Iruka sighed helplessly as he watched Sasuke's retreating figure.
This was the third time this month; every time Sasuke lost to Naruto, he would storm off in a huff like this.
"Next group," he said, looking at the list, "Menma versus Hinata!"
The entire training ground instantly fell silent.
Menma blinked, suspecting he had misheard: "Iruka-sensei, can't I be excused?"
"No," Iruka said, his face stern, "This is a mandatory course; everyone must participate."
He leaned closer to Menma and lowered his voice: "Just be careful. Hinata is too gentle."
Menma's lips curved slightly: "Understood."
Teasing young girls… he loved it the most!
"Ahem…"
Menma walked to the center of the field and bowed formally: "Hinata, please enlighten me!"
"Eh?!"
Hinata trembled, her fair cheeks instantly flushing crimson. Under the gaze of the entire class, she stood rooted to the spot like a startled bunny, completely at a loss.
"Hinata!"
Iruka encouraged her, "Believe in yourself!"
Hinata took a deep breath and nervously stepped forward.
Her slender fingers formed the Gentle Fist stance, veins bulging at her temples: "Me-Menma-kun... please... please enlighten me…"
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, but in those pure white eyes, a faint, almost imperceptible resolve flickered.
Menma raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
It seemed even this shy little bunny had moments when she bared her fangs.
Menma stood still, quietly watching Hinata.
The girl's slender arms trembled slightly, and even her Gentle Fist stance seemed cautious.
"It's alright, Hinata," he said, softening his voice and offering an encouraging smile, "You can do it!"
"Yes…"
Hinata took a deep breath and finally gathered the courage to charge forward. Her movements were light as a butterfly, but due to her extreme nervousness, Menma easily dodged them.
When her wrist was enveloped by his warm hand, Hinata froze completely, her face instantly turning as red as a ripe apple, looking as if she was about to faint.
Menma was startled and quickly let go: "Your strength is too weak! Put some more effort into it, Hinata!"
He gave a thumbs-up, "You're the best!"
"Yes!"
Encouraged, Hinata attacked again, her moves noticeably sharper this time. But whenever she was about to strike a vital point, she would unconsciously pull back her strength, her soft palm winds gently brushing past Menma's clothes.
Menma frowned slightly. This was hardly the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. Neji was lethal when he sparred with him.
—This girl was too kindhearted.
He sighed inwardly; it seemed he would have to properly train her.
On the sidelines, Naruto was picking his nose boredly: "Big brother isn't like this when he fights me…"
"Sigh…" Shikamaru squatted on the ground, propping his chin with his hand, "This kind of troublesome thing looks exhausting."
Ino, however, watched with sparkling eyes. This gentle sparring method… she wanted to try it too!
Iruka rubbed his forehead, sighing.
Just now, Naruto and Sasuke fought like mortal enemies, and now these two were being as polite as if they were dancing a ballroom dance.
Students nowadays were becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
The atmosphere in the arena grew increasingly awkward; this was hardly a Ninja duel, but rather like a duet dance.
Menma sighed helplessly, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Hinata's slender wrist, gently pulling—
"Ah!"
Hinata, caught off guard, lost her balance and tumbled into Menma's arms. Their bodies pressed tightly together, and Hinata could even smell the faint scent of sunlight on him.
"Ah?!"
The entire field erupted instantly.
Hinata felt the world spin, her cheeks so hot they felt like they were smoking. Her legs went weak, and she felt as if she was melting, only kept from collapsing by Menma's support.
"Too sly, Hinata!"
Ino stomped her foot in anger, veins bulging on her forehead, looking like a furious lion cub. If Sakura hadn't held her back tightly, she would have rushed over to separate the two.
Karin stood motionless, unconsciously biting her lower lip, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
"Mmm…"
Just as Menma was about to say something, he suddenly felt a lightness in his arms—
"Bang!"
Hinata delivered a heavy headbutt to his nose. Taking advantage of his pain and loosened grip, she fled like a startled rabbit, leaving only a panicked retreating figure.
The veins on Iruka's forehead twitched.
He silently made a note in his lesson plan: From now on, absolutely, absolutely no more sparring between these few!
Menma rubbed his reddened nose, watching Hinata's retreating form, a smile playing on his lips.
This shy girl actually had quite a bit of power when she burst out… On the way back to the classroom, Menma caught a glimpse of Mizuki-sensei walking towards a sulking Sasuke.
He paused, frowning slightly.
The Mizuki in his memory wasn't a good person.
"Naruto, come here."
Naruto, who was chasing and playing with Shikamaru and a few others, ran over at the sound, a few blades of grass clinging to his golden hair: "What's up, big brother?"
"Follow Sasuke after school."
Menma lowered his voice.
"Huh? Why?" Naruto scratched his head, looking confused.
"I suspect someone is planning something," Menma narrowed his eyes, "Keep an eye on him; don't let him do anything foolish."
Naruto's eyes instantly sharpened: "Understood!"
Sasuke indeed did not go straight home, but instead stealthily slipped out of the school gate.
Menma gave Naruto a look, and Naruto immediately followed quietly.
"Karin, you can go home first."
Menma turned to instruct the red-haired girl, then headed towards the secret training ground.
Tenzo was currently instructing Shin and Sai in basic Ninjutsu, while Uchiha Shisui was practicing shuriken throwing on the other side. Amidst the sharp whizzing of kunai cutting through the air, each one accurately hit the bullseye a hundred meters away.
"Shisui-nii," Menma walked up, "Can you spar with me for a bit?"
"Swish—"
The last shuriken arced gracefully through the air. Shisui turned around, smiling wryly: "Menma, your strength has long surpassed mine. There's no point in sparring with me, is there?"
"Please," Menma bowed slightly, "I want to confirm my capabilities."
Shisui was slightly taken aback—why did those words sound so familiar? They were almost like a certain brother-complex's catchphrase.
"Alright," he said, spreading his hands helplessly, "I don't have anything else to do anyway. Just go easy on me."
Shisui slowly drew his Ninja blade. His aura suddenly changed, and he became like a drawn sword, its sharpness fully revealed.
Menma took a deep breath and assumed a fighting stance.
Everyone else on the training ground had already retreated to a safe distance, holding their breath and intently watching this pinnacle duel.
"Be careful!"
Before he finished speaking, Shisui's figure suddenly split, and several illusions surrounded Menma. These illusions were difficult to distinguish between real and fake; each one could be Shisui's true body.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"
Menma instantly threw several Flying Thunder God Kunai.
He knew that Shisui's "Body Flicker Technique" had a similar effect to the Flying Thunder God, allowing his true body to switch freely between illusions.
Just as the kunai were about to land, Menma's figure suddenly vanished!
"Clang!"
Sparks of metal collision flew. Menma's kunai accurately aimed for Shisui's throat, but only sliced through an afterimage. Shisui's true body had already instantly moved to another illusion's position, simultaneously forming hand signs at lightning speed:
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique: Crimson Claw!"
More than a dozen shuriken, wrapped in fierce flames, whistled out, not only blocking Menma's retreat but also cleverly covering all the Flying Thunder God Kunai.
"What an exquisite tactic!" Menma's pupils constricted slightly, his hand signs forming as fast as lightning: "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A giant water vortex appeared out of nowhere, its swirling wall completely blocking the scorching flames.
"He can actually use Water Release of this scale in a place without water!" Tenzo's eyes widened in shock.