The Greatest Setback

Sarutobi Clan compound.

Asuma and the others stood at the entrance to the compound, staring eagerly outside as they waited for his older brother to return.

It was already midnight. He had no idea what mission his brother was on or why he had not come home yet.

It was not until one in the morning, when Asuma had fallen asleep against a pillar, that someone suddenly picked him up on their back, waking him.

Asuma struggled on his brother's back and jumped down.

"Bro! Teacher Huìdài is still making me practice taijutsu, but my progress is way too slow. How am I supposed to beat Uchiha Ling?

Bro! Teach me ninjutsu! Once I learn ninjutsu, won't Uchiha Ling be scared out of his wits and piss himself?"

Black Chimp shook his head. "Asuma, Huìdài is the most outstanding teacher at the Ninja Academy. You have no idea how many ninja clans want to invite Huìdài to lay a solid foundation for their children.

Our Sarutobi Clan was able to hire Teacher Huìdài. You have already gained a huge advantage.

How can you bite off more than you can chew and want to learn ninjutsu now?"

"Bro! Do you know how badly Uchiha Ling has been bullying me at school? If I don't learn ninjutsu soon, I'm done for!"

"Even if you want to rush ahead, I remember that the autumn term when you turn six will add a kunai throwing class. You should practice kunai throwing!"

"There's no time! You know how good the Uchiha Clan is at kunai throwing. I definitely can't beat Uchiha Ling at that! I need to overtake on the curve—I need to pass two curves in one go!"

On the first day, Black Chimp refused Asuma after criticizing him, but Asuma relentlessly pestered and begged him for more than ten days.

"Bro! So many days of summer vacation have already passed! I'm dying of anxiety!"

Asuma finally annoyed Black Chimp enough that he said, "Fine. Come with me, and I'll teach you a basic ninjutsu."

When they arrived at the Sarutobi Clan's training ground, Black Chimp looked up at the moon. It was already two in the morning. He had not even gotten to sleep, and now he had to indulge his little brother's nonsense.

"Asuma, I remember testing your chakra aptitude before. You have two chakra natures, Wind and Fire, with Wind as the primary one."

"Yes! That's right."

The other students did not even know their chakra natures yet, but Asuma had already tested his long ago with chakra paper.

"Then I'll teach you a ninjutsu. A C-rank ninjutsu: Wind Release: Great Breakthrough."

"Why is it only C-rank? Even the Transformation Technique has a D-rank version. I'm not learning it—I want to learn an A-rank!"

Black Chimp's breathing grew heavier. Had his little brother gone mad? Had Uchiha Ling driven him crazy?

"If you won't learn it, go back to sleep."

"I'll learn! C-rank it is."

Black Chimp really wanted to say, You make it sound like you can even learn it, but he held back. Asuma had suffered enough blows already. There was no need to provoke him further.

"Dog—Horse—Rooster. Three hand seals. Gather Wind-nature chakra in your mouth, then exhale it in one breath to create powerful wind pressure.

Some jonin can even tear apart large trees with this technique.

This technique is also a foundational prerequisite for many Wind Release techniques. Learn it well."

A high-pressure blast of wind shot forward and sent Asuma flying. He rolled across the ground more than ten times before coming to a stop as the gust weakened.

"Good, I like this technique!"

After teaching Asuma the hand seals and chakra circulation pathways, Black Chimp let Asuma figure it out himself and went to sleep.

Asuma tossed and turned, already imagining how shocked the entire class would be when he used ninjutsu.

Kurenai! I'll definitely be back!

One day during summer vacation, Uchiha Ling was running laps around Hidden Leaf Village with Might Guy while wearing weights.

Every morning at dawn, he went to a secluded place to practice the Fireball Technique, then ran with weights alongside Might Guy.

His eyes were full of sympathy whenever he looked at Might Guy. He wondered whether Might Guy would completely break down after seeing that move of his.

Someone suddenly caught up from the side.

Uchiha Ling turned around and saw Ibiki Morino.

Ibiki Morino said, "Uchiha Ling, my friends Ebisu and Shiranui Genma have improved rapidly. They both said it had something to do with you.

Please push me as hard as you can. I want to improve too."

"No, what does whether you improve or not have to do with me? Improve if you want, don't if you don't. I'm not a teacher."

Uchiha Ling had underestimated Ibiki Morino's determination and perseverance.

Ibiki Morino clung to him like chewing gum. In the mornings, he followed Uchiha Ling while running laps around Hidden Leaf Village. When he could not keep up anymore, he ran back the other way until he encountered him from the opposite direction.

It forced Uchiha Ling to alternate between running clockwise and counterclockwise around the village.

As long as Uchiha Ling switched directions quickly enough, Ibiki Morino could not find him.

But at noon and in the afternoon, when he sparred with Kurenai Yuhi and Rin Nohara, Ibiki Morino somehow got word of it and stood nearby watching the entire time.

Damn it, I'm having some everyday moments and playful banter with the girls. What are you watching from the sidelines for?

After several consecutive days, Uchiha Ling could not take it anymore. After finishing a spar with Kurenai Yuhi, he waved Ibiki Morino over.

In the original story, Ibiki Morino was a cold-blooded intelligence ninja skilled in torture and interrogation. Why was Ibiki Morino so annoying as a child?

"Ibiki Morino, since you like asking for a beating, let's spar once. I'll make you understand that I'm far ahead of you. Sparring with me is nothing but needless suffering, and it won't improve you in the slightest."

But Ibiki Morino said, "Don't worry. Even being beaten badly is a form of improvement."

The moment the spar began, Uchiha Ling put more force into it.

This was nothing like his babysitting-style sparring with Kurenai Yuhi. Uchiha Ling had no friendship with Ibiki Morino, and he had been annoyed by him for days. His very first punch vented his frustration.

One punch landed on Ibiki Morino's shoulder, sending him spinning through the air like a top.

Ibiki Morino first groaned in pain on the ground, then slowly climbed back to his feet, muttering to himself.

"Amid intense pain, the brain protects itself by cutting off neural transmission. Then dopamine erupts as compensatory feedback. Feels good! A little good—no, it feels amazing!"

Ibiki Morino's forehead was covered in sweat, and his eyes were bloodshot, yet his expression became even more excited.

Uchiha Ling's heart tightened. Oh no, Ibiki Morino has some kind of special fetish for pain. Th-this can't be a masochist, can it? Some kind of M?

"Ibiki Morino, are you sick? Do you have some serious problem? Who feels good after getting beaten?

What the hell are you mumbling about?

What dopamine, what compensatory eruption? What is that? Did you come to me looking for a thrill?"

Ibiki Morino said nothing. He simply charged at Uchiha Ling again and again, only to be sent flying every time.

There was no question that his body was in pain—so much pain that his legs trembled—but his expression showed that he enjoyed it. The pain excited him.

No matter how much trash Uchiha Ling talked or how hard he hit, he could not make Ibiki Morino back down.

Only when Ibiki Morino finally fell and could no longer get back up did the sparring session come to an end.

Uchiha Ling stared blankly.

It's over. I aspired to become Hidden Leaf Village's number one trash talker, the ultimate pressure king, and my career has suffered its greatest setback.

Why is there a masochist here?!

No wonder Ibiki Morino could become Hidden Leaf Village's master interrogator. He had a special understanding of pain.