Chōza

"Oh, the chubby one wants to try again?" Jian mocked, "Maybe you should practice for another hundred years before you think about beating me, fatso."

A collective "Oooh" echoed among the spectators. Everyone knew that calling an Akimichi 'fat' was like waving a red flag in front of a furious bull.

Choza's face turned red, not from embarrassment, but from sheer contained rage.

"Who are you calling fat, toothpick?!" roared Choza, his initial intention to teach Jian a simple lesson quickly turning into a burning desire to do harm.

Chen, watching from the side, muttered to himself, "This is going to get ugly..."

Choza charged forward with the grace of an enraged rhinoceros, his fist the size of a ham heading straight for Jian's smug face.

Jian, despite his exhaustion, managed to dodge the blow by mere inches, the air whistling past his ear.

"Is that all you've got? I've seen grandmas move faster," taunted Jian, seemingly forgetting he had just narrowly avoided a punch that could have dented a steel wall.

Choza growled, his brain working overtime. While Jian was busy laughing at his own joke, Choza saw his opportunity.

With a shout that sounded suspiciously like "Banzai!", Choza lunged at Jian, using his considerable body mass as a weapon.

Caught off guard, Jian only had time to open his eyes in horror before being flattened to the ground by the human equivalent of a dango avalanche.

"Ha! Who's slow now?" gloated Choza, sitting triumphantly on a Jian struggling to breathe.

The spectators were divided between laughter and concern.

Nawaki, still smarting from his earlier defeat, shouted, "Hit him hard, Choza! Show him what a real heavyweight is!"

Jian tried to break free, but found that fighting Choza was like trying to move a mountain of mochi.

Every punch he threw was absorbed by Choza's layers of "protective muscle."

"This is for calling me fat!" yelled Choza, throwing a punch that made Jian see stars.

"And this is for being an insufferable show-off!" Another blow landed, this time on Jian's stomach, making the Uchiha emit an "Oof!" that sounded like he'd just lost all the air in his lungs.

"And this... this is because I felt like hitting something!" Choza's fist was headed for Jian's face when suddenly, a firm hand stopped it in midair.

"I think that's enough, Choza," said Kuri, appearing out of nowhere. With an ease that made all the students suddenly feel very small and helpless, Kuri lifted Choza off Jian as if he were picking up a feather.

Jian lay on the ground, coughing and trying to regain the dignity that had been crushed along with his body. His eye was now sporting an impressive black eye that was starting to swell.

Choza, still adrenaline-fueled, scratched his head and looked at Shikaku, who was watching the whole scene with his usual "this is troublesome" expression.

"Ha! Did you see that, Shikaku? My method worked. I gave that show-off what he deserved," declared Choza, puffing up his chest with pride.

Shikaku sighed, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "troublesome" before replying, "Choza, that 'method' of yours is as effective as using a fire jutsu under water. Against real ninjas, you'd be deader than my desire to exercise."

"Eh? Why do you say that?" asked Choza, confused.

"Think about it," continued Shikaku, going into strategist mode. "If weapons were allowed, Jian could have stabbed you while you were busy using him as a human cushion. Plus, the element of surprise only works once. The next time you try that, your opponent will be prepared and you'll probably end up like a kunai pincushion."

Choza paled at the mental image. "Oh..."

"Exactly," nodded Shikaku. "So, for the sake of your future as a ninja and my mental health, don't repeat that tactic."

"That's not fair!" protested Jian, still lying on the ground and rubbing his eye. His pride was more bruised than his body. "I couldn't move with that... that..."

"Heavyweight?" suggested Nawaki with a mocking smile.

Jian shot him a murderous look. "Exactly! It wasn't a fair fight. In a real fight, I would have..."

"Do you want to check it out?" interrupted Chen, stepping forward. His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I can offer you a fair fight if that's what you want."

The training field fell into tense silence.

All eyes shifted from Chen to Jian, waiting for the Uchiha's response.

For a moment, it looked like Jian would accept the challenge. But then, the reality of his situation seemed to hit him: he was exhausted, barely any chakra left after repeatedly using his fire jutsu.

"I... uh... maybe another time," murmured Jian, slowly backing away. "I have to... uh... help my grandma with her cats."

Several students chuckled softly, and Chen simply nodded, not pressing the matter further.

His attention had already shifted to another part of the training field, where a solitary figure continued practicing, oblivious to the drama that had just unfolded.

Ignoring the curious glances of his peers, Chen walked towards Mikoto, who remained seated with her eyes closed. Her concentration was so intense that she didn't even notice Chen's approach.

"Mikoto," Chen called softly, "I think it's time to call it a day. School is about to end."

Mikoto blinked as if coming out of a trance and turned towards Chen. Her normally lively eyes showed signs of fatigue, and small beads of sweat dotted her forehead. "Is it that late already?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Chen smiled tenderly and, in a gesture that surprised several onlookers, gently pinched Mikoto's cheeks. "Time flies when you're working so hard," he said, his voice filled with affection.

A slight blush colored Mikoto's cheeks, and she looked away, embarrassed. "I guess I got carried away," she admitted, standing up.

"Mikoto," Chen began, his tone becoming more serious, "I know you want to improve, but you need to be careful. Training to exhaustion can be counterproductive and you might hurt yourself."

Mikoto nodded, but Chen could see the determination burning in her dark eyes. He knew that look well. Mikoto might appear soft and delicate on the outside, but inside her burned an unquenchable fire. When she set her mind to something, nothing and no one could stop her.

Chen sighed internally. After living together for over half a year, he had learned to read Mikoto like an open book. He knew his words of caution would fall on deaf ears, and that filled him with a sense of helplessness.

"You know," Chen said, almost without thinking, "there is a way to significantly increase your strength. You could evolve your Sharingan to the Mangekyou Sharingan."

Mikoto's eyes widened at the mention of the legendary doujutsu. "But... that's almost impossible," she whispered. "Only Madara-sama has managed to awaken it in the entire history of the Uchiha clan."

Chen bit his lip, aware that he was treading on dangerous ground. Thanks to his knowledge of the "Naruto" world, he knew exactly how to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan. He could help not only Mikoto but any talented Uchiha to reach that power. But the cost...

The trauma necessary to awaken those eyes was too high. The thought of subjecting Mikoto to that pain was unbearable.

For a moment, Chen considered a less drastic alternative.

Perhaps he could use an illusion to help Mikoto activate the three-tomoe Sharingan. But even that option carried significant risks. The psychological trauma, even if it was a product of an illusion, could have real and lasting consequences. No, that was not a viable option.

After a long silence, Chen finally spoke, his voice unusually serious. "Mikoto, I think I have a way to help you awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan," he said, choosing his words carefully. "But I must warn you, it comes at a price. And... well, there's a chance you might be angry with me afterward."

An ironic smile played on his lips as he said this last part, but his eyes remained serious.

Mikoto studied Chen's face, looking for any hint of a joke or deceit. Finding none, she let out a resigned sigh. "I don't know if I believe you," she admitted, "but... I trust you, Chen. If you say you can help me, I'll listen."

Chen nodded, grateful for Mikoto's trust. He moved closer to her, reducing the distance between them until he could speak in a low voice, away from prying ears. Mikoto, however, seemed to have deflated a bit, as if the weight of her own doubts was dragging her down.

"I don't know if I can do it, Chen," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "The Mangekyou Sharingan... it's something only the most talented of the clan have managed. What if I'm not good enough?"

Chen placed a comforting hand on Mikoto's shoulder, but his expression remained serious. "Before you go any further, there's something you should know," he said, his voice grave.

The Mangekyou Sharingan has serious side effects. Overuse can lead to loss of vision and even total blindness."

The silence that followed was heavy, almost tangible.

Mikoto stood still, her eyes fixed on a distant point as she processed the information. Chen could see the whirlwind of emotions crossing her face: shock, fear, doubt, determination.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Mikoto spoke. Her voice was soft, but firm. "I don't want that," she said simply. "I don't want to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan if it means losing my sight." Her eyes met Chen's, filled with emotion. "I'd rather see you every day than be powerful but blind."

Chen was taken aback by those words. The honesty in Mikoto's voice deeply moved him. But at the same time, his mind was already working on a solution.

"Don't worry, Mikoto," he said with renewed confidence. "I'll find a way for you to obtain the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. No side effects, no risk of blindness." Chen trusted in the system and the omnipotent store. He would not allow Mikoto to suffer for the power she so deeply desired.

Mikoto looked at him with a mix of confusion and suspicion. "Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan? I've never heard of that," she said, frowning. Chen realized he had made a slip.

All Uchiha knew of the Mangekyou Sharingan, but its eternal version was something they were unaware of.

Before Chen could elaborate, Nawaki's voice rang out from a distance. "Hey! What are you two talking about so secretly?" he shouted, his curiosity evident in his tone.

Chen rolled his eyes, irritated by the interruption. "Nothing that concerns you, runt!" he snapped back. Then, turning to Mikoto, he softened his tone. "I'll explain everything later, okay? It's... complicated."

Mikoto nodded, although Chen could see she still had many questions. However, the moment had passed, and both knew they would need to continue this conversation at another time.

The rest of the day passed with the quiet routine of ninja school. Chen couldn't help but appreciate the schedule, which ended early and allowed students with good grades to control their practice time in the afternoons. This freedom was something Chen valued greatly.

________

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