Called

Taking advantage of a perceived opening, Neji lunged forward with a sharp palm thrust, aiming directly for Ryomaru's heart chakra point. Yet Ryomaru dodged once more, this time pivoting so quickly that his image seemed to blur for a moment. The next thing Neji knew, Ryomaru was behind him, and he felt a strong wind pressure from the swing that just missed him by inches.

The young Hyuga looked back and saw that the force from Ryomaru's last attack had left an indent in the ground. He swallowed hard. Those hits... even one would be devastating.

Unwilling to show his growing concern, Neji masked his emotions and readied himself again. He noticed Ryomaru doing the same, grounding himself as if drawing power from the Earth beneath him.

Without warning, Neji initiated his Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique, a barrage of quick and precise strikes. But Ryomaru, moving like liquid, flowed between the attacks as if skirting around stones in a stream. What was most perplexing was how Ryomaru managed to maintain his strong stance while moving so fluidly.

"For someone trained in the Cloud," Neji said, panting slightly, "your fighting style isn't what I expected."

Ryomaru grinned, "I guess that makes both of us full of surprises."

Deciding to gamble, Neji powered up a rotation, creating a sphere of chakra around him to fend off any close attacks.

Neji's rotation created a powerful shield, sending currents of chakra radiating outward. Anticipating an attack, he watched as Ryomaru stood just outside the sphere, his ice-blue eyes evaluating the situation.

"Nice technique," Ryomaru said. "Looks unbreakable."

"It is," Neji replied, confident. "Come at me and you'll find out."

Instead of charging directly at the rotation as Neji expected, Ryomaru took a deep breath and clenched his fists. The air around him seemed to chill momentarily, and he suddenly dashed to the side, circling Neji at an impressive speed. He moved so quickly that it disrupted the chakra flow of Neji's rotation, causing it to waver for just a split second.

Seizing the opportunity, Ryomaru darted in and landed a quick yet powerful punch on Neji, who staggered back, his rotation collapsing. Before Neji could regain his composure, Ryomaru appeared behind him, landing another solid blow, this time knocking him to the ground.

For a moment, silence reigned over the training ground. Neji pushed himself to his feet, struggling to catch his breath. His eyes met Ryomaru's and found not arrogance, but recognition—the recognition of one strong opponent acknowledging another.

"An exceptional fight," Neji admitted, breathing heavily.

"Likewise," Ryomaru said, offering his hand. Neji clasped it, and they interlocked their fingers in a sign of Reconciliation. The crowd erupted into cheers.

Neji gave a curt nod and then walked back to his own class.

As Ryomaru turned around, he was immediately surrounded by Hanabi, Hinata, Temari, Ino, and Sakura. They were all wearing big smiles, clearly excited by the match they had just witnessed.

"That was amazing, Ryomaru!" Hanabi exclaimed. "I've never seen anyone give Neji such a tough time before."

Hinata chimed in, "You were both incredible. It was like watching two forces of nature clash."

Ino grinned, "I bet you turned a few heads today, not just Neji's."

Temari nodded approvingly, "Your tactics were fascinating. I've never seen a style like yours, it's unlike anything from Sand or Leaf."

Sakura added, "The way you countered Neji's rotation was genius. How'd you think of it?"

Ryomaru grinned, feeling both humbled and elated. "When you train with someone like B, you learn to think on your feet."

Neji's rotation As the other students continued their bouts, Iruka approached Ryomaru, a scowl etching across his face. "Upper classes can't hold you back, Ryomaru. Who am I going to match you against?"

Chuckling and rubbing the back of his head, Ryomaru's eyes sparkled as he looked at Iruka. "How about you and I fight, Sensei?"

Iruka met Ryomaru's gaze and felt a shiver go down his spine. "I'd like to keep my reputation intact, so no," he hastily said, turning on his heels and walking away.

Ryomaru burst into laughter, watching Iruka's retreat with amusement. He then turned his attention back to his classmates, who were finishing their own matches. Hanabi, Hinata, Ino, and Sakura congregated, watching Kiba fight Temari.

After the classes, as Ryomaru was about to leave with Hanabi, Hinata, and Temari, a Konoha ANBU appeared next to them. Before the masked ninja could even approach the group, Samui materialized beside Ryomaru as if out of nowhere, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder.

"What do you want?" Samui questioned, her voice icy.

The ANBU hesitated, "Hokage-sama wants to see Ryomaru-sama," he reported.

Samui frowned. "No matter what, it was agreed that no Konoha Shinobi will approach him like this. All messages will go through us." Her tone was laced with disapproval, and her eyes glinted with protectiveness. She had a duty to safeguard Ryomaru, especially in a foreign village. Her mistrust of the masked ANBU—possibly ROOT operatives—was palpable.

Before the flustered ANBU could utter a reply, another ANBU agent appeared beside him. The newcomer bowed deeply. "I apologize for the inconvenience. This recruit is still in training."

Samui neither acknowledged nor accepted the apology, but her expression didn't soften. The seasoned ANBU sensed her unspoken message and bowed again, leading the inexperienced agent away.

Ryomaru watched the exchange, appreciating Samui's vigilant role. She was more than just a guard to him—she was family. "I guess we should go see the Hokage, then," he said, casting a glance at Samui.

Hinata frowned, "Is everything all right, Ryo?" She looked at him with concern, her pale eyes reflecting a hint of worry.

Hanabi stepped closer to Ryomaru, almost instinctively, as if wanting to offer her presence as a comfort or a shield.

Temari, already aware of what was happening, wore a relaxed expression, casually flipping her fan closed and slinging it over her shoulder.

"Don't worry," Ryomaru reassured them, his eyes twinkling. "Hokage-sama likes to keep tabs on me. It's a regular thing."

----

Read 45(15 chapters for each novel) advanced chapters in my Patreon!

patreon.com/IWriteFanfic2