He Even Puts Pressure on Himself

After Uchiha Ling's Shadow Clone appeared, it looked around at the students, saw the envy in their eyes, and curled its lips into a smile.

"Damn original! You really know how to show off! You get all the glory, while I have to do all the dirty work."

"Cut the nonsense. You're just a Shadow Clone. See that guy in sunglasses? Beat him and prove that he can't even defeat my Shadow Clone."

Ebisu stared nervously at Uchiha Ling. If he was defeated by a Shadow Clone, he would become a laughingstock.

"That kid in sunglasses over there?" the Shadow Clone said.

"Just looking at those sunglasses, you can tell they're perfect for peeping. You could let your eyes wander without anyone noticing.

Original, why don't you get yourself a pair too? You're still young, so your needs aren't that great yet. Once you're fully grown, wouldn't sunglasses let you enjoy looking at big white legs to your heart's content?"

"Shadow Clone! You talk too much! Can you hurry up and get to work?"

"Work? I'm not afraid of you now!

I took half your chakra. If you dismiss me and create another clone, the new Shadow Clone will only have a quarter of your chakra.

A quarter of your chakra definitely can't beat Ebisu. Then your little act of showing off will fail.

So, beg me!"

The students were all stunned. Uchiha Ling was actually being pressured by his own Shadow Clone.

This guy was ruthless. He even bullied himself.

Uchiha Ling's eyelids twitched. His own Shadow Clone had angered him.

The instant a Shadow Clone was created, it was nearly identical to the original, sharing the same memories and abilities. It was practically another version of himself.

"Shadow Clone, shut up already! Where's your brain? Where's your judgment? A quarter of my chakra is more than enough to defeat Ebisu. Don't make me slap you!"

The Shadow Clone said, "Stop bragging. Then dismiss me and make another Shadow Clone."

"Shadow Clone, don't go too far..."

How could Ebisu endure such humiliation? He charged straight at Uchiha Ling.

The Shadow Clone stepped in front of Uchiha Ling. "Your opponent is me, you sunglasses-wearing peeper!"

"I've never peeped on anyone!"

"But you look like a peeper. What decent person wears sunglasses? You're not even as good as my original. When my original looks at big white legs in the future, he'll definitely do it openly and honestly!"

Asuma Sarutobi watched Ebisu nervously, hoping Ebisu would win, because Ebisu was taking the bullet for him.

Ebisu threw a textbook straight punch, driving forcefully off his rear leg and keeping just the right distance with his fist.

Smack!

The Shadow Clone's hand steadily caught Ebisu's fist.

Whatever Uchiha Ling knew, the Shadow Clone knew as well—especially the White Fang Flow Body Technique that Uchiha Ling had recently been studying so diligently.

The White Fang Flow Body Technique was extremely adaptable. If used properly, it was equivalent to having five opportunities for explosive taijutsu bursts, and could serve as the foundation of a ninja's close-combat skills.

"Your fist is soft and weak. Was it kneaded out of bread?"

Ebisu had hoped that Uchiha Ling was using an insubstantial Clone Technique to disguise it as a Shadow Clone, but the solid sensation from that punch told him that Uchiha Ling truly was a genius who had mastered the Shadow Clone Technique at the age of five.

He felt some resentment toward his father. It was one thing for his father to curry favor with the Sarutobi clan himself, but he had dragged Ebisu into this mess too. Did he really have to keep challenging Uchiha Ling?

Ebisu pulled back his fist and launched a full-force side kick.

Chakra erupted instantly from the acupoints in the Shadow Clone's leg.

It drove a knee upward, colliding with the sole of Ebisu's foot.

Ebisu only felt an immense force strike him. He was blasted backward and landed hard on his backside.

The Shadow Clone shook its head. "Too weak. Original, are you sure his fundamentals are that good?"

Ebisu's face turned red.

This was too humiliating. His taijutsu was no match for Uchiha Ling's, and all the fundamental training he had secretly undergone with his father for years had accomplished nothing.

Ebisu climbed to his feet and charged furiously at Uchiha Ling's Shadow Clone.

The Shadow Clone took a shuriken from its ninja tool pouch.

Seeing the sharp shuriken, Teacher Yamano nearby feared that things might get out of hand and was about to intervene, but then he noticed the steel wire trailing behind it.

Wire shuriken, the Uchiha Style Shuriken Manipulation Technique. Then there was nothing to worry about.

Two shuriken connected by steel wire flew out.

By the time Ebisu reached the Shadow Clone, steel wire had bound his legs and arms, and he fell face-first beside the clone's feet.

He looked up in despair and saw the Shadow Clone—and the sun resting perfectly atop its shoulder.

The sunlight was blinding. The Shadow Clone standing in the darkness seemed so towering.

"Haha, Original, this idiot got fooled by fundamentals!

Basic punches, palms, and kicks are so important—important enough that they can only kill civilians!

Look, I used just a little advanced ninja tool technique, and this idiot was helpless.

He's so pitiful. He's anesthetizing himself."

The Shadow Clone stepped on Ebisu's shoulder and mocked him to its heart's content.

"From now on, I, Uchiha Ling's Shadow Clone, will call you Idiot Fundamentals!

Idiot Fundamentals, keep training. Once you're good enough, go kill civilians. You're not suited to fighting ninja..."

[A ninja near the host has suffered a mental break. The Break Defense System is activating...]

Uchiha Ling had just been about to stop the Shadow Clone, feeling that it had gone too far. But upon hearing the system notification, he instead waited eagerly for the system reward.

[Ebisu has suffered a mental break. Extracting abilities related to Ebisu. The host may choose one of three options.

Option One: Basic straight-punch force generation technique;

Option Two: 0.1 units of chakra;

Option Three: Basic waist-twisting technique.]

Options One and Three were both taijutsu force-generation techniques. They were somewhat useful and might improve Uchiha Ling's taijutsu, but their usefulness was limited.

He chose Option Two: 0.1 units of chakra.

His chakra reserves reached 0.4 units.

The Shadow Clone's heart tightened as it sensed danger. It turned to look at the original.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing? Are you going to dismiss me? I fought the battle, so you're not thinking of swooping in to take the credit, are you? Let me insult him two more times, just two lines, you..."

Poof.

The Shadow Clone, along with the shuriken and steel wire, turned into white smoke.

Uchiha Ling stepped forward a few paces, stood beside Ebisu, and said,

"Ebisu, I admit that my Shadow Clone went a little too far, but its intentions were good.

Fundamentals are useful, but you can't deceive yourself. Ninja still need to find ways to master sophisticated ninjutsu.

I heard that Lord Orochimaru has studied every ninjutsu in the Hidden Leaf Village. That is what a strong person should do.

Ebisu, your path won't work. Your path can only reach the second floor, while a ninja's skyscraper has a hundred floors.

Idiot Fundamentals, did you take my words to heart?"

Ebisu stood up, unable to tell whether the dirt on his face had been stuck there by tears or saliva.

The hope in Asuma Sarutobi's heart died. Ebisu had already done his best.

He walked over, put an arm around Ebisu's shoulder, and said,

"Ebisu, you did very well. You forced out Uchiha Ling's Uchiha Style Shuriken Manipulation Technique. If this had been a life-or-death battle, you would have obtained vital intelligence."

On the second floor of the Ninja Academy, Huìdài watched Young Master Asuma and her son standing shoulder to shoulder, a smile appearing in her eyes.