After comforting Ebisu, Asuma turned a hard glare on Ren.
“I already thought you were awful, but that shadow clone showed everyone what’s really going on inside your head.
Beanpole, you’re even worse than I imagined!” Ren ignored him and walked over to Kurenai instead.
“Kurenai, don’t listen to anything my shadow clone said.
I would never spy on anyone.
I’m not that kind of person.” Kurenai immediately remembered the clone talking about wearing sunglasses to stare at girls once Ren hit puberty.
Her face turned red, and she quickly turned away to whisper with Rin, refusing to acknowledge him.
Rin frowned.
“Ren, stop bothering Kurenai.
She’s never going to like you.” Then she realized what she had just implied, and her own face reddened.
Ren raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?
Then who might like me?
Don’t tell me it’s you, Rin.” Obito charged at him without hesitation.
Guy grabbed Obito by the shoulders from behind and desperately looked toward Instructor Yamano for help.
“Maintain order during class!” Yamano shouted.
“Next pair!” Seeing the miserable expressions on Asuma’s and Obito’s faces left Ren feeling thoroughly refreshed.
He looked over the more than thirty students in his class and wondered who he should break next.
It was surprisingly difficult.
Most of these little brats had nothing in their heads except butterflies, grasshoppers, and whatever they were having for lunch.
Insults simply bounced off them.
…
After school, Ebisu waited outside the faculty office with his head hanging low while his father finished work.
When Eishirō stepped out and saw him, he gently patted his son’s head and led him to the far end of the corridor.
“Son, I watched your performance during today’s sparring lesson.” “I normally wouldn’t tell you this so early, but since you’re feeling discouraged, perhaps it’s time you understood.” He rested a hand on Ebisu’s shoulder.
“Fundamentals are important to every shinobi.” “For prodigies like Kakashi and Uchiha Ren, fundamentals are merely the foundation.
Before long, their attention will be drawn toward advanced ninjutsu and secret techniques.” “But for you, Ebisu, the fundamentals may become everything.” Ebisu looked up at him.
“Not everyone is born a genius.
Ordinary shinobi like you and me still have a place in this village.” “I spent more than ten years turning my mastery of the basics into something people recognized me for.
It became the skill that kept me from being thrown onto the battlefield as disposable cannon fodder.” “If you inherit my fundamentals and learn how to teach them, you can eventually survive as an instructor who specializes in training other shinobi.” Eishirō’s voice grew firmer.
“Master the basics, and one day you may teach the children of Konoha’s most influential families, just as I do.
“I don’t know what kind of talent you’ll develop as a shinobi, but your fundamentals are something you can improve through steady effort.
At the very least, they will ensure you never become completely useless.” “You’ve only met a handful of geniuses.
I’ve watched countless prodigies rise and fall over the course of my career.” He smiled faintly.
“Geniuses walk their path.
We walk ours.” “Lift your head, Ebisu.
The fundamentals are our ninja way—and more importantly, they’re how people like us survive.” “My ninja way…?” Ebisu slowly raised his head, his expression shifting between confusion and renewed determination.
He had never really questioned why he practiced the same movements over and over.
He had simply obeyed his father and worked hard because he had been told to.
Could mastering the fundamentals truly become his own ninja way?
“You should go home,” Eishirō said.
Ebisu noticed Instructor Yamano approaching and left first.
Tonight, he would train even harder.
Straight punches, open-palm strikes, hip rotation, kicks—he would drill every basic movement until his body gave out.
Yamano stopped in front of Eishirō.
“Department Head Eishirō, is Ebisu feeling any better?” “He’s a child.
Bad moods arrive quickly and disappear just as fast.” Eishirō gave him a curious look.
“You didn’t come all this way to apologize, did you?
There’s really no need.” “No, nothing like that,” Yamano replied.
“I came to report something I’ve noticed in class.” Eishirō headed the Academy’s foundational training department and was Yamano’s superior, so any meaningful development in teaching methods was worth reporting.
“What have you noticed?” “In the past, my class revolved around Kakashi.” “As the best student in both the class and his year, he set the pace and gave the others someone to chase.
It worked extremely well.” “After Kakashi graduated, I was struggling to decide who should take his place.” Yamano lowered his voice slightly.
“As you know, Asuma’s talent is not quite on Kakashi’s level.” “Then Ren suddenly began improving.” Eishirō waited for him to continue.
“He insults everyone equally and places every student under pressure.
Strangely enough, it doesn’t seem entirely harmful.
Many students have begun training harder because they refuse to lose to him.” Eishirō considered it for a moment.
“So Ren has become the disruptive rival who keeps everyone sharp.
The other children aren’t talented enough to dominate the class the way Kakashi did, but having someone constantly provoke them may be exactly what they need.” “Yes, it fits this class perfectly,” Yamano agreed.
“Ren put quite a bit of pressure on Ebisu today.
Hopefully, it will motivate him.” “It will.
Ebisu isn’t that fragile.” Privately, Eishirō believed his son’s greatest reward had been earning Asuma’s friendship.
That connection could bring Ebisu into the Sarutobi clan’s circle much earlier than Eishirō himself had managed.
He had not established ties with the clan until after turning twenty.
When Eishirō returned home, he saw his son’s small figure training alone in the backyard.
Straight punches, hooks, front kicks, side kicks, snapping kicks, knee strikes, quick steps, sliding footwork…
Eishirō nodded repeatedly.
His son had a good temperament.
Despite the humiliation he had suffered, he was patiently drilling his taijutsu fundamentals!
…
During the next day’s sparring lesson, Ren eagerly looked around the class.
‘Who should I fight today?
Who deserves a little emotional damage?’ His gaze settled on Asuma.
‘Come on, then.
Let me become the monster haunting your childhood.’ “Instructor!
I challenge Uchiha Ren!” Ren heard the familiar voice, and his expression immediately collapsed.
‘You have got to be kidding me!’ Ebisu again?
Instructor Yamano knew that Eishirō must have spoken to his son after yesterday’s match, so he had no intention of refusing the challenge.
“First match: Uchiha Ren versus Ebisu!” Ren dragged himself onto the training field and stared at Ebisu in disbelief.
“Ebisu, letting my shadow clone deal with you was clearly too gentle.
I won’t hold back today.
Someone needs to remind you where you stand.” He looked Ebisu up and down.
“Who do you think you are, and what exactly makes you believe you’re strong enough to keep challenging me?” “Stop talking, Uchiha Ren!” Ebisu shouted.
“The fundamentals are my ninja way!
Today, I’ll show you how powerful they can be!” Ebisu charged.
But….
half a second later, Ren kicked him through the air.
Ebisu hit the ground and rolled several times, but even while tumbling, he raised one hand to signal that the instructor should not stop the fight.
He could continue.
After climbing back to his feet, he charged again.
This time, Ren sent him flying with a punch.
Ebisu got up, rubbed his aching chest, and rushed forward once more.
Ren was beginning to feel helpless.
‘Could you stop being so stubborn?
You’re making me look like some evil final boss bullying the hero.’ He had already used two explosive bursts from White Fang–Style Taijutsu, yet Ebisu still refused to admit defeat.
Ren finally pulled out his wire-guided shuriken and quickly wrapped the charging boy up like a trapped parcel.
Ebisu still would not surrender.
“What kind of victory is this when you’re relying on a secret Uchiha technique?” he shouted from inside the wires.
“Beat me using nothing but fundamentals!” Ren stared at the stubborn little brat.
Children this age really were uniquely irritating.
Even dogs probably crossed the street to avoid them.
“Ebisu, you keep shouting about fundamentals and calling them your ninja way, but you’re six years old.
What the hell do you know about having a ninja way?” “You seriously think your fundamentals are impressive?” Ren released the wires.
“Get up.
I’ll beat you using nothing but the basics, and then maybe you’ll finally understand how hopeless this is, you idiot.” One minute later, Ren had used his remaining three White Fang–Style bursts and knocked Ebisu down three more times.
Ebisu still insisted that his fundamentals were better!
Ren committed every one of Ebisu’s so-called basic techniques to memory.
He would spend some time practicing them himself.
One way or another, he was going to beat some sense into this infuriating little bastard!