Omika stared at the empty space where he had disappeared.
The ground was undisturbed. No lingering chakra. No trace of movement. If she hadn't just fought him herself, she might have thought he'd never been there at all.
"…I'll win next time."
Wow, she deadpanned internally. Bold of him to assume she planned on stagnating.
"Tch…"
Just a brat trying to look cool.
Does he think I'm done growing? she wondered. That I peaked today and will now retire emotionally and physically?
The nerve.
Her fingers curled slightly at her side.
He was strong. No doubt about that. Fast reactions. Good control. Smart use of terrain and timing. Enough to justify the rumors, even if most of them were exaggerated.
But did he really think that was it?
Does he think he'll keep improving, she thought, irritation bubbling up, and I'll just… stay the same?
She huffed quietly.
She hadn't come looking for a fight.
She'd just wanted to see this so-called "strongest genin." To understand why his name kept coming up in conversations that usually ignored people like her.
Instead, he'd dragged her into a full-on fight.
Forced her to take it seriously. Forced her to deal with an audience that would now absolutely refuse to shut up about it for weeks.
Fantastic, she thought flatly. I came for information and left as entertainment.
Warmonger.
Outwardly, she maintained her usual stone-cold expression.
Her posture was calm. Her face unreadable. She turned and walked away from the training field at an even pace, ignoring the lingering stares and half-formed whispers behind her.
Inside...
Unbelievable. Who fights like that?
Who laughs after losing like a madman?
And who the hell gave him the right to decide there'd be a rematch?
By the time she reached the street leading toward the Uchiha district, she was still fuming.
Training Ground Three
Ken leaned against a tree, one hand clamped over his mouth.
"Heh… hehehe…"
It slipped out anyway.
He bent forward slightly, shoulders shaking.
"I can't—" he whispered, then laughed again, breathless. "I really can't stop."
After sparring with Guy and the others, he already knew he liked fighting. But this?
This was different.
The rush. The focus. The way his thoughts sharpened until everything else faded. Like his brain had finally tuned itself to the right frequency.
It was intoxicating.
Man, he thought giddily, if this world had MMA, I would've joined without thinking twice.
Then another thought followed immediately.
"…That 'I'll win' line was pretty cringe though," he muttered. "Couldn't even squeeze a 'nah' in there."
Next time.
He exhaled slowly, laughter finally fading.
His grin lingered, but his thoughts shifted.
There was no way this went unnoticed.
Until now, the attention had been loud but shallow. Rumors. Ego. Genin nonsense.
But a ten-year-old Uchiha with a Sharingan?
That changed things.
"…I might be on Danzo's radar now," he murmured. "That one-eyed bastard doesn't miss much."
Root loved talent.
Especially the kind that didn't know when to stop.
Ken straightened slightly, staring up through the leaves overhead.
Worst case?
He'd leave.
It wasn't like he had anyone tying him down. No family he couldn't walk away from.
His lips curled into a faint, dangerous smile.
"In this life," he said quietly, "I'm doing what I want."
Restraint could go rot.
If even in a fantasy world he lived by rules someone else wrote, then what was the point?
He snorted, then laughed again.
"…Nah. I will win."