps before turning back and calling out.

"Sasuke, back to class."

"Right away."

Sasuke picked up a small stone and stood where Chiba had thrown his punch.

He stepped forward, twisted his waist and abdomen, and drove out his fist.

The stone fell from his palm. That force could never connect to his knuckles.

"Senju Chiba..."

On the other side, Chiba had just stepped onto the school building stairs when a system notification appeared in his mind.

[Sage Body has received continuous combat stimulation. New adaptive changes have appeared in its natural energy circulation.]