Always Tucking His Tail Between His Legs

Time flew for adults, but crawled for children.

To Uchiha Ling, the holiday passed in a flash. To the other children, it was a long summer vacation.

The Six-Year-Old Autumn Term began.

A tall female teacher walked into the classroom.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Xia Cha, your Theory Class teacher this term.

"This term, you'll have sparring class on odd-numbered afternoons and Kunai-Throwing Class on even-numbered afternoons.

"We'll also have Theory Class to support your Kunai-Throwing Class.

"Today, we're studying Parabolic Trajectory."

Teacher Xia Cha wore a tight, short skirt. Her legs were firm, full, and fair. In his previous life, parents would certainly have complained that her outfit was too revealing.

But this was Konoha, where human lives were cheap and values were very different.

For children, the ninja life meant kunai, sparring, laughter, and perhaps bullying anyone they could get away with bullying.

For adults, it meant killing, arson, blood, and cold cruelty. Once they returned to the village, they had to find ways to treat their severe mental illnesses.

Compared with the trauma left by killing people again and again, revealing clothes were the least of anyone's problems.

By that measure, Uchiha Ling putting a little pressure on his classmates was nothing.

"I'll start with the simplest case: Horizontal Projectile Motion. Ignoring wind resistance, the horizontal speed of a kunai depends on how hard you throw it. Vertically, it's in Free Fall..."

Uchiha Ling had learned all this in his previous life.

In a ninja fight, he had to constantly judge where a target would be by the time his attack landed.

To hit an enemy accurately with a kunai, he had to predict its Parabolic Trajectory.

The same went for Ninjutsu. He had to allow time for Hand Seals and lead his target. Like a preparatory strike that gave away an attack, Ninjutsu had a windup.

Uchiha Ling opened his ninja tool pouch and took out a kunai.

A standard kunai was like a short sword to a child. The school had not insisted on blunt ones, either; it considered blood and wounds a necessary price.

At that afternoon's Kunai-Throwing Class, Asuma Sarutobi saw Uchiha Ling standing in the front row and hitting the center of the target with all three kunai. Good thing I was smart about this.

Even if he had practiced kunai throwing all holiday, the best he could have done was hit the center too. He would never have pulled ahead of Uchiha Ling.

He could hardly wait for tomorrow's sparring class. His Ninjutsu would stun everyone.

When his turn came, all three of his kunai landed inside the red bullseye too.

Anyone who knew what they were looking at could tell Uchiha Ling's kunai flew faster than Asuma Sarutobi's.

The next day's sparring class began.

"I challenge Uchiha Ling!"

"I challenge Uchiha Ling!"

They spoke at the same time. Asuma Sarutobi looked at Ibiki Morino in surprise.

Why would this usually quiet classmate challenge Uchiha Ling?

Ibiki Morino saw Asuma Sarutobi's raised hand too, but his resolve did not waver.

This is going to feel amazing! I have to challenge Uchiha Ling!

Nara Saku hurriedly pulled Ibiki Morino's hand down. Young Master Asuma had trained hard all holiday; this was his moment to shine. He could not let Ibiki Morino interfere.

Ibiki Morino stubbornly kept his arm raised, lifting Nara Saku right off the ground.

Teacher Yamano declared, "Uchiha Ling versus Asuma Sarutobi!"

The corners of Asuma Sarutobi's mouth twitched. He could barely keep from smiling.

As he passed Kurenai Yuhi, he kept his eyes forward, but watched her from the corner of his eye.

Kurenai Yuhi did not look at him. Her gaze stayed fixed on Uchiha Ling.

Just wait, Kurenai. I'll prove you were wrong about him. With Kakashi gone, I'm the strongest in the class.

Taijutsu was a ninja's foundation, but Ninjutsu was the true test of a ninja's ability.

On the battlefield, Taijutsu specialists suffered the highest casualties. They were cannon fodder. Ninjutsu specialists were the core of a force's firepower.

Taijutsu specialists were supposed to protect Ninjutsu specialists, whose priority was second only to Medical Ninja and sensory ninja.

And I'm a genius who learned Ninjutsu at six!

Once they entered the sparring area, Asuma Sarutobi glanced at Uchiha Ling's legs. Uchiha Ling was too fast. Asuma had to strike first.

Uchiha Ling said, "Asuma Sarutobi, who gave you the false courage to challenge me again over the holiday?"

Asuma Sarutobi knew how vicious Uchiha Ling's mouth could be. He frowned and said nothing.

"How pitiful. I can already picture you hanging your head again, and I almost feel sorry for you.

"Asuma Sarutobi, have you ever seen one of those starving, bony dogs by the roadside? It can't beat anyone, so it tucks its tail between its legs whenever it sees someone. If you're like one of those dogs, that Sarutobi Clan crest is unlucky to be stuck with you."

Asuma Sarutobi could not hold back. "Uchiha Ling! You're like the dog that barks the loudest by the roadside and runs away the fastest! Just wait and see who tucks his tail between his legs!"

Even Teacher Yamano laughed in exasperation.

The Hokage's Second Young Master and a genius of the Uchiha Clan were trading insults this crude.

He had long argued that the school needed more academic classes, but those useless Principals and vice principals would not listen.

"Make the Opposing Hands Seal!"

Asuma Sarutobi raised his hands, formed the Opposing Hands Seal, then quickly jumped back.

When Yamano saw Asuma Sarutobi forming Hand Seals, his eyes widened.

No way. Young Master Asuma learned Ninjutsu over the holiday?

As expected of Young Master Asuma. His talent for Ninjutsu is remarkable—second only to Kakashi's, perhaps.

Kakashi had shown off multi-nature Ninjutsu last year. For Asuma Sarutobi to learn Ninjutsu at this age made him a genius too.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A powerful gust burst from Asuma Sarutobi's mouth.

The wind was fast and carried tremendous pressure. Uchiha Ling hurriedly dodged to the side.

He used the Multiple Body Flicker Technique to evade Asuma Sarutobi's Wind Release.

The forest behind him took the hit. Wind Release uprooted the bushes beneath the trees, their crowns swayed violently, and so many leaves were blown away that the dense canopy looked thinned out.

Gasps rose all around the edge of the field.

"How did Asuma Sarutobi suddenly get so strong?"

"That's Young Master Asuma for you!"

Kakashi had used Earth Release Ninjutsu in a sparring match last year, but he was widely recognized as a genius who appeared only once in a decade. No one had expected Asuma Sarutobi to know Ninjutsu too.

Asuma Sarutobi glanced at Kurenai Yuhi. She was watching Uchiha Ling with concern.

Go ahead and worry. The more you worry, the more you'll realize how far behind me Uchiha Ling is.

Asuma Sarutobi watched Uchiha Ling roll across the ground to disperse the force.

Now that I've learned Ninjutsu, even Uchiha Ling has to stay out of my way.

"Skinny Pole, what are you dodging for? You've got a little talent for Taijutsu, that's all. It only gives you an advantage while we're young.

"Nobody thinks Might Guy will become a good ninja. You're not much better than him!"

Might Guy froze. Wait, was that about me? What did I ever do to him?

Uchiha Ling brushed the dirt off himself and said:

"Asuma Sarutobi, that's going too far. Did you brush your teeth after lunch before blowing that Wind Release at me?

"I didn't dodge because I was afraid of your feeble Wind Release. I was afraid of your breath. That was disgusting.

"Since you're so cocky, I won't dodge this time. You'll pay for not brushing your teeth after lunch!"