Chapter 36: Challenge

This boy, because of his chubby appearance, was ostracized by his peers. He had few friends in class and a very narrow social circle. During classes, he always listened attentively. Even after school, he would go home and train himself, diligently improving his skills with the demeanor of a good student.

"Even though I don't usually pay attention to such things, I'm not deaf. The commotion you guys have created is impossible for me to not notice."

"Well, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, I am planning to have a big fight with them after school..." While saying this, he glanced at the front row, where students with different family crests embroidered on their clothes were sitting.

[Is this what a genius looks like? Truly fearless.]

[The Uchiha really live up to being the first prestigious family of Konoha. Even when faced with the alliance of those few major families, they remain tough and unyielding.]

Ryo Shihou had come to understand his deskmate over a year of interaction. He would sit quietly at his desk reading every day with a cold expression but was surprisingly easy to talk to. Whenever asked about training issues, he would always answer seriously and explain the reasons behind his answers, allowing him to understand both the how and the why.

These pieces of knowledge were always kept secret within ninja circles and were never taught outside of close family or true teacher-student relationships. His deskmate was powerful, knowledgeable, and, unlike most family heirs, did not look down on ordinary civilian students. He was also gentle, and 'most importantly, didn't despise him for being fat.'

As he felt Toshiro's gaze, a boy with a yellow ponytail in the front row turned around and glared at him. This seemed to trigger a chain reaction. The spiky-haired kid beside him and even the nearby classmates all turned their heads to give him the side-eye...

"You lot! Is my lesson really that dreadful to listen to? You disappoint me immensely, you are the worst batch of students I've ever taught. All of you, go stand in the hallway as punishment!"

Facing the blackboard and drawing the flight trajectory of a shuriken with chalk, Mr. Aoyama suddenly turned around, his face full of anger. Even the veins on his bald head, shining under the sunlight, were bulging. 

The front-row kids' blatant behavior couldn't escape the middle-tier ninja, Aoyama Ryousuke's notice. To maintain classroom order and his dignity as a teacher, he ruthlessly kicked out the annoying kids from the classroom.

[Idiots! Now everyone's getting punished!]

[Mr. Aoyama really packs a punch. Even the dust on the podium seems to be jumping in fear!]

[That yellow-haired Yamanaka kid has quite the keen senses. He reacted just from a passing glance.]

Outside the classroom, the front-row family heirs didn't seem intent on letting Toshiro off. Each one glared sharply at him, their eyes as lethal as daggers.

Toshiro didn't bother engaging with them, merely sweeping a disdainful glance their way. However, with his stature slightly taller than most his age, it seemed to the other kids like he was looking down on them.

Ordinarily prideful Sarutobi Ruyi couldn't tolerate this provocation. Usually, he was the one looking down on people with 'contemptuous' eyes. Ready to roll up his sleeves and confront his adversary, he thought, "Even though our opponent's the top student, we're six against one. No way we're backing down!!!"

"Ruyi, calm down! The teacher is still inside the classroom. Picking a fight now would only make us look like fools. Let's settle this after school."

The spiky-haired kid beside him sighed in relief as Sarutobi calmed down. As the Hokage's nephew, his pride was sky-high, unable to tolerate even a slight from a single glance. 

[It's probably because he's always beaten by Toshiro in class that he's so annoyed.]

[This guy really is a freak. Whether it's Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, or theories, he's number one in every field.]

The so-called 'settling' seemed quite childish to Uchiha Toshiro. It was just a bunch of guys who couldn't stand each other deciding to duke it out in the small forest behind the school after classes. Yes, it was a 'challenge.' This made Toshiro sigh at how tough-skinned the kids in the ninja world were, living by the motto of 'fear nothing, fight everything.'

['Ruyi,' huh. An interesting name! Inspired by Enma's transformation technique, perhaps?]

[Though bullying classmates... hmm! That could be fun occasionally.]

Ignoring the rage of Sarutobi Ruyi, Toshiro stood in the hallway, watching the reserve ninjas training outdoors. He slowly smiled, his eyes narrowing into slits.

In his past life, trying to pass that metaphorical single-plank bridge, he ignored everything outside his studies during school. Hence, he missed out on many wonderful memories.

During class reunions, while everyone reminisced about their youthful foolishness, he could only listen quietly from the side. This time, having the chance to make up for that regret, why not go for it?

This time, the Einsteins from the Uchiha clan and the pig-deer-butterfly trio, along with the Sarutobi clan heirs, planned to settle their grudges in the small forest after school.

The cause was quite simple. A year and a half ago, Uchiha Mamoru had lost to Akimichi Kazuto in a taijutsu sparring class. After six months of hard work, he managed to win back his pride. The two had since regarded each other as rivals, facing off every taijutsu lesson arranged by the teacher, with wins and losses equally split. Recently, Uchiha Mamoru lost once again, snapped and called Kazuto a 'fat pig,' leading to an uncontrollable chain of escalations under some people's deliberate guidance.

What started as a conflict between two people gradually involved their entire grade, and subsequently, their respective families. The Yamanaka and Nara clans, aligning themselves with the Akimichi, got dragged into the fray. Even with the trio's combined strength, they still felt insufficient against the Uchiha, hence roping in the Sarutobi and other clans. The heads of these ninja clans unanimously decided to teach these unruly Uchihas who the real 'boss' in the school was.

(End of the Chapter)