"It's impossible."
Uchiha Fugaku said in frustration.
"How could this trash possibly pass? He can't even refine chakra!"
Mo Yu looked innocent and replied, "Who told you I can't refine chakra? I've never admitted to that."
Uchiha Fugaku was completely taken back by Mo Yu's response, standing there dumbfounded.
"Everyone knows that you're a waste. You... You obviously can't refine chakra."
Mo Yu interrupted him coldly, saying, "Uchiha Fugaku, watch your words. Who's the waste here? I passed the exam, and that's an iron-clad fact. If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll report you for slander, even to Lord Hokage!"
Uchiha Fugaku was left speechless by Mo Yu's counter.
Indeed, as Mo Yu had said, he had never actually claimed he couldn't refine chakra—this was all based on rumors. Over the years, every time there was an exam related to ninjutsu, Mo Yu always scored zero and was never seen using any ninjutsu. These rumors snowballed into the belief that he couldn't refine chakra.
Of course, Uchiha Fugaku played a major role in spreading these "rumors," always calling Mo Yu a waste.
Uchiha Fugaku's face turned red, and he said, "If you can refine chakra, why have you been pretending to be a waste all these years? I think you have ulterior motives, maybe even a spy from another village!"
Uchiha Fugaku had thrown a pretty big accusation.
Mo Yu replied, "Idiot. Use that pig brain of yours and think carefully. If I were really a spy, why would I expose myself now? And as for hiding my strength…"
"Do you even know what it means to be low-key, to hide your abilities, or to wait for the right moment? Oh wait, you wouldn't, would you? After all, you're the young master of the Uchiha clan, so no one dares to target you, no matter how arrogant you are."
Uchiha Fugaku was enraged. "You're talking nonsense! When have I ever used my family status? Everything I have is because of my own strength!"
Mo Yu's eyes flashed with a sharp glint. "You really don't think those three lackeys follow you because of your charm, do you? Fine, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself. How about we have a match? If you can't even beat me, the lowest in the class, then you'd better stop talking about strength."
"Alright, let's fight!"
Uchiha Fugaku immediately agreed. By now, he had calmed down. After all, he came from a prestigious family and wasn't a fool. He could tell that Mo Yu was trying to provoke him on purpose.
But he still agreed, confident in his own abilities.
People from common backgrounds could never imagine the deep resources a prestigious family like the Uchihas had, from wealth, ninja techniques, and more.
Take ninjutsu, for example: a C-rank ninjutsu would be a prized possession for most commoners, but for the Uchiha clan, it was nothing special. Even B-rank and A-rank techniques were common.
As the son of the clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku had been raised with the best tutors and training since he was young, which put him far ahead of common students.
Normal students could only learn free D-rank ninjutsu, but Uchiha Fugaku might have already mastered one or two simple C-rank techniques, leaving others far behind.
There were many other advantages that he enjoyed, which Mo Yu couldn't even begin to compete with.
Because of these advantages, Uchiha Fugaku hadn't taken Mo Yu's challenge seriously. He was sure he would win.
"Even if you hid your strength, so what? You're just a poor kid. You can barely master two D-rank ninjutsu. You really think you can compete with me? Fine, you've come to me, and I won't hold back. Let me show you the consequences of going against our prestigious family. In front of the Uchiha, you're nothing!"
After making his plan, Uchiha Fugaku sneered, "A simple match is boring. How about we add some stakes?"
"Sure, what stakes?" Mo Yu replied.
He knew Uchiha Fugaku well enough to guess that the moment he challenged him, Fugaku wouldn't pass up the chance to humiliate him openly.
"It's simple. If I win, you'll run around the village and shout that you're a waste. If you win, I'll apologize to you and admit that you're a genius, stronger than me. What do you think?" Fugaku asked.
Mo Yu replied, "That's a good offer, but I'm not someone who cares about empty titles. How about something more practical?"
"Practical? What do you mean?"
"If I win, I don't need an apology, and I don't need you to admit I'm stronger than you. Just give me 100,000 ryo."
"…." Uchiha Fugaku was stunned.
That was really practical!
Many students in the class were sneering in disdain. What was supposed to be a duel had now turned into a business deal. There was no class or dignity left in it.
Mo Yu didn't care what the others thought. He loved money, always had, and wasn't ashamed to admit it.
Uchiha Fugaku sneered inwardly. "Poor people will always be poor."
"100,000 ryo is too much. The most I can offer is 10,000 ryo."
For the Uchiha clan, 100,000 ryo wasn't much, but Fugaku himself didn't have that much money at his disposal. He could manage about 50,000 to 60,000 ryo.
Mo Yu shook his head. "No, 10,000 ryo is too little. It's not worth the trouble for a young master like you. Don't you fear losing? At the very least, give me 90,000 ryo."
Uchiha Fugaku said, "I'll never lose, but I'm not an idiot. I won't risk such a big bet. I'll give you 20,000 ryo at most."
Mo Yu replied, "If you're so sure of winning, what's the problem with the amount? Fine, I'll back down. 80,000 ryo, no less."
Uchiha Fugaku said, "I can't go higher than 30,000."
Mo Yu said, "50,000 ryo, that's my final offer. Take it or leave it."
Uchiha Fugaku paused, thinking for a moment, then nodded. "Fine, 50,000 it is."
"…."
The rest of the class stared in confusion as they watched Mo Yu and Uchiha Fugaku haggle over the bet like two market vendors.
Is this really happening?
Uchiha Fugaku sighed with relief. He had been afraid that Mo Yu would back out. Finding such a good opportunity to teach him a lesson wouldn't come often.
Mo Yu, on the other hand, was even happier.
50,000 ryo! That's 50 gold coins if I convert it!
That's a huge profit!
Of course, that was assuming Mo Yu could actually win against Uchiha Fugaku.