Beating Asuma Senseless!

"Mu Feng, save me!"

Kurenai Yuhi ran toward Mu Feng down the street, calling out as she went.

She darted behind Mu Feng, then stared in the direction she had come from with her ruby-red eyes.

Kurenai Yuhi had yet to grow into the mature beauty she would become in Naruto's time. She was still an adorable little girl, and the worried look on her face as she hid behind Mu Feng made her seem all the more cute and pitiful.

Mu Feng was startled. Just as he was about to ask what had happened-

"There! Asuma, Kurenai's over there!"

"All right, let's go! We're definitely catching her this time!"

Three boys, seven or eight years old, charged out from where Kurenai had appeared.

Mu Feng took a closer look. The boy in the lead seemed familiar, and hearing their conversation immediately confirmed his identity: Asuma Sarutobi, the Third Hokage's second son and one of his current classmates.

Asuma had yet to grow into the mature man he would become, either. His young face actually bore some resemblance to Konohamaru's.

Asuma grinned when he spotted Kurenai Yuhi. He hardly looked like a good kid; there was something of a juvenile delinquent about him.

"Boss, it's him! Mu Feng Uchiha!"

As they rushed up, the three boys noticed Mu Feng, and one of Asuma's lackeys immediately cried out.

"Hey, Mu Feng! Let Kurenai go!"

Asuma pointed at Mu Feng and shouted.

Startled, Kurenai Yuhi shrank farther behind Mu Feng and spoke to him in a small voice.

"Mu Feng, help me! Asuma wants to take me somewhere strange!"

Mu Feng frowned at that and gave Asuma a puzzled look.

Asuma hadn't heard Kurenai Yuhi's words, however, and instinctively treated Mu Feng as an enemy. He called out to Kurenai several times, but when she barely responded, his expression grew even angrier.

"Mu Feng, let Kurenai go already!"

"Kurenai, I just wanted to treat you to ramen! I'm not going to do anything to you!"

Asuma tried to explain.

But Kurenai Yuhi clearly didn't quite believe him. Her little hands tightened around Mu Feng's clothes.

After that brief exchange, Mu Feng felt he understood what had happened.

Recalling the later events of Naruto only made him more certain.

Asuma probably had a crush on Kurenai, but his delinquent behavior had made her think he meant her harm, so she had come to Mu Feng for help.

Mu Feng wasn't particularly interested in finding out exactly what misunderstanding had arisen between them.

Still, since Kurenai Yuhi had come to him, he certainly wasn't going to turn his back on her.

Besides, Asuma's arrogant attitude annoyed him.

It was about time this brat learned a lesson. Being the Third Hokage's son had clearly gone to his head.

While Mu Feng was considering this, Asuma spoke again.

He continued spouting threats, glaring coldly at Mu Feng.

Asuma hadn't minded Kurenai Yuhi refusing his invitation, but seeing her turn around and hide behind Mu Feng had infuriated him.

I'm the Hokage's son! How could I be worse than some Uchiha orphan?

"Mu Feng, if you don't get out of the way, I'm going to attack!"

"You might be from the Uchiha Clan, and your grades might be pretty good, but there are three of us!"

Mu Feng wasn't the slightest bit nervous at Asuma's threats. If anything, he found them rather childish.

"Three of you? Even ten like you wouldn't make a difference!"

"Asuma, I won't let you bully a classmate, especially a girl as cute as Kurenai!"

Mu Feng stepped forward and declared this with righteous conviction.

Behind him, Kurenai blushed at his words and reached out to tug at the hem of his clothes.

"Mu Feng, maybe we should..."

"It's fine. Just stay behind me. They're no match for me!"

Mu Feng glanced back with a smile. Kurenai Yuhi stared, mesmerized, her heart pounding.

So this is what it feels like to have someone protect me!

Kurenai Yuhi pursed her lips, then broke into a bright, adorable smile.

The sight left Mu Feng a little dazed, but he quickly snapped out of it.

I actually felt something for a seven- or eight-year-old girl!

That's downright criminal!

Chastising himself inwardly, Mu Feng turned to face Asuma.

"In that case, Mu Feng, we'll have to settle this in battle!"

"Only the victor deserves the beauty!"

The words coming out of Asuma's mouth were painfully melodramatic, yet his face was full of bravado.

"Heh. I'm not going to use Kurenai as a prize in a fight! I just don't like you and want to teach you a lesson!"

"Bring it on! All three of you at once. Beat me, and I'll call you Dad!"

Mu Feng took another step forward. Despite his young age, his presence was intimidating. Asuma hesitated at his words, then looked at his two lackeys and finally worked up his courage.

"Get him together! There's only one of him!"

"Even his Body Flicker Technique is nothing special! I'm Asuma Sarutobi, a member of the Sarutobi Clan!"

"Attack!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Asuma took the lead and charged straight at Mu Feng.

His two lackeys flanked him on either side, and all three attacked Mu Feng from different directions at once.

Mu Feng's gaze sharpened.

A moment later, his hands formed hand seals.

Poof! Poof! Two bursts rang out.

Smoke spread through the air, and two clones of Mu Feng appeared.

"The Clone Technique?"

Asuma's eyes widened in surprise at the sight.

The clones created by an ordinary Clone Technique were merely illusions. They had no physical bodies and couldn't attack anyone.

Mu Feng was only a Ninja Academy student. In Asuma's eyes, there was no way he could have learned an advanced ninjutsu like the Shadow Clone.

That was why Asuma was so puzzled.

Using the Clone Technique against the three of them still left Mu Feng fighting one against three.

Besides, by performing it right in front of them, hadn't he practically told them which one was his real body?

"Forget it! Get him together! Attack the one in the middle!"

At Asuma's command, all three charged at the real Mu Feng.

Watching them rush toward him, all three Mu Fengs moved at once.

Thud!

As they clashed, Asuma struck first, throwing a punch straight at Mu Feng's face.

But Mu Feng dodged it with ease. Compared to Guy's Taijutsu, Asuma's was ridiculously crude.

After dodging, Mu Feng barely needed to move.

He clenched his right fist and drove it upward, striking Asuma squarely in the abdomen.

A muffled thump rang out.

Asuma doubled over like a shrimp and spat up stomach acid, his face turning ashen.

Then Mu Feng sent him flying with a kick.

"Boss!"

Seeing Asuma take a beating, his two lackeys cried out.

"D-don't worry about me! While you have the chance..." Asuma managed to say.

Only then did the two lackeys realize that this was the perfect chance to attack Mu Feng's real body.

Their gazes sharpened. Both leaped high, raised their legs, and brought them crashing toward Mu Feng's left and right shoulders. If those two kicks landed, he would be in serious trouble.