Chapter 5

Shirishi and Ruri walked to the center of the field according to the rules, having prepared wooden shurikens and kunai in their ninja tool bags, all with the sharp parts dulled to minimize their lethality, making them toy weapons.

Shirishi and Ruri stood facing each other, first solemnly making the opposing hand sign.

"Begin."

Their homeroom teacher, Fujimura Daigoro, saw that they were in position and loudly announced the start.

As soon as the words were out, before Shirishi could make a move, Ruri quickly pulled out several wooden shurikens from her ninja tool bag, slicing through the air and sending them hurtling towards Shirishi's body, each one aimed precisely at his vital points.

Shirishi's face showed a slight surprise as he rolled to the side, looking somewhat disheveled but managing to narrowly avoid Ruri's first wave of attacks.

Just as he was about to steady himself, Ruri vanished from his field of vision. A gust of wind came from behind, and Shirishi turned to see a blur of a leg, the tip of which struck his chest, sending him flying.

Instant defeat.

"Ah, I thought I could hold out a bit longer, but Ruri is indeed very strong..."

Shirishi clutched his chest and stood up, looking as if he had used all his strength to get up, his face showing a bitter and unwilling expression.

Ruri did not respond to Shirishi's dejected look. She glanced at his face a few times, then lifted her chin, shook her long black hair, and proudly left the field.

"This is what a genius is like. But don't be discouraged, Shirishi. You are the most hardworking student I have ever seen, and you will surely become a great ninja in the future."

Fujimura Daigoro, who liked students like Shirishi who listened attentively in class and loved reading, was afraid that he would be discouraged by his quick defeat in the practical exercise, so he patted his shoulder to comfort him.

"I'm fine, Mr. Fujimura."

"That's good. Go rest now, and don't think too much about it."

Seeing the slight melancholy on Shirishi's face, Fujimura Daigoro did not press the issue.

In his view, the hard work and effort Shirishi had put into improving himself were not something others could easily understand. Being defeated so easily in a practical exercise would certainly be a significant blow to him.

But against a genius like Ruri, Fujimura Daigoro knew that Shirishi's ability to last even one move was already a remarkable achievement.

In his eyes, Ruri's skills were already on par with the village's genin.

Shirishi's quick defeat was a natural outcome.

Time passed, and the day ended. After a quick dinner, Shirishi returned to the open field in the forest behind the school, where he practiced using wooden stakes.

Shirishi's speed was very fast, and the force of each strike, as evidenced by the impact on the wooden stakes, was considerable.

Shirishi's expression was calm, and his breathing steady. While striking the wooden stakes, he also adjusted his breathing rhythm to conserve energy and increase his endurance, ensuring that he could maintain both speed and power.

As Shirishi was immersed in this intense training, a sharp sound suddenly pierced the air, and a kunai flew towards him, causing him to quickly react and jump back to avoid being hit by the sudden attack.

Shirishi frowned and looked into the depths of the forest.

It was already past eight in the evening, and only the moonlight faintly illuminated the dark forest, preventing complete darkness.

A small figure emerged from the shadows, her long black hair dancing in the evening breeze, her pitch-black eyes particularly bright, and her sharp gaze making Shirishi's nerves tense.

This girl was none other than his desk partner, Uchiha Ruri.

Shirishi scratched his head and forced a relaxed smile, saying:

"It's you, Ruri. What are you doing here so late? To be honest, I was a bit frustrated by being defeated so easily by you today, so I came here..."

Before he could finish, Ruri coldly interrupted, "Fight me with all your strength."

"Ah? Full strength? But I was already using my full strength today..."

Shirishi stammered, as if he didn't understand what Ruri meant.

"I said, fight me with all your strength!"

"Ruri, what are you talking about..."

Seeing Shirishi's evasive and feigned ignorance, a hint of impatience appeared on Ruri's cold face.

She took out a kunai and, without hesitation, aimed it at Shirishi's neck.

Unlike the wooden training tools used during the day, the kunai in Ruri's hand was a deadly weapon that could easily cut through Shirishi's throat.

Most frighteningly, Ruri's attack was extremely fast, and Shirishi's expression grew serious.

Ruri's speed at this moment was even faster than when she had practiced with him during the day.

Shirishi did not dare to be careless and took out a kunai to block Ruri's attack.

Sparks flew as the kunai clashed.

The two pairs of dark eyes pierced through the night air, meeting each other with a serious look.

"Ruri, were you trying to kill me just now?"

"Hmph!"

Still as cold as ever, her long black hair danced in the moonlight, and she used it as a cover to stab at Shirishi's chest from a dangerous angle.

Shirishi barely blocked the attack and quickly put some distance between himself and Ruri, his expression growing even more serious.

From that one move, Shirishi knew that his speed and strength were not inferior to Ruri's, but Ruri had much more practical experience, and the gap in practical experience made it clear to Shirishi that his chances of winning were very low.

Fortunately, after a brief probing, Ruri did not choose to continue the attack. Instead, she looked at Shirishi strangely, her arrogance somewhat subdued, and asked:

"It's really strange. You're clearly very strong, so why hide your strength?"

This was a difficult question to answer, and Shirishi couldn't come up with a convincing lie to satisfy Ruri, so the scene fell silent.

Just as Shirishi was racking his brain to find a way out, he heard Ruri continue:

"Never mind. Since I know you're hiding your strength, my purpose is achieved. Let's end it here."

With that, Ruri turned and walked away without looking back, without any hesitation.

"...What a strange girl."

Shirishi muttered to himself. She probably wouldn't tell anyone about his hidden strength, right?

If she did, things would get complicated.

Thinking about Ruri's cold and distant nature, she didn't seem like the type to meddle in others' affairs.

With this thought, Shirishi felt much more at ease.

However, being seen through by a child, even a child who was a ninja, was a stark reminder to Shirishi that he could not afford to underestimate anyone, no matter how young.

He would have to be more careful in the future.