“First match!
Sarutobi Asuma versus Uchiha Ren!” Low barriers divided the training ground into dozens of smaller arenas.
The younger students fought in ten-meter squares, while the older students were given twenty-meter spaces.
Asuma was the first to enter one of the smaller arenas near the edge of the field.
He deliberately chose the side facing the Academy building so he could see his father standing on the rooftop.
Hiruzen’s face was too far away to make out.
More importantly, the Hokage was looking down at the older students competing closer to the building.
Several of those students were apparently being considered for early graduation, so naturally, his father was paying more attention to them.
‘Then I’ll just have to make this match impossible to ignore.
I need to win big enough that Father finally notices me…’ “Stop staring, Asuma.” Ren’s voice pulled his attention back to the arena.
“The Hokage came to evaluate the students graduating early.
You didn’t seriously think he showed up just to watch you, did you?” Asuma lowered his gaze and frowned at him.
Ren was smiling, but there was something unusually cruel about it.
“Let me guess,” Ren continued.
“You’ve been racking your brain trying to figure out how to catch the Hokage’s attention.” He slowly looked around.
“This is a pretty big stage, isn’t it?
Look at our classmates.
Every one of them is staring at you, and most of them want you to beat me.” He gestured toward the neighboring arenas.
“Even the older students keep looking over.
They’re curious about the famous son of the Hokage and wondering whether you’re actually any good.” Then he pointed toward the rooftop.
“And look at all those people standing behind your father.
Who knows how many of them are watching the Hokage’s precious second son right now?” Ren gave an exaggerated shiver.
“Wow…
I’m getting nervous for you, Asuma.” “Enough!” Asuma snapped.
“Let’s fight, Ren!
I’ve improved a lot.
I’m not weaker than you anymore!” “Don’t rush.” Ren smiled wider.
“You should enjoy this moment while it lasts.
This might be the highlight of your entire life.” His voice carried clearly across the arena.
“As long as you don’t make a move, nobody can prove you’re useless.
The moment you attack, though, the truth comes out.” He spread his hands.
“Everyone will finally see that the Hokage’s son is nothing but an overprivileged fraud.” Ren’s eyes narrowed.
“Your entire existence is proof that the Hokage poured resources into the Sarutobi clan and got absolutely nothing in return.” “Shut up!
My father has never abused his position!
You’re slandering my family!” “People can see the results for themselves.
The Senju vanished while the Sarutobi flourished.
Call it whatever you want, but that’s what happened.” “You little—” The curse almost escaped Asuma’s mouth.
His fists trembled with rage, his knuckles turning white from how tightly he clenched them.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell my father?” Asuma demanded.
“You could bring disaster on the entire Uchiha clan!” Ren burst out laughing.
“Oh, now you’re going to run crying to your father?” His expression turned openly mocking.
“The Uchiha clan already has more enemies than it can count.
A few honest words from me won’t change our fate.” His gaze briefly shifted toward the Hokage Rock in the distance.
“The Senju clan declined so badly that its surviving members stopped using the name.
Even Tsunade, the greatest kunoichi Konoha ever produced, no longer introduces herself as Senju Tsunade.” Ren turned back to Asuma.
“So what exactly do you think will happen to the Uchiha?
You think we’re somehow going to fare better?” His voice became sharper.
“Maybe the Sarutobi clan has always wanted us gone.
Perhaps you’d like to claim the title of ‘Konoha’s strongest Fire Style clan’ for yourselves.” He waved dismissively.
“Fine.
Take it.” Then his smile vanished.
“But you won’t be the one to make it happen.” Ren looked Asuma up and down as though inspecting something worthless.
“A spoiled brat like you isn’t a threat to the Uchiha clan.
Even looking at you for too long feels like a waste of effort.” Blood vessels reddened the whites of Asuma’s eyes as he glared at him.
Just then, Rin suddenly shouted from outside the arena.
“Kakashi!
It’s Kakashi!” Every student in the class looked up.
Even Yamano turned toward the outer wall.
Kakashi stood on top of it, silently watching the match.
His shoulders sagged, his visible eyelid drooped, and the boy seemed completely drained of life.
Ren glanced at him.
“Well, look who decided to show up.” Then he turned back to Asuma.
“Don’t tell me you actually think you and Kakashi are some legendary pair of rival prodigies.” Ren shook his head.
“You’re the only person who believes that.
Stop imagining yourself as the hero of a story nobody else is reading.” He stepped closer.
“Your father doesn’t love you.
He doesn’t value you.
And once your classmates realize your shinobi skills are weaker than a sick chicken, they’ll stop respecting you too.” Ren raised one hand and pointed at Asuma, jabbing the air with every word.
“Without the title of the Hokage’s son…” He leaned forward.
“WHAT.
ARE.
YOU?” “AAAAH!” Asuma was still only a child.
There was no way he could endure that kind of relentless humiliation!
With three furious screams, he charged.
Ren’s eyes sharpened.
‘I’ve prepared every one of these moves for you.’ By the time Asuma reached him, Ren could clearly see the bloodshot rage in his eyes.
‘Poor kid.
I really did tear him apart before the fight even started.’ Ren’s expression turned cold.
Chakra exploded from the tenketsu in his right leg.
Asuma’s vision blurred.
Ren vanished from directly in front of him and appeared at his right side.
Asuma’s hook tore through empty air.
‘Fast!’ ‘How is he that fast?!’ Ren’s lips curled slightly.
‘This isn’t just one move.
It’s a full combination!’ After the lateral step, chakra burst from the tenketsu around Ren’s waist and back.
His spine twisted, driving his shoulder forward, and the movement carried through into his right arm.
A second burst erupted from the tenketsu in that arm, accelerating his fist even further.
“Slip-Step Power Fist!” Asuma saw only a dark blur flicker at his side.
Then Ren’s fist smashed into his stomach.
The force lifted Asuma from his feet.
Pain tore through his abdomen, but the despair in his chest hurt even more.
‘Is the difference between us really this huge?’ His body folded around the blow as he flew backward like a bent shrimp.
Ren was not finished.
He had already used the chakra stored in his right leg, waist, back, and right arm.
There was no reason to waste the bursts remaining in his left side.
Chakra exploded through the tenketsu in his left arm.
Ren’s hand shot forward at the limit of his speed and seized Asuma by the ankle.
Asuma had still been flying backward when a violent pull stopped him in midair.
The sudden halt made the skin on his face continue shifting from the momentum, bunching awkwardly toward his eyes.
Ren leaped and spun.
The chakra stored in his left leg erupted.
His heel came down like an axe and slammed into Asuma’s chest.
Boom!
Asuma crashed flat onto his back.
Ren had unleashed all five bursts of White Fang–Style Taijutsu in one compact combination.
Breaking down every movement made it sound complicated, but only a few seconds had passed.
Asuma had spent months training for this fight.
Yet against Ren, he had not even managed to fight back.
One combination had ended everything.
Asuma lay staring blankly at the sky, his eyes hollow with despair.
He had wanted an impressive match—something exciting enough to make his father finally look at him.
Instead, he had been crushed in seconds.
Ren planted one foot on Asuma’s chest and opened his mouth, ready to unleash another dozen insults.
Then he saw the emptiness in Asuma’s eyes.
After a moment of struggle, Ren swallowed every word.
‘That’s probably enough.
Anything more would just be cruel.’ He nodded solemnly to himself.
‘I’ve decided to become a merciful Uchiha!’ [A nearby shinobi has suffered severe emotional damage.
The Emotional Damage System is now activating…]