Once again, it was time for the Ninjutsu test at the academy.
Sukuna stood at the front of the class, arms crossed, expression blank. He already knew how this was going to go. Still, Iruka gave him a chance like everyone else.
"Okay, Sukuna, please perform the Clone Jutsu," Iruka said with a hopeful tone.
Sukuna just sighed, raised his hands into the correct hand seal, and focused. He tried, really tried—but nothing happened. Not even a puff of smoke. Just silence.
A few snickers broke out from the students sitting behind him.
"He failed again."
"Seriously, does he even have chakra?"
"I bet he's just lazy."
Sukuna turned, glared at them briefly, then simply walked back to his seat like nothing happened. He slumped down and stared at the ceiling. "Tch. Whatever."
Sasuke, seeing Sukuna fail in the Ninjutsu test, had a moniker of amusement. Perhaps he still harbored resentment towards Sukuna for asking his sister out.
The rumors in the class after that were beyond even what Sukuna thought they would be. However, both Sukuna and Kiyomi kept their mouths shut. Even after a few brats trailed them, they didn't get to hear much of what they talked about, so the rumors were mostly in the air.
Most in the class thought that Kiyomi had rejected Sukuna. Again, Sukuna didn't care.
The entire reason he did what he did was to unearth the mystery behind one Kiyomi Uchiha. Now, knowing that Kiyomi Uchiha—or Mai Zenin to be exact—couldn't do much to him, he just ignored her entire existence completely.
To some degree, she was even more lost than he was. At least he knew who he was; that girl, though, was lost in her past life and those grievances.
As for how Sukuna even came to the conclusion that she was Mai Zenin, it was just simple acute observation and piecing things together.
This had much to do with his own reincarnation condition here. He was an exact copy of both Sukuna and Yuji in many ways.
Kiyomi, as much as Sukuna had seen, showed qualities of both Mai Zenin and Maki.
Body of the sibling who lived, with the powers and memories of the sibling who died.
And yes, Yuji is not Sukuna's memories, but since he looked exactly like Yuji, it could very well mean that this body wasn't Yuji's replica but rather his father or grandfather who was the reincarnator of Sukuna's twin.
Maybe Kiyomi too looked like the sister from JJK. He had no means to say.
So, after losing all interest in her, he just let her be.
Iruka rubbed the back of his head, looking concerned. This was becoming a pattern. No matter how many times Sukuna tried, he couldn't perform even the most basic ninjutsu. It reminded Iruka of Rock Lee, a student in the year above. He had no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu either. Maybe this was something similar.
'I should report this to the Hokage,' Iruka thought. 'Maybe he can help this boy.'
The test continued, and Sukuna barely paid attention to anyone. There were few he cared about like Naruto and Sakura.
However, their conditions were still the same. Sakura had to spend too much chakra to be able to make a normal clone, if the smoke she created was any indication. Naruto was even worse; at least Sakura had good chakra control. Naruto even lacked that, meaning he was pretty much in the same boat as Sukuna.
Sukuna ignored the test altogether until Kiyomi's name was called. Even after knowing the result, he was interested in seeing what she would do.
She walked up nervously, glancing briefly at Sukuna before facing the class.
"Kiyomi, you may begin."
She nodded. Hands shaking slightly, she formed the seals and tried to use the Clone Jutsu.
Just like Sukuna, nothing happened.
A few gasps echoed in the room. Then the mocking started again.
"What, another one?"
"Is this a Uchiha thing now?"
"Guess being Sasuke's sister doesn't mean anything!"
Kiyomi looked down. She knew the result already, but not keeping up with the expectation was a sore spot for her. Even though she died as a teen, her childhood scars ran deep.
Iruka stepped in quickly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Kiyomi. You're still new to this. You just need more practice," he said kindly.
'This partial teacher…' Sukuna snorted to himself. Why couldn't he say those comforting words to Sukuna too?
Sukuna certainly didn't need it, but it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Iruka, on the other hand, didn't even consider the possibility that she had the same strange condition as Sukuna.
Sasuke turned toward the mocking students and activated his Sharingan without a word. Sasuke knew that Kiyomi wasn't good at ninjutsu. However, to be mocked by the entire class—he wouldn't have it.
The snickering stopped immediately. A few kids gulped and looked away, suddenly finding their desks very interesting.
Kiyomi noticed and smiled slightly, grateful but quiet.
After the test ended, most students started packing up their things. Sukuna stood, planning to head home and eat something.
But just as he slung his bag over his shoulder, he saw someone marching straight toward him.
It was Sasuke.
His Sharingan was active, his face serious, and his fists clenched.
"You and me," Sasuke said sharply. "Right now."
Sukuna blinked. "What, again?"
"I'm not done yet," Sasuke said, stepping closer. "You beat me before, but I've gotten stronger."
Sukuna tilted his head, pretending to think. "You sure it's just that…" Sukuna asked with a huff.
Sasuke's eye twitched. Of course it wasn't just that—this bastard tried to ask Kiyomi out. As a brother, it was his duty to stand up.
"Stop running. If you think you're stronger, then fight me."
"Tch," Sukuna replied lazily. "I'm just not interested in beating the same guy twice."
Behind them, Kiyomi stood up, worried. "Sasuke, stop. Not now."
But Sasuke didn't listen. His eyes were locked on Sukuna. He had gotten stronger. For a few days, he had worked hard. He was confident that he could win. This time around, he'd keep his Sharingan active from the start.
Iruka noticed the tension and called out, "Hey, no fighting! Take it outside if you must, but no jutsu inside the classroom!"
Fighting was frowned upon in the academy. In fact, it was encouraged. Competition was the only thing that brought out the best among young boys. Iruka just didn't want these two brats to make a mess of the classroom.
Sukuna sighed dramatically. "Fine. Let's get this over with. Shouldn't take much time either way."
Hearing this, Sasuke had another vein pop up on his forehead. On the side, Kiyomi was the same, but her veins were popping for Sasuke.
'This idiot will kill himself one of these days.' She huffed.
At least she now knew that this Sukuna wasn't that cursed spirit who killed others for fun. However, that didn't change the fact that Sukuna was strong. Sasuke could get hurt—real hurt.
But knowing Sasuke, she just gave up. There was no point in telling her idiot brother anything; he wouldn't listen.
'He's annoying like Maki in this regard. Why do I get all the problem siblings?' She huffed to herself.
Her mental condition had actually improved a little after the one-sided talk with Sukuna. The boy not only unearthed her identity without asking a single question from her, but he also gave Kiyomi much to think about.
'He's right… I'm no longer Mai Zenin. I'm Kiyomi Uchiha. Perhaps it's not fate that followed me here to this world but rather my own weakness that makes me helpless.' The more she thought, the more her resolve to get stronger strengthened.
If Sukuna was a combination of both Sukuna and Yuji, Kiyomi was the same—a combination of both Mai and Maki Zenin.
If she had the longing for the peaceful normal life of Mai in her, then she also had the zeal and fire to get stronger and prove herself like Maki had.
Outside though… 5 minutes—that's all it took from getting out of the class, starting the match, and now Sasuke was lying on the ground while Sukuna sat on top of him with a bored expression.
"Bastard, get up. I'm not done yet. I can still fight…" Sasuke wailed beneath him.
"So annoying." Sukuna couldn't care less.
"Hehehe… Sasuke, no matter what you do, you can't beat Sukuna. Hell, I'm sure I can beat you now too." Naruto chipped in, earning ire from Sakura and other girls of the class.
"Shut up, dobe…" Sasuke chided.
"Amm… can you please get up from my brother?" Kiyomi sighed and once again came to her brother's rescue.
"Tsk… Brat look… this is how a sister should behave…" Sukuna immediately looked at Sakura, who already had a tick mark on her face.
"And you, what kind of man are you, making your sister worry? Can't you handle your own fights?" Sukuna grumbled and got up while chiding Sasuke.
Sasuke, for a second, looked embarrassed and then glared at Kiyomi instead, like asking why she interfered.
Kiyomi glared back, not backing down. Sukuna, having had enough, was ready to get going when again Sasuke stopped him.
"How did you do it?"
"HUH?"
"How did you get this strong?" he asked.
"You want to know?"
"Yes."
"Well, it started with 100 push-ups. 100 sit-ups. And a 10-kilometer run."
Sasuke was taken aback, alongside the rest of the class.
"Quit joking. I train too. That's basic workout," he shouted back in anger.
"Slow it down, will ya? Didn't you listen to me? I said it started with that. And you might train, yes… but you don't train like us," Sukuna calmly stated.
Making Sasuke blink.
"What do you mean?"
"Haha… have you seen Konoha before sunrise, boy? Come along, let we pioneer teach you the power of youth."
xxx
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