Akira scratched his head, looking completely innocent.
"Ah… I just copied what you did step by step. Who knew it would make such a huge commotion?"
At that moment, Might Guy, who had been standing quietly in the background like a prop, finally walked over.
His eyes were wide as he stared at the trench carved into the mountainside. His jaw nearly hit the ground.
"That destructive power… that's easily B-rank or higher, right?"
"Akira, this is the spirit of youth! Kakashi really knows how to teach."
"At this rate, Konoha might actually produce an incredible figure in the future."
By now, Guy had completely given up the idea of taking Akira as a disciple. A ninjutsu prodigy like this clearly shouldn't waste his potential focusing only on taijutsu.
Akira smiled modestly.
"You're overpraising me, Guy-sensei."
But Guy shook his head seriously and gave him a thumbs-up.
"No. I mean it. Your talent makes my blood boil with excitement!"
By the time they finished learning the two new techniques, the sky had grown completely dark. A cool evening wind drifted through the mountains.
Kakashi glanced up at the moon.
"Let's call it a day. I've got a mission outside the village tomorrow."
Guy flashed his bright white smile.
"Perfect timing. I've got work to do too."
"Akira, if you ever want to stretch your muscles and train taijutsu, come find me anytime. I'm a professional in that field."
Akira nodded gratefully.
"I definitely will, Guy-sensei."
While he had no intention of switching to a taijutsu-focused path, learning extra survival skills could never hurt. After all, strong taijutsu meant he could still fight even if he ran out of chakra.
When Akira returned home, he was completely exhausted—both mentally and physically—and fell asleep the moment he hit the bed.
The night passed quietly.
---
The next morning, Akira entered the classroom as usual.
Ignoring the noisy chatter around him, he walked straight to his seat in the corner and sat down quietly, as if surrounded by an invisible barrier.
Just as he was about to pull out his textbook to preview the lesson, a slender figure suddenly blocked the light.
Ino Yamanaka plopped down in the chair in front of him, resting her chin on her hands as she looked at him with a playful smile.
Akira didn't even lift his eyelids.
"What do you want?"
Ino leaned closer and whispered,
"I saw it, you know. Your little secret."
Akira's expression didn't change. He simply replied with a calm "Oh," as if he'd just heard some meaningless gossip.
His reaction left Ino completely baffled. Her eyes widened.
"Hey! Aren't you afraid I'll tell Iruka-sensei?"
"You deliberately lost to Hinata during the combat test last time. That's cheating!"
Akira chuckled softly and was about to reply—but the class bell rang at the worst possible moment.
Ino puffed out her cheeks in frustration. She had come planning to use this leverage to threaten him, but the guy acted like boiling water couldn't faze a dead pig.
When Iruka-sensei entered the classroom carrying his lesson plans, Ino's eyes rolled mischievously. She simply stayed in the empty seat beside Akira.
When the teacher turned around to write on the blackboard, she leaned over again.
"Aren't you curious how I found out?"
Akira flipped through his book and replied casually,
"I already sensed a little mouse nearby that day. I just didn't bother dealing with it."
Ino froze for a second—then realized she'd just been insulted.
Her brows shot up.
"Who are you calling a mouse?! Believe it or not, I'll raise my hand and report you right now!"
Akira's lips curved into a confident smile.
"You won't."
Ino bit her lip and glared at him.
"What makes you so sure?"
Akira turned his head slightly and looked at her with a half-smile.
"If you really wanted to report me, you would've shouted it to the whole school yesterday. You wouldn't be whispering in my ear now."
"You—"
Ino felt like she'd punched cotton. The helplessness drove her crazy.
Ever since witnessing that scene yesterday, she had developed a strong curiosity about this boy who usually had zero presence in class.
She used to only pay attention to Sasuke.
But now she realized that there was actually a hidden powerhouse sitting quietly in the corner.
Her instincts even told her that this guy might be stronger than Sasuke.
Thinking back to the shuriken-throwing test, the first four kunai had hit the bullseye perfectly, but the last one had missed wildly.
Now it was obvious—he had been acting.
And with the terrifying skills she saw yesterday, how could he possibly lose to someone as gentle as Hinata?
Ino was now one hundred percent certain.
Akira was a master of hiding his strength.
"Hey, why are you pretending to be weak when you're actually strong?"
Her curiosity was about to explode.
But Akira had already switched into full top-student mode, staring at the blackboard and listening attentively to the lesson, treating her like thin air.
Ino ground her teeth beside him, wanting nothing more than to bite him.
---
On the other side of the classroom, Hinata was secretly glancing over.
Her cheeks were flushed red as her fingers poked nervously together.
"What are Akira-kun and Ino talking about… I really want to know."
"Is Ino threatening Akira-kun? Oh no… it's all my fault… I caused trouble for him…"
What Hinata feared wasn't that Ino would steal Akira away.
She was worried that Ino's loud mouth might reveal what happened yesterday and put Akira in a difficult position.
After all, Akira had specifically told her to keep it secret.
Throughout the entire class, Hinata felt like she was sitting on needles. Her mind had long flown over to Akira's desk.
Meanwhile, Akira remained as calm as a mountain, completely unmoved despite Ino buzzing beside him like a fly.
---
Finally, the class ended.
Hinata gathered her courage and shuffled over to Akira's desk, her head lowered so much it was practically buried in her chest.
"Akira-kun… I'm sorry… what happened yesterday… it was all because of me…"
Seeing the girl looking like a guilty little rabbit, Akira softened slightly and smiled gently.
"It's no big deal. Ino just talks tough—she won't actually say anything."
"But you should stand up for yourself more. You clearly have great talent, so why be so insecure?"
Encouraged, Hinata's face turned even redder as she nodded softly.
"Um… Akira-kun… can I ask where you go every day after school?"
"You always seem very busy…"
The moment she asked, Ino's ears immediately perked up.
"Yeah, exactly! You're acting all mysterious. You must be up to something shady!"
Looking at the two curious girls on either side of him, Akira spread his hands helplessly.
"That's a man's secret. Not suitable for kids. Anyway, it's not like I'm going around committing crimes."
Hinata obediently nodded.
"Oh… okay."
She didn't press further.
But Ino refused to give up, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"Hmph. Acting all mysterious. Sooner or later I'll dig up everything about you."
Akira looked at her as if she were an idiot.
"You? Forget it. Save your energy and eat another bowl of rice."
He wasn't bragging.
With his current mastery of the Body Flicker Jutsu, once he left the school gates and slipped into an alley, even a chūnin might struggle to keep up—let alone these two beginners.
Ino nearly choked on her anger.
"Don't underestimate me! I'm amazing!"
Akira gave her a look usually reserved for idiots and turned back to his book.
Ino stomped her foot, feeling deeply insulted.
To be fair, she and her teammates Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi—the famous Ino–Shika–Chō trio—were known in class as future underachievers.
Sure, their clans had prestigious backgrounds, but one hated trouble and slept all day, one only cared about eating chips, and she herself spent most of her time daydreaming about Sasuke.
If it came to actual combat ability, the three of them combined probably couldn't beat Akira with one hand.
Just as Ino was about to explode in anger, Hinata suddenly blushed deeply and pointed at the empty seat beside Akira.
Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito.
"Akira-kun… c-could I… sit here?"
The moment she said it, Hinata felt like steam might burst from her head. She was as red as a boiled shrimp.
Akira didn't think much of it.
"Your legs are yours. Sit wherever you want."
He wasn't some clueless teenager.
Having lived two lifetimes, his mindset was steady as a rock. The thought of romance hadn't even crossed his mind.
Receiving permission, Hinata almost fainted from happiness.
She carefully sat down, the faint scent of soap lingering on Akira's clothes filling her nose, leaving her so happy she could barely breathe.
Seeing her reaction, Ino couldn't help teasing.
"Hina, can you calm down? Your face is red like a tomato. Is it really that serious?"
Hinata buried her face in her arms, too embarrassed to lift her head.
Akira shot Ino an annoyed glance.
"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Go back to your seat. You're too noisy."
Ino immediately rebelled.
"Why should I?! Hinata can sit here, so why can't I? Is your name written on the chair?"
Hearing that, Hinata secretly felt a little happy.
So Akira-kun treats me differently from Ino…
Akira simply stuck two fingers in his ears with an expression that clearly said I'm not listening.
Ino nearly exploded but forced herself to swallow her anger. If she annoyed him too much, she might never get the answers she wanted.
She glared at him fiercely and plopped down in the chair.
"I'm sitting here. What are you going to do about it?"
Most of the class didn't pay attention to this little scene.
But in the corner of the room, a few sharp-eyed students had already noticed everything.
Shikamaru had originally been dozing on his desk. The commotion nearby woke him up. He cracked open his half-lidded, lazy eyes and glanced over, immediately feeling that the world had suddenly become a strange place.
"What's gotten into that crazy woman Ino? Why is she pestering that guy?"
Akira had always been practically invisible in class. Shikamaru had almost zero interaction with him.
Beside him, Choji stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth and mumbled through the crunching.
"Maybe she's fallen for someone else? Isn't Ino obsessed with looks? Akira's pretty handsome, you know."
"Crunch crunch… yeah, these chips are really crispy."
Shikamaru frowned slightly. Something felt off.
He knew Ino's personality well. If it were just because the guy was handsome, she would have rushed over ages ago—why wait until now?
There had to be something about Akira that caught her attention.
Or maybe…
Is this guy actually hiding his strength?
On the other side of the room, Kiba Inuzuka was muttering while holding Akamaru.
"This is weird. Hinata usually hides like a shy kitten whenever she sees people. Why is she suddenly sticking so close to a guy today?"
"Akamaru, do you think that guy slipped them some kind of love potion?"
Akamaru lay on top of his head and barked twice.
"Woof! Woof!"
It almost sounded like agreement.
Akira had already sensed several probing gazes around him.
He sighed inwardly.
Just as expected… the moment your strength gets exposed, trouble follows.
Looks like the days of quietly keeping a low profile are gone.
---
When school finally ended, Akira packed his things more slowly than usual.
After all, Kakashi wasn't around today, so there was no need to rush off for training.
He had barely walked a short distance from the school gates when hurried footsteps sounded behind him.
Ino stuck to him like chewing gum.
"Hey! Why aren't you running off today? Feeling guilty and afraid to go outside?"
On the other side, Hinata timidly tugged at Ino's sleeve.
"Ino… don't talk to Akira-kun like that…"
Akira walked forward with his hands in his pockets, eyes straight ahead.
"If you're not using that mouth of yours, maybe donate it to someone who needs one. You're really loud."
Ino rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Hmph. Looks like I hit a nerve."
Akira ignored her completely and kept walking.
Since he didn't need to go to the training ground today, he planned to head straight home and study his scrolls.
The three of them ended up forming a strange little group as they walked westward together.
About ten minutes later, they reached a small grove that everyone had to pass through.
Akira suddenly stopped.
His eyes sharpened.
Without warning, he grabbed Hinata's wrist.
"Stop."
Ino kept talking for several steps before realizing no one was beside her anymore. She turned back in confusion.
"Why'd you suddenly stop? What, did you see a ghost?"
Akira's expression grew serious as he stared into the dark forest ahead.
"If you don't want to die, shut up."
"There's someone lying in ambush in the woods."
Hinata felt the warmth of Akira's hand around her wrist, her heart pounding wildly. But the moment she heard his warning, she nodded nervously.
"Okay!"
Ino looked completely baffled, glancing around.
"Huh? I don't see anyone. If you don't want to talk to me, don't make up ghost stories."
"This is just a grove in the village. People walking around here is normal."
As someone who had grown up in a protected environment, Ino clearly wasn't taking it seriously.
But Akira had already sensed the undisguised malicious chakra hidden in the trees.
It was unfamiliar—and carried a rough, delinquent-like aura. Definitely not regular patrol ninjas.
With a little thought, it was easy to guess.
They were probably helpers hired by those delinquents he beat up yesterday.
Just as Ino was about to walk back and continue complaining—
A sharp whistling sound suddenly cut through the air.
"Watch out!"
Before Ino could react, everything blurred before her eyes.
Akira had already appeared in front of her like a ghost.
A black kunai had appeared in his hand at some unknown moment.
He flicked it upward.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
A small stone projectile was knocked away with perfect precision.
The sudden metallic clash made Ino jump. She froze in shock.
"W-what just happened?"
She hadn't even seen how Akira moved.
Without turning around, Akira barked:
"Hinata! Activate your Byakugan! Scan the ten-o'clock direction!"
At that moment, Akira's presence changed completely.
His tone carried unquestionable authority.
Hinata instinctively obeyed.
Forming a hand seal, the veins around her eyes bulged.
"Byakugan!"
As her vision turned black and white, Hinata gasped.
"There are two people hiding behind the tree trunk! Judging by their chakra flow… they're ninjas!"
"At least genin level!"
Now Ino truly panicked. Her face turned pale.
"N-ninjas? Why would ninjas attack us?!"
"Akira! Let's run! We should call the security force!"
In her mind, academy students encountering real ninjas was like chicks meeting hawks—certain death.
But Akira simply spun the kunai in his hand slowly, his voice cold.
"You can run from the first day, but not the fifteenth."
"Since trouble has already come knocking, better beat them badly once and for all. Otherwise they'll never stop."
Ino stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you crazy?! Those are real ninjas!"
Akira's lips curled into a cold, almost bloodthirsty smile as battle intent rose in his eyes.
"So what if they are?"
"I am too."
Before the words finished leaving his mouth—
He shot into the dark forest like an arrow.
"Ahhh! You two are insane!"
Ino stomped her foot in panic, but when she saw Hinata follow without hesitation, she gritted her teeth and ran in after them.
---
Deep inside the grove.
With his powerful sensory ability, Akira instantly locked onto the two sneaky figures.
"Come out."
"Stop hiding."
"Since you took money from those useless punks to act as their muscle, don't behave like cowardly turtles."
"You're supposed to be Konoha ninjas, yet you're bullying kids who haven't even graduated. If this reaches the Hokage Office, you might lose those forehead protectors."
The two genin hiding behind the trees stiffened.
They exchanged glances, both seeing anger in the other's eyes.
Since they'd been discovered, they stopped hiding and walked out openly.
They looked around fifteen or sixteen, with the typical delinquent air of village troublemakers.
One of them tossed a kunai casually in his hand and sneered.
"Well well, the brat's got quite the sharp tongue."
"You think threatening us with village rules will work?"
"Truth is, nobody comes to this grove. We could beat you half to death and threaten you afterward. Who would dare report us?"
These guys were the type who would remain lifelong genin.
They didn't dare kill anyone, but scaring a few academy kids half to death was easy enough.
But Akira's next words struck directly at their sore spot.
"You're going to make me cry?"
He looked them up and down with open disdain.
"You guys look about sixteen already, right? Still stuck as genin?"
"If I ended up like that, I'd smash my head into a block of tofu out of shame. No way I'd show my face in public."
That insult stabbed straight into their hearts.
For mediocre ninjas like them, rank was their eternal sore spot.
"You little bastard! You're asking for death!!"
The two of them exploded with rage, their last traces of reason burned away.
"I'll rip that mouth off your face!"
Roaring angrily, they rushed toward Akira with their kunai gleaming.
A trace of contempt flickered in Akira's eyes.
"Perfect."
"I'll use you two weaklings to test my current limits."
Whoosh!
Before the words had fully faded—
Akira's figure vanished from the spot.