Not long after Shihui Aburame sat down, he noticed Ino Yamanaka moving.
She had initially sat three meters away from him, but a few seconds later, she was less than a meter away.
Once she was caught, the sneaking Ino Yamanaka stopped pretending and came clean.
"Shiki-kun."
Holding her fishing rod in both hands, Ino Yamanaka asked expectantly, "Can I sit beside you?"
"No."
Shihui Aburame refused without a second thought.
"Huh? That's so mean!"
Ino Yamanaka's voice was sweet; rather than complaining, she sounded more like she was wheedling.
"Too close. You'll interfere with the fishing."
Shihui Aburame had become a heartless angler.
Ino Yamanaka retreated in defeat.
She shifted to the right, putting some distance between them.
She had wanted to say a few more things, but when she saw his face, she couldn't get angry.
All she could do was meekly obey.
Hinata Hyuga silently withdrew her gaze.
Since Ino Yamanaka couldn't, she certainly couldn't either.
She just didn't understand what was so fun about fishing.
Shihui Aburame scattered bait to chum the water.
He looked around.
Shikamaru Nara had stuck his fishing rod in the ground and was lying off to one side, resting with his hands behind his head.
He looked utterly casual and languid.
His approach was to let any willing fish take the bait.
Everyone else was very serious.
Especially Sasuke Uchiha.
His face was full of fighting spirit as he competed with Naruto Uzumaki, to the point that he forgot his real reason for coming here.
After waiting a moment, Shihui Aburame whipped his rod, sending the hook into the water.
It was his first time fishing.
In this life, that was.
In his previous life, his dad had been obsessed with it, so he had gone fishing with him many times.
"I got one! I got one!"
Kiba Inuzuka kept his voice low, but he still couldn't hide his excitement.
You bastard!
What did you get?
Shihui Aburame turned to look. It was a big fish, at least two or three jin.
Kiba Inuzuka's dog, Akamaru, hadn't been born yet, or things would have been even livelier.
Shihui Aburame silently recited, With a heart as clear as ice, I remain unshaken even if the sky falls.
He looked at the fishing rod in his hands.
I have to catch at least one, no matter what.
Suddenly, the fishing rod dipped slightly.
Shihui Aburame's gaze sharpened, and he began reeling it in.
He reached out and removed the card from the hook.
"Premium young ladies, expert skills. Hot spring massages on Konoha's East Street."
What is this?
Am I that kind of person?
Shihui Aburame glanced at the address, threw the card away, and continued fishing.
Happy times always passed quickly.
Although his first catch hadn't gone well, afterward, it was as if he had slept with Lady Luck, with fish biting nonstop.
When a streak of dusky yellow appeared on the horizon, the fishing contest ended.
"I caught seven fish!"
Kiba Inuzuka spoke smugly.
"Eight."
Ino Yamanaka smiled as she spoke.
But her eyes remained on Shihui Aburame the entire time.
"Huh? How?"
Kiba Inuzuka's face instantly twisted in anguish.
"I only got three."
Naruto Uzumaki looked like a frostbitten eggplant, utterly listless.
"Seventeen."
Sasuke Uchiha raised his chin slightly as he spoke.
Seventeen fish. How are you going to beat me?
Glory will surely belong to the Uchiha.
"What?!"
The dejected Naruto Uzumaki looked shocked.
Choji Akimichi's eyes lit up.
He had been worried there would be nothing to eat tonight, but now he could feast.
"That's Sasuke-kun for you!"
Sakura Haruno started swooning again.
"What about yours?"
Shihui Aburame looked at Shino Aburame.
"Nothing much."
As Shino Aburame spoke, he shifted his bucket behind him.
Shihui Aburame walked over and took a look.
There was only one finger-sized fish inside.
"It's okay. Tiny ones are cute too."
Shihui Aburame offered some comfort.
"..."
Shino Aburame unconsciously clenched his fists.
Although those were words of comfort, for some reason, he really wanted to hit someone. "How many did you catch?"
Shino Aburame took a deep breath and asked.
Sasuke Uchiha and the others also looked at Shihui Aburame.
He was the only one who hadn't revealed his answer yet.
"Just luck."
Shihui Aburame revealed the bucket behind him. "Exactly one more than Sasuke."
Shino Aburame pursed his lips.
He had gotten to show off again.
"Shiki-kun."
Ino Yamanaka beamed. "You're amazing!"
Although her delivery was suspiciously flat, he naturally had to accept a pretty girl's praise.
Shihui Aburame looked at Hinata Hyuga.
Like a startled rabbit, she immediately lowered her head.
Sasuke Uchiha froze in place.
He was second yet again?
Damn it!
How could a real man remain beneath someone else for long?
"Shihui Aburame, I want to spar with you."
Sasuke Uchiha issued a challenge.
I can't take it anymore. I'm going all out against him right now!
Ino Yamanaka and the others all looked at him, somewhat surprised.
Why did he want to fight again?
Shihui Aburame finally understood why Sasuke Uchiha had shown up.
He had come to avenge his humiliation.
But that suits me perfectly.
"Give me a moment. I'll handle the fish."
Shihui Aburame turned his head slightly and spoke to Ino Yamanaka and the others.
At those words, Sasuke Uchiha's face immediately fell into a kittenish scowl.
What does that mean?
A moment?
I can last at least a few minutes!
No, I can definitely beat you to a pulp!
Both angry and impatient, Sasuke Uchiha put some distance between himself and Shihui Aburame.
Two whooshes rang out.
As soon as he planted his feet, he hurled two rapidly spinning wooden kunai.
Shihui Aburame activated the Jade Skin Gu, and his skin took on a jade-like luster.
He struck with both hands, knocking the two kunai away, then leaped toward Sasuke Uchiha.
Body Flicker Technique!
Chakra appeared around Sasuke Uchiha's feet, and his body instantly shot backward.
One chased, the other fled.
But rather than being startled, Sasuke Uchiha was delighted. A smile appeared on his lips, and he abruptly pulled both hands back.
Threads trembled.
The two kunai spun back toward Shihui Aburame's back.
A sneak attack!
Ino Yamanaka instinctively covered her mouth.
Hinata Hyuga's heart leaped into her throat too.
"How can kunai turn?"
Naruto Uzumaki asked in confusion.
So it's the Shuriken Manipulation Technique.
Shihui Aburame noticed the threads in Sasuke Uchiha's hands.
The reason it had left such a strong impression on him was that the name of this ninjutsu sounded rather indecent.
You can't-at least, you shouldn't.
Body Flicker Technique!
Shihui Aburame suddenly accelerated.
The basic Body Flicker Technique was a D-rank ninjutsu, so naturally, he knew it.
Powered by primeval essence, he was faster than Sasuke Uchiha.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of him. Controlling his strength, he threw a punch.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!
Sasuke Uchiha clutched his stomach, his face instantly turning deathly pale.
The invincible Uchiha had fallen once again.
"Sasuke-kun!"
Sakura Haruno hurried over and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
"I'm... fine."
Sasuke Uchiha forced out the words.
Shihui Aburame had held back this time, using only twenty percent of his strength, making it gentler than last time.
After resting for only a moment, he returned to normal.
Sasuke Uchiha stared blankly at Shihui Aburame, who was cleaning carp in the distance.
After sparring again, he realized something was off.
Shihui Aburame wasn't merely strong.
They had used the same Body Flicker Technique, yet he was a third faster than him.
Where exactly had things gone wrong?
"Why is your Body Flicker Technique so fast?"
After much hesitation, Sasuke Uchiha finally gave in and walked over.
"Want to learn?"
Shihui Aburame glanced at him and asked.
"No."
Sasuke Uchiha turned his face away and said, "I just want to know why."
"Nothing more than practice."
Shihui Aburame said without even looking up.
That simple?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
There had to be some other secret.
He wanted to learn.
Sasuke Uchiha's little face was conflicted, but he couldn't bring himself to ask.
(End of chapter)