💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
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⏰ Resets Monday!
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Borderland between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning.
Kakashi slumped against a tree, the fight finally over. Every muscle ached. Sweat and grime coated his skin.
"Yo! Kakashi!"
A figure in green flashed beside him.
Might Guy's thick eyebrows were slick with sweat, his big eyes wide with energy. He wiped his forehead with a loud shwip!, beaming that insane, sun-bright smile.
"Get up! Don't be so wilted!"
"Youth should burn with energy!"
He struck a dynamic pose, eyes gleaming.
Kakashi just leaned heavier against the bark. He shot Guy a look of pure, bone-deep exhaustion. He didn't have this freak's bottomless stamina.
"Rest while you can."
"Who knows when the next fight will come."
His gaze drifted upward, through the dense canopy. Slivers of harsh, baking sun cut through the leaves. His hand rested at his side, fingers brushing against the hard edge of something in his pack.
He paused.
What…?
A pink, bento-style lunchbox slid into his palm.
"Huh?" Guy's head tilted.
The next second, the box was in Guy's hands.
"HAH!" Guy laughed, head thrown back. "Good one, Kakashi! Never knew you packed anything besides soldier pills!"
Before Kakashi could move, Guy popped the lid open.
A smell hit them. Not… unpleasant, exactly. But strange. Complex. Confusing.
Guy's throat bobbed. He plucked a piece of tempura with two fingers and tossed it into his mouth.
"Hey—!" Kakashi lunged, snatching the box back. "You idiot!"
Guy didn't respond. He just stood there, trembling.
"Guy?"
Guy's hand rose slowly, shakily, pointing at Kakashi. His face had turned a deep, disturbing shade of purple.
"This… tempura…" he choked out. "It's… poison!"
He swore on his life. He had never tasted something so utterly, catastrophically vile.
"Blegh—!"
Kakashi's initial annoyance vanished. Guy wasn't kidding. The man was gagging, dry heaving, looking like he wanted to puke up even the indestructible soldier pills from last week.
Kakashi looked from his violently ill friend to the innocent pink lunchbox in his hand, tied with a cute ribbon.
For the first time, he felt genuine, palpable killing intent emanating from a piece of crockery.
"Someone… gave this to you?" Guy gasped, clinging to the tree for support. He'd tasted Kakashi's cooking. It was bad. But not this. This was a crime against nature.
Kakashi nodded, heavy.
Elsewhere.
Heshu was watching Uchiha Juri and Sarutobi Aoki spar.
A system notification blared in his mind, abrupt and jarring.
[Ding! Target Kakashi Hatake's Favorability: 25!]
[Ding! Target Might Guy's Favorability: -50!]
Heshu froze.
What?
What?!
Kakashi's favorability dropped six points. Fine. Bad, but fine. But Might Guy's was negative? He'd never even met the man!
"System. You got a bug?" Heshu insisted. This couldn't be his fault.
The system sounded flustered. [Statistical analysis is accurate.]
It wanted to know what the hell happened too.
"Did some rat bad-mouth me to them?" Heshu rubbed his chin. "No… almost no one knows my true nature…"
Damn it!
He'd wasted three whole hours making that bento for Kakashi! That ungrateful, silver-haired jerk!
"Next match! Tsukimi Heshu versus Uchiha Shisui!"
Instructor Satō called from the roster. Worry tinged his voice. Shisui's reputation as a genius reached even non-Uchiha like him. How could Heshu's small frame handle that?
Shisui heard his name and looked at Heshu, expression serious, eyes alight with fighting spirit. He'd known Heshu was strong. How strong? Today, he'd find out.
They stepped into the center of the training ground.
"Seal of confrontation!"
Their fingers touched, then snapped back.
"Heshu," Shisui said, right foot sliding back, body lowering into a stance. "Even if it's just a test, I hope we both give it our all."
Geniuses had their pride.
"…"
Heshu didn't reply. If he gave his all, Shisui's story would end right here, right now.
Shisui moved first.
Small, but blindingly fast. A blur.
Satō's eyes widened. So this is a true Uchiha genius.
A fist swept past Heshu's cheek. He tilted his head, effortless.
Shisui's fist became a knife-hand, slashing horizontally for Heshu's face.
To Heshu, Shisui's movements seemed slowed. The trajectory was clear. He raised an arm, blocking the strike, then pushed forward, palm aimed at Shisui's chest.
Shisui flowed back, just out of range.
Satō had expected a quick end. But this… this looked like a stalemate. He leaned in.
Shisui decided to cut loose.
He pushed off the ground, a black streak. Jab. Block. Roundhouse kick.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of exchanges. Fists met forearms. Feet snapped through the air.
The entire field of watching kids was silent, mouths agape. Only the sharp thwacks of their impacts broke the quiet.
Heshu saw an opening—a slight slowing in Shisui's rhythm. He gathered power, drove a punch straight for the center.
Shisui's eyes narrowed. He twisted, an impossible contortion, letting the fist graze past him. He landed two meters away, breathing slightly hard.
Hm? Satō squinted. Analyzing the flow… Heshu seemed to have the upper hand. An orphan with basic training, surpassing the Uchiha genius? If true, that talent was terrifying.
"Heshu. Be careful."
Shisui's hands flew through seals.
Satō gasped. "A Fire Style jutsu? At his age?"
He braced himself to intervene.
"That bastard Shisui!" Aoki snarled from the sidelines, watching. "If he hurts my Heshu, I'll destroy his paradise!"
Beside him, Uchiha Juri's face twisted in disgust. "What did you say?" Someone could say something even more cringe-worthy than him? And could Aoki please check the power difference? He'd already beaten Aoki, after all.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive orb of flame erupted from Shisui's mouth. Heat licked at everyone's skin.
"Ah!"
"So scary!"
"Amazing!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Satō took a step forward.
A plume of white mist bloomed in front of Heshu.
The fireball died, smothered against a huge, glistening sphere of ice that now shielded Heshu completely.
"This is…?" Satō's face went rigid. "An Ice Release jutsu?"
A bloodline limit? This child had a Kekkei Genkai?
"A shame."
The ice sphere cracked. Under the blazing sun, a wave of unnatural cold seeped out.
"Your Fire Style is useless against me."
Heshu smiled. "Now…"
"My turn."
His pale fingers danced, a blur of motion.
Light bloomed.
"Hado #69: Raikōhō!"
Heshu kept smiling. If Shisui used ninjutsu, so could he. It was only fair.
A pillar of pure lightning erupted. It crossed the distance in an eye-blink. No time to perceive. No time to dodge.
Shisui stood frozen. His legs were lead.
"Shisui-kun!"
"Dodge!"
Several girls cried out. Was their handsome, top-ranked Shisui done for?
A hand grabbed his wrist, yanked him hard. He stumbled sideways.
BOOM!
The lightning cannon tore through the academy's outer wall, leaving a gaping, smoking hole.
Satō stared. Speechless. The repairs… they'd come out of his salary. A teacher's pay was already pitifully low!
"Heshu…?" Shisui looked at the hand gripping his, then at Heshu's face, shocked.
"We're comrades. Of course I don't want you hurt."
Heshu's smile was warm. He winked. "I believe you'll become incredibly strong, Shisui-kun! But for now, I'm a bit stronger, okay?"
[Ding! Target Uchiha Shisui's Favorability: 45!]
Yes! Up five points! Heshu's grin widened.
Shisui listened, then nodded firmly. "Un! I'll train even harder!"
Heshu patted his shoulder, eyes full of encouragement. "Do your best! With your talent, I know you'll make a name for yourself across the shinobi world!"
As for beating me?
Not happening.
Never surpass a cheater.
That's the law of this world.
Shisui would understand that truth, in time.
Heshu's smile remained perfectly kind.
"Thank you, Heshu." The encouragement warmed Shisui. Genuine.
[Ding! Target Uchiha Shisui's Favorability: 47!]
"Next group! Hyūga Gingin versus Nara Sōsai!" Satō forced the words out, burying his financial grief.
Aoki immediately sidled up to Heshu again, face pleading. "Heshu, you were amazing!"
"Aoki-kun is quite skilled too," Heshu said, smiling. Aoki had lost to Juri, but his skill for his age was legitimately impressive.
Aoki's world went mute. Everything faded. Only Heshu's voice echoed.
"Aoki-kun is quite skilled too."
"Hehehe…"
Beside him, Uchiha Juri watched Heshu with a complicated look. He said nothing.
Heshu noticed the stare. "Hm?"
"Hmph!" Juri looked away sharply. He hadn't expected Heshu to be this strong. Stronger than him, an Uchiha. Stronger than even Shisui.
Ignoring the ongoing match, Heshu turned to Shisui.
"Shisui, let's get ramen after school!"
Gotta strike while the iron's hot. The favorability grind never stops. Heshu's mental abacus clicked away.
"Eh?" Shisui blinked, then nodded. "Sure. My treat."
Quite the gentleman. Heshu smiled. "Then I'll trouble you!"
"Not at all." Shisui shook his head gently. "It's only half a day's allowance."
Heshu stiffened.
Damn.
A rich kid, right beside me.
Ichiraku Ramen wasn't cheap. Two bowls cost only half a day's allowance for him? The wealth.
"What?"
"Ramen?"
"I'm coming too!"
Aoki's previously deaf ears perked up. He bulldozed past a group of girls, inserting himself between Heshu and Shisui.
"…"
Heshu just wanted some solo Shisui bonding time. Why was Aoki everywhere?
"Heshu?" Shisui didn't agree immediately. He looked to Heshu. The invitation was his. Aoki's inclusion was his call.
As the kind, benevolent Heshu, how could he refuse?
"Of course you can come," Heshu said.
"Great! I'll pay!" Aoki thumped his chest.
Huh?
Another rich kid?
Heshu looked at him.
Aoki struck a cool pose, lips quirking. "To be honest, three bowls of ramen… it's only about a month's allowance for me. It's nothing!"
"…"
Heshu's expression turned grave.
Maybe…
Let Shisui pay after all?
Letting Aoki pay… it felt sinful. A whole month's allowance?
"Alright then." A gentle voice agreed.
Heshu turned his head, stiff.
Shisui was smiling softly, accepting Aoki's offer. Looking at that gentle curve of his lips, Heshu felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.
A term popped into his head.
White lotus, black core.
As the sky bled orange and red, the three of them headed to Ichiraku.
Dinner rush. Not packed, but every stool was taken. They waited, finally sliding into three seats.
"What'll it be, kids?" A younger Teuchi grinned, eyes crinkling into friendly slits. The kind old man aura was already there.
"I'll have the Deluxe Beef-Shrimp-Chicken Leg Ramen!" Aoki declared without hesitation. The most expensive one.
"The signature ramen for me." Shisui politely handed the menu back.
"And you, little miss?" Teuchi leaned toward the still-contemplating Heshu.
Heshu thought, then glanced at Aoki. "Can I order two bowls?"
Shisui, familiar with Heshu's appetite, didn't bat an eye.
Aoki stared at Heshu's slender frame, then nodded dumbly. "O-of course!"
Heshu beamed, handing the menu over. "Uncle! Two Deluxe Beef-Shrimp-Chicken Leg Ramen, please!"
Aoki: (皿#)
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