"Qing Mu is truly a genius! He can even use the [Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms]!"
"Woah! So Qing Mu was the hidden genius at our school all along!"
"That's right! I actually used to like Sasuke so much."
After Qing Mu displayed such powerful strength, almost everyone in their class changed their tune.
After all, in the world of ninjas, strength often determines one's status.
After receiving those sixteen palms, Kiba was sent flying far from the impact, landing on the ground and spitting out blood.
"Kiba! Are you okay?" Iruka rushed over to check on him before turning to Mizuki. "Mizuki, let's end this match here. Someone already got injured!"
Mizuki certainly wouldn't agree to stop things now—the main attraction hadn't even begun yet.
Besides, someone with an agenda always knows how to sound like they're doing the right thing.
Mizuki shouted at Iruka, "Iruka! Wake up! These kids will become real ninjas someday. Can you protect them now? Will you protect them forever? Letting them go through trials and grow faster—that's what's truly best for them!"
Iruka couldn't find a reply because Mizuki indeed spoke some sense. Besides, these children had only sustained minor injuries—within acceptable limits.
The fight had to continue.
Qing Mu stood in the arena, seemingly waiting for his next challenger.
Shikamaru, who had been leaning against the wall next to Shiki, suddenly stood up straight, while Shino on Shiki's right also took a step forward.
They could no longer tolerate such provocation.
Seeing that no one stepped forward to challenge after a while, Qing Mu mocked, "Has no one got the courage to challenge me anymore? As expected, just a bunch of underachievers."
Shiki stopped Shikamaru and Shino, who wanted to step up to restore their dignity.
"Just leave it to me," Shiki said with a confident smile spreading across his somewhat sunny-looking face.
"Hey Shiki, have you even been listening to us at all?" Sakura immediately responded with obvious concern.
Ino felt equally worried; after all, Sasuke's failure and injury had already upset her greatly. Someone like Shiki, who seemed even weaker than Sasuke, would probably end up seriously injured if he went up there.
"Shiki, I think we should let Shikamaru take this one. After all, he's really smart and quite capable."
Shino awkwardly thought to himself, "Am I being ignored again?"
When Iruka heard that Shiki wanted to fight Qing Mu, he also tried to talk him out of it. "Maybe let someone else take it on, Shiki. You've barely been at the Academy four months anyway."
Was that really the case? Shiki naturally understood that Iruka-sensei was just trying to save his face.
In truth, Shiki knew even Iruka-sensei lacked confidence in him.
Suddenly, Naruto clenched his fist and shouted, "Why are you all saying so many discouraging things when Shiki wants to fight? Shiki! I believe you can definitely defeat that Byakugan bastard!"
Shiki Uzumaki couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart. After all, at least there was still someone supporting and believing in him.
Shikamaru also asked lazily, "Shiki Uzumaki, are you really sure you can win this match?"
After seeing Shiki nod, Shikamaru turned to Iruka and said, "Iruka-sensei, I think we should let Shiki Uzumaki give it a try."
Since even someone as clever as Shikamaru supported Shiki Uzumaki's participation, Iruka eventually gave in and agreed. He warned firmly, "Shiki Uzumaki, if you don't think you can win, don't be stubborn. Surrender immediately—don't get hurt again."
By now, none of the classmates could stop Shiki Uzumaki from participating anymore. Without realizing it, Shiki Uzumaki noticed that almost everyone in class was concerned about him.
It was totally different from when he first joined the class.
In this battle, Shiki Uzumaki felt as though he carried something on his back.
Victory was the only option—he absolutely could not afford to lose!
"Hey hey! Coward! If you want to challenge me, come fight properly! Don't chatter like such a girl!" Hyuga Ao called out mockingly upon noticing how much concern Shiki Uzumaki received from everyone.
But Shiki Uzumaki wasn't angry at all. Instead, he said, "Hyuga Ao, remember when I first came to Konoha—you said you'd teach me a lesson for learning jutsu?"
Hyuga Ao didn't hold back either. "And what of it?"
Shiki Uzumaki's face remained clean and handsome; his expression hadn't changed at all. He simply stated quietly, "Then let's see who exactly ends up teaching whom."
As soon as the words fell, suddenly a gust of dust surged around Shiki Uzumaki. When everyone looked back toward the spot, Shiki Uzumaki was already gone.
P.S. Don't forget to recommend this story if you like it!
[Chapter 16: Dance of the Shadow Leaves!!!]
What incredible speed!
Almost everyone wore expressions of great surprise—they truly couldn't believe this of that loser Shiki Uzumaki.
The same Shiki Uzumaki who slept away every day until evening actually possessed such speed.
Naruto, Sakura, and the rest of the class were so shocked they stood with mouths wide open. Could that total dead-last loser they used to underestimate really move this fast?
"Where exactly is Shiki Uzumaki now?" Kiba forced himself to voice the question everyone wanted answered.
Even Mizuki and Iruka, both chunin, were astonished by Shiki Uzumaki's speed.
Could this child possibly be a natural taijutsu genius?
In truth, only Shiki Uzumaki knew how much effort he'd put into reaching that speed. Right now, besides taijutsu, he couldn't use any ninjutsu at all, let alone genjutsu.
But
as long as he had speed, that would be enough!
Where is he?
Panicked, Hyuga Ao scanned his surroundings with his Byakugan, yet Shiki Uzumaki seemed to have vanished entirely from this world, as if wiped from existence.
Unfortunately, the reality wasn't quite so simple. Hyuga Ao could even sense the approaching air pressure drawing closer.
WHAM!!!
Suddenly, Shiki Uzumaki's figure reappeared, his fiery red hair especially noticeable the moment he stopped moving. Only Shiki Uzumaki knew that this mark belonged solely to the Uzumaki clan!
A straight punch exploded forward like thunder. Though simple, it carried all of Shiki's efforts over time—the countless strikes against wooden posts, the grueling push-ups. All his hard work had been building up to this moment.
Hyuga Ao braced every nerve in his body. At the very last moment, his Byakugan finally caught sight of Shiki pausing to attack.
[Launching the Gentle Fist], Hyuga Ao struck toward Shiki's chest, following along with Shiki's fist.
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