"Hey, I'm talking to you, did you hear me?"
Seeing Ryun remain silent, Kushina immediately glared at him fiercely.
"Ah... yeah yeah..."
Soon, the battle began at Instructor Koda's signal.
When Takahashi Sayaka saw Ryun enter the field, she smiled sweetly and politely greeted him:
"Ryun-kun, please go easy on me..."
"Uh... I'll try..." Ryun replied with a smile.
"Ahem..."
Kushina suddenly coughed twice.
The next moment, Ryun immediately launched an aggressive attack.
'You know what's good for you...'
Kushina curled her lips upward, a smug expression appearing on her face.
After just a few rounds, Ryun's kunai was already pressed against Takahashi Sayaka's neck, ending the battle.
"Ryun-kun is really so strong!" Takahashi Sayaka looked at Ryun with eyes full of admiration and little stars.
When the two formed the Reconciliation Seal, Takahashi Sayaka secretly scratched his palm...
"!!!"
Realizing he had just been teased by a girl, Ryun quickly withdrew his hand and then guiltily glanced at Kushina.
Fortunately, due to the angle, Kushina didn't notice Takahashi Sayaka's flirty little move. Otherwise, Ryun felt this little minx might have gotten beaten up...
Seeing Ryun lower his head and return to her side, Kushina frowned suspiciously:
"Why do you look so guilty?"
"Ah? What guilty look? No way... don't talk nonsense..." Ryun hurriedly replied.
"Why are you so nervous? The more I look, the more suspicious I get. Are you hiding something from me?"
Kushina looked doubtful, even bringing her face close to Ryun's to detect any abnormality.
"What could I possibly hide from you? Don't overthink it. It's broad daylight, in front of so many people, what could I even do..."
Ryun gave an awkward laugh, then actively reached out to pinch her round cheeks.
Kushina blinked, finding this reasonable, then lightly swatted away his mischievous hand, her face flushed with shyness:
"So many people are watching... don't be so handsy..."
"If I can't be handsy when there are people, does that mean I can when no one's around?"
"You're so annoying..."
Takahashi Sayaka: "..."
Namikaze Minato: "..."
Onlookers: "..."
Their intimate behavior had already been noticed by many... They were probably the most famous CP couple in the Ninja Academy, making it hard for others not to pay attention...
After all students finished their first round of battles, the morning session concluded.
In the classroom, Ryun took out an oversized lunchbox, packed to the brim with a rich variety of dishes. The unique aroma made nearby students drool with envy.
Kushina sat closely beside him, then took out bowls, chopsticks, rice balls, and drinks from her bag.
The two had agreed before school yesterday that they would eat together from now on. Ryun would prepare the dishes while Kushina handled the rest.
"Too bad it's all cold food, and there's too much meat..." Kushina commented while eating.
During summer break, she had frequently mooched meals at Ryun's place. After getting used to hot stir-fried dishes, her palate had become pickier.
"It can't be helped. Meat is still edible when cold, but vegetables don't taste good when cold," Ryun casually explained.
"It's delicious, but eating too much meat will make me fat... I've gained some weight recently..." Kushina said worriedly.
"..."
"You're still growing, so of course your weight will increase... Who isn't the same?" Ryun rolled his eyes at her.
"Eating meat won't make you fat... If you're worried, just eat fewer rice balls and juice, then you won't gain weight..."
As he spoke, Ryun placed a piece of beef in her rice bowl.
"Is that so? But why do I feel like my face is getting rounder?" Kushina muttered softly.
Hearing this, Ryun found it both funny and exasperating.
"You're already a big tomato to begin with. Without a round face, would you still be a tomato? You'd just be a little pepper..."
Ryun started laughing at his own words, even spitting out some rice...
"Don't make me slap you during mealtime!"
"..."
Afternoon.
The one-on-one battles continued. Aside from Instructor Koda, another teacher recorded each student's specific abilities.
Student rankings and profiles would be updated in real time during combat classes.
"Number 13, Uzumaki Kushina... versus... Number 14, Uchiha Ryun!"
"!!!"
"!!!"
When their names were called, Kushina and Ryun both widened their eyes in disbelief. They hadn't expected to face each other so soon...
Fortunately, the two already had a strategy prepared beforehand, with the outcome decided before the fight even began.
However, Ryun wanted to tease the little girl, so during the fight, he deliberately engaged in physical contact, making it seem like they were dancing together...
In fact, the onlookers weren't wrong—Ryun had indeed led Kushina through several dance moves...
For example, holding her hand and spinning her around, or lifting her overhead and twirling her. The combination of taijutsu and dance created a uniquely beautiful aesthetic!
Kushina was both embarrassed and amused, torn between anger and laughter, her entire face turning into a giant tomato.
This scene made many people green with envy. Most, including the teachers, gaped in stunned silence...
Everyone felt like they'd been force-fed a huge pile of dog food.
"Teacher, I want to report these two! They're openly dancing and flirting during combat. This is completely disrespectful to their classmates and teachers!"
The little incel couldn't stand the happy couple's antics and immediately raised his hand to loudly accuse them.
His voice snapped everyone out of their daze, and many instinctively nodded, clearly opposed to such shameless public displays of affection.
"Ryun, Kushina, please take the battle seriously," Instructor Koda warned after regaining his composure.
"..."
"..."
The two had been having fun, so being interrupted was a bit of a buzzkill. But in the end, Ryun waved his hand and voluntarily surrendered.
'I didn't know Ryun could dance. I need to find time to have him teach me...' Kushina thought shyly, her head lowered.
Ryun's ability to entertain was top-notch, and Kushina always found new sources of joy in him.
The battle between the Black and Red Duo ended abruptly, leaving many students disappointed at missing a real fight.
Especially regarding Ryun—within the academy, the Uchiha clan had spread rumors about his incredible strength, yet very few had actually seen him demonstrate it.
Many still viewed him as the "tomato's little sidekick." After all, those who talked big usually couldn't fight well. They figured if Ryun were truly strong, he wouldn't always hide behind a girl while running his mouth...
Moreover, Ryun had been weak before, leading many to doubt he could become so powerful in just a few months.
'If Ryun forfeits, does that mean I won't get to fight him next?'
Minato felt a pang of regret. His most desired opponent was actually Ryun, since he'd once witnessed Ryun instantly defeat a genin...
But if he wanted to become the top-ranked first-year, the rules dictated he could only match against undefeated opponents.
Unless he lost once too... then they might have a chance to fight.