Academy Spar

A/N: There will be no chapter on Thursday. If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones.

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Without hesitation, Hideo charged straight toward Goro, his eyes filled with determination. Goro watched his movements carefully. 'He's gunning straight for me without a plan...'

Hideo spun on his heel, delivering a powerful kick aimed at Goro's stomach. Goro leaned back, dodging the attack with ease. Using the momentum from his missed strike, Hideo pushed off the ground, spinning and throwing another kick toward Goro's chin.

'He adapted well,' Goro mused as he backflipped, evading Hideo's attack once more. While mid-air, from the corner of his vision, he noticed three shuriken flying toward him from Riko's direction. They weren't thrown with much force, but the timing was perfect.

Using his cloak, Goro swatted the shuriken away with a single motion and landed on his feet. He straightened his posture and glanced at Riko, who had her arm extended, having just thrown the projectiles. 'She's talented. She saw an opening and took her shot. I'll have to keep an eye on her.'

"Well, is that all?" Goro taunted, trying to get more from the kids. "Or are you going to attack some more?"

Hideo and Riko exchanged glances, but their battle tactics stayed much the same. They pressed on, attacking Goro from different angles, but he continued to deflect their strikes and dodge their attacks effortlessly. Time passed, and though they fought hard, it became clear they couldn't land a decisive hit.

After some time, Goro decided it was time to end the match. In an instant, he flickered behind Riko, tapping her lightly on the shoulder. "You're dead," he said flatly, indicating that in a real fight, her life would be over.

As Goro turned to face Hideo, Hideo's legs gave out beneath him and he dropped to his knees, panting from exhaustion. Sweat poured down his face as he yelled in frustration, "ARGH! I MESSED UP! I WAS SO CLOSE!"

Riko, though less vocal, shared his disappointment, her expression showing a hint of sadness.

Seeing their dejected faces, Goro softened his tone. "You two are much better than I was at your age. Keep working hard, and you'll reach heights you never imagined. Also, Hideo, your reckless style will get you killed in real combat." Taking on a serious expression, he continued, "You're skilled, but don't let overconfidence be your downfall."

With that, Goro turned to the principal, who was still standing nervously at the side, his forehead glistening with sweat. "Are you okay?" Goro asked, raising an eyebrow.

The principal nodded, but his face was pale.

'How does he expect the kids to respect him if he gets this panicked from a simple academy spar?' Goro thought, growing increasingly unimpressed. 'He's been a principal for years—he should be used to this.'

Creating a clone, Goro instructed it to escort Hideo and Riko back to their classroom. Turning back to the principal, he asked, "You've been here for years. Shouldn't you be used to spars like this?"

The principal sighed and wiped his forehead. "We never used to have spars like this... This felt more like a battle to the death."

Goro glanced at the shuriken lodged in the wall. 'He's right,' Goro thought. 'This does feel more intense than the spars I remember in the Leaf Village.'

He nodded and shifted the topic. "Tomio is next, isn't he? Which class?"

The principal scratched the back of his head nervously. "That kid... He doesn't come in often."

Goro's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

The principal hesitated before explaining, "The boy rarely attends class anymore, and it's been getting worse. He barely shows up."

"And you haven't bothered to visit his home?" Goro asked incredulously.

"Well, his family moves around a lot. They don't stay in the same place for long, so it's been difficult to track them down..."

Goro's frustration began to boil. 'The top student in the academy doesn't show up for class, and this man doesn't even bother to pursue it more seriously?'

Walking past the principal, Goro said, "Continue with your duties. I'll find the child myself."

"Wait, Lord Takikage!" the principal called after him, but Goro ignored him, his patience worn thin.

Entering the principal's office, Goro immediately began searching through the files. Before long, he found Tomio's. Opening the folder, he scanned the description of the boy.

'Long red hair that goes down to his waist, five feet tall, and a scar running down the left side of his face,' Goro thought, memorizing the details. Taking the file with him, he flickered outside the academy gates and raised his hand.

In an instant, five masked shinobi appeared before him, kneeling in respect.

Goro handed them the file. "Find this child. Report back to me at the Takikage's office."

The masked shinobi nodded silently before disappearing into the distance to carry out their task.

...

Meanwhile, in the Akatsuki's hideout, the usual meeting was underway. The blurry projections of each member flickered in the dark room.

Pain's eyes narrowed as he spoke. "The leader of the Waterfall hasn't been disposed of yet. Have you failed?" His gaze locked onto the figures of Itachi and Kisame.

Kisame was the first to respond, his shark-like grin visible even in the blurry projection. "Failed? You think so low of us," he said, his tone both amused and irritated.

Itachi, always composed, cut in before Kisame could continue. "It would seem we severely underestimated him, so I called off the mission."

Pain's expression changed slightly, intrigued by the admission. "Did you come to blows with him?" he asked, his voice remaining the same but clearly probing for more information.

Kisame spoke again, his voice holding a touch of respect for Goro's skill. "He's agile. He was able to dodge my first attack, but that's to be expected," Kisame said, his grin widening slightly, recalling the brief exchange.

Seeing as the conversation was being derailed, Itachi interrupted Kisame once more and explained. "What caused me to call off the mission wasn't just his agility. It was his ability to use Senjutsu."

Pain's eyes narrowed. "Senjutsu?" he repeated, more to himself than to anyone else.

Itachi nodded, his tone serious. "He was able to sense the life force and intentions of the merchants we passed—kilometers away."

Pain remained silent, his mind working through the implications of Itachi's words. "Senjutsu... That would mean his strength rivals the Gokage." Pain's mind flickered to their long-term plans. "If that's true, he could pose a significant threat if engaged prematurely."

For a moment, there was silence in the room as Pain contemplated this new information. Before long, he finally nodded, coming to a decision. "Then there's no need to engage him right now. We'll deal with him when our plan necessitates it."

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Reminder: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones.