Daiki immediately bowed to Ryuma and begged, "Please do not report this matter to the higher-ups. I beg of you. If you do so, then we will immediately be deployed to the war, and we will definitely be given more dangerous missions. Please, we do not want that." The moment Daiki finished speaking, both Haruto and Kento also bowed deeply toward Ryuma.
"Please, we beg of you," Haruto said hurriedly.
"We will never cross paths with you again or ever come in front of you. We promise," Kento added, his voice filled with desperation.
Ryuma narrowed his eyes after hearing their words while the three of them remained bent over, not daring to raise their heads. Just at that moment, a voice suddenly rang out from nearby. "What are you all doing here?"
As soon as they heard the voice, everyone instinctively turned toward the source. Behind Daiki, Haruto, and Kento stood two members of the Konoha Military Police Force. Judging by their appearance and the fan crests displayed on their uniforms, they were clearly members of the Uchiha clan.
A chill ran down the spines of Daiki, Haruto, and Kento. They had feared this exact situation. Just moments ago, Ryuma and Kurenai had been on their way to the Konoha Police Force to report them. Now, before they could even reach the station, members of the Military Police Force had appeared right in front of them. This was the perfect opportunity for Ryuma. If he wanted to, he could simply point at them and tell the Uchiha officers everything. Sweat began forming on their foreheads as the three boys felt as if their hearts had climbed into their throats, nervously waiting for Ryuma's response.
Then Ryuma spoke. "Well, we are Ninja Academy friends. We were classmates. We were just having a reunion. Nothing more than that."
The three boys froze. Clearly, the two Uchiha clan members had seen Daiki, Haruto, and Kento bowing before Ryuma and Kurenai. It was an unusual sight, and any reasonable person could tell that something had happened between them. However, it also appeared that whatever issue existed had already been resolved. Since neither side seemed interested in escalating the matter, the Military Police Force officers had no reason to interfere. The two Uchiha clan members exchanged brief glances before nodding.
"Well, if you want to talk as a group, there's a park nearby," one of them said casually. "Go there. Don't clog the road." After giving that remark, the two Uchiha clan members turned around and left.
Ryuma watched their departing figures, his gaze lingering on the familiar Uchiha fan crest displayed on the backs of their uniforms as they gradually disappeared into the crowd. Then he let out a quiet sigh. It seems my heart isn't made of stone after all. With those Uchiha officers present, he could have easily reported Daiki, Haruto, and Kento, settling everything right there and then. Yet after hearing their desperate pleading and understanding the consequences that would follow, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to do it. Perhaps I was too soft, he thought, or perhaps I simply didn't want to ruin their lives over something that had already been resolved. He wasn't entirely sure himself.
Shaking those thoughts away, Ryuma turned toward Daiki, Haruto, and Kento. The relief on their faces was impossible to miss. Their shoulders, which had been tense the entire time, visibly relaxed, and the fear that had filled their eyes gradually faded away. They understood exactly what had happened: Ryuma had chosen not to report them, and they were deeply relieved because of it.
Ryuma said in a cold tone, "Well, I am very angry at you three. But after hearing what would happen to you if I reported this matter, I just couldn't do it. If you were deployed to the war, given high-risk missions, and ended up dying while carrying them out, then it would remain on my conscience that I was the reason for your deaths. And I don't want three nobodies like you occupying a place in my mind. Besides, although you three used to bully me, it was mostly verbal abuse. Only a few times did you actually hit me. So that is another reason. After all, that was in the past, and I am willing to let the past remain in the past."
Maybe I am just finding a reason for myself to forgive them. Sigh!
As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of Daiki, Haruto, and Kento visibly relaxed. The enormous burden weighing on their hearts seemed to have vanished, replaced by relief. Clearly, they had been terrified that he would report them, but now they finally believed they had escaped that fate. However, just as they thought everything was over, Ryuma spoke again. "Well, now that I am not reporting you, then..."
The three of them immediately looked toward him, their eyes fixed on his face as they waited for the rest of his sentence. But he never finished it. Instead, he disappeared.
To them, it was as if he had vanished right in front of their eyes as a blur flashed across their vision. The next instant, Ryuma was standing directly in front of Daiki. His fist shot forward in a motion resembling a sword thrust.
Bang!
The punch buried itself directly into Daiki's stomach. His eyes bulged as the air exploded from his lungs. Before he could even scream, his body lifted off the ground and flew backward, crashing violently into the wooden wall of a nearby building. The impact shook the wall, and cracks spread across the wood as Daiki collapsed onto the ground.
Ryuma did not stop. Using the momentum of that strike, he pivoted smoothly. His right hand sliced through the air in a diagonal slashing motion, the edge of his palm striking Kento across the torso.
Bang!
Kento was sent spinning across the street, rolling several times before coming to a stop on the road.
Continuing the movement without the slightest pause, Ryuma shifted his footing and drove another punch toward Haruto. Haruto barely had time to widen his eyes before the fist connected.
Bang!
His body was launched backward and slammed against another section of the street wall before dropping heavily to the ground.
The entire exchange lasted only a moment. By the time anyone could properly react, all three of them were lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Only then did Ryuma calmly finish his sentence. "I am going to take revenge for the beatings that you gave me."
The three of them could only groan in response. Although none of their bones were broken, the pain was clearly immense; Ryuma had held back enough not to cripple them, but not enough for the punishment to be gentle. For several moments, they remained sprawled across the ground, clutching their stomachs and sides while trying to catch their breath.
Ryuma then turned toward Kurenai. Her eyes were noticeably wide. For a moment, thinking she might have been surprised by his actions, Ryuma gave a small bow. "Well, please forgive me for wasting your time."
After hearing his words, Kurenai snapped out of her brief daze and waved her hand dismissively. "It's okay," she said. "I understand your reason very well. On the contrary, what you ultimately did, I appreciate it." Her gaze briefly shifted toward the three groaning boys, clearly understanding that Ryuma had chosen not to report them despite having every opportunity to do so.
"Thank you very much for understanding," Ryuma nodded. "Well then, if you would excuse me, I have to continue going to my field." Without saying anything further, he turned around and left.
Kurenai watched Ryuma's departing figure. As she observed him walking away, her eyes gradually narrowed, and a thoughtful expression appeared on her face. "Such physical strength..." she muttered quietly.
Even now, she was replaying what had happened moments ago: the speed, the movement, and the sheer force behind those attacks. She had seen the entire exchange, yet she had still struggled to properly follow his movements. I wasn't even able to follow his movements completely. A look of surprise flashed across her face. He is just like Guy... incredible physical strength. For a moment, she found herself comparing the boy to Might Guy. Of course, Ryuma was nowhere near Guy's level yet, (according to her) but the direction was unmistakable: a ninja specializing in overwhelming physical ability.
After a few moments, Kurenai shifted her gaze toward Daiki, Haruto, and Kento. The three boys were slowly pulling themselves up with the support of the wooden street wall, their faces pale with pain. Looking at them, Kurenai simply shook her head, then turned around and left.
…
Five days later, inside his mental space, Ryuma stood in an open field facing Zoro as a gentle breeze swept across the endless grasslands. Ryuma's eyes were covered by a black cloth, completely blocking his vision. Standing opposite him was Zoro, holding a wooden sword. For the past several days, Ryuma had been undergoing a special form of training: training his spiritual sense to perceive without relying solely on sight.
The moment the session began, Zoro disappeared. Zoro appeared beside Ryuma without producing any noticeble sound. The wooden sword swung.
Whoosh!
The attack cut through the air. Ryuma's body reacted instinctively, but it was already too late.
Smack!
The wooden sword struck him directly on the side.
"Ow!" Ryuma instantly cried out in pain as the force of the blow made him stumble several steps away.
----
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