Chapter 35: Sasuke Is Finally Out!

As the school day neared its end, Tetsuya and his friends reluctantly stirred from their lazy lounging.

Tetsuya sealed his sun lounger back into a scroll and returned to the classroom, timing his entry perfectly. Iruka had just walked out the door when they slipped in behind him.

"Tetsuya!" Ino sprang up instantly. At twelve, she was blossoming, and Tetsuya found himself momentarily captivated by her youthful energy. Her small waist, in particular, caught his eye.

Hinata, ever the shy one, trotted over and stood quietly by his side.

Shikamaru and the others greeted him briefly before leaving, opting not to be third wheels.

"Did Iruka-sensei ask about us?" Tetsuya inquired, running his fingers through Ino's smooth, long hair.

"Of course he did! The teacher was furious today. If I hadn't covered for you, you'd be in serious trouble," Ino replied, looking at him expectantly.

"Then I owe you my thanks, Ino~," Tetsuya said, gently tapping her head and praising her as she desired.

"Giggle," Ino wrapped her arms around Tetsuya's neck, her joy evident.

She had decided that Tetsuya was the one she wanted to spend her life with.

"Let's go celebrate the fact that the teacher didn't give me a hard time today. How about some barbecue?" Tetsuya suggested, waving his hand.

Just as they were about to leave, Sasuke stepped in front of them, radiating determination.

"Tetsuya, I challenge you!" Sasuke declared, his eyes blazing. "Let's settle this once and for all!"

Tetsuya sighed inwardly. Sasuke's relentless spirit was both admirable and frustrating. No matter how many times he was beaten, he always bounced back with newfound confidence.

Although Tetsuya respected this resilience, it also meant enduring yet another challenge.

"Fine," Tetsuya agreed, deciding to give it another shot.

"Sakura, who hadn't left yet, quickly intervened. "Tetsuya, they're all classmates. Go easy on him!"

Tetsuya didn't even glance at her, heading towards the playground. Who did she think she was, speaking to him like that?

If he didn't beat Sasuke thoroughly today, he wouldn't be Tetsuya.

Sasuke bristled at Sakura's words. "What do you mean? You don't think I can beat him?"

Sakura tried to backtrack, "That's not what I meant..." but Sasuke had already stormed off after Tetsuya, leaving her standing there, face flushed with embarrassment.

...

Ten minutes later, Uchiha Sasuke lay on the ground, his face swollen and bruised.

"Damn it!" he pounded the ground in frustration. Why, after all his training, couldn't he even defeat Tetsuya? How would he ever avenge his clan against Itachi?

Ino and Hinata, watching from the sidelines, were unsurprised. They had seen Tetsuya defeat Sasuke countless times. It had become a routine.

Tetsuya approached the defeated Sasuke and began to heal him with practiced ease.

He had almost given up on the idea of awakening Indra Chakra in Sasuke, but today the system had given him a pleasant surprise.

[Heal Uchiha Sasuke, gain Spirit +1.3, Pure Indra Chakra, Points +10.]

Finally, some progress! Tetsuya's attitude towards Sasuke softened considerably.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I was too rough today. Let me heal you," he said, a bit more kindly than usual.

Sasuke, usually sensitive about being called "the second pillar," was too disheartened to care. He trained so hard every day, yet the gap between him and Tetsuya only seemed to widen.

"Tetsuya, how strong are you?" Sasuke asked, his voice tinged with despair.

Tetsuya hesitated before answering, "You'll find out eventually. Just know I'm stronger than you."

He didn't want to demoralize Sasuke further, knowing it could lead to drastic actions. It was best to leave him some hope for the future.

After escorting Ino and Hinata home, Tetsuya noticed something peculiar. Yamanaka Inoichi and Hyuga Hiashi often hid nearby, silently observing him.

Especially Inoichi, who seemed to take every slight against his daughter to heart.

Tetsuya sighed inwardly. They were both overly protective fathers.

Returning home, Tetsuya found his yard in shambles. The neatly trimmed trees were in ruins, and the tables and chairs were scattered across the lawn. Even his training dummy was torn apart.

Did a tornado hit Konoha?

Such thoughts quickly vanished as he noticed his dog, Aiseki, hiding in a corner, shivering.

"Aiseki!" Tetsuya's roar echoed through the yard.

After a brief chase, he cornered the dog in the storage room.

Aiseki, with innocent eyes and a wagging tail, tried to win him over. But Tetsuya was unmoved.

"I warned you, if you keep tearing up the house, I'll make you into dog meat."

Aiseki whimpered, his voice trembling.

"It's too late for apologies," Tetsuya's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Prepare to face your fate, Erha!"