Sarutobi Asuma leaped forward, covering more than ten meters in a single bound before landing steadily in the center of the training field.
He looked at Kuroda Ren with obvious hostility.
Kuroda Ren noticed the hostility in Asuma’s eyes and couldn’t help feeling a little strange about it.
Is this because of Kurenai?
Asuma is only five or six years old at this point, right?
Kids in the shinobi world really do mature early, but isn’t this a little too early…?
Kuroda Ren silently complained to himself.
It’s not like I deliberately chose to sit next to Kurenai.
She was the one who came and sat beside me.
As for the battle that was about to begin, however, Kuroda Ren wasn’t particularly worried.
As an orphan without any special family inheritance, it was true that Kuroda Ren couldn’t receive the systematic training from childhood that someone like Sarutobi Asuma—a second-generation Hokage—had enjoyed.
But that didn’t matter when he had a cheat.
Although there was only a lonely [Tear of the Goddess] sitting in his equipment slot, Kuroda Ren had already fully stacked its effect three years ago, when he successfully learned how to refine chakra.
It alone could increase his maximum chakra by a full 600 points.
Combined with the passive skill [Arcane Mastery] and the bonus from the Hextech augment [Mind to Matter], Kuroda Ren’s Constitution had long since surpassed that of most Chūnin.
His chakra volume had even reached the level of a Jōnin.
Even without being proficient in taijutsu, the sheer power behind his punches and kicks was far beyond that of these children who had only just entered the Ninja Academy.
Kuroda Ren had deliberately observed everyone earlier.
Among this year’s students, only Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy had taijutsu skills superior to his own.
As for everyone else, if they were competing purely in technique, Kuroda Ren was certainly inferior to clan-born shinobi such as Sarutobi Asuma and Uchiha Tekka.
But there was an old saying:
When you have enough strength, even a brick can fly.
Once the difference in physical ability became large enough, technique alone could no longer make up for it.
“Form the Seal of Confrontation!”
Imai Nobuyuki’s voice rang out.
Kuroda Ren and Sarutobi Asuma formed the Seal of Confrontation, preparing themselves for battle.
“I’ll teach you a lesson today!”
Asuma lowered his voice, speaking loudly enough for only the two of them to hear.
“Stay away from Kurenai!
Otherwise, you’ll deal with the consequences!”
As he spoke, Sarutobi Asuma had already charged forward.
His fist shot straight toward Kuroda Ren’s face.
As the Third Hokage’s son, Sarutobi Asuma had already been receiving systematic training from Jōnin-level tutors before he had even entered the Academy.
He had even learned a Wind Release technique!
Although today’s sparring session only allowed them to use Konoha-Style Taijutsu and prohibited all other methods, Sarutobi Asuma was still completely confident that he could teach this civilian brat who had appeared out of nowhere a lesson.
He would make him understand that the “upper-class” members of the shinobi clans were not people a civilian like him had any right to approach!
However—
The next instant.
A fist appeared in Sarutobi Asuma’s field of vision before his own punch could even connect.
It rapidly grew larger.
Bang!
Kuroda Ren’s fist slammed into Sarutobi Asuma’s face.
A tremendous force erupted from the impact.
Sarutobi Asuma was sent flying uncontrollably through the air.
He flew several meters backward before crashing heavily onto the ground.
“Winner: Kuroda Ren!”
A trace of surprise flashed across Imai Nobuyuki’s face, but he didn’t hesitate.
He immediately announced the result.
Sarutobi Asuma lay on the ground, unable even to stand.
His entire body felt as though his bones had been scattered apart.
His head was spinning.
He stared at Kuroda Ren in disbelief.
“Y-Your strength… how can you be this strong?!”
Kuroda Ren didn’t explain.
Following Imai Nobuyuki’s instructions, he formed the Seal of Reconciliation before returning to the group.
The Sarutobi Asuma of the original story was a fairly mature and responsible man—a true gentleman who could shoulder his responsibilities.
But the Sarutobi Asuma he had encountered now was, judging from this brief interaction, nothing more than a spoiled brat.
Since the other party was hostile toward him, Kuroda Ren had no interest in putting a warm face against a cold ass.
Besides, the current Sarutobi Asuma was still nowhere near becoming the future “Thirty-Five-Million-Ryo Man.”
Defeating him didn’t give Kuroda Ren any sense of accomplishment.
“Ren, you’re amazing!”
Yūhi Kurenai’s little face was filled with excitement.
“That was the Hokage’s son!
You actually beat him—and you won so decisively!”
“My physical attributes are relatively good, so I have an advantage when it comes to taijutsu.”
Kuroda Ren smiled without showing any pride.
Kuroda Ren had complete confidence in his potential.
With the system’s assistance, he wouldn’t just become invincible in the shinobi world.
Given enough time, even the Ōtsutsuki clan in the vast universe would eventually be surpassed by him.
He might even surpass the so-called “Ōtsutsuki God.”
But potential was ultimately just potential.
Until it was converted into actual strength, it meant nothing.
At present, Kuroda Ren didn’t even dare claim to be the strongest among this year’s Academy students, let alone compare himself with genuine powerhouses.
The practical training continued.
Kuroda Ren chatted casually with Yūhi Kurenai while observing the performances of the others.
Based on his knowledge of the original storyline, this year’s group of new students was exceptionally talented even when compared across the entire timeline of Naruto.
They were probably second only to the future protagonist generation of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.
Even so, the differences in strength between the students were still obvious.
Judging purely by taijutsu, Hatake Kakashi, the “top genius,” was unquestionably number one.
Kuroda Ren himself believed that if the two of them fought, even if they only competed in the area Kuroda Ren was best at—taijutsu—he still wouldn’t be able to defeat Kakashi.
Kakashi’s Constitution was indeed inferior to Kuroda Ren’s, which had been enhanced by the system.
But the difference wasn’t so overwhelming that it became impossible to overcome.
Combined with Kakashi’s combat skills—which were clearly more than a level above Kuroda Ren’s—Kuroda Ren would most likely lose if the two actually fought.
The other student who made Kuroda Ren feel threatened was Might Guy.
The boy’s physical attributes were visibly not much weaker than Kuroda Ren’s.
Although his mastery of taijutsu wasn’t as good as Kakashi’s, it was obvious that he had practiced beforehand.
That made him far more proficient than Kuroda Ren, who had only just begun learning Konoha-Style Taijutsu.
Taking everything into account, Might Guy’s taijutsu strength was also superior to Kuroda Ren’s.
Kuroda Ren had been mentally prepared for this.
After all, this was Guy the Emperor, the man who had nearly kicked the story straight into its finale.
Even in his “childhood form,” there was no way his talent for taijutsu would be ordinary.
Aside from Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy, however, none of the other students posed any threat to Kuroda Ren in terms of pure taijutsu.
There was simply no helping it.
Kuroda Ren’s Constitution was too powerful.
Among this year’s new students, there were no members of bloodline clans such as the Senju or Uzumaki, clans renowned for their extraordinary physical constitutions.
Aside from Kuroda Ren, the student with the best physical attributes was unexpectedly the civilian-born Might Guy.
Next came Hatake Kakashi.
Both of them had physical attributes at the Chūnin level.
Without the burden of the Sharingan, Kakashi’s physical abilities were indeed considerably stronger than those of ordinary people.
Otherwise, he could never have set the record for becoming the youngest Jōnin in Konoha’s history.
Still, this is only taijutsu.
A ninja isn’t limited to hand-to-hand combat.
A thought surfaced in Kuroda Ren’s mind.
I have no intention of becoming a taijutsu-type shinobi like Guy the Emperor.
With the Ryze Emperor Template, a ninjutsu-oriented shinobi is much more suitable for me.
At least during the early stages.
◇ Bonus Chapter Goals ◇