A dull thud echoed through the clearing.
Uchiha Sasuke had fallen from the tree—again.
Kitazawa gave a small nod. Even bruised and breathless, Sasuke didn't utter a single complaint. His stubbornness ran deep; he was willing to push himself to the limit, all for a few words of praise from Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi.
Unfortunately, an entire class period later, he still couldn't make it to the top of the tree.
"Sasuke," Kitazawa called out at last, halting him. "That's enough for today. Continue tomorrow."
"Kitazawa-sensei, you go ahead," Sasuke replied stiffly, clearly unwilling to stop.
"Haste makes waste," Kitazawa said with a calm shake of his head. "You need rhythm—tension and release. That's how proper training works."
Sasuke froze for a moment. He didn't fully understand, but somehow, it sounded… profound.
And remembering Kitazawa's earlier Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu—so vast and powerful that it dwarfed even his brother's—he hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
"When you get back, have a medical-nin look at those bruises," Kitazawa added.
"…Got it. Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei."
Sasuke limped off toward the school gates, pride wounded but determination unshaken.
Kitazawa returned to the training grounds. Most of the students had already gone home, leaving only two figures still lingering—Uzumaki Naruto and Hyūga Hinata.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Naruto came sprinting over, face beaming with excitement. "I hit it!"
"Hit what?" Kitazawa asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The bullseye!"
Kitazawa paused, then smiled faintly. "Congratulations. But don't get cocky. That's just the beginning."
"Right!" Naruto nodded so hard his headband nearly slipped off.
"See you tomorrow," Kitazawa said, patting him on the shoulder. "Next time, we'll be switching to moving targets."
"I'll nail it, believe it!" Naruto shouted, waving enthusiastically before dashing off down the road.
"Hinata," Kitazawa turned to her with a gentle smile, "are you nervous?"
"A little…"
But as she met his warm gaze, some of her tension melted away.
"Then let's go," Kitazawa said, extending his hand.
Hinata blinked, startled, but instinctively reached out and took it.
The warmth of his palm spread through her fingers, coloring her cheeks with a soft pink flush.
Together, they left the academy and made their way to a small grove—their prearranged meeting spot.
As soon as Hinata recognized the place, her heart trembled.
It was here that she'd encountered those three bullies before.
The only difference was that last time, the forest had been covered in snow. Today, the sunlight streamed through the leaves.
"They're not here yet," Kitazawa said after a brief glance around. "Let's set up an ambush."
Hinata looked up at him in confusion, her pale eyes blinking.
"I am still your teacher, you know," Kitazawa said, clearing his throat. "It's only right that I educate my students properly."
Hinata tilted her head slightly, still not quite following.
Kitazawa chuckled. "You really don't get it, huh?"
He reached out and lightly pinched her soft cheek.
Hinata's face instantly turned a deeper shade of red, her fair skin glowing pink under the sunlight.
"Hinata," Kitazawa said softly, his tone serious now, "remember this: to overcome fear, you must face it head-on."
Hinata pressed her lips together, and a flicker of resolve appeared in her eyes.
But when she looked up again—Kitazawa was gone.
Her heart skipped.
And then, almost on cue, three familiar figures emerged from the trees, swaggering toward her.
"So she really came alone?"
The leader, Tora no Suke, scanned the area, sounding genuinely surprised.
"Does she think she can take the three of us by herself?" sneered the boy on his left. "Big bro, she's looking down on us!"
"Hey!" Tora no Suke barked, stepping forward. "What's the meaning of this?"
Hinata froze in place.
Kitazawa's words echoed in her mind, but fear still coiled tight in her chest. Two days weren't nearly enough to rewrite years of timidity.
Her mind went blank.
Move, Hinata! Move! she screamed silently—but her body refused to listen.
"I'm talking to you!" Tora no Suke snapped, irritation rising. "What, cat got your tongue?"
Hinata flinched, stumbling a step backward.
Kitazawa-sensei… please, help me…
"You've made the lion angry!" Tora no Suke growled, lunging toward her with a grab.
Then—
A powerful gust roared through the grove.
Hinata's hair whipped upward, and she instinctively raised her hands to shield her face.
When she opened her eyes again, all three boys were airborne—slammed into separate trees with bone-jarring crashes.
"Gyaaaah!"
Tora no Suke howled, clutching his side. His body felt like it had been torn apart.
The other two groaned nearby, pale and trembling, both in pain and terror.
From behind the trees, Kitazawa stepped into view.
The wind just now had been his doing—a perfectly controlled Wind Style: Great Breakthrough.
A C-rank wind technique, its power varied depending on the chakra poured into it. In the hands of a master like Orochimaru, it could level half a forest.
"W-Who are you?" Tora no Suke stammered, sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Just a passing shinobi," Kitazawa said with an easy smile. "Three boys ganging up on one girl—your parents must be so proud."
"N-No, wait—you're that teacher!" the boy on the left blurted, realization dawning. "I've seen you at the academy!"
"Unbelievable!" Tora no Suke shouted, pointing at Hinata. "You actually brought your teacher to fight for you?!"
"Snow Leopard, shut it," Kitazawa said coldly, eyes narrowing. "And what's with the 'lion' nonsense?"
"T-This isn't fair!" Tora no Suke protested, shrinking back.
"Fair?" Kitazawa took a step closer, his tone suddenly sharp. "That's exactly what I came here to fix."
Tora no Suke stumbled backward, fear in his eyes.
"You three against one—that's unfair. Hinata asking me for help—that's unfair too. So let's call it even."
He crossed his arms. "One month from now, right here. You and Hinata. A fair, one-on-one match."
Because only by confronting fear head-on could one truly overcome it.
A month would be enough—enough time for Kitazawa to help Hinata shed her timid shell.
When she defeated Tora no Suke, that would be her real moment of growth.
"Well?" Kitazawa asked, raising a fist. "Do we have a deal?"
"I-I agree!" Tora no Suke yelped, staring at the teacher's fist like it was a boulder.
"And the scarf you stole last time?" Kitazawa asked, recalling the system's mission.
"I threw it over there," Tora no Suke stammered, pointing weakly to the left.
Kitazawa turned his head, spotting the scarf lying in the grass. "Good. See you next time."
The smile on his face was warm—but to the three trembling boys, it looked like the grin of a demon.
They bolted, scrambling away as fast as their legs could carry them.
Kitazawa didn't bother to stop them. He wasn't worried they'd tell their parents—he'd already checked. They were just the children of ordinary civilian shinobi.
And since they'd struck first, he was fully justified in defending his student. Even if the matter reached the Hokage's desk, Sarutobi Hiruzen would side with him.
"Hinata, are you alright?" Kitazawa turned, walking toward her.
She was still standing there, frozen in shock.
But when she heard his voice and saw his reassuring smile, her body finally moved—she threw her arms around him, trembling.
Kitazawa blinked in surprise, then slowly smiled.
He could feel her shaking against him.
She was still just a little girl, after all.
He raised a hand and gently stroked her hair.