Supercompensation

So he really could trigger a Defense Break in the same person more than once.

The last time Ebisu suffered a Defense Break was because he couldn't beat Uchiha Ling's Shadow Clone Technique.

This time, Ebisu suffered a Defense Break when he realized he wasn't even worth Uchiha Ling's full effort.

[Defense Break detected in Ebisu. Extracting abilities related to Ebisu. Host may choose one of three options.

Option one: basic waist-twisting technique;

Option two: basic straight-punch power technique;

Option three: Supercompensation. Break through a plateau once.]

The first two options were useless. He already knew both.

The third made Uchiha Ling's eyes light up.

When Ebisu had sparred with him just now, he had clearly grown a little stronger midway through. So Ebisu had achieved Supercompensation.

Training muscles meant working them until they sustained tiny tears, then letting them recover with protein. That was how muscles grew.

A ninja's Taijutsu worked on the same principle.

After choosing the third option, Uchiha Ling froze in place.

The muscles throughout his body ached and tingled, then began to itch.

My muscles are growing.

By his rough assessment, using the Eight Ninja Attributes, his strength, stamina, and speed had risen from an average of three to around four.

"Hey, Ebisu! Why are you looking down?" Uchiha Ling started needling him again. "Lift your head. Even your sunglasses can't hide the tears in your eyes. Don't look down—I already saw you crying like a little girl again."

Ebisu turned his head away. He had given up on Uchiha Ling completely. All he felt now was resentment.

Uchiha Ling had no heart. His words were cruel, and his heart was crueler.

"Well, since you're sniffling again, and since you've begged me so sincerely, I suppose I can bring myself to spar with you at full strength just this once..."

Ebisu's head snapped up, his whole body brimming with fighting spirit.

He stared hard at Uchiha Ling.

"Then you make the first move this time. Don't make me charge at you every time."

"Poor little Ebisu. Promise me you won't cry when you get hit, all right?"

Ebisu clenched his fists, determined to prove himself...

Bam!

Ebisu suddenly discovered just how fast Uchiha Ling was—far faster than before!

Chakra burst from the pressure points in Uchiha Ling's right leg, propelling him forward at tremendous speed.

Combined with the Supercompensation that had just strengthened his body, it let him unleash every last bit of speed he had.

One punch.

It struck Ebisu in the abdomen. He doubled over in pain, feeling as though his organs had been knocked out of place.

Uchiha Ling looked at Ebisu's hunched figure and sneered.

"That punch was meant for my wager with Asuma Sarutobi. Consider it a preview."

Ebisu slowly sank to his knees. His head hit the ground with a thud, and he clutched his stomach, unable to recover for a long while.

Asuma Sarutobi was panicking inside, though he forced his face to stay calm.

Uchiha Ling seemed to have grown stronger again.

Damn it. How can Uchiha Ling still be improving when he's already this strong?

Everyone else waited patiently for Ebisu.

The poor guy had suffered so much this semester. Just watching him felt agonizing—mental torment and physical torment alike.

Ebisu slowly stood up. He hadn't expected Uchiha Ling to be so fast at full strength, or for himself to take so long to recover.

Pale-faced, he said to Uchiha Ling, "Thank you."

"What the hell? Why are you thanking me? Have you discovered some weird kink?

"Does being hurt feel good? Does it send strong signals from your peripheral nerves to your Spinal Reflex Center, then up to your cerebral cortex, triggering a discharge throughout your nervous system?"

Ebisu didn't understand, but he knew it couldn't be anything nice. He held out his fingers and formed the Reconciliation Seal with Uchiha Ling.

After Ebisu returned to the other students, Teacher Yamano called him over again.

Yamano saw how dejected Ebisu looked. He was the team leader's son, after all, so he decided to give him some extra attention. "Ebisu, have you realized something?"

"Huh? What is it, teacher?"

"Apart from the students from ninja clans, you're the strongest in our class. And at the end of the term, I'm going to give you the Most Improved Award."

"The Most Improved Award?"

Ebisu was baffled. Someone like him had improved the most?

"That's right. Your physique has improved a great deal. Just now, you even crossed a Minor Physical Limit without realizing it."

Ebisu raised a hand and looked at his fist, then at his forearm.

Without his noticing, distinct muscles had risen along his forearm.

That sense of strength made him feel completely in control of his body.

It felt good.

Could I really be the most improved person in the class?

"There's something even more important than the improvement in your physique."

"What is it?"

Ebisu looked at Teacher Yamano expectantly. An observer could see things more clearly. To be honest, Ebisu had no idea how much he had improved. Every time he challenged Uchiha Ling, he just got crushed.

Mentally and physically.

Yamano said, "There's a fierceness in your punches now.

"Think back to when school started. Your Taijutsu movements were precise, and you'd clearly practiced hard, but they had no spirit.

"As Uchiha Ling keeps mocking you for, your fundamentals were too plain. That's their weakness.

"Plain doesn't mean you can't kill. Once you added that fierceness, your fundamentals became effective.

"When Uchiha Ling taunted you and you lost your temper, your punches grew more ruthless. That's a very good thing.

"Look at all the students in this class. Who knows how long it'll take them to understand that ninja training isn't a game of kittens pouncing on each other? Everything you practice is ultimately meant for killing.

"Your father should really be telling you this, but I imagine he's been busy lately and you haven't seen him. So I'm laying it out for you, before you forget what you've learned here without even realizing how valuable it is."

Ebisu nodded repeatedly. His father had been too busy these past few days, going to the Sarutobi Clan compound every day.

He looked at Asuma Sarutobi, wondering whether Asuma could stand up to Uchiha Ling.

Among the students, Nara Saku, whose hair was tied up like a pineapple, let out a long sigh.

Akimichi Takashi, beside him, asked, "Why are you sighing again, Saku?"

Nara Saku said with drooping eyes, "Ebisu's obviously protecting young master Asuma, and he's already pushed himself to his limit.

"The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans have always served the Sarutobi Clan. We can't just do nothing, can we?

"What a pain. Wouldn't it be too obvious if we kept pretending we hadn't noticed?"

"What? Ebisu's protecting young master Asuma? How come I can't tell?"

"Just eat your chestnuts and stop talking."

After Akimichi Takashi had eaten a dozen or so chestnuts, he heard Nara Saku speak again.

"Takashi, we'll leave things as they are this semester. Next semester, you, me, and Yamanaka Mei will have to take on some responsibility. Otherwise, the adults in our clans will scold us."

"What responsibility?"

"Protecting young master Asuma. We can't let that annoying Uchiha Ling keep bothering him."

"Oh."