Akimichi Takashi felt miserable inside. Nara Saku said that in order for Master Asuma to have a healthy growth environment, he had already challenged Uchiha Ling for a full semester.
Being led around like a dog every day was quite humiliating for him too, and no one knew how much extra private training he had put in for daily sparring classes.
It was finally over, and he had done everything he could do.
The two stood inside the Training Ground. Uchiha Ling waited for a moment, then asked, "Akimichi Takashi, why aren't you wearing earplugs yet?"
Akimichi Takashi smiled and said, "Hehe, running laps around the Hidden Leaf Village with you every morning and getting ranted at by you every morning, I've already gotten used to it. I'm immune to your trash talk."
"Oh? Are you that confident?"
"For the final sparring match, don't just keep dodging and leading me around. Let me see you go all out once again!"
"See it once again? When have you ever seen me go all out?"
"Weren't you fighting Master Asuma at the end of last semester, could it be... oh?"
Asuma Sarutobi stood off to the side with dark lines on his face. What did that mean? Did it mean Uchiha Ling hadn't even gone all out when humiliating him so badly last semester?
I don't believe it!
It was too humiliating!
Akimichi Takashi charged toward Uchiha Ling, slamming a fist at Uchiha Ling's chest.
He thought Uchiha Ling would raise a hand to catch his punch, so he covertly put strength into his arm, determined to make Uchiha Ling suffer a small loss.
Once you catch this punch, you'll know how heavy my fist is!
However, Uchiha Ling dodged backward instead.
Damn it!
Akimichi Takashi had psychological expectations as well. Last semester, Ebisu had practically begged Uchiha Ling to use his full strength, yet Uchiha Ling still hadn't taken it seriously.
After dodging three or five consecutive punches, Akimichi Takashi secretly exerted force.
With the next punch, Akimichi Takashi's fist grew in the wind, reaching the size of a water bucket by the time it struck near Uchiha Ling.
Not only did the fist grow larger, but the entire arm became thick at the front and thin at the shoulder like a wooden mallet, increasing his attack range.
Thud!
Everyone saw Akimichi Takashi hit Uchiha Ling.
After a brief silence, the students burst into cheers.
Kurenai Yuhi, however, was very worried. Ling was usually overbearing; if his strength wasn't high enough, what would happen if other students retaliated against him?
Asuma Sarutobi nodded with relief, then glanced at Kurenai Yuhi, who was standing a dozen meters away from him.
Ever since the start of this semester, Kurenai Yuhi had kept her distance from him. He knew that Kurenai Yuhi often went to the training ground with Uchiha Ling for extra practice after school.
Asuma slowly raised his head and closed his eyes.
Was love ultimately no longer attainable...
Nara Saku was exceptionally excited. After intense training, Akimichi Takashi had actually managed to use a secret technique of the Akimichi Clan, the Multi-Size Technique!
It seemed his decision was correct. It both ingratiated him with Master Asuma and promoted Akimichi Takashi's progress.
Immediately afterward, Nara Saku's expression changed abruptly as he heard Akimichi Takashi's provocation.
No, why on earth were you provoking him?
After hitting Uchiha Ling, Akimichi Takashi pointed at him and shouted excitedly:
"Uchiha Ling! I've tolerated you for a long time! What are you acting so cool for! Did you fail your act?
Why aren't you dodging? Are your legs going soft again, why don't you go sleep in separate beds?"
Uchiha Ling was slightly stunned, and was practically laughed to anger.
Did proximity to evil really corrupt, making anyone who followed him turn out just like him?
Yamano frowned. What kind of messy talk about sleeping in separate beds were modern kids chattering about?
Uchiha Ling smiled and said, "Akimichi Takashi, you have earned my acknowledgment.
Since you want to see what I look like when I go all out, I shall grant your wish.
Be grateful, you are the first person to witness me going all out."
Akimichi Takashi vaguely felt something was amiss, but the atmosphere had already been hyped up to this point, so how could he back down.
He saw Uchiha Ling taking off his clothes!
Uchiha Ling pulled up his trouser legs and removed two weighted bands from his legs!
He tossed the weighted bands into the air, throwing them onto a tree trunk off to the side.
The tree trunk sank visibly under the weight.
Akimichi Takashi swallowed hard. Things were looking a bit ominous—had Uchiha Ling actually been wearing such heavy weights while dodging his punches all this time?
Uchiha Ling pulled at the clothing around his waist next, taking off the weighted band from his waist.
This weighted band was also thrown onto the tree.
Crack!
The protruding tree trunk was crushed and snapped off!
The weighted bands and tree trunk slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Might Guy felt heavy-hearted. Had Uchiha Ling really been carrying weights while running laps around the Hidden Leaf Village with him every single day?
No wonder... no wonder he used to feel like he could easily surpass Uchiha Ling.
Uchiha Ling's whole body relaxed, and he said to Akimichi Takashi:
"As expected of someone who has trained with me for half a year, you actually managed to touch me while I was in my weighted state. Now that I've removed the weights, can you take this next blow?"
Uchiha Ling lifted a foot and walked slowly toward Akimichi Takashi.
Akimichi Takashi was extremely nervous. He crossed his arms in front of his chest with his entire body's muscles taut and knees bent, ready to dodge at any moment.
One of Uchiha Ling's steps suddenly accelerated, executing the Multi-Layer Chakra Body Flicker Technique.
The first layer of chakra on his feet was the one already present.
The second layer of chakra was extracted and rushed into his foot.
He hadn't mastered the triple-layer chakra body flicker yet, but the chakra explosion within his leg's acupoints acted as a third layer.
The White Fang Flow Body Technique had incredible compatibility, equivalent to permanently adding an extra layer to the Multi-Layer Chakra Body Flicker Technique.
Yamano's eyelids suddenly lifted and his pupils constricted. Such fast speed!
A body flicker technique, and a remarkably high-level one at that.
Akimichi Takashi only felt a blur before his eyes, losing sight of Uchiha Ling.
The next instant, his leg felt something first.
A sweeping kick struck his lower leg, knocking him down with sheer overwhelming force.
Yet, how had Uchiha Ling gotten over there so fast!
Uchiha Ling was extremely satisfied with his performance. The body flicker technique was too powerful; the only pity was that in a single battle, he could generally only use a body flicker technique once.
As Akimichi Takashi flew through the air, he felt a large hand grab his ankle in a death grip like an eagle's claw.
He was swung around like a hammer throw, spinning round and round at such a dizzying speed that the contents of his stomach were forced all the way up to his throat.
Stop spinning! Throw up if you spin anymore!
Uchiha Ling! Are you trying to make the students wear the rice balls and miso soup I ate for lunch on their heads?
He was grateful that the horizontal swing had turned into an inclined swing.
Shortly after, he was flung into the air.
How humiliating! Absolutely humiliating!
Akimichi Takashi covered his mouth in mid-air to prevent himself from throwing up.
If he threw up now, it would turn into a regular scatter of heavenly flowers.
After crashing heavily onto the ground, he stared up at the sky in despair.
Why on earth had he courted death by provoking Uchiha Ling.
Uchiha Ling walked over, patted Akimichi Takashi's face, and whispered:
"Did anyone ever remind you that you've lost weight!
Just to challenge me, look at you, you've even lost weight down to your jawline!"
Akimichi Takashi didn't want to vomit anymore, nor did he feel his back hurting. He sprang up from the ground in a single motion and stared at Uchiha Ling in terror.
"What?! I lost weight?"
He was from the Akimichi Clan, so how could he possibly lose weight.
[A ninja near the host has had their defense broken, the Defense-Breaking System is activating...]
Uchiha Ling was thoroughly gratified. After spending a whole semester playing along with Akimichi Takashi, he had finally made him suffer a massive blow.
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