Hyuga Ao of the Hyuga clan actually managed to react—Shiki couldn't help but silently praise him despite being enemies. If that strike had landed, Shiki would certainly have been injured.
But this time, for the honor of Iruka's homeroom class, Shiki absolutely refused to claim victory while injured!
Just as Hyuga Ao's Gentle Fist was about to hit Shiki's chest, Shiki suddenly vanished from sight.
Why did he pull back? That punch should've ended it—what was he thinking?
Hyuga Ao was puzzled. He couldn't comprehend the responsibilities Shiki carried. But he had no time to dwell on it now. Activating his Byakugan, he scanned vigilantly around him.
He scanned vigilantly through every inch of the surroundings with his Byakugan, hoping to catch even the faintest sign of Shiki—searching for that unmistakable red hair.
"Damn it! Shiki has always been this strong!" Naruto exclaimed enviously at Shiki's impressive performance.
Watching the scene unfold, Choji Akimichi rubbed his round belly in amazement. "Is Shiki actually not the bottom of the barrel anymore?"
"So cool! Go, Shiki!" Sakura finally snapped out of her shock and shouted encouragement first.
"Go for it, Shiki!"
"Shiki, you're the best!"
"Shiki! If you're a real man, knock that bastard down!"
Once the shock wore off, Iruka's entire class erupted into cheers for Shiki.
[Dance of the Shadow Leaves!!!]
Moving at such high speed, Shiki practically roared the name of this technique.
Red again!
It began with a powerful upward kick. Before Hyuga Ao could react, he was sent soaring into the air. Then, Shiki launched himself off the ground, rocketing up above Ao in an instant. At that moment, the air itself seemed to scream.
With a surge of raw power, Shiki delivered a crushing downward kick, slamming Qing Mu back into the ground again!
A massive cloud of dust erupted as Ao crashed down, obscuring the crater where no one could see him lying motionless beneath.
"Is this really Shiki?"
Iruka couldn't believe what he was witnessing—too stunned to think about Qing Mu's well-being. He stared in awe at Shiki's display of strength.
Qing Mu, who had previously defeated prodigies like Sasuke and Kiba Inuzuka, was utterly defenseless before Shiki. What a shocking reversal!
The same Shiki Uzumaki who used to do nothing but nap in class actually possessed such strength?
How could anyone not be amazed?
"Could he be the true genius?" Iruka secretly mused to himself, yet chose not to voice it aloud. As a responsible teacher, he feared crushing other students' motivation.
Sadamitsu stood there speechless as well, clearly unable to accept this outcome.
Qing Mu had received personal training for some time from Lord Danzo himself!
He was even considered comparable to Neji Hyuga—the absolute genius of the Hyuga Clan.
Even defeated Sasuke, the genius of the Uchiha clan. Why did he lose to an unknown figure like Shiki Uzumaki?
The Uzumaki clan?
Was there such a family?
Mizuki wracked his brain, desperate to understand how Shiki Uzumaki could have won.
It must be a Kekkei Genkai!
Otherwise, there was no way Shiki could have beaten Hyuga Ao!
But then, why had he never heard of the Uzumaki clan before?
After defeating Hyuga Ao, Shiki landed on the ground. He looked calmly at this child who, three months ago, had once boasted about teaching him a lesson.
"Why! Why is this happening!" Hyuga Ao helplessly lay on the ground. His previously clean and neat clothes were now torn rags, and after enduring such heavy strikes, multiple wounds covered his body. Blood soaked his entire form, looking extremely pathetic.
Shiki himself hadn't expected that victory would come so easily.
"Was this really the result of hard work?"
He clenched his fist, recalling all the hardships he'd endured over those long months. Instantly, everything felt worthwhile. Although he had only defeated Hyuga Ao, a character not even mentioned in the original story.
But at the very least, it showed he wasn't lagging behind others. The fear hidden deep within Shiki's heart gradually vanished.
He was no longer afraid of being useless—a nobody who couldn't even shine during the Chunin Exams, during Pain's invasion, or even during the Fourth Ninja World War.
Because Shiki bore too many responsibilities, he feared these things.
Finding his mother, reviving the Uzumaki clan, protecting the people around him—
All of this weighed heavily upon his shoulders, which was why he worked so hard. Because if he remained weak, when those terrifying events came in the future, he would only be a helpless ant, powerless.
But now, Shiki finally felt confidence returning to him!
P.S. Sorry everyone, I updated really late today, but don't worry—those three chapters promised will definitely be updated completely.
Chapter 17: Iruka's Inquiry
"Why can't our strongest Hyuga Clan in Konoha defeat you!" Hyuga Ao stared blankly with his eyes filled with disbelief. The hard training he had undergone under Danzo's guidance over these past few months suddenly seemed meaningless.
And the promise made three months ago echoed mockingly in his ears.
Konoha's strongest clan? Hearing that, Shiki couldn't help but speak up.
"First of all, it's not that your Hyuga Clan couldn't defeat me—it was you personally who couldn't beat me!"
"Secondly, the Hyuga are not the strongest clan in Konoha!"
Hyuga Ao stubbornly pushed himself upright. "Our Hyuga Clan is the strongest! Just wait—you might have defeated me today, but someday I'll expose you as nothing more than a dead-last fraud!"
Shiki could only shrug helplessly. He really didn't know what to make of someone like Hyuga Ao anymore. They'd boast proudly when they won but couldn't handle the bitterness of defeat.
At this moment, Mizuki suddenly spoke. "Hyuga Ao! If you lost, then just admit it! Don't make excuses!"
Just as Shiki was surprised that Mizuki had actually spoken up for him, much to his dismay, Mizuki followed up with another remark: "You should understand, you'd already defeated two people before facing Shiki. What does it matter if you lost to Shiki? You can always win next time."
Shiki had known right away that Mizuki didn't have good intentions. As a result, Shiki's victory was reduced to nothing more than the result of exhausting Hyuga Ao through a series of battles.
Damn it! His first victory had actually been framed as an unfair advantage. Naturally, Shiki was furious—but behind that anger, he couldn't stop wondering why Mizuki was targeting him so hard.
Or perhaps, he hadn't shown any abnormal characteristics at all before. Why would Mizuki, as a teacher, pay so much attention to him—going so far as to set traps for him at all costs?
He didn't seem to have upset Mizuki at all, did he? The more Shiki thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Search for the official address of BookHelper: www.kanshuzhushou.com — Read millions of bestselling books free and forever ad-free!
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** on the weekend!