Chapter 4: Fanning the Flames

That very same day...

Shin stepped into the quiet warmth of his family home, but despite this serene ambiance, his thoughts were anything but calm. Sasuke's smirk, the searing flames of the Great Fireball Jutsu, and the dismissive cheers of the crowd lingered in his mind like stubborn embers.

He couldn't let it end there. He wouldn't let it end there.

Barely pausing to remove his sandals, Shin rushed to the bookshelf where the Medical Scroll was. Pulling it down with trembling hand, fueled by adrenaline, he unfurled it on the kitchen table and began scanning its contents.

Mystic Palm Jutsu, Hemostasis Jutsu, Delicate Illness Extraction Jutsu... None of it addressed burns directly.

Think! She was a medical ninja. She must have had something for burns.

Desperation fueled his search as his fingers traced the symbols, skipping over techniques that felt too advanced or unrelated. If there was even a chance he could find a way to counter Sasuke's flames, he had to take it.

But just as he leaned closer, a sharp voice pierced the quiet.

"What are you doing!"

The words froze Shin in place. He turned slowly, his heart thudding in his chest. Standing in the doorway, arms crossed and eyes blazing, was his father.

Shin stared at his father, the surprise evident in his widened emerald eyes. After a beat, he blurted, "When did you come back?!"

His father's expression was hard, his brow furrowed in clear displeasure. "Just now," he said shortly, stepping into the room. "I've been waiting for you to come back from school. Didn't expect to find you sneaking around with your mother's scroll."

"I wasn't sneaking!" Shin protested, his voice rising defensively.

"Then what do you call this?" his father snapped, gesturing sharply toward the unfurled Medical Scroll on the table. "I told you before not to touch this!"

Shin clenched his fists. "Why?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly but steady. "Why can't I learn Medical Ninjutsu?"

His father's expression darkened, his voice rising to a shout. "Because I said so!"

Shin took a step back, anger flickering in his emerald eyes now. "Why?" he repeated, louder this time. "Why can't I learn Medical Ninjutsu?! I-I just wanted to learn a way to get stronger!"

The room fell silent for a moment, but it was the kind of silence that felt like the calm before a storm. His father's hand slammed down on the table, rattling the scroll and making Shin jump.

"Medical Ninjutsu won't make you stronger!" his father thundered, his voice raw with emotion. "It's not for combat! If that were the case, your mother would still be alive!"

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight, each one striking Shin with the force of a kunai. His breath caught in his throat, and for a moment, he couldn't find the words to respond.

Seeing Shin's stunned expression, his father straightened, his voice lowering slightly but no less firm. "You want to get stronger? Then focus on your basics. Discipline. Stop chasing after things you don't understand."

Shin swallowed hard, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. His father's words hurt, but they only fueled the fire inside him. He raised his chin slightly, defiance flickering in his gaze.

His father shook his head, sighing in frustration. "Finish your homework before dinner," he muttered, picking up the scroll and leaving the room without another word.

Shin stood there in the silence that followed, his emotions swirling—anger, frustration, determination. He clenched his fists tighter, his jaw set.

I'll prove him wrong!

He wouldn't give up, not now. If anything, his father's harsh words had only made him more determined. He would learn Medical Ninjutsu. He would find a way to get stronger.

...

The next day...

Shin trudged through the Academy gates, his steps heavier than usual. His emerald eyes were red and puffy, betraying a sleepless night spent fruitlessly trying to devise a way to counter Sasuke's Great Fireball Jutsu. His father's decision to take and hide the Medical Scroll had left him frustrated, and the lack of progress gnawed at him. He hadn't even known where to start without proper guidance.

He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, but it did little to mask his exhaustion.

"What happened, Hamada?" Sasuke's voice rang out from the Academy entrance, sharp and taunting. He stood there, a group of female classmates following him to his annoyance, his smirk brimming with self-satisfaction. "You couldn't sleep last night? Did my Great Fireball Jutsu scare you that much?"

The group broke into laughter, though a few exchanged uncertain glances, sensing the tension in the air.

Shin halted, his fists clenching at his sides. Despite his fatigue, he wouldn't let Sasuke have the satisfaction of seeing him retreat.

"No," he said, his voice low but steady. "You're not the reason I couldn't sleep."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Oh? Then what is it? Don't tell me you stayed up all night crying about your loss."

The laughter around them grew louder, but Shin didn't flinch. Instead, he fixed Sasuke with a piercing glare.

"You wouldn't understand," Shin said coldly. "You don't have a family anymore, after all."

The laughter cut off abruptly, the weight of Shin's words dropping like a stone into the silence. Sasuke's smirk vanished, his onyx eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

"What did you just say?" Sasuke's voice was low, almost a growl.

Shin's chest tightened, but he refused to back down. "You heard me," he said, his tone defiant.

The tension between them was palpable, a crackling energy that drew the attention of every student within earshot. For a moment, it seemed as though Sasuke might lash out, but he didn't. Instead, he turned away sharply, his fists clenched at his sides.

"Hmph," Sasuke muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're not worth my time."

He strode toward the classroom without looking back, his group of fans following in uneasy silence.

Shin watched him go, his heart pounding in his chest. A part of him felt satisfaction at having stood his ground, but another part—the part that had seen the flicker of pain in Sasuke's eyes—felt something uncomfortably close to guilt.

He took a slow breath, forcing himself to shake off the moment. I can't focus on him right now, he thought. I have my own problems to deal with!

Shin hadn't taken more than a few steps toward the classroom when a sharp voice called him out.

"Hamada!"

He stopped, turning to see both Sakura and Ino storming toward him, their expressions a mix of anger and determination.

"How could you say that to Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura demanded, her hands on her hips, green eyes blazing.

Ino was no less furious, crossing her arms as she glared at Shin. "Seriously! What's your problem? Do you think being mean to him will make you look cooler or something?"

Shin sighed inwardly. Of course. He should've known they'd come after him the moment he saw Sasuke's fan club trailing behind him.

"I wasn't trying to look cool," Shin replied evenly, though his exhaustion was beginning to fray his patience. "And maybe you should ask him why he thought it was okay to mock me first."

"He didn't mock you!" Sakura shot back defensively, stepping closer. "Sasuke-kun was just pointing out the truth! You lost to him, and instead of taking it gracefully, you said something horrible!"

"Yeah!" Ino chimed in, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Talking about his family like that—what's wrong with you?"

The weight of their accusations pressed against Shin, but he didn't waver. He crossed his arms and looked at them both with a steady gaze.

"What's wrong with me?" he asked, his voice cold. "What's wrong with all of you? Do you think it's okay for him to humiliate me in front of everyone, just because he's 'Sasuke-kun'?"

Sakura faltered slightly, but Ino quickly filled the gap. "That's not the point! You crossed a line, Shin!"

Shin took a deep breath, struggling to keep his temper in check. "Maybe I did," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "But if Sasuke can't take what he dishes out, then maybe he should stop acting like he's better than everyone else."

The girls stared at him, their anger momentarily giving way to surprise.

"Just leave me alone," Shin said tiredly, turning away. "I don't have the energy for this."

As he walked toward the classroom, the buzz of whispers followed him. But he didn't care. He had bigger things to worry about than Sasuke or his admirers.

...to be continued.

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Hi, how was this fourth chapter? Hoped you all like it!

Also, be sure to check my other novel, Hyperborea! You won't regret it!