Shiranui blinked, her wooden sword resting against her shoulder as she stared down at the seven-year-old in front of her.
"You… want to fight me?"
Asagi's eyes burned with determination. She gripped her practice sword tightly.
"Yes. Fight me."
Shiranui tilted her head, half amused, half confused. The heir to the Igawa clan was famous for her talent—even at this age—but this?
"Are you sure?" she asked gently, her tone like an older sister's. "You're strong, I know that. But your pride might get the best of you."
Asagi didn't hesitate. She charged forward in a blur, her wooden blade slicing through the air. Crack! Shiranui met her attack with an easy block, their weapons clashing.
"It's not about my pride!" Asagi gritted out, pushing forward.
She shot a quick glance toward Leo, then back at her teacher. "It's about something else!"
Meanwhile, on the sidelines…
Sakura squinted at the scene, then leaned toward Leo. "So… jealousy level 100?"
Leo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sakura, please don't start."
Sakura smirked, her tone teasing. "Come on. You can't tell me you didn't notice that death glare when you blinked at Shiranui."
Leo looked away. "I was just… staring into space."
Tokiko, sitting cross-legged beside them, piped up innocently, "That's what people say when they get caught!"
Leo's eye twitched. "Not helping!"
Sakura grinned wider. "Oh, she's totally got it bad. Classic 'tiny tsundere in training' arc."
Leo groaned. "I swear, this world runs on anime logic."
Clack!
Back in the ring, Shiranui disarmed Asagi with a swift twist, her blade flicking the wooden sword out of the girl's grasp. She caught it mid-air and gently tapped Asagi on the head with the flat of the blade.
"You've got passion," Shiranui said, smiling slightly. "But maybe try channelling that into your form—not your crush."
Asagi froze, her face going scarlet. "I—I-It's not like that!"
The entire class, in perfect unison: "Suuure it's not."
Even Aoi, standing near the corner of the dojo, covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Leo just buried his face in his hands. "Someone end me now…"
Shiranui sighed, tapping her blade on her shoulder again, though she wore a faint, playful smile.
"Alright then, little Asagi. If you're that determined—let's make this official. I'll allow this battle."
The kids gasped. Even Aoi raised an eyebrow.
Asagi's eyes lit up with fiery resolve. "I won't lose!"
Shiranui smirked. "You definitely will. But at least you'll learn something before you hit the floor."
Leo whispered to Sakura, "Should we stop them?"
Sakura grinned. "Nah. Let her get it out of her system. Besides, this is the most entertainment we've had all week."
Tokiko clapped excitedly. "Go Asagi! Use your secret move—uh… Tantrum Slash!"
Leo: "...That's not a move, Tokiko."
Tokiko: "It is now!"
Shiranui crouched slightly, her aura calm and controlled. Asagi gritted her teeth, wind chakra beginning to swirl faintly around her blade—unstable, wild, but full of potential.
The older girl's expression softened.
She really is talented. Just… incredibly, dangerously motivated.
"Come then, Igawa Asagi," Shiranui said with a grin. "Show me your resolve."
Asagi launched herself forward, shouting, "For Leo—!"
Everyone watching: "SHE SAID IT!"
Leo's soul left his body. "WHY DID SHE SAY MY NAME!?"
Leo leaned back slightly, watching the two take their stances as the other students whispered bets.
'Actually…' he thought, resting his chin on his hand, 'I wonder who would win. In the canon material and wiki, it was said multiple times that Asagi was on the same level as Shiranui. Even if Shiranui was the older student and Asagi was younger, their power gap wasn't that big.'
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. 'But they never actually fought in canon—at least not that I remember. So technically… this is a first.'
Sakura elbowed him. "You're muttering again, nerd."
Leo blinked. "Oh, uh, just… thinking."
Tokiko grinned. "Thinking who's gonna win? My money's on the tall pretty one!"
Sakura: "Which one?"
Tokiko: "...Yes."
Leo sighed. "This is why I can't have serious analytical moments around you guys."
The wooden blades clashed again with a crack! that echoed across the dojo. Shiranui's expression shifted from amused to slightly impressed as Asagi's strikes grew faster, sharper, the faint swirl of fire chakra gathering around her.
'Huh,' Leo thought, eyes widening a little. 'Guess the wiki wasn't exaggerating after all.'
The wooden blades clacked again as Asagi charged, each swing faster than the last. The floorboards echoed with sharp strikes—proof that, for a 7-year-old, she was terrifyingly quick.
Shiranui parried each hit effortlessly, her movements calm and precise. Where Asagi's steps were fiery and impulsive, Shiranui's were like flowing water—smooth, rhythmic, unhurried.
"Your stance is good," Shiranui said mid-fight, "but your breathing's all over the place."
Asagi growled, swinging again. "Stop talking and fight seriously!"
Shiranui smiled faintly. "I am."
Crack!—another parry. Step. Flow. A quick flick of Shiranui's wrist sent Asagi's blade off-balance.
On the sidelines, Leo leaned forward, watching closely. "She's using Water Art forms to redirect the strikes—she's not blocking, she's absorbing the momentum."
Sakura blinked. "In English?"
"She's parrying in a way that makes Asagi tire herself out."
Tokiko giggled. "So… big sis is getting splashed?"
Leo sighed. "Not even close, but sure, let's go with that."
Back in the ring, Asagi stomped forward, fire flaring at her fingertips—not literal flames yet, but the visible heat of her Taima energy pulsing through her strikes.
For a second, even Shiranui looked impressed. "You're learning to channel already?"
Asagi grinned proudly. "Heh, told you I'm not a kid!"
"...You're literally a kid," Shiranui replied flatly—then sidestepped, tripped her gently with a leg sweep, and tapped her on the forehead with her wooden sword.
"Match over."
Asagi lay on the floor, face red, eyes wide. "That doesn't count!"
Shiranui sheathed the wooden blade with a practiced flick. "It absolutely counts."
The class burst into light laughter. Tokiko cheered, "Yay! Big sister fell like a log!" while Sakura tried—and failed—to hold in her snickering.
Leo just rubbed his temples. "You know, at this rate, I'm gonna need a medal for second-hand embarrassment."
Shiranui smiled softly, helping Asagi up. "You've got spirit, Asagi. That's good. But spirit without discipline burns itself out."
Asagi huffed, crossing her arms. "Then I'll just train harder until you can't knock me down again!"
Leo muttered under his breath. "And there it is—the start of her shonen protagonist arc."
Asagi looked at her. Normally, she would be angry; her pride wouldn't allow it, but then she took a deep breath. "Fine, but I will beat you one day".
Shiranui smiled at her as she spoke. "Very well".
You will think, this meant her pride was finally in control, in check, but Will.
Later that day, she was venting to Leo, behind the Dojo.
The dojo's back room smelled of wood polish and old sweat. The afternoon sun slanted through a high window, painting dust motes like tiny planets.
Asagi stormed out the side door and promptly flopped onto the low stone wall behind the dojo, folding her arms and scowling at the sky. Her cheeks were still pink from the match.
Leo followed more slowly, pretending to be casual. He sat beside her, one knee up, the other dangling. "So—feel better?" he asked, trying for nonchalant and failing spectacularly.
She huffed. "No. I got owned by Shiranui-senpai. She made me look like a joke."
"You did get swept," he agreed honestly. "But you also pushed her. That's not nothing."
Asagi glared at him. "You always make excuses for people I beat."
He looked at her, serious for half a beat. "I'm not making excuses. I'm making an assessment. Pride's fine as a fuel, but it's a bad steering wheel."
She snorted. "Says the kid who sits there and tells me to do breathing exercises."
He shrugged. "Breathing works."
Asagi stared at the ground, voice small. "I hate losing. I hate feeling weak. I can't be weak. Not if the Igawa are supposed to protect people."
Leo watched her, then said gently, "You know why you'll win someday?"
She blinked, suspicious. "Why?"
He looked at her, half-smile softening his face. "Because you get angry at losing and then you go train like someone stole your future. That's better than being born 'talented' and never wanting to work."
Her lip trembled a little. "That's not exactly comforting."
"Maybe not," Leo admitted. "But it's true. You're stubborn in a useful way."
Asagi pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, looking at him sideways. "You always say nice things in weird ways."
He shrugged. "I'm efficient. Compliments waste time."
She poked his shoulder. "You're smug."
"Compliments," he muttered. "Also efficient."
They sat for a moment in companionable silence, the kind that only felt heavy because both of them were pretending it wasn't.
Finally Asagi sighed and stood up, dusting off her knees. "Fine. One day I'll beat her."
Leo stood with her and offered a hand—formal, not romantic, but not not either. "I'll help you train."
She took it after a beat, gripping it with fierce determination. "Promise?"
"Promise."
Asagi's scowl melted into something like a smile before she stomped back toward the dojo, muttering under her breath, "You better not embarrass me during practice."
Leo watched her go, then tilted his head toward the setting sun.
'One day,' he thought, 'she'll look back and laugh at how dramatic she was. Maybe I'll write the script for that scene.'
He followed after her, already planning training drills in his head—practical, brutal, and just the right amount of ego destroying.
Leo looked at her as he spoke. "You know you need something to get your mind off just training and beating me".
Asagi looked at him as she spoke. "What is it".
The next morning, the kids, Leo, Tokiko, Kotaro, Asagi, Sakura and Rinko (whom they dragged) arrived in a store with Leo's father.
Ryuji opened the store's door. "Will, you want it, so here we go son".
The kid where confused about the shape of the Books, some long and thick and others thinner.
Leo smirked as he looked at them. "Welcome to the Only entertainment shop in the Village".
Some of the adults choked on air when Leo said as Leo blinked.
"I mean Kids Entertained".
The kids didn't get it, but the adults did, and Ryuji wonders where his son learn that.
Rinko raised her hand, confused. "Um, what's here".
Ryuji looked at the young Ninja in training. "Will seeing the facts, most of your childhood has been about training, you never heard of comics or manga or Video games, it's not like it's forbidden in the Villages".
Ryuji motioned them inside. "Alright, everyone—no touching anything that glows, hums, or looks possessed. Last time someone tried to 'fix' the VR headset, we had a raccoon in the system for a week."
Leo coughed into his hand. "That… might've been me."
Ryuji gave him a long stare that could peel paint off a wall.
Inside, the store was like another world — shelves packed with books, games, and strange gadgets, posters of heroes and mechs plastered everywhere. The faint hum of arcade cabinets filled the air. For the kids who'd spent their lives learning stealth and combat, it was like stepping into a festival of color and noise.
Sakura's eyes went wide. "Waaah! So many pictures!"
Tokiko grabbed a manga volume, flipping it upside down and squinting. "Why are the words backwards?"
Ryuji chuckled. "That's Japanese manga format. You read it right to left."
Kotaro held up a comic with a superhero on the cover. "So these are stories about people saving others… but drawn?"
Leo smirked. "Yeah. Think of them as training for imagination."
Asagi crossed her arms, skeptical. "Training for imagination? How is that supposed to make me stronger?"
Leo leaned in with mock seriousness. "Because, Asagi, if you can imagine your opponent's moves before they happen—"
She interrupted. "—then I can counter them. Okay, fine, that actually makes sense."
Ryuji blinked. She bought that? My son is dangerous.
Rinko meanwhile had picked up a small handheld console, pressing buttons as lights flickered. "It moved! What do I do?"
Leo grinned. "That's called a video game. You win by not dying."
Sakura: "That sounds like training!"
Tokiko: "Except you can respawn!"
Leo: "Exactly—best part about games: failure comes with a retry button."
Ryuji sighed, muttering to himself, "Why do I feel like this trip is going to create more chaos than it fixes…"
Meanwhile, Asagi had wandered toward a rack of DVDs, frowning at one labeled 'Hero Justice Omega'.
She glanced at Leo. "So… people actually make stories about heroes and villains for fun?"
Leo nodded. "Yep. Sometimes the fake ones teach more than the real ones."
That made Asagi pause. She turned the case over in her hands, eyes softening. "…Maybe I'll get this one."
Leo smiled faintly. "Good choice."
Sakura looked between them and grinned like a gremlin. "Oh my gosh, are you two gonna have a movie date?"
Asagi's face went red instantly. "S-SHUT UP!"
Tokiko added, "But if it's for team bonding, it's technically training."
Ryuji pinched the bridge of his nose. "They're seven and I already feel like I'm raising teenagers."
Leo just laughed, looking around at his small, chaotic group.
'Maybe,' he thought, 'this is what peace feels like — a few idiots arguing in a store about manga.'
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me Power stones and enjoy