A Condition

The next day.

When Hyuga Satoru arrived at school, he found that the way his classmates looked at him had changed.

Shock, envy, admiration, jealousy... all sorts of emotions mingled in their gazes as they turned toward Hyuga Satoru.

Hyuga Satoru saw Iroha looking at him with a complicated expression. The moment Iroha noticed him looking back, he immediately turned away, unwilling to meet his eyes.

As soon as he sat down, Anko beside him curiously leaned her face closer.

"Hey, Satoru, are you really the Dual Bloodline they've been talking about?"

"Of course I am." Hyuga Satoru rolled his eyes at her.

"I never thought someone could possess two Bloodline Limits at once. That's incredible. I thought one was already the limit."

"Have you eaten so many sweets that you've gone stupid? The Hidden Mist Village had Dual Bloodline ninja in the past too. They may be rare, but they're not extinct. Read more books, will you?"

If Anko had been mocked like that by Hyuga Satoru before, she would have immediately retorted in displeasure. But now that she had learned he was a Dual Bloodline genius, she merely nodded quietly and said, "Oh."

Just then, Hyuga Satoru noticed someone walking over. Looking up, he saw Uchiha Rin.

"Is something wrong?"

Hyuga Satoru did not speak loudly. After all, considering what had happened by the Naka River that night, he worried that Uchiha Rin still held a grudge and had come looking for trouble.

Uchiha Rin spoke calmly. "Fight me after school."

Hyuga Satoru: ???

Seriously? Seriously?

Was that really necessary?

Elementary school kids arranging a fight after class???

Seemingly realizing that her phrasing was inappropriate, Uchiha Rin carefully reconsidered her words. "I'm not satisfied with losing to you last time. I've learned some new ninjutsu, so let's spar again after school."

Hyuga Satoru let out a breath of relief, unable to stop himself from grumbling inwardly, Come on, just say you want to spar. What do you mean, fight me after school?

"Compared to Kakashi, you're a more suitable opponent."

Uchiha Rin stared straight at him.

Does she want to use me as a sparring partner for training?

Hyuga Satoru smiled bitterly to himself.

She really is a grind queen!

She used to compete with Kakashi, and now that she's found out I'm stronger than Kakashi, she's switched over to compete with me?

After thinking for a moment, Hyuga Satoru looked at her and said slowly, "You want to use me as a sparring partner for training? Interesting idea. It's not impossible..."

Joy appeared on Uchiha Rin's face.

"So you agree?"

"Don't get happy so quickly." Hyuga Satoru rolled his eyes at her. "I can fight you again, but if you lose, you have to agree to one condition of mine."

One condition???

Uchiha Rin frowned slightly.

"Can I know what the condition is?"

"No!" Hyuga Satoru shook his head. "That's what makes it a wager!"

Uchiha Rin frowned.

"Then if you ask me to do something strange, I have to agree to that too?"

Hyuga Satoru's expression instantly stiffened. If he had been drinking water just then, he might have sprayed it all over Uchiha Rin's face.

"Hmm..."

Then, he put on a thoughtful expression.

Uchiha Rin clenched her fists and lightly gritted her teeth. A vein seemed to bulge on her forehead.

"Bastard... don't seriously think about it!"

"Ahahaha... I'm kidding, I'm kidding..."

Hyuga Satoru laughed sheepishly.

He could feel an icy aura gathering around Uchiha Rin, as though she would pounce on him the next second and tear him apart.

Anko looked from Hyuga Satoru to the silent Uchiha Rin, then back again.

The corners of her lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile full of anticipation and amusement.

"Don't worry. I can guarantee that this condition won't involve anything strange. If you think it's excessive, you can even refuse outright."

Hyuga Satoru spoke seriously.

Uchiha Rin thought for a moment, then raised her head.

"Fine! It's a deal!"

After school, Uchiha Rin followed Hyuga Satoru to the small forest behind the mountain. A stream from the Naka River flowed gently through the woods, while the afterglow of the setting sun fell through gaps in the treetops onto the dead leaves covering the ground. It was quite pleasant.

Since Hyuga Satoru had defeated her by the Naka River last time, Uchiha Rin insistently proposed fighting beside the Naka River again.

Of course, this location was still quite far from the Uchiha Clan Territory.

No one would come and disturb them.

"Do you usually train here? Why don't you go to your Lineage's training ground?"

Uchiha Rin swept her gaze over the surroundings, staring at Hyuga Satoru with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

Hyuga Satoru sighed. "You know how it is. In an old and powerful Lineage like the Hyuga, there are always countless rules and restrictions. Out here, I can be freer instead."

Thinking of some of the stubborn elders in her own Lineage, Uchiha Rin nodded in agreement.

"True. That's also why I chose to train by the Naka River."

She looked at Hyuga Satoru before her and suddenly felt that the two of them had something in common.

The sunset's afterglow spread across the Naka River beside them, golden fragments drifting with the gurgling current.

Amid the silence, Uchiha Rin spoke first.

"Let's begin!"