The thought made Ebara feel like a million ants were crawling in his chest.
Unbearable!
"Chase!" he barked at Tsunade.
She nodded, clearly thrilled.
Playing the bad guy was kind of fun.
Now she got why Ebara always acted so cheeky—it was invincible and satisfying.
They sped after Fugaku and Mikoto's trail.
Fugaku was fast for his age, but carrying Mikoto slowed him down.
Against Tsunade? No contest.
In under a minute, they blocked his path.
"Jie jie jie!" Ebara cackled. "Uchiha kid, where you headed?"
"Fugaku-nii, put me down and save yourself!" Mikoto pleaded from his arms.
Fugaku stayed silent, eyeing Ebara and Tsunade warily. "Leave now, and we'll pretend this never happened."
Ebara chuckled. "Pretend nothing happened? No way."
"I've been prepping for this moment."
After today's frustrations, he was ready to vent.
"What do you want? Money? Something else?" Fugaku asked, turning to the more familiar "Ichiro Ginkai." "I'll give it, just let us go."
Tsunade, stroking her chin, said, "Your words, not mine."
"My words," Fugaku said, stalling.
"Then I want… her!" Tsunade pointed past Fugaku to Mikoto.
Mikoto trembled.
"No way!" Fugaku snapped.
"No deal then," Ebara said coldly.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Fugaku pressed his hands to his mouth, spewing a blazing wave of fire at Ebara and Tsunade.
They dodged swiftly.
The Great Fireball, more a greeting than a threat, couldn't touch them.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
A wall of water surged up, dousing the flames.
As the fire vanished, Fugaku was already sprinting with Mikoto.
"Stop right there!" Tsunade roared.
She stomped, launching into the air, arcing to land on their path.
Ebara flanked from behind, cutting off escape.
"Better surrender," Ebara said, grinning.
Fugaku glanced at Tsunade ahead, then Ebara behind.
Gritting his teeth, he charged Tsunade.
She smirked.
He picked her as the weak link?
Fine, she'd play along.
Transformation Jutsu limited her, but Fugaku still couldn't touch her.
Every fierce attack he threw was anticipated, effortlessly dodged.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Water Shockwave!"
The flames were snuffed out instantly, a towering water column crashing toward Fugaku.
He couldn't dodge, slamming into a tree.
"You're no match for us. Give up," Ebara said, riding Tsunade's coattails.
Fugaku, slumped on the ground, gasped for air.
Then he stood, charging Tsunade again.
She handled him with ease, not letting him land a single hit.
Fugaku was knocked back repeatedly—a one-sided thrashing.
"Stop, please stop!" Mikoto cried.
Ebara chimed in, "You can't kill him like this!"
Mikoto: "…"
As she spoke, Tsunade's palm struck Fugaku's back, sending him sprawling.
He was just a kid. Even with Tsunade holding back, his body ached, heavy as lead.
Still, he stood, eyes blood-red, burning with rage.
From birth, this was his greatest crisis, his deepest humiliation.
Fury consumed him.
A fire blazed in his mind, desperate for an outlet.
Ebara and Tsunade noticed something off.
"Is he about to awaken the Sharingan?" Ebara thought, startled.
"I heard from my great-grandfather," Tsunade whispered, "Uchihas can awaken the Sharingan under intense emotional stress. Fugaku's supposedly this generation's genius. It's not impossible now."
Ebara nodded.
In comics and novels, protagonists awaken new powers in desperate moments.
Fugaku's Sharingan moment seemed near.
"I gotta help him out," Ebara thought.
The ninja world was in a calm before the storm.
Another Sharingan meant more strength for Konoha—a win.
"His anger's not enough," Ebara mused. "Time to add some fuel, some spice, to push him over the edge."
"How do villains do it?" he thought. "Right—humiliation."
Humiliating people? Ebara's specialty.
He flashed in front of Fugaku, raising his hand for a resounding slap.
Nothing was more humiliating than a slap to the face, especially for a guy in front of his crush.
The swing looked dramatic but had little force, landing hard on Fugaku's cheek.
Slap!
The sound echoed through the forest.
Ebara had his follow-up lines ready to enrage Fugaku into awakening the Sharingan.
"Keep it up, little Fugaku!" he cheered. "You'll thank me forever!"
He was nearly moved by his own selfless spirit.
"Man, I'm such a helpful guy," he thought. "Meeting a senior like me is your luck."
But then, unexpectedly—
Fugaku's red eyes rolled back, his body twitched, and with a thud, he collapsed, unconscious.
Ebara: "…"
Tsunade: "…"
Mikoto: "Wah—!"
Ebara was dumbfounded.
It wasn't that hard a slap. How'd Fugaku pass out?
Where was the unkillable cockroach spirit?
Where was the adrenaline-fueled awakening?
Where was the clutch power-up?
One light slap, and you're out?
Are you scamming me?
"I was trying to help!" Ebara wailed internally.
"Why'd you knock him out?" Tsunade whispered, annoyed.
Ebara's face fell. "Would you believe I was helping him?"