Izumi Uchiha Challenges Again!

Over the next few days, Mirai Uzumaki was clearly drowsy during daytime classes.

He lay sprawled across his desk, his eyelids fighting each other as his head bobbed bit by bit. He did not even react right away when Akashi Kishimoto called his name.

"Mirai! Get up and answer the question!"

"...Huh? Oh, the core of the Will of Fire is bonds and protection." He could recite the standard answer with his eyes closed, then flopped back onto his desk.

Akashi Kishimoto was so furious that smoke practically came out of his nostrils, but when he thought of the Hokage's instructions—and Tsunade's door-kicking style that day—he ultimately swallowed his temper.

Minato Namikaze, seated in the front row, turned to glance at him, his blue eyes full of confusion.

"What's wrong with Mirai lately? He looks so listless..." he muttered quietly. "He was obviously so full of energy when he first got here."

After class, Minato walked over to Mirai's desk and tapped on it.

"Mirai, are you okay? Did you not sleep well last night?"

"Mm... I'm learning something." Mirai yawned and answered vaguely.

"Learning what?"

"Sealing Jutsu."

"Sealing Jutsu?" Minato's eyes lit up. "That sounds amazing! Can you teach me?"

Mirai finally lifted his eyelids to look at him. This little blond kid was all sincerity, his heart set entirely on becoming stronger. It was hard to dislike him.

"Maybe later. Let me catch up on some sleep first..." Before he could finish, his head crashed back onto the desk.

Minato watched him, scratched his head, then clenched his fists.

"No, I need to find a way to cheer Mirai up! Someone as amazing as him can't stay this dispirited!" he secretly resolved.

That afternoon was practical combat class.

As usual, Toriyama Kazunari led the entire class to the training ground.

Today's lesson was Taijutsu sparring—after several rounds of basic movement drills, it was time for free challenges as usual.

Izumi Uchiha was the first to step forward.

"Teacher Toriyama, I want to challenge Mirai Uzumaki." Her voice was not loud, but her tone carried an unquestionable resolve.

The field fell silent for a moment before erupting in chatter.

"It's Zhili again... Didn't she lose a month ago?"

"But hasn't she been training extra every day? I often see her at the training grounds when I pass by after school."

"The Uchiha Clan is terrifying..."

Mirai Uzumaki was standing among the group, yawning. Hearing someone call his name, he slowly raised his head.

Zhili stood in the center of the field, her long black hair drifting in the breeze, her expression even colder than it had been a month ago.

She said nothing, merely staring straight at him. Her right hand was clenched into a fist, her fingertips faintly white.

"Mirai," Minato Namikaze said, giving him a push from beside him. He smiled with a mix of anticipation and concern. "Good luck. Don't lose!"

Mirai Uzumaki glanced at him. This little blond kid had just said he wanted to cheer him up, but now he was enjoying the show.

"Fine." Mirai rubbed his eyes and slowly walked onto the field.

Across from him, Izumi Uchiha's gaze blazed like fire.

For the past month, she had trained until late every night. Calluses had formed on her hands, her hand seal speed had increased by twenty percent, and she had pestered the elders of her clan for new Taijutsu and Ninjutsu techniques.

She was no longer the same as before!

Every day, she thought about how, when she faced Mirai Uzumaki again, she would make him stare in astonishment.

"This time, I won't lose again."

She spoke softly and assumed her opening stance.

Mirai Uzumaki looked at the stubborn little girl with long black hair before him, then at the faint Anbu presence hidden amid the shadows of the distant trees, and silently sighed.

Great. After this, I still have to go back and learn the Four Symbols Seal.

My days are way too fulfilling.

Izumi Uchiha stood in the center of the field, took a deep breath, and stared intently at the red-haired boy across from her, who was still yawning.

"Mirai Uzumaki, over this past month, I've mastered new Ninjutsu. This time, I'll definitely defeat you!"

Her voice was crisp and resolute, carrying all the fighting spirit she had accumulated through day after day and night after night of extra training.

Mirai Uzumaki picked at his ear and slowly answered, "Oh."

He had not really wanted to accept this challenge. If he had not promised Sister Mikoto that day that he "wouldn't let Zhili lose too badly," he would have liked nothing better than to surrender and go back for some sleep.

But Sister Mikoto had also said that deliberately losing was no good either. With Zhili's personality, that would only hurt her more.

"Come on, then. I still need to go back and study Sealing Jutsu after this." He waved a hand and said it casually.

Zhili frowned, feeling that his attitude was far too dismissive. That only made her angrier.

"Begin!" Toriyama Kazunari blew his whistle.

Zhili struck first, pulling two wooden shuriken from her ninja tool pouch and firing them at Mirai with both hands.

At the same time, she lowered her body and lunged forward, gripping a wooden kunai as she drove straight for Mirai's ribs.

Mirai sidestepped the two shuriken, and the kunai followed immediately after, skimming past the edge of his clothes.

He stepped back, opening half a step of distance, then swung his arm in a backhand slash, sending his wooden kunai sweeping toward Zhili's wrist.

Clang!

The two wooden kunai collided with a crisp ring.

Zhili gritted her teeth and held against the force, twisting her wrist to entangle Mirai's weapon. But Mirai gave his wrist a light flick, spinning the kunai in a circle and deflecting her attack.

Their wooden weapons clashed rapidly in midair, producing a dense series of clangs.

Mirai deliberately held back, staying only half a beat faster than Zhili and barely suppressing her attacking rhythm.

The students watching from the side were dazzled, all drawing sharp breaths.

"Mirai's reactions are so fast!"

"Zhili has improved so much too! She can actually trade blows with Mirai!"

"Are those two really the same age as us? I feel like if I went up there, I wouldn't last even a second!"

Minato Namikaze stood among the crowd, observing their movements intently with a slight frown.

He saw more clearly than the others—Mirai was holding back. Many times, he had clearly had the chance to knock Zhili's weapon away directly, but he had missed by half an inch.

"Is Mirai going easy on her..." Minato muttered.

On the field, Zhili grew more frantic as they fought. She could clearly feel that he was not using his full strength, and the fire in her heart burned hotter and hotter.

After several exchanges, she abruptly leaped back to open up distance, her hands rapidly forming seals.

"Ninjutsu: Clone Technique!"

Three figures split off from her side. Four identical Izumi Uchihas stood on the field, rushing toward Mirai at the same time.

"Wow! Zhili knows the Clone Technique!"

"Four against one! Mirai's in trouble!"

Mirai Uzumaki watched the four long-haired black figures charging at him, and the Mind's Eye of the Kagura swept over them lightly—

The three clones had almost no chakra flow at all; they were completely empty inside. Only the original body had normal chakra density.

It could not have been easier to tell them apart.

But he decided to put on a little act.

After all, Zhili had trained hard for a month. If he saw through it in a second, the girl might burst into tears on the spot.

Sister Mikoto had told him to go easy on her, so he would make it look natural.