"Enough!" Shouted sensei, Although he didn't look nearly as mad as I thought he would, He still seemed somewhat displeased by my excessive use of violence.
He gave me a forced smile before looking towards the sniveling Hideki and asking if he was ok.
Boy was he a sight for sore eyes, his face covered in blood, a cut on his cheek, crushed nose busted lip, two black eyes and bruises smothered across his face, and the cherry on top of the proverbial cake was his tears mixing in with the blood.
I'd never felt so good, seeing him in such pain and showing such a pathetic side of him made me more than happy.
I had finally made up for all the restraint I'd been putting on myself every time he tried to antagonize me, and although I was no hero, I'll definitely take credit for avenging all the other poor souls that had been bullied by him.
Once Sensei got him up, we both did the sign of reconciliation while Hideki was still sniffling like a baby, I smirked the entire time trying to earn his ire once again, but for once he seemed like he was in too much pain to respond .
I almost laughed out loud when he joined his two friends on the sideline and they looked at him unsure of how to react to the leader of their little Posse getting his ass handed to him by someone they used to bully.
Needless to say the day went well, and in my mind there was nothing that could ruin this moment for me.
Ding 0.3 Physique Gained
Ding 25 Beginner taijutsu gained
Physique : 18.9
Beginner Taijutsu : Lv. 8 Exp: 381/800
If anything the stats I gained from beating Hideki up make the moment even sweeter.
As the final bell rang and I was about to join the rest of my class and head back home, Sensei grabbed my shoulders and told me to follow him.
As he led me back into the academy building, I believed things were about to become even better.
Certain that I was about to be transferred to the advanced class and Join the clan students who surely would drop much better stats than my current class filled with civilians and orphans.
We arrived in a classroom much like the one I had been attending for the past 6 months, but this was not my classroom, but another that looked identical to it, in front of the Blackboard stood the Ninja with the ponytail that had kept Hideki from making trouble on the very first day of our initiation into the Ninja Academy.
" To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit Ichigo Sensei?" Said the ponytail Ninja With a scar running across his nose and cheeks to my Sensei, before making eye contact with me.
"Iruka Sensei, this is Nobu the most talented student in the civilian class, talented enough that I believe he deserves to join your classroom if you'd allow it."
"What?" Said Iruka Sensei, obviously quite surprised by this. "A student from the civilian class actually managed to reach the standard, how long has it been since that last happened? I have no problem with him joining my class if he has your recommendation."
He then looked straight at me. " I look forward to seeing what you can do, just know that you are about to enter a program filled with Children of Konoha's mightiest clans, Your classmates would have been preparing for this before you even knew what a ninja was, and most of them are year-and-a-half older than you, but if you find yourself up to a challenge I'll be ready to admit you into my classroom, just know that if you don't measure up, you'll go right back with Ichigo sensei, Understood?"
" Yes, thank you for giving me this opportunity, Sensei." I shouted practically unable to contain my enthusiasm. Finally the fruits of my labor, ie: reaching for bubbles, had paid off.
Nobu did not see that Iruka sensei slightly frowned as he looked at his bloody knuckles and elbows.
"How did this happen?" He asked.
Unaware of what you Iruka Sensei was asking, Ichigo Sensei answered for him.
" He's just finished his hand to hand combat test, and won with flying colors although he was a little brutal as you can see."
" I see, it's good to be enthusiastic but hurting your fellow Ninja to such an extent, is something I won't abide by, and I expect it to never happen again, is that understood?" Iruka Sensei said quite firmly, locking onto me with his gaze.
This was the first time such a Steely gaze had been directed at Nobu, he was frozen, his heartfelt stiff in his chest, although he knew Iruka Sensei would not hurt him he'd never been more afraid regardless.
Only now did he realize he may have gone a bit too far in his fight against Hideki, from the way the Sensei was looking at him it seemed that if Ichigo Sensei had not stopped him he would have ruined his plans of getting into the advanced class by not being able to control his emotions.
He had to remember in the future no matter how much he wanted something it always should come second to the end goal, no more deviating from the path and engaging in senseless violence or retribution, lesson well learned.
" Of course Sensei, I just lost control since it was my first fight, I'll make sure not to do it again." I said firmly although I was quite intimidated by him.
Iruka Sensei locked his Gaze onto me for a few more seconds as if to judge whether I was honest or not, before kindly smiling and telling me to report in this classroom tomorrow morning to join my new classmates.
As I headed back towards the entrance to the academy I saw the matron waiting for me with Hideki by her side. Ah shit here we go again.