The back mountain, usually quiet and empty, was absolutely packed.
Hundreds of students stood scattered around—some sitting under trees, others perched on rocks or leaning against trunks.
Shūyū had arrived after school and waited patiently.
Within the time it took to burn a single stick of incense, nearly everyone had shown up.
Even upperclassmen—fifth and sixth-years—were present.
None of them made a sound.
They just found their spot… and waited.
Shūyū finally stood up from the stone he'd been sitting on and looked toward the class reps of Year Two's four sections.
He might not know every face, but he definitely remembered who the reps were.
"Is everyone here?" he asked flatly.
Class 1's rep stepped forward.
"Most of us showed. A few didn't bother. Probably thought it wasn't worth it."
"Same here."
"Ditto."
"Yeah."
All four reps confirmed.
The bulk of Year Two had come. Some were missing—but those who came?
They weren't here to chat.
They came to teach Shūyū a lesson.
"Alright then," Shūyū said, cracking his neck. "Let's get this over with so I can go eat."
The second-years collectively felt their blood pressure spike.
Arrogant.
Unbelievably arrogant.
"Get this over with"?"So I can go eat"?
Did he think they were just side mobs in his story?
The entire second-year cohort stepped forward in response.
No hesitation.
More than a hundred students now stood before him.
And behind them, even more had gathered.
Some were students, some were upperclassmen. Even Minato Namikaze was among the crowd.
"Tch… word really spread far," Shūyū muttered.
Still, he was glad.
The fact that no teachers had stepped in to stop it?
Even better.
"No interference means… all this material is mine to harvest."
A voice from the crowd cut in.
"Shūyū! If you're scared, now's the time to back down. Get on your knees and apologize, and maybe we'll go easy on you!"
That was the rep from Class 1.
None of the other second-years argued.
Sure, they usually didn't get along—but today?
They had a common enemy.
"Tch. Enough talking. Let's get started already," Shūyū said, unimpressed.
"If I were scared, would I have sent a challenge letter in the first place?"
Up in the trees, observing quietly, were two famous names:Senju Nawaki, grandson of the First Hokage.And Uchiha Mikoto, one of the top talents of the Uchiha clan.
"This guy's really laying it on thick," Nawaki scoffed. "He's so full of himself it's hard to watch."
"He better have the strength to back it up," Mikoto said coolly. She leaned against a branch, arms crossed, but her eyes kept drifting back to Shūyū's face.
She wouldn't admit it, but… he was handsome.
Even among the beautiful people of the Uchiha clan, Shūyū's looks stood out.
And he was only five.
"Give it a few years… and he's going to be even more dangerous," she thought to herself.
"Surprised to see you here," Nawaki said, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't think someone like you would come just to watch."
"What I do is none of your business," Mikoto replied flatly. "Especially not from someone who can't even break the top three of our year."
That hit a nerve.
Nawaki's face went red.
"I'm still in the top eight! That counts for something!"
"I'm number one. Sit down," Mikoto said calmly.
Nawaki clenched his fists and muttered under his breath.
"One day…"
Meanwhile, in another part of the crowd, two members of the Hyuga clan were watching.
Hiashi Hyuga, the future clan head, furrowed his brow.
"He's going to get overwhelmed. Too many opponents."
"I wouldn't be so sure," his brother Hizashi replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Use your Byakugan. See for yourself."
Hiashi activated it—and what he saw stunned him.
"What the—?! That chakra… there's so much of it!"
Thanks to Shūyū's Sage Body, his chakra reserves were massive.
Unrealistically so.
"There's no way this guy's a first-year! He's only been at the Academy for a few months?!"
Hiashi could barely believe his eyes.