Chapter 5: The Duel
At another section of the training grounds, Liumu, having finished his shuriken assessment, was preparing to move to the next testing station.
Beside him, Nohara Rin kept glancing at his head, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, looking like she had something to say but was hesitating.
"What… what is it?"
Liumu guiltily touched the wig he'd hastily purchased that morning. Could this little girl have noticed I'm bald?
"Oh! It's nothing, nothing!" Faced with his question, Rin quickly smiled and replied, "I just feel like your hairstyle is a bit different from yesterday's."
Liumu gave an awkward smile upon hearing this and hastily told a lie. "I woke up a bit late today and didn't have time to wash my hair. Maybe it's just messy."
"Oh."
...
"For the combat drills, you will pair off into groups of two. You will step forward in sequence according to your previous overall grades."
In the open training area, the instructor in charge of the combat test was explaining the rules. As Liumu waited for his name to be called, Uchiha Obito suddenly appeared beside him.
"Liumu!"
Hearing his name, Liumu turned to find Obito staring at him with an uncharacteristically serious expression, not moving an inch.
"Is something wrong?" Liumu asked, puzzled.
Obito frowned slightly upon hearing this. Gone was his usual playful demeanor. He now wore a rare look of seriousness, as if he'd made some weighty decision in his heart.
Finally, after a moment of silence, Obito spoke. "I wish to use this assessment as an opportunity to have a fair duel with you! A contest between shinobi!"
"A… contest between shinobi?" Liumu was at a loss.
The truth was, ever since Kakashi graduated, Rin, who loved studying, had often been seeking Liumu's help. This had stirred jealousy in Obito, who had always had a crush on Rin, leading to this idea of a duel.
But…
In terms of academics, Obito was no match for Liumu whatsoever. Since he couldn't compete in studies, Obito's only remaining hope lay in actual combat.
Seeing the resolve in Obito's eyes, Liumu glanced at Rin, who was oblivious to the situation. A faint smile touched his lips, and he actually nodded in agreement to Obito's challenge.
"Oi, why would you do that?!"
Suddenly, Might Guy, as if appearing out of thin air, whispered into Liumu's ear.
After Guy had left, Obito was essentially the third strongest in their class, behind Kakashi and himself. Guy really didn't think much of Obito's skills.
Watching Obito boldly challenge Liumu to a fight, Guy couldn't help but grin and shake his head.
"You don't understand," Liumu said, looking at Obito's retreating back, speaking to the confused Guy behind him.
"I don't understand? What don't I understand?" Guy was perplexed by Liumu's words.
But Liumu understood perfectly. Especially after seeing the look in Obito's eyes just now, his intentions became even clearer.
That feeling… it was like when someone snatches your favorite lollipop as a child. There's no fear, no hesitation. You just step forward, and no matter the outcome, you have to take it back from them in a fair manner.
Rin wasn't a lollipop. But in Obito's eyes, Rin was far more precious than one.
...
"Konoha… Whirlwind!"
As time passed, Might Guy on the field executed a magnificent spinning kick, sending his classmate reeling. The instructor immediately announced Guy's victory.
"Next group! Liumu versus Uchiha Obito!"
Though it was unclear how Obito had persuaded the teacher, when Liumu heard his name called against Obito's, he stood up, brushed the dust off his pants, and walked into the center of everyone's attention.
Ding…
Just as Liumu and Obito completed the customary pre-duel seal of confrontation, a voice echoed in Liumu's mind.
[Timely Mission Triggered. Host is required to graduate from the Ninja Academy and become a shinobi within seven days.]
Liumu froze for a second upon hearing it, then finally snapped back to reality.
Listening to the system's assigned task, Liumu suddenly felt like a puppet being manipulated.
Graduate?
No way!
Liumu looked at Rin, at his other kind classmates, and thought about the relatively peaceful Academy life. He already had the power of a One-Punch Man. Why should he listen to the system?
Furthermore, if he truly followed the system's tasks and graduated to become a ninja, he'd be forced to follow the village's orders and undertake missions outside. That was absolutely unacceptable to Liumu… at least for now.
"…Liumu?"
"Liumu!"
...
Obito, seeing Liumu spacing out right in front of him, called his name twice, his voice tinged with anger.
This was supposed to be a duel, but Liumu was actually daydreaming right in his face?
Obito narrowed his eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and suddenly shot forward. His figure was like lightning, closing the distance in an instant. His clenched right fist shot directly towards Liumu's chest.
"Liumu! Look out!"
Seeing Obito's fierce attack, Nohara Rin subconsciously cried out with an anxious expression.
It was also this cry that snapped Liumu out of his thoughts. Seeing the fist less than half an arm's length from his chest, Liumu smiled slightly and sidestepped with effortless grace.
In the eyes of the teachers and students, the dazed Liumu was about to be struck by Obito. But for some reason, in the blink of an eye, only Obito's shocked face remained on the field. As for Liumu…
Everyone looked around, trying to find the vanished figure.
"Don't bother looking. I'm up here."
Everyone followed the voice and looked up. There, squatting casually on a tree branch three meters high beside the field, was Liumu. He even raised a hand to wave at the people below.
"So fast!"
"Liumu is too strong!"
"Seriously, in just a blink, he moved that far?"
...
The students whispered incessantly amongst themselves, all marveling at Liumu's skill.
"Get down here at once and continue the match!" the assessment instructor called out toward Liumu, his tone seemingly indifferent. In truth, he, a Chunin, had also failed to track Liumu's movement. But not wanting to appear flustered in front of his students, he forced the shock in his heart to settle.
Hearing the teacher, Liumu gave a light 'whoosh' and jumped down from the tree, landing softly and stirring up only a small puff of dust.
"My apologies."
Liumu, now back on the ground, looked at Obito standing opposite him and said softly, "I know what you're thinking. So, out of respect for that, I won't hold back for any other reason. Come on."
"That's the way it should be!" Obito snorted coldly. He stepped forward with his left leg, bending his knees slightly, preparing to launch another surprise attack. But before he could move, Liumu, who had been several meters away, suddenly appeared right in front of Obito's eyes.
Simultaneously, everyone present heard a calm, almost cheerful voice:
"Konoha Secret Technique… One Thousand Years of Death!"
...
...
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(End of Chapter)
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