Chapter 3: Your Taijutsu is Mine
"Ahh…"
Iruka let out a deep sigh at Tsuruma Nobuyuki's words.
At this point in time, he was still a young and inexperienced teacher, not yet the firm yet kind instructor he would become in six years. At just seventeen, fresh out of the Academy himself, he lacked the authority to suppress two competitive students like Sasuke Uchiha and Tsuruma Nobuyuki.
With both of them insisting on a match, Iruka reluctantly agreed.
"Alright, both of you, form the Seal of Confrontation!"
At his command, Nobuyuki and Sasuke raised their index and middle fingers, forming half of the Tiger Seal, signaling the start of their duel.
The moment Iruka gave the signal to begin, Sasuke immediately lunged forward, his eyes filled with confidence. He had been waiting for this moment all morning.
Before he could even land his first strike, the students surrounding them erupted into cheers.
"Sasuke-kun! You got this!"
"Nobuyuki! Teach that arrogant Uchiha a lesson!"
The shouts divided neatly into two camps. The first were all from the girls, led by Ino Yamanaka, their voices synchronized in perfect harmony. It was as if they had rehearsed for this very moment.
The second set of cheers came from the boys, though they were noticeably less organized. They called out in scattered groups, with Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka shouting the loudest, making up for the lack of unity with sheer volume.
From a glance, Shikamaru Nara was off to the side, looking as uninterested as ever, while Choji Akimichi stood behind him, silently munching on a bag of chips.
Nobuyuki smirked. So, this is what it feels like to be cheered for?
Back in his previous life, he had been an ordinary student, never the center of attention unless he was embarrassing himself. Glory had always gone to top students and prodigies, and in adulthood, to the wealthy, charismatic, and well-connected.
Now, for the first time, all eyes were on him.
"Thank you, System," Nobuyuki thought.
With that, he focused on Sasuke, who was now just a few feet away.
Extract Chakra!
In an instant, his chakra surged, skyrocketing from 10 to 100. His entire body felt lighter, faster—his senses sharpened, and his reflexes quickened.
Sasuke, expecting an easy victory, smirked. This guy hasn't even moved. He must be frozen in fear.
"As expected, the Uchiha are the strongest," Sasuke muttered under his breath.
But just as his fist was about to connect—
Whoosh!
Nobuyuki sidestepped effortlessly.
What?!
Sasuke's eyes widened.
He swung again. Nobuyuki dodged.
A third strike—another miss.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, frustration growing with each failed attempt.
"Are you just going to run?!" he snapped, panting slightly.
Nobuyuki chuckled. "If you insist… then I'll attack, Sasuke."
The moment he spoke, he surged forward. His speed was even greater than before, closing the distance in an instant.
Sasuke had no time to react.
BAM!
A clean punch struck his chest, sending him flying backward.
The impact knocked the wind out of him. As he tumbled through the air, a realization struck him.
That movement… it's mine!
"You…!" Sasuke coughed, struggling to his feet. "You stole my taijutsu!"
The crowd blinked in confusion.
"Steal?" someone murmured.
"What's he talking about?" another student asked.
To the average observer, it looked like a normal Academy-level brawl. But Sasuke knew better. The way Nobuyuki had moved, the way he had delivered that punch—it was an exact copy of the techniques Itachi had drilled into him.
Iruka narrowed his eyes. That was an advanced counter. Did he really learn it just from watching Sasuke?
Nobuyuki dusted off his hands. "Steal? Not quite. I simply imitated it."
Sasuke clenched his fists. He knew all too well that the Uchiha clan's Sharingan had the ability to copy techniques. It was a trait that made them feared across the ninja world.
The phrase "Your jutsu is good. I'll be taking it." was practically an Uchiha motto.
But now, someone had done the same to him—without a Sharingan.
And worst of all—he couldn't deny it.
"You—!" Sasuke's face turned red with frustration.
Meanwhile, Nobuyuki grinned.
At that moment, a notification flashed in his mind.
New Skill Acquired: Taijutsu (Lv1) 10/100
Nobuyuki's eyes gleamed.
So, I can gain experience just by fighting…
He looked at Sasuke as if he were a walking treasure chest.
"How about another round, Sasuke?" Nobuyuki asked, stretching his arms.
Sasuke scowled. "Tch… fine!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Nobuyuki lunged again.
+7 EXP
Another hit.
+5 EXP
A second.
+5 EXP
A third.
The more he fought, the more his skill improved. It was exhilarating.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was growing increasingly frustrated. Every move he made, Nobuyuki countered with even greater speed and efficiency.
This guy… he's getting better as we fight?!
By now, the damage was piling up. Sasuke's small frame was battered, his movements slowing.
And yet—
"I… I can still fight!" he growled, staggering to his feet.
Iruka ran a hand through his hair, feeling a headache forming. "Sasuke, that's enough! This isn't a real battle—"
"But I can still fight!" Sasuke snapped.
Nobuyuki tilted his head, genuinely surprised. This kid's stubborn.
A part of him respected it.
Another part of him wanted to see just how much more experience he could grind out of him.
"Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's keep going."
He lunged forward—
"That's enough!"
A firm voice cut through the air.
The entire class froze.
Standing at the edge of the training ground was none other than Mizuki, Iruka's fellow instructor.
Iruka sighed in relief. Mizuki may have been a questionable individual, but at this moment, his presence was a lifesaver.
"Nobuyuki, you've proven your point," Mizuki said, arms crossed. "Any more, and it'll just be bullying."
Nobuyuki hesitated, then shrugged. He had gotten plenty of experience out of this match anyway.
Sasuke, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to argue—but his body wouldn't let him. He was barely standing as it was.
Iruka clapped his hands. "Alright, that's the end of the match. Everyone, back to class."
As the students slowly filed inside, Ino approached Nobuyuki.
"You were amazing!" she gushed. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"
Nobuyuki smirked. "Just picked it up along the way."
Ino pouted. "You're just saying that!"
Meanwhile, Sasuke trudged ahead, his face unreadable.
But as he passed Nobuyuki, he muttered under his breath—just low enough for only him to hear.
"Next time… I'll win."
Nobuyuki grinned.
"We'll see, Sasuke."
With that, the first real fight of his new life came to an end.
And for Nobuyuki, it was only the beginning.