Akimichi Takashi had suffered enough.
Nara Saku claimed this was all necessary to give Asuma-sama a healthy environment in which to grow, but Takashi had already spent an entire semester challenging Uchiha Ren.
Every day, Ren ran him around the training ground like a dog chasing a cart.
It was humiliating, and nobody knew how much extra training Takashi had done in private just to survive those sparring lessons.
At least it was finally over.
He had done everything he could.
Standing across from him in the arena, Ren waited for a moment before asking, “Takashi, aren’t you going to put in your earplugs?” Takashi grinned.
“Heh.
I’ve spent every morning running laps around Konoha with you, listening to you insult me the whole way.
Your trash talk doesn’t work anymore.
I’m immune.” “Oh?” Ren raised an eyebrow.
“That confident, are you?” “This is our final spar.
Don’t spend the whole match dodging and making me chase you.” Takashi raised his fists.
“Show me your full strength again!” “Again?” Ren looked amused.
“When exactly have you seen me fight at full strength?” “When you fought Asuma-sama during last semester’s final—” Takashi suddenly hesitated.
“Wait…
you weren’t serious back then?” A dark expression settled over Sarutobi Asuma’s face.
What was that supposed to mean?
Had Ren humiliated him that badly without even using his full strength?
‘I refuse to believe that!’ ‘That’s just insulting!’ Takashi charged and drove a fist toward Ren’s chest.
He expected Ren to catch it, so he secretly put even more force into the strike.
The moment Ren tried to stop him, Takashi would make him regret it.
‘Catch this, and you’ll finally understand how heavy my punches are!’ Ren simply stepped backward.
His fist struck nothing.
‘Damn it!’ Takashi had expected something like this.
Last semester, Ebisu had practically begged Ren to fight seriously, yet Ren had still held back.
After another four or five punches missed, Takashi quietly prepared his next move.
His fist expanded as it tore through the air.
By the time it reached Ren, it was as large as a barrel.
His entire arm had transformed as well, thickening toward the fist while remaining narrow at the shoulder, giving it the shape of a massive club and greatly extending his reach.
Thud!
Everyone saw the enormous fist connect with Ren.
A moment of stunned silence passed.
Then the students erupted into cheers.
Yūhi Kurenai, however, looked worried.
Ren was so arrogant and insulting toward everyone that he had made countless enemies.
If he ever stopped being strong enough to defend himself, the rest of the class would tear him apart.
Sarutobi Asuma nodded in satisfaction, then glanced toward Kurenai, who stood more than ten meters away.
Since the beginning of the semester, she had deliberately kept her distance from him.
He knew she often went to train with Ren after school.
Asuma slowly raised his face toward the sky and closed his eyes.
‘So love really is hopeless…’ Nara Saku was nearly beside himself with excitement.
After all that brutal training, Takashi had finally learned the Akimichi clan’s Baika no Jutsu!
His plan had worked perfectly.
He had pleased Asuma-sama while also pushing Takashi to improve.
Then Saku’s expression abruptly changed when Takashi began taunting Ren.
‘No—why are you provoking him?!’ Takashi pointed excitedly at Ren.
“Uchiha Ren!
I’ve put up with your crap for long enough!
What was all that showing off for?
Did your little performance finally fall apart?!” He grinned.
“Why didn’t you dodge?
Have your legs gone weak again?
Maybe you should try sleeping in a separate bed!” Ren blinked, then laughed despite himself.
Had spending too much time around him corrupted Takashi too?
Yamano-sensei frowned from the sidelines.
Why were six-year-olds suddenly talking about weak legs and separate beds?
Ren smiled.
“Akimichi Takashi, you’ve earned my acknowledgment.” Takashi’s grin faded slightly.
“Since you want to see my full strength so badly, I’ll grant your wish.” Ren spread his arms.
“Be grateful.
You’ll be the first person to witness it.” Takashi sensed that something was wrong, but after all that buildup, there was no chance he could back down.
Then Ren started taking off his clothes.
Or at least, that was what it looked like at first.
He pulled up his trouser legs and unfastened two training weights strapped around his calves.
Ren tossed them onto a nearby tree branch.
The entire branch dipped beneath their weight.
Takashi swallowed.
‘That’s not good…’ Ren had been wearing those weights while dodging every one of his attacks?
Ren then lifted his shirt and removed another weighted belt from around his waist.
He tossed that one onto the same branch.
Crack!
The branch snapped instantly.
The weights and broken wood slammed into the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
Might Guy’s expression grew solemn.
‘Ren has been wearing those weights during our morning runs?’ No wonder Guy had felt as though he could surpass him so easily.
Ren rolled his shoulders, his entire body suddenly feeling light.
“As expected of someone who’s trained with me for half a year.
You actually managed to touch me while I was wearing those weights.” He looked directly at Takashi.
“But now that they’re gone…
can you survive a single attack?” Ren began walking toward him.
Takashi’s nerves tightened.
He crossed both arms over his chest, tensed every muscle in his body, and bent his knees, ready to defend or dodge at any moment.
One of Ren’s steps suddenly exploded with power.
He activated the Multilayered Shunshin no Jutsu.
The first layer of chakra had already been gathered beneath his feet.
A second layer surged downward and compressed against it.
Ren had not yet mastered a true three-layer Shunshin, but the chakra stored inside the tenketsu of his legs erupted at the same time, effectively serving as the third layer.
White Fang–Style Taijutsu was astonishingly adaptable.
When combined with the Multilayered Shunshin, it was as though Ren permanently possessed one additional layer of chakra.
Yamano-sensei’s eyelids shot upward, his pupils narrowing.
‘Fast!’ ‘That’s the Shunshin no Jutsu—and an extremely advanced one!’ Takashi’s vision blurred.
Ren vanished.
In the next instant, Takashi felt the impact against his leg.
A sweeping kick smashed into his calf and knocked him from his feet with overwhelming force.
‘How did he reach me so quickly?!’ Ren was delighted with the result.
The Shunshin no Jutsu was absurdly powerful.
Unfortunately, an ordinary shinobi could usually only prepare enough concentrated chakra to use it once during a battle.
The moment Takashi left the ground, a hand clamped around his ankle like an eagle’s talons.
Ren began swinging him.
Takashi spun around like a hammer in an athletic competition, faster and faster until the food in his stomach climbed toward his throat.
‘STOP SPINNING ME!’ ‘I’M GOING TO THROW UP!’ ‘Uchiha Ren, do you want everyone here wearing my rice balls and miso soup?!’ Fortunately, Ren eventually changed the angle, swinging him upward instead of horizontally.
Then he released him.
Takashi sailed into the air.
‘This is humiliating!’ Still airborne, he clamped both hands over his mouth.
If he vomited now, it would rain down across the entire training ground.
He crashed heavily onto his back and stared hopelessly at the sky.
‘Why did I have to provoke Uchiha Ren?’ Ren walked over, crouched beside him, and gently patted his cheek.
Then he lowered his voice.
“Has anyone told you that you’ve lost weight?” Takashi froze.
Ren’s smile widened.
“You trained so hard to challenge me that you’ve developed an actual jawline.” Takashi instantly forgot about his nausea and the pain in his back.
He shot upright and stared at Ren in horror.
“WHAT?!
I’VE LOST WEIGHT?!” He was an Akimichi!
How could an Akimichi possibly become thin?!
[A nearby shinobi has suffered severe emotional damage.
The Emotional Damage System is now activating…] Ren smiled with deep satisfaction.
He had spent an entire semester patiently playing with Takashi.
At long last, the harvest had arrived.