Sakura had fainted from Kakashi's genjutsu.
Shikamaru glanced at Ino, feeling strangely conflicted.
He didn't even need to think hard to guess what Sakura had seen.
Definitely something like Sasuke in danger.
Just like Souma had said—
If Sakura and Ino had even one other person in their heads besides Sasuke, they wouldn't end up being almost useless in actual combat.
Of course, Ino had genuinely been helpless against Souma.
She'd used Mind Transfer, but Souma's mental power was simply superior.
What could she do?
Shikamaru took a breath, straightened his thoughts, then couldn't help but smile faintly.
Probably because their team didn't have a Sasuke.
If they did, Team 10 might've ended up like Team 7.
"Where's Naruto?" Chōji rumbled.
"What do you think?" Shikamaru replied.
"Probably caught already. That idiot must've been the first one to rush in."
Shikamaru sighed.
At the Academy, he and Naruto got along okay.
He knew that guy pretty well.
"Let's just go see."
Souma led them around toward Naruto's side.
And Shikamaru noticed something else—
Souma's sensory ability was insane.
There'd been some distance between their testing ground and Naruto's, yet Souma's grasp of what was happening over there was crystal clear.
As if that entire battlefield was laid out in front of him.
How were you supposed to fight that?
The information gap alone wasn't small—it was gigantic.
Shikamaru remembered one of Souma's lines:
Information is a critical part of a ninja's battle.
With enough intel, you can completely seize the initiative.
And on top of that…
He faintly felt that Souma hadn't been trying to crush them.
On the contrary, it was more like he'd been trying to teach them how to be proper ninja—
how to actually think to help their team win.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be bringing them here to watch Naruto's team.
Souma led them forward.
Soon, they saw Naruto—
Right now, he was hanging upside down from a tree, straining to do reverse pull-ups so he could undo the rope with his own strength.
"Why isn't anyone helping him down?" Chōji stopped chewing, baffled.
Souma shrugged.
"Why're you asking me?"
"Uh… Let's just say Team 7 still has a long way to go."
"Honestly, they might end up like you—repeating a year. Kakashi-sensei's standards are strict."
Souma watched Naruto struggle and sighed softly.
Aside from his brain being… questionable, Naruto was a qualified ninja in every other way.
If Sasuke and Sakura would actually coordinate, that team's combat strength wouldn't be bad at all.
Unfortunately—
There was zero teamwork between them.
Shikamaru turned to Souma.
"Souma-senpai, Kakashi-senpai used to be your teacher, right?"
"Yeah. We were easy to handle. You could say we're half-graduated now," Souma said with a small smile. "Come on, let's go see the Uchiha kid."
He took them on a detour.
Soon, they saw Sasuke—
Right now he was sunk up to his neck in earth from Kakashi's Head-Hunter Jutsu.
He looked absolutely pathetic, nothing like his usual cool, elegant self.
"Thoughts?" Souma asked, looking at Shikamaru.
Shikamaru thought for a moment.
"One person's power is small. That's why we need to work together."
"Bullshit," Souma snapped.
"If you're strong enough, what if you're alone? Back then, the First Hokage and Madara could both sweep the entire ninja world by themselves."
"…"
That was different.
And also—
It felt like no matter what answer he gave, he'd get chewed out.
Shikamaru complained inwardly.
Souma continued.
"What I mean is—people need to see themselves clearly. Know exactly how strong you are. Do what your strength allows. Otherwise you'll just hurt others and yourself."
He didn't bother lowering his voice, so even from ten-plus meters away, Sasuke heard every word.
Being used as a "case study" was already humiliating.
Now he was being criticized like this in front of everyone.
His rage spiked.
He twisted his head and glared at Souma.
"If you could handle a jōnin, you wouldn't still be in the Academy," Souma added, squatting down and tickling his head with a blade of grass.
"If you're weak, admit it. Then work to become strong. Don't act like everyone owes you and has to make way for you. If I were Kakashi-sensei, I'd have killed you already."
"Hmph!"
Sasuke turned his head away.
Obviously, he didn't believe that.
Kakashi smiled.
"If you don't believe it, I can let you out," he said lightly.
Sasuke snapped his gaze back.
Two seconds later—
"…Okay."
Kakashi really did release him, then gave Souma a grateful look.
He knew Souma was trying to help.
Souma waved a hand, gesturing for Shikamaru's group to step aside.
Give Sasuke room.
Sasuke stared at Souma.
Then he stood there and said lazily:
"I'll let you make the first move."
Face cold, kunai gripped tight.
Then—
Fwip!
With Body Flicker, his speed spiked, and he lunged straight at Souma.
Ino covered her face.
Before today, she would've thought Sasuke was cool and strong.
But after seeing what Souma could do—
She only felt Sasuke was being stupid.
How could that kind of attack ever hit him?
Sasuke thrust his kunai, no holding back, straight for Souma.
And just as he entered striking range—
A flash of steel cut across his vision.
Sasuke's mind went blank.
He only had one coherent thought—
That's fast…
He hadn't even seen the swing.
By the time he perceived it—
The blade was already resting against his neck, cold steel kissing his skin.
A chill spread from that edge all the way down his spine.
"You're not just weak—you're stupid," Souma said calmly.
"As long as you've been in the Academy, you should at least know I don't use nature transformation or ninjutsu in fights. And you decided to challenge me in taijutsu…"
He smirked faintly.
Sasuke's grip tightened on his kunai, but no sound came out.
In pure taijutsu, he knew he wasn't Souma's match.
"Souma, give him another shot," Kakashi said with a smile. "His ninjutsu might be better."
"Since it's you, teacher, I'll show some respect."
Souma lowered his blade and stepped back, giving Sasuke room.
Sasuke took a breath and calmed himself.
Resentment and anger flickered in his eyes, but eventually settled into a heavy sense of powerlessness.
"I'm not your opponent," he said at last.
"Boring. I'm leaving."
Souma waved and turned around.
Shikamaru paused for a moment to greet Sasuke, then followed with the others.
Ino was conflicted, but she still couldn't help trying to comfort him.
"Souma-senpai is really strong. The three of us got destroyed too. We might have to go back and repeat a year."
"…"
Both Kakashi and Sasuke fell silent.
A long time passed.
Only when Souma's group had vanished from sight did Sasuke mutter bitterly to himself:
"Why… I've already worked so hard…"
"Hard work is the cheapest thing there is," Kakashi said quietly, walking with him back toward Naruto.
Elsewhere, his clone had already delivered Sakura to Naruto's location.
Now Team 7 was all together again.
"Souma-senpai, how do you think we should improve ourselves?"
Originally, Shikamaru had been starving.
But after watching Team 7's train-wreck of a test, he didn't feel that hungry anymore.
Compared to them, Team 10 at least looked salvageable.
"That's your sensei's job."
Souma gave him a half-smile.
"Come on, let's go eat ramen. Or do you prefer discussing life on an empty stomach?"
"Ramen!" Chōji yelled.
His happiness was simple.
As long as there was something to eat—and it was good—he'd instantly forget his troubles.
Souma took them to Ichiraku.
Once they'd ordered, he thought for a bit, then turned to Ino.
"Your biggest problem is relying too much on your clan jutsu. Aside from Mind Transfer, you don't contribute much."
"Yes…"
Ino knew her weakness.
Mind Transfer alone was already risky.
If it failed, she was left standing there like an idiot watching everyone else fight.
It felt awful.
After finishing with Ino, Souma looked at Chōji and pondered for a few seconds.
"I've done some work with the Akimichi clan. I have a self-created technique that's suitable for trade. You can ask Chōza about it."
"O–Okay."
Chōji nodded.
Finally, Souma looked at Shikamaru.
He weighed his words.
"Your problem is simple."
"Please teach me," Shikamaru said, bowing deeply.
"Remember how you feel right now—asking me for guidance."
Souma's tone grew serious.
"Then train. Stop slacking. No matter how smart you are, your body still needs work."
Shikaku and Asuma had put in the effort, called in favors, all for what?
To get Shikamaru to stand up straight.
"I understand," Shikamaru said after a moment.
He was starting to get it.
Today was a performance.
The entire stage had been set up around him.
Its purpose—
Was probably to give him a real slap in the face.
Ninjas are such a drag…
He sighed, but when he recalled the fight with Souma, his expression turned serious.
Information decides a battle.
He'd known that already.
He'd always thought that with his intelligence and ability to plan, he could guide his team to victory, and since he didn't care that much about the ninja life itself, he never really pushed himself.
But Souma was right about one thing—
At the very least, he couldn't drag everyone down.
If they kept relying on Asuma forever, there would come a day when even Asuma couldn't hold them up anymore.
"Ramen's here!"
Teuchi brought out two bowls, then turned back for the other two.
Soon, the only sound in the shop was the slurping of noodles.
Anyone would find food amazing after going hungry all morning—
especially Chōji.
Souma had mentally prepared himself for his wallet to take a hit.
When they were done eating, he said goodbye to each of them.
He was only the substitute examiner, not their jōnin sensei.
Helping them once was already more than enough.
But that evening, Asuma came knocking.
"Souma, that was great. You really laid into them. They'll remember this lesson. I'll have a much easier time from now on."
Asuma was in a fantastic mood.
Today, Shikamaru's team had been taught a serious lesson.
None of them were as lazy or flighty as before.
Especially Ino.
Her Mind Transfer failing to work at all had shocked her so much that she'd immediately gone to Haichi to train harder.
Before today, that would've been unthinkable.
"It was nothing. You helped me with swordsmanship, I helped you with your team. Fair trade," Souma said.
He was still practicing with his blade.
Even with Asuma there, he didn't stop.
Asuma drew his own Flying Swallow blades.
"I'll spar with you for a bit."
"Gladly."
Souma's eyes lit up.
He had new ideas he wanted to test, and Asuma was a great partner for that.
Then—
Asuma nearly got traumatized.
"What the hell kind of sword style is that?"
After just a few exchanges, he'd almost had his fingers sliced off.
His prior impression of Souma's swordsmanship had been—
Fast. Heavy. Explosive.
But now…
Souma's swordplay had evolved again.
His blade carried a spiraling chakra flow that twisted along the edge, constantly nudging Asuma's chakra blades off course and preventing him from fully exerting his strength when blocking.
Worse—
Souma's chakra spiral was chaotic, without any clear pattern.
Every clash felt like a near miss.
Souma sheathed the blade and smiled.
"Well?"
"It's disgusting," Asuma said honestly after thinking it over.
Souma shook his head.
"That's just the basics. If I can someday merge all three traits into a single strike, that'll be a real success."
"…"
Asuma exhaled slowly, at a loss for words.
If he had developed something like that, he'd already be bragging all over the village.
And this brat was still dissatisfied?
Three-in-one?
Why not go straight to becoming a god?
The worst part was—
Given enough time…
Souma might actually pull it off.
Asuma was silent for a long moment.
"Oh, right. Chōza wanted to come in person, but something urgent came up. He asked me to thank you on his behalf."
"And?"
"And he also asked me to find out—what do you want this time?" Asuma said.
Souma had been doing business with all three clans for a while.
Everyone spoke frankly.
"I'm very interested in the Akimichi secret pills and their calorie-conversion principle," Souma said.
"That's…" Asuma hesitated and sat down. "That's not easy. That's the Akimichi clan's core secret."
"That's why I wanted to talk to Chōza directly," Souma replied.
Very few in the village truly understood how to apply the secret pills' principles.
They were mostly developed to serve the Akimichi clan themselves.
Souma just wanted to study the theory.
Asuma listened, then thought it through.
"I'll bring it up with him. Whether it works or not will be up to Chōza," he said at last.
"Fair enough."
If Asuma didn't carry the message, Souma would've gone to Chōza himself anyway.
He didn't personally need the Calorie Mode—
He was just interested in the Bodhi Seed's potential reaction to it.
After Asuma left, Souma resumed his practice.
His spiral sword force was only in its infancy.
He was still far from mastering it.
More training would be needed.
As for the mental-technique secret Haichi wanted—
Souma had already written the technique part onto a scroll.
He also had some ideas for a proper secret art, but he still lacked deeper knowledge of spiritual power.
In that domain, Haichi was the one in a hurry.
Souma's own needs were low, and both spiral sword force and Gentle Fist research took priority in his schedule over mental arts.
So—
He'd wait until Haichi delivered what he'd promised.
For now, he'd focus on his own work.
That night, he wrote out the notes for Spiral Blade Force.
The next day, Souma headed to the Hyūga main estate.
If he delayed any longer, Hiashi would start nagging again.
Three invitations was the limit.
Refuse a third time and it would be an insult.
When he arrived—
Before he even saw Hiashi, he was met with a resentful stare.
Hyūga Neji.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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