A week later, on the school training ground.
Bang!
Uchiha Chiren and Minato's figures parted, each stepping back a few paces.
Minato shook his slightly numb arm, eyeing his friend with surprise. "Chiren, are you a monster? A week ago, we were evenly matched. How'd your strength and speed skyrocket in just a few days?"
Chiren glanced at his status panel; the [Physique] stat had climbed to [12].
A week of sparring with Kushina had netted him 6 Physique points.
Purely on physical prowess, he could now edge out Minato.
Chiren grinned. "It's my supreme talent and hard work, obviously. Nothing to do with some stat-boosting system!"
While Minato puzzled over "stat-boosting system," a lively cheer erupted from the sidelines.
"Chiren, stop dawdling! Beat him up! Pound him like you did me yesterday! You're the class genius!" Kushina waved her fists, her red hair practically blazing.
The instructor, Murashita Ryukawa, rubbed his forehead wearily.
Since getting close to Chiren, Kushina's fiery personality had fully ignited. Now, if someone teased her, she'd punch back without hesitation.
"Minato, crush him! You're the best! I'm rooting for you!" a jarring voice cut through the crowd.
"What'd you say, Shimura Saburo?!" Kushina spun like a cat with its tail stepped on, storming over with a fierce glare. "Take that back, or I'll beat you myself later!"
"Stinky tomato! What's it to you?!" Shimura Saburo, backed by two clanmates, didn't back down. "I can't take you alone, but three against one? We'll crush you!"
Ryukawa felt a headache brewing.
The Third Hokage had ordered him to look after Kushina, the future Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. But now, he wasn't worried about her being bullied—he was worried she'd demolish the class.
On the field, Minato's voice pulled Chiren's focus back. "Keep going? It's been fifteen minutes, and we're still tied. Call it a draw?"
Without getting serious, neither could gain the upper hand.
Chiren shrugged, agreeing.
Just then, the system chimed in his mind:
[You drew with Namikaze Minato. Please choose the entry to absorb: Physique +1, Physique +1, Physique +1]
Chiren frowned at the three lackluster, identical options.
Minato, are you even trying?
Annoyance flared as he overheard Shimura Saburo's group taunting from the sidelines, fueling his anger.
Chiren straightened, his icy gaze locking onto Saburo's crew. He called them out: "Shimura Saburo, Shimura Kasa, Sarutobi Kawa, and the two tagalongs behind them. Stop buzzing like flies. I'll take all five of you!"
The field went silent.
Saburo, mid-argument with Kushina, peeked out, exchanging glances with his group.
"Why hesitate? He's been fighting Minato forever; he's gotta be drained! This is our shot to teach him a lesson!" Sarutobi Kawa, the chubby one, decided boldly.
The five stepped forward.
Saburo's beady eyes darted, and he shouted to the teacher, "He asked for it, sensei! If he gets hurt, don't make us call our parents again!"
The kid not only looked like Danzo but had inherited his cunning. Five against one, and he still played the victim.
Ryukawa saw Chiren's confidence and nodded. He wanted these clan-backed brats to learn a lesson now, before the battlefield taught them harder.
As the five entered the arena, Kushina lit up, clenching her fists, an angry vein popping on her forehead. "Chiren! Beat them to a pulp! I'm cheering you on!"
Saburo, hearing her, whispered to his group, "Don't be scared! He's all show; he's gotta be out of stamina! Would I have agreed otherwise? Let's go!"
The five skipped the Seal of Confrontation, charging with wild yells.
Shimura Kasa, lean and agile, reached Chiren first, throwing a full-force punch. Beating a genius was thrilling, five-on-one or not.
But as his fist swung, Chiren flickered like a ghost, dodging and slipping behind him, landing two quick kicks to the back of Kasa's knees.
Thud!
Kasa dropped to his knees.
"Don't kneel!"
"Get down!"
Chiren's cold voice rang out. A whip-like kick slammed into Kasa's back, sending him face-first into the dirt, sparking laughter from the crowd.
The remaining four surrounded Chiren.
Three engaged him directly, while Saburo sneaked to the side, grabbing a handful of sand.
"Shimura Saburo, you shameless jerk! Five against one, and you're throwing sand?!" Kushina's sharp eyes caught his move.
"Disgraceful," Minato muttered.
Using tools in a ninja fight was fine, but in a five-on-one? Shameless.
"He's got no shame!" classmates echoed.
"Tch, what do you know?" Saburo snapped. "A ninja uses any means to win! My uncle taught me that!"
Chiren caught Saburo's move from the corner of his eye, a cold smile forming.
These unsteady brats thought they could gang up on him?
With a mischievous glint, Chiren dodged their punches and kicks, then stomped hard on their exposed toes—perfect targets in this world's open-toed shoes.
"Ah!"
"Ow!"
"My toes! It hurts!"
Three screams rang out. The trio lost their fight, bending to clutch their feet.
Chiren leapt, delivering a spinning kick like a battle-axe, sending all three flying.
Saburo froze, watching his allies fall, sand slipping from his hand.
How… even if he's a genius, how's he still this strong after fighting Minato?!
"Oh, you're still here."
Chiren's cold voice hit Saburo's ear.
Before he could react, a sharp pain exploded in his abdomen, sending him flying like a broken kite.
As he struggled to rise, a heavy foot pinned his chest, making his insides churn, trapping him.
Amid the crowd's mocking laughter, Saburo's eyes burned with venom. "Get your foot off me! My uncle's the Hokage's advisor! He adopted me as his godson yesterday. You're done if you mess with me!"
"Oh? Shimura Danzo?" Chiren asked.
"Hmph, you know it!" Saburo thought Chiren was scared. Seeing the foot lift, he smirked, ready to threaten more.
But as he opened his mouth, a heavier stomp landed on his face!
Thud!
Stars burst in Saburo's vision, nearly knocking him out.
Chiren continued, "You really look like Danzo. Did he adopt you because he has no son?"
Dazed, Saburo mumbled, "He… got hurt in the war… can't… have kids…"
"Oh—" Chiren's voice stretched, a brilliant smile spreading. Not loudly, but clear across the field: "So he's a eunuch!"