The antics between Inuzuka Ryo and Yuki Seisui came to a quick halt the moment the teacher entered the classroom.
Yamanaka Yukio lanced around and nodded in satisfaction upon seeing that no one was late.
This was a new beginning.
He had just become a teacher, and this was his first homeroom class. The journey to earning the title of a top-tier instructor would start here!
"Alright, class is starting now," Yamanaka Yukio announced with a light cough, addressing the students.
"Please take out your Will of Fire textbooks. Let's begin."
"Where the leaves dance, the fire lives on. The fire's light…"
Yuki Seisui was eager to hear what insights the teacher might offer, planning to jot them down in his diary later.
But just then, a paper ball flew in from the side. Following its arc, Seisui saw Minato shrug helplessly and gesture toward Inuzuka Ryo, who was shadowboxing beside him.
"Don't leave after school! You and I are gonna settle this!"
Seeing the message written on the paper, Seisui chuckled quietly and activated the Duel Arena.
The moment Ryo raised his fist, his surroundings blurred, and he suddenly found himself elsewhere.
Minato, watching both of them go still with vacant stares, instantly realized what Seisui had done. He sighed in resignation and turned his attention back to the Will of Fire lecture.
"Where is this place?!"
Ryo immediately began shouting in confusion as he looked around the unfamiliar space.
"Keep it down," Seisui muttered, rubbing his ear. "You're too loud."
"Yuki Seisui?" Ryo calmed down a little when he recognized his opponent. Looking around again in awe, he asked, "Is this some kind of genjutsu you cast?"
"Damn it, so you've already gotten this far ahead of me!"
"But I won't lose! I'll become Hokage before you!"
"Heh." Seisui scoffed, an emoji-like image of him patting his head appearing above him. He sneered, "Keep dreaming. The Hokage title is mine."
"This place is my ability. Dying here has no real consequences."
"Go all out, entertain me!"
As he spoke, Seisui pulled out a wooden kunai and formed the sign of confrontation.
"You bastard! I'm not giving up!" Ryo growled, gritting his teeth. Despite the challenge, he obediently mirrored the sign of confrontation and pulled out a real kunai, ready to fight.
Meanwhile, back in the real classroom, Yamanaka Yukio walked up to Seisui and asked him to repeat what he had just said in class. Minato, embarrassed, looked away as if he had nothing to do with what was happening.
"Yuki Seisui, I'll ask again, what did I just say?"
Seeing Seisui still sitting there, unresponsive, with a blank stare, Yukio finally lost his patience and slammed his hand on the desk. But all Seisui did was turn and glance at him before silently picking up his textbook and continuing to read.
"…Huh?" Yukio frowned. Something was clearly wrong. He turned to look at Ryo, sitting beside Minato, and saw the same dazed expression, though Ryo's was even more vacant.
Hiss.
Yukio sucked in a breath. Did I bore them into a trance with my lesson?
Seeing the teacher's expression, Minato finally spoke up. "Sensei, they're… dueling."
"Dueling?" Yukio echoed, confused.
Just as he said that, both students suddenly snapped back to normal, but Ryo immediately clutched his neck and let out a painful scream.
"Ah! My neck! I'm gonna die!"
He dramatically tilted his head to the side and passed out from shock.
"Damn it!" Yukio rushed over in a panic to check on Ryo. After a quick inspection, he realized Ryo had simply passed out from fright. He sighed, utterly speechless.
"He's fine. I just need some rest." Relieved, Yukio turned to Seisui with a stern face. "You, come to my office after class!"
"Yes, sir," Seisui replied obediently.
After the teacher left, Minato leaned over and whispered, "Are you okay?"
Seeing the concern on Minato's face, Seisui smiled reassuringly. "It's fine. The teacher just wants to understand what happened. Nothing serious."
He had expected this outcome from the start.
Originally, he had only intended to drag Minato into the Duel Arena, but when Ryo butted in, he simply rolled with it.
Seisui needed word of his abilities, as the first possessor of a new bloodline limit, to reach the Third Hokage.
And the Ninja Academy, being directly under the Hokage's supervision, was the best place to make that happen.
When the bell rang, Seisui dutifully followed Yukio to his office.
"Alright, explain. What kind of genjutsu was that?" Yukio asked, still convinced Seisui had used some kind of illusion technique.
He had initially thought Seisui was just a naturally gifted genjutsu user. Though surprised by his talent, he hadn't questioned it too deeply. He had decided to finish the lesson and ask Seisui for a post-class demonstration.
A personal tutoring session, in a way.
But Seisui shook his head. "Sensei, it's not genjutsu. This is a unique ability of mine."
"…Hmm?" Yukio furrowed his brow and sat up straighter. Rather than pry into the nature of the ability, he asked calmly, "Then show it to me."
"Duel Arena, activate!"
Without hesitation, Seisui raised his hand and clenched his fist toward Yukio.
In the blink of an eye, the teacher was pulled into a surreal, indescribable space. Just a moment ago he'd been in the office, and now, he was standing across from Seisui.
"Genjutsu Release!" Yukio instinctively formed the seal to break illusions, but of course, nothing happened.
He walked up beside Seisui, visibly intrigued.
"So this is your special ability?"
"That's right." Seisui nodded. "I woke up one day and just had it. I can train here freely, and dying in this space has no real effect."
Yukio glanced at him, nodded, and suddenly summoned a kunai.
"I hope you're telling the truth."
He gave Seisui a calm smile, and without warning, plunged the kunai into his own heart.
Seisui froze, Choking on his words as he stared, speechless, at Yukio's collapsing body.
"Sensei, you'll be kicked out automatically after six hours."
The writhing Yukio could barely hold it together upon hearing that.
Soon, the two of them returned to reality. Yukio clutched his chest, his face twisted in pain.
Seisui stared blankly, unsure how to react. But deep down, he was moved.
"All that just because I said it was safe… Why, Sensei? You could've let me kill myself to prove it."
"You're my student. Even if it's only our first day of class, I'm the one who wants to understand your power. It's only right that I experience it myself."
He paused, then looked Seisui in the eye.
"And besides… I believe you wouldn't lie to your teacher."
"Alright, go on back. I need to report this to the Hokage."
"Yes, sir."
Seisui nodded and headed back to the classroom.
"Such a genius…" Yukio muttered to himself, letting out a deep sigh before setting off for the Hokage Tower.
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250 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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