Chapter 24: Chiyo, You Tricked Me!
To be honest, Hiiro Rinko didn't actually think Pakura's actions were wrong.
If it had been an experienced shinobi, not only would they have never admitted to such a thing, they certainly wouldn't have felt ashamed for using such tactics.
After all, being a shinobi was never a noble profession. As long as you could complete the mission or eliminate the opponent, any means were permissible—even if it violated one's own morals and ideals.
This was the so-called "Heart of Non-Emotion" (Hijō no Kokoro).
Responsibility, professional ethics, a baseline human morality, personal feelings... if you couldn't balance these aspects, you would sooner or later be driven mad by the shinobi life. Rather than let that happen, it was better to retire early.
However, this was still a bit too much for a five or six-year-old child. It was normal not to understand.
In fact, this period of time, when one could still feel ashamed over such simple moral concepts, was something to be cherished.
While Cursed Users who maintained a healthy psyche from beginning to end were not unheard of, the profession produced far, far more psychopaths. Applying that logic, the shinobi profession, with its even more treacherous environment, was likely much harder to endure.
But what did other people's psychological development have to do with him?
"Haa… That was a good sweat…"
Tossing those trivial matters to the back of his mind, Rinko rotated his arms and shoulders, feeling the change in his physical condition, and was in a rather good mood.
"Practice is the sole criterion for truth" was a wise saying, no matter the era.
Simulations based purely on calculation could never fully replace actual combat. A meridian shifting because of a certain movement, Chakra flow being obstructed due to an injury... no matter how precise his calculations were in peacetime, deviations were inevitable in high-intensity combat.
At times like these, one had to rely on bodily instinct to make adjustments.
His training, which often looked like he was just making things difficult for himself, was precisely to deal with such situations.
Just then, Rinko saw Karura squeeze out of the bustling crowd and jog over to him.
"You look nervous, little rabbit."
He raised a hand to greet her.
"Because that fight was really intense."
Karura had already decided to stop correcting Rinko's nickname for her. She fell into step beside him naturally, her eyes shining as she looked at the boy. "But Hiiro-kun, you're really amazing! Even when I watch the older students spar, I've never seen such a fierce fight!"
"Hah, that's just because the older students know how to hold back."
Although he hadn't personally seen the upperclassmen fight, Rinko felt the intensity wouldn't be much different from what just happened.
According to the standards Chiyo had given him, Rasa and Pakura were undoubtedly at a genuine Genin level, skilled enough to graduate immediately if they found a suitable Sensei.
As for the older students who remained at the Academy, following the standard graduation path—while not untalented—there was still a clear gap between them and true geniuses.
Even if such students had crossed the Genin threshold while at school, their strength wouldn't be that much greater.
However, with their mental growth, their sparring would be more measured. That was something that required time to settle, not something talent alone could provide.
That's what Rinko believed.
'Hiiro-kun… seems to really like fighting...'
Karura, of course, had no idea what he was thinking. The rabbit-like girl only felt as though Rinko had become a different person. His expression, which had been manic during the fight, had returned to the same placid calm she saw when they first met.
Mentally filing this away in her 'Hiiro-kun Observation Journal,' Karura said no more, just blinking her bright eyes and quietly listening to him continue.
To be honest, compared to his excited shouts during the battle, she preferred Rinko's current calm and methodical voice.
It had a maturity that didn't belong to their age group. She liked it.
"Just now, all three of us, we all got a little carried away. Otherwise, it wouldn't have reached that point."
Rinko had no intention of hiding his own lapse in composure, so much so that his self-assessment was a bit modest. "But, well, I am pretty confident in my Taijutsu. At least among the students currently enrolled, I don't think I'd lose in a pure Taijutsu match."
'Just 'don't think I'd lose'? What an arrogant and awkward brat. But... he's not wrong.'
Misawa-sensei, who was hauling away the unconscious Rasa with one hand while listening in on their conversation, had to admit: although Rinko's statement sounded arrogant, he had the capital to back it up.
To be able to knock out a sneak attacker from behind, even from such an awkward position, and without causing serious injury… that level of Taijutsu mastery was truly formidable.
If their physical stats were equal, Misawa felt that even he might not be able to beat Rinko in pure Taijutsu.
'Kids these days are getting scarier and scarier.'
"Alright, alright! Today's sparring session is suspended! You're all free to do as you wish!"
Sighing internally, Misawa called out, then headed for the infirmary with Rasa. Even if he'd checked him over, the professional diagnosis had to be left to a professional doctor.
To avoid the fate of being punished, Misawa wasn't about to leave any room for error.
Besides, with the precedent set by those three top students, he doubted anyone else would have the heart to show off their own 'clumsy' performances.
Sensing Misawa's gaze on him, Rinko shrugged and continued chatting with Karura. "It should be lunchtime, right? Where's the cafeteria?"
"Um… the school doesn't have a cafeteria. Everyone brings their own bento."
Karura gently poked him in the side, an apologetic look on her face as she revealed this cruel news to the now-frozen Rinko.
"...Hah?"
In an instant, many scenarios, many possibilities, flashed through his mind. But in the end, only one answer remained.
Chiyo, you tricked me!
It didn't need to be said. From Rinko's reaction, it was obvious he hadn't prepared lunch.
Thinking about how he had just gone through such an intense fight and must be exhausted, Karura was about to offer to share her bento with him.
But before she could speak, a different, less-confident voice cut in first.
"Um… if you don't mind, you can have my bento."
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