A Rejection Was Indeed in Order

Might Duy folded the green jumpsuit again and carefully put it back into his bag.

His movements were even more solemn than before, as though he were putting away a weighty inheritance.

"Young Fang Xu, I understand!"

"I'll keep this specially made training suit for you for now!"

"When the day comes that you consider yourself qualified, I'll personally deliver it to you!"

Fang Xu immediately nodded.

"Thank you for understanding, Senior Duy."

Guy gave him a vigorous thumbs-up.

"Fang Xu! Keep it up! I believe you'll definitely reach that standard!"

Fang Xu looked at Guy's face, blazing so fiercely with passion it seemed to shine, and nodded with complicated feelings.

"I'll work hard."

Several dozen meters away.

Kakashi crouched amid the branches of a large tree, silent from what he had seen.

He had only intended to observe Fang Xu's training. Yesterday's Lightning Fist had made him somewhat interested in Fang Xu.

Yet not long after arriving, he saw Might Duy pull out a green jumpsuit. In that instant, Kakashi had nearly thought Fang Xu was finished.

If Fang Xu had truly accepted it, the Ninja Academy would probably gain another green figure in the future.

And a very handsome green figure at that. The image was too terrifying.

But he had not expected Fang Xu not only to refuse, but to refuse in such an outrageous way.

After a few words, Might Duy cried, and Guy cried too.

Most importantly, the father and son had actually believed him.

Kakashi's exposed eye took on a strange look.

"This guy... is even better with words than I imagined."

He clearly just did not want to wear it, yet he had spun it into respecting glory.

He was clearly refusing a gift, yet he had moved the giver to tears.

Kakashi watched Fang Xu's retreating back and revised his assessment of him once more.

He hid his strength deeply, thought quickly, and was undeniably handsome. This guy was definitely not the ordinary student he had once been.

Inside the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before the crystal ball, his pipe held between his fingers, with an equally subtle expression on his face.

Through the Telescope Technique, he had watched the entire exchange between Fang Xu and the Might father and son clearly from beginning to end.

When he first saw Might Duy take out the green jumpsuit, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow had twitched.

Konoha already had one Might Duy and one Might Guy. They were conspicuous enough.

If Fang Xu also changed into that bright green training suit and the three of them went jogging through the village in a line every morning...

Just imagining it made Hiruzen Sarutobi feel as though even his pipe had lost its flavor.

But Fang Xu's subsequent performance nearly made him laugh out loud.

"This child is no slouch with his mouth either."

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes holding a trace of sentiment.

When they discussed the Will of Fire last night, he had already felt that Fang Xu was very good at talking.

Seeing it again today, he was more than merely good at it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the green jumpsuit being put away again in the crystal ball and quietly sighed in relief.

Fortunately, Fang Xu had refused it. Otherwise, the village would probably have gained another green oddity, and even Konoha's image and style would have been thrown off course.

After morning training ended, Fang Xu returned home as usual to wash up. Only after breakfast did he head to the Ninja Academy.

He was in a good mood today. The green jumpsuit crisis had, for the time being, been resolved.

Rather than getting angry, Might Duy and Might Guy had been moved by his words until tears streamed down their faces, then solemnly put away that so-called battle uniform of youth.

Fang Xu was quite satisfied. He could practice taijutsu, and youth could burn brightly, but he absolutely could not wear that outfit.

When he entered the classroom, quite a few people had already arrived.

Kurenai Yuhi sat at her desk organizing her textbooks. When she saw Fang Xu enter, she first looked up at him, then smiled faintly.

"Morning."

"Morning."

Fang Xu had just put down his bag and had not yet settled into his seat when footsteps sounded from the classroom door.

Asuma Sarutobi had arrived.

Unlike yesterday, when he had slammed the desk and demanded a duel, Asuma's expression was a little awkward today.

After entering, he did not return directly to his seat. Instead, he walked toward Fang Xu.

Several nearby classmates immediately perked up their ears.

Everyone still remembered how Asuma had publicly caused trouble for Fang Xu yesterday, only to be left unable to respond after Fang Xu's few words.

Now that Asuma had come over again, the classroom suddenly grew much quieter.

Kurenai Yuhi's brows furrowed slightly.

"Asuma, what are you trying to do again?"

Asuma paused, and his expression became even more awkward.

He glanced at Kurenai Yuhi, then looked at Fang Xu and gave a huff.

"Fang Xu, don't think that beating a few small fry means you can get cocky in front of me."

Fang Xu pulled out his chair and sat down.

"I haven't gotten cocky."

Asuma clenched his teeth.

"Anyway, I won't lose to you."

Fang Xu looked at him.

"You came over first thing in the morning just to say that?"

Asuma's face reddened slightly.

He seemed to choke on his words. After two seconds of silence, he finally said stiffly, "And yesterday's matter."

The moment those words came out, Kurenai Yuhi's expression immediately changed.

"Yesterday's matter?"

She turned to Fang Xu.

"Fang Xu, did someone cause trouble for you yesterday?"

Rin Nohara also turned around, concern on her face.

"You weren't hurt, were you?"

Before Fang Xu could speak, Kurenai Yuhi had already glared at Asuma.

"Asuma!"

At her glare, half of Asuma's earlier bravado instantly vanished.

He hurriedly said, "I wasn't the one who ordered them!"

After saying that, he felt his tone had been too rushed, and his expression became even more embarrassed.

"Those three really weren't sent by me. I'm not that bored."

Fang Xu looked at him without replying.

Asuma took a deep breath, lowering his voice.

"However, they are connected to me."

The expressions of the surrounding students immediately became subtle.

Obito had just entered the classroom when he heard that half of the sentence, and his spirits instantly rose.

"What? Asuma, you had people block Fang Xu?"

Asuma sharply turned around.

"I said I wasn't the one who ordered them!"

Obito curled his lip.

"But it's still related to you, isn't it?"

A vein throbbed at Asuma's temple.

Under normal circumstances, he would have already started arguing with Obito, but not today.

Last night, the Third Hokage had summoned him and given him a severe scolding.

Those people who usually hovered around him, borrowing his name to throw their weight around outside, had already been thoroughly investigated by the Anbu.

Although he had not given any orders himself, the reason those people had dared to cause trouble for Fang Xu was because they believed that, as the Third Hokage's son, he would stand behind them.

It left Asuma both frustrated and humiliated.

What hurt him most was his father's words: "Don't let others use your identity to bully your classmates." They stung worse than ten reprimands.

Asuma turned back to Fang Xu and forced himself to say, "Last night, the old man gave me a scolding."

Fang Xu raised an eyebrow.

"The old man?"

Asuma turned his face away.

"My father."

The classroom fell even quieter.

The Third Hokage personally reprimanding Asuma was no small matter.