Konoha Ninja Academy, training grounds.
Tanaka Shuichi's class was orderly pairing off and carrying out the combat test.
To everyone's surprise—and relief—Youyu hadn't been matched up against anyone for the practical combat portion.
That made them all breathe much easier.
Not one of them had the courage to spar against Youyu.
What if he got drunk and cut one of them down?
Even Kakashi Hatake, once hailed as one of the greatest geniuses in the history of Konoha Ninja Academy and heir to the White Fang's blade techniques, had been badly injured by Youyu.
Earlier, even Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Third Hokage, had nearly been cut down by him too.
Compared to those two, what were they supposed to be?
In their eyes, Youyu was basically a demon king.
Fortunately, this test didn't require them to fight him.
After the class was grouped and the tests proceeded in order, the first round of practical testing quickly came to an end.
Clap—clap—
Just as everyone was happily discussing the first round of combat tests, Tanaka Shuichi clapped his hands and drew their attention back to him.
"Alright, the first round is over. Next, we'll begin the second round of practical testing."
He took out a fresh score sheet and raised his voice.
"Huh? There's a second round?"
"How is that possible? My brother already graduated and I've never heard there was a second test."
…
The class instantly exploded into uproar.
A bad feeling rose in all their hearts.
"The second round of testing will be a ring-defense battle."
Tanaka Shuichi quickly suppressed the chatter and announced the next test format.
"In a ring-defense battle, one person defends while everyone else takes turns challenging them.
And this time, there will only be one defender."
Looking at the list in his hand, the corner of Tanaka Shuichi's eye twitched.
"Youyu will be the defender for this test!"
Tanaka Shuichi shouted.
"Huh?!!!!"
…
Huu—
Gulp—gulp—gulp—
The field instantly fell silent.
At that moment, only the sound of the breeze remained.
And the sound of Youyu drinking.
"Hah—who called me?"
Youyu breathed out a long waft of alcohol and asked in confusion.
At his side, Kurenai's delicate nose twitched slightly, fascination flickering in her eyes.
Rin quickly began explaining Tanaka Shuichi's words to him.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"We're supposed to… challenge Youyu?"
"Isn't this just sending us to our deaths?"
…
Sweat dripped down the foreheads of the other students, terror filling their eyes.
"As expected. Nobody wants to die."
Looking at the silent field, Tanaka Shuichi thought to himself.
Forget these children—even if someone asked him to fight Youyu, he wouldn't dare.
Two years ago, Youyu had already been able to severely wound his colleague with a single strike.
Now another two years had passed. Who knew how strong he had become?
And in ordinary tests, people held back.
After all, they were from the same village and usually wouldn't go for the kill.
But could anyone expect a drunkard to show restraint?
If Youyu slipped and cut someone down, there'd be no justice to be found afterward.
"So then—"
"Wait!"
Just as Tanaka Shuichi was about to continue, an angry voice interrupted him.
"I'll challenge Youyu!"
Obito Uchiha, his eyes slightly red, glared viciously at Youyu and shouted.
"Hah? Obito's challenging Youyu?"
"The dead last actually dares challenge someone even more talented than Kakashi?"
"Who gave that idiot the courage?"
"Is he trying to die?"
…
A dead-last loser stepping forward at a moment like this and declaring he would challenge Youyu—
to them, it was practically a slap in the face.
After all, just moments ago, they hadn't even dared let out a fart, lowering their heads in fear that they might be picked to fight Youyu.
Obito's challenge was like mockery.
Mockery of their own lack of courage.
So they vented all their anger straight onto him.
"Uchiha Obito, huh…"
Tanaka Shuichi looked at the class dead-last, his gaze flickering.
"To dispel sorrow, nothing surpasses Du Kang!"
Youyu didn't care about Obito's glare in the slightest. He muttered words nobody in this world could understand while drinking the fine liquor Kurenai and Rin had brought him.
By now, everyone was used to Youyu spouting incomprehensible nonsense.
And nobody thought much of it.
After all, when a drunk said weird things no one could understand, wasn't that perfectly normal?
"Bastard! You're looking down on me!"
Seeing that Youyu wasn't taking him seriously at all, Obito grew furious.
And what made it even harder for him to accept was that, because Youyu was slightly tipsy and a little unsteady, Rin was letting him lean against her.
That made Obito's eyes even redder.
"Uchiha Obito."
Tanaka Shuichi found Obito's name on the score sheet in his hand.
Then he wrote—
Fail.
…
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/Inkveil_