Thud.
Uchiha Sasuke fell from the tree once again.
Kitazawa nodded slightly.
Even after crashing down hard enough to bruise his face, Sasuke didn't make a sound.
To earn praise from Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi, he was pushing himself to the limit.
Unfortunately, even after an entire class period, he still couldn't make it cleanly to the top.
"Sasuke."
Kitazawa spoke up to stop him.
"That's enough for today. Continue tomorrow."
"Teacher Kitazawa, you go ahead."
Sasuke insisted stubbornly.
"Haste makes waste."
Kitazawa shook his head.
"Only by balancing tension and relaxation can you train effectively."
Sasuke froze.
He didn't fully understand the words—but they felt right.
Combined with the shock of that massive Great Fireball earlier, he hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
"After you get home, see a medical-nin to treat your injuries."
"Mm. Thank you, Teacher Kitazawa."
Sasuke limped toward the academy gates.
Kitazawa returned to the training ground.
Class was over, and most of the students had already gone home.
Only Naruto and Hinata remained.
"Teacher Kitazawa!"
Naruto sprinted over, excitement written all over his face.
"I hit it!"
"Hit what?"
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
"The bullseye!"
Naruto shouted.
"Congratulations."
Kitazawa paused, then added,
"But don't get arrogant. This is just the beginning."
"Yes!"
Naruto nodded vigorously.
"See you tomorrow."
Kitazawa patted his shoulder.
"The next practical class will use moving targets."
"I'll work hard!"
Naruto, utterly unfamiliar with the concept of fear, waved enthusiastically and ran off.
"Hinata."
Kitazawa smiled gently.
"Nervous?"
"A little…"
Hinata looked at his calm expression and felt some of the tension melt away.
"Let's go."
Kitazawa extended his hand.
Hinata froze for a moment, then instinctively took it.
The warmth made her cheeks flush.
They left the academy together and arrived at their meeting spot—a small forest.
The familiar surroundings made Hinata's heart tremble.
This was the place.
The last time she encountered those three boys was here.
The only difference was that last time it was snowing.
Today, the sky was clear.
"They're not here yet. Let's set up an ambush."
Kitazawa thought for a moment before speaking.
Hinata looked up at him, confusion on her face.
"I am still a teacher, after all."
Kitazawa coughed lightly.
A teacher disciplining students—wasn't that perfectly normal?
Hinata blinked.
Still didn't get it.
"I can tell—you really don't get it at all."
Seeing her dazed expression, Kitazawa gently pinched her soft cheek.
Hinata's face flushed even redder, pale skin tinged with pink.
"Hinata, remember this."
Kitazawa's voice turned serious.
"If you want to overcome fear, you have to face it head-on."
Hinata pressed her lips together, then nodded, determination appearing in her eyes.
When she looked up again—
Kitazawa was gone.
For some reason, fear surged back into her chest.
She took a deep breath and turned toward the sound of approaching footsteps.
Three boys emerged from the distance.
"So you really came alone?"
Toranosuke glanced around, surprised.
"Does she think she can take the three of us by herself?"
The boy on the left snapped angrily.
"Boss, she's looking down on us!"
"Hey!"
Toranosuke stepped forward and shouted,
"What do you mean by this?!"
Hinata froze in place.
Kitazawa had given her courage—but two days weren't enough to change her personality.
The moment fear returned, her mind went blank.
Move, Hinata!
She screamed at herself internally, but her body refused to respond.
"I'm talking to you!"
Toranosuke scowled.
"Are you mute?!"
Hinata trembled and took a step back.
Teacher Kitazawa… please save me.
"You've really pissed me off!"
Toranosuke lost his patience and reached out to grab her.
Suddenly—
A violent gust of wind exploded through the forest.
Hinata's hair was blown upward. She instinctively raised her hands to hold it down.
When she looked up again, her eyes widened in shock.
The three boys had been blasted into separate trees.
"AAAAHHH!"
Toranosuke screamed like a wounded animal.
His entire body felt like it had been torn apart.
The other two boys were no better—faces pale with pain and terror.
Kitazawa stepped out from behind the trees.
The gust had been his doing—Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
This C-rank Wind Release jutsu scales in power with chakra output.
In the original story, Orochimaru used it to flatten a small forest.
"You—who are you?!"
Toranosuke broke into a cold sweat.
"Just a passing ninja."
Kitazawa smiled lightly.
"Three boys bullying one girl. You've brought shame to your parents."
"No—that's wrong! You're a teacher!"
The boy on the left struggled upright, suddenly remembering.
"I've seen you at the academy!"
"How shameless! You actually called a teacher to help?!"
Toranosuke pointed at Hinata, furious.
"Snow leopard, shut up."
Kitazawa's gaze sharpened.
"And you call yourself a lion?"
"This isn't fair!"
Toranosuke shrank back.
"Fair?"
Kitazawa stepped closer.
"Now you're using the right word."
"I'm here for one thing—fairness."
Toranosuke flinched and scooted backward.
"You three versus one—unfair."
"Hinata asking me for help—also unfair."
"Let's call it even."
Kitazawa spoke calmly.
"One month from now. Right here."
"You and Hinata. One-on-one. A fair fight."
To defeat fear, one must face it.
One month was enough for Kitazawa to change Hinata.
When she defeated Toranosuke herself—that would be real growth.
"Well? Do you agree?"
Kitazawa clenched his fist.
"I—I agree!"
Toranosuke shouted immediately upon seeing the fist.
"The scarf you stole last time?"
Kitazawa remembered his mission.
"I threw it over there!"
Toranosuke pointed to the left.
"See you next time."
Kitazawa glanced at the scarf on the ground and smiled.
To the three boys, that smile looked downright demonic.
They scrambled away, crawling and stumbling as they fled.
Kitazawa wasn't worried about them telling their parents.
He had already checked—their families were ordinary civilian ninja.
And they were the ones who attacked first.
As a teacher, protecting his student was only natural.
Even if this reached Sarutobi Hiruzen, Kitazawa was firmly in the right.
"Hinata, are you okay?"
He turned back toward her.
She had been frozen in place the entire time.
When she heard his voice and saw his warm smile, she finally moved—
and threw herself into his arms.
Kitazawa froze.
He could feel her trembling.
She was still just a little girl.
He gently raised a hand and softly patted her head.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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