My Hawk Is Better

My hawk was still better.

Even if all I could summon right now was a bird egg.

"How should I put it?" Aogetsu Hyuga rubbed his chin and glanced at Naruto Uzumaki. Seeing the anticipation on Naruto's face, he deliberately drew out his words. "It's amazing. I'd even say it's super amazing."

For now, he needed to encourage the Nine-Tails brat so the little punk would hurry up and finish the summoning training for the Master-Disciple Mission.

"That's great, Aogetsu-sensei! I'll sign the contract right now!" Naruto's gloom vanished. Brimming with anticipation, he bit his finger and pressed it to the dark red Contract Scroll.

If a ninja as skilled as Aogetsu-sensei said this toad was an incredible summon, he had to be right.

That toad had to be powerful!

"Give it a try," Aogetsu said.

Got him.

The little punk was so easy to handle.

"Watch this, Sasuke! I'm going to summon someone amazing!" Naruto flashed a bright, confident grin. He drew a line of blood across his palm, slowly formed the summoning signs, then slammed one hand onto the ground.

"Summoning Technique!"

Pop! A small puff of white smoke rolled across the ground, and a Black Tadpole appeared out of thin air.

"..." Everyone fell silent.

"Huh? Where's the amazing one?" Naruto stared wide-eyed at the tiny tadpole. A moment later, he pointed at it and burst out angrily, "Aogetsu-sensei, you said someone amazing would appear! Why did I get a dopey little tadpole?"

The little Katsuyu explained in her pleasant voice, "Making a contract is one thing. How large a summon you bring forth depends on your control over your Chakra."

"Idiot Naruto." Sakura Haruno shook her head and covered her face.

Sasuke Uchiha relaxed completely. He raised his chin and gave Naruto a cold look. "Typical dead last."

"You jerk! What are you so smug about? Your summon was lousy too, and you've got the nerve to mock me?" Naruto glared at Sasuke, bristling like an angry fox.

"You started picking on Sasuke! Do it again and I'll hit you!" A vein bulged on Sakura's forehead. She hurried over and punched Naruto in the stomach.

"S-Sakura, let's trade." Naruto knelt clutching his stomach, picked up the little Black Tadpole, and gave Sakura a pitiful look.

"Why would I trade with you?" Sakura shot him a fierce glare.

He wanted to swap that pathetic tadpole for her adorable little Katsuyu?

Dream on!

"Anyway, you did well, little flat-chest." Aogetsu patted Sakura's head, then glanced coolly at Sasuke and Naruto. "As for you two... you're the worst Genin I've ever seen."

"I taught you Chakra control before. Manage the flow of Chakra during summoning, and you can summon a beast without breaking a sweat."

"But I never expected you two to be this hopeless."

Aogetsu took out Team 7's Application Form and waved it. "Five days. If you haven't succeeded at summoning by then, I'll withdraw Team 7 from the Chunin Ninja Exams. You two are holding Sakura Haruno back."

"Getting outdone by a flat-chested girl..." A mocking smile tugged at Aogetsu's lips. "That's a little embarrassing."

"..." Naruto and Sasuke lowered their heads and said nothing.

He was right.

So far, Sakura had done the best at the Summoning Technique in Team 7.

"That ugly girl..." Sasuke's face darkened. Anger flashed in his eyes as he stared at the Katsuyu in Sakura's hands, clenched his teeth, and balled his fists.

Damn it.

Aogetsu-sensei was right.

I actually felt relieved just now because Naruto failed at summoning too.

What a joke!

I'm a genius of the Uchiha Clan, an avenger who has to gain power. These easy, carefree days will only make me weaker.

I'll prove to everyone that I, Sasuke Uchiha, am the strongest ninja among this year's Genin!

"Hold them back..." Naruto clenched his fists. He remembered sitting alone on a swing after the Ninja Academy graduation exam.

Back then, he had been the worst student, the most useless dead last in the class. He alone had failed the graduation exam.

He didn't want people looking down on him. He didn't want to hold Sasuke and Sakura back, and he didn't want to be dead last anymore!

I don't want to lose to Sasuke. I don't want to hold Team 7 back. I don't want Team 7 to lose its place in the Chunin Ninja Exams because of me!

I have to get stronger!

"Aogetsu-sensei, are you praising me or insulting me?" Sakura gritted her teeth, furious. She wanted to run over and send Aogetsu flying with one punch.

You pervert of a teacher!

Flat-chested this, flat-chested that!

Just wait until I grow!

"Anyway, work hard." Aogetsu looked at Sasuke and Naruto and gave a satisfied nod.

Good. That's the reaction I wanted.

I need to push Team 7 whenever I get the chance, or these little punks will get full of themselves.

It was perfectly normal for Sasuke and Naruto to fail on their first try. It was also perfectly normal for Sakura to grasp the trick immediately.

The Chakra Enhanced Strength Sakura was learning required her to control the flow of Chakra, so she could manage it well while summoning.

But he had to put some pressure on his little helpers if he wanted them to finish the Master-Disciple Mission sooner.

Last time I drew the Rinne Sharingan. What will I draw this time?

I'm looking forward to it.

"Aogetsu-sensei, have you ever made a contract with a summon? Could you show us?" Sakura deliberately put on a cute expression and gazed at Aogetsu with wide, curious eyes.

She wanted to know what Aogetsu could summon.

Aogetsu-sensei was an excellent Jonin, after all. Surely he could summon a powerful beast?

At that, Sasuke and Naruto raised their heads and looked at Aogetsu curiously.

They were eager to see it too.

"What a pain. Stop trying so hard to look cute. It makes me want to knock you flat." Aogetsu glanced at Sakura. He hated women who deliberately acted cute.

Perfect.

I was waiting for you to ask.

A summon?

Of course I have one.

The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!

"You jerk..." Sakura's smile froze. Her body trembled with anger. She badly wanted to punch Aogetsu into the distance.

I was just trying to ask Aogetsu-sensei nicely.

How dare he say I'm pretending?

Do I need to pretend to be cute?

I'm already adorable!

"I rarely use techniques below second-rate, but if you want to see one that badly, I'll go to the trouble of showing you. Watch closely. I won't do it twice." Aogetsu bit his finger and slapped one hand onto the ground.

"Summoning—Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."

Rumble! The ground shook violently. An immense presence swept over the area as cracks spread across the earth, and a gigantic statue rose from below.

"ROAR!" The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path let out a thunderous bellow. The force of it blew all three members of Team 7 away, while a terrifying, Chakra-like aura spread across the area.

Seated on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's shoulder, Aogetsu looked down at Team 7 with cool disdain. "Not bad... for a third-rate technique."

Sorry, Nagato.

I'm borrowing the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path for now.

Showing off is important, after all.

"What a terrifying summon!"

All three members of Team 7 looked up at the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. They could feel its crushing presence, and its Chakra in particular filled them with a fear unlike anything they had known.

This is Aogetsu-sensei's summon?

It's terrifying!

Just looking at it sends chills down my spine!

That's Aogetsu-sensei for you!

Naruto stared blankly at the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and swallowed hard, his heart pounding. Then stars lit up his eyes, and he cried out in admiration, "Th-that's so cool!"

So cool!

So strong!

That's way too cool!

"Th-that's incredible." Sakura's face had gone pale as she stared at the enormous Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Fear flickered through her eyes, but her expression soon turned dreamy as she gazed up at Aogetsu.

Aogetsu-sensei looks so handsome!

If only he were my boyfriend.

Huh?

That's strange.

Did I really just imagine having that pervert teacher as my boyfriend?

"This is power... and he calls it third-rate?" Sasuke's face twisted as he fixed his crimson Two-Tomoe Sharingan on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Aogetsu-sensei calls something as terrifying as the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path a mere third-rate technique?

What a joke!

This was the kind of power that could fulfill his revenge, the power he had craved ever since the day his clan was wiped out!

Power...

So this is Aogetsu-sensei's power?

I have to gain power like this too. Then I'll kill that man with my own hands!

Uchiha Itachi!

Sasuke's hands trembled. He glanced at them and muttered in disbelief, "Impossible... I'm shaking? Am I afraid of this summon?"

Unbelievable!

How can a mere summon frighten me?

And... why?

Why does the Chakra radiating from this summon, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, feel so similar to the Sharingan's ocular power?

Could Aogetsu-sensei really have the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai?

Impossible!

Aogetsu-sensei is from the Hyuga Clan. How could he have a Uchiha ability?

"The difference is huge..." Naruto made a foxlike face at the little Black Tadpole flicking its tail on the ground, then looked up at the hill-sized Demonic Statue of the Outer Path in awe.

Why did I summon a little tadpole while Aogetsu-sensei summoned a gigantic statue that looks so cool?

Was that really a summoning technique?

How can the difference be so huge?

Anyway... the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is awesome! I want to summon someone that cool too!

"Aogetsu-sensei, can you teach me to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path?" Naruto gazed at Aogetsu with admiration and excitement. He had already started imagining how he would show off with the statue.