Tendo-kun turned around and saw an "old acquaintance."
The newcomer had signature medium-length hair, a striking silver-white color. He was tall and long-legged, only half a head shorter than Tendo-kun. His eyes were perpetually narrowed into smiling slits, giving him an unusually gentle and friendly appearance.
An ordinary person might have been deceived by that façade.
Unfortunately, Tendo-kun was not an ordinary person.
"Mizuki-senpai!" Tendo-kun immediately flashed his trademark sunny, flawless smile and greeted him cheerfully.
The two did, in fact, know each other—and their history went back quite a while.
When Tendo-kun had just graduated from the academy, he had been assigned to intern at the Ninja Academy for a period of time. Back then, he had nearly stayed on as a full instructor, becoming proper colleagues with Iruka and Mizuki.
In the end, plans changed. Under the strong recruitment of his female superior, Tendo-kun transferred to the Hokage Building instead.
As a result, his connection with Mizuki remained shallow, no more than that of nodding acquaintances.
After Tendo-kun left, Mizuki stayed behind at the Ninja Academy, continuing his routine. On the rare occasions when Tendo-kun returned to the academy for official business, Mizuki's smile was always exceptionally warm.
Of course, Tendo-kun—who had long since seen through Mizuki's petty and calculating nature—could always sense something off beneath that smile.
Still, this was the adult world. One could see through things without calling them out. Since neither side had openly fallen out, Tendo-kun was perfectly content to maintain a polite façade.
But today was different.
Mizuki-senpai had taken the initiative to approach him, deliberately choosing a time near dusk, when the training ground was nearly empty.
Tendo-kun's internal alarm began to blare.
Mizuki strolled over leisurely, his gaze lingering for two full seconds on Tendo-kun's face—an infuriatingly handsome face that somehow managed to look pleasing no matter how many times one saw it.
Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, Tendo-kun's sharp profile appeared even more striking. Even the few strands of blond hair fluttering in the breeze seemed to gleam unnaturally.
"Tsk. Pretty boy," Mizuki sneered inwardly, jealousy and resentment gnawing at him like insects.
"Isn't it just because he has a good face? Why does he get to work at the Hokage Building while I'm stuck teaching brats at this dump? Is Lady Inuzuka Akita only looking at appearances too?"
Inuzuka Akita—Tendo-kun's female superior—had once appeared in a certain non-flammable masterpiece known as Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
Despite the jealousy boiling in his heart, Mizuki's smile only grew warmer, even tinged with the air of a caring senior.
"Tendo-kun, still doing extra training?" he said kindly. "You're really diligent."
"Just stretching a bit," Tendo-kun replied with a chuckle, his eyes subtly sweeping over Mizuki from head to toe.
Muscle condition: average. Chakra fluctuations: mediocre. Footwork: unstable.
Looks like you've been slacking off lately, Mizuki-senpai.
Mizuki's gaze dropped to Tendo-kun's hands.
They were slender, with clean joints and smooth skin. There were no callouses—no signs of long-term taijutsu training or constant hand seal practice. They looked more like the hands of a clerk than a shinobi.
The system's repair had given Mizuki a completely false impression.
Just as I thought, he sneered inwardly. All show and no substance.
His desire to "teach this junior a lesson" surged wildly.
He had long been irritated by this smooth-sailing kid, especially after hearing how valued Tendo-kun was at the Hokage Building. The feeling that "an opportunity that should have been mine was stolen" only deepened his resentment.
Normally, Tendo-kun was surrounded by colleagues or seniors from the Hokage Building, making it difficult for Mizuki to make a move.
But today?
He was alone.
An empty training ground.
The perfect setting for a little "guidance" or "friendly sparring."
Even if he went a bit too far, he could always excuse it with: I didn't expect you to be so weak. I was too serious.
Perfect.
"Practicing alone can only take you so far," Mizuki said, his smile turning meaningful. His tone, however, was filled with feigned goodwill. "Taijutsu improves fastest with an opponent. How about it, Tendo-kun? Why don't I, as your senior, accompany you for a few rounds?"
He emphasized the word progress, a faint provocation glinting in his eyes.
Tendo-kun blinked—and nearly burst with joy inside.
What luck! This was like receiving a pillow when sleepy or dessert when craving sweets.
He had just finished testing his surging chakra and had nowhere to release the restless energy in his body. This walking experience pack—no, this enthusiastic senior—had practically delivered himself to his doorstep.
"Really?" Tendo-kun's eyes lit up, his expression innocent yet eager. "Then I'll have to trouble Mizuki-senpai for your guidance!"
[New Mission: The Uchiha's Reputation]
[A mere Chunin coasting through life dares to bare his fangs at the noble Uchiha. Use absolute strength to wake him up and make him understand the true meaning of a power gap.]
[Mission Reward: Konoha Style Taijutsu]
Tendo-kun was delighted. The system was truly thoughtful—getting rewarded for teaching someone a lesson was a fantastic deal.
"Mizuki-senpai, please guide me!" Tendo-kun said loudly, his aura subtly shifting.
The two walked to the center of the training ground and stopped several meters apart.
Mizuki originally planned to put on the airs of a senior and say something polite like, "You attack first."
But when he saw Tendo-kun's face glowing even more brilliantly in the sunset—and those suddenly focused eyes—an inexplicable fire flared in his chest.
He dropped the act.
"Watch out!"
With a low shout, he kicked off the ground and lunged forward like an arrow. His speed was far from slow—he was clearly using his full strength.
His fist shot toward Tendo-kun's face, wind whistling through the air. Only when it was inches away did he hurriedly add a warning, as though he had just remembered.
In Mizuki's imagination, the outcome was clear: Tendo-kun would panic, raise his arms to block, have his defense shattered, and be sent crashing to the ground screaming in pain.
Mizuki would then retract his fist calmly, sigh, and say with false concern,
"Tendo-kun, it seems paperwork at the Hokage Building has made you neglect your taijutsu. You should come train here more often."
Just imagining it made him grin.
But reality had other plans.
Exactly 0.01 seconds before the punch landed, Tendo-kun tilted his head slightly—as if scratching an itch.
Whoosh!
The fist sliced through empty air, brushing only a few strands of blond hair.
The sudden miss and the loss of momentum caused Mizuki to stumble forward.
Eh?
He dodged? Coincidence!
Before Mizuki could recover his balance, Tendo-kun moved.
He casually lifted his right foot, as though kicking aside a pebble while strolling.
His toes slid precisely behind Mizuki's supporting ankle—and hooked.
The motion was gentle.
The result was devastating.
"Whoa—!"
Mizuki felt a clever, irresistible force at his ankle. His world spun, and with a heavy thud, he face-planted into the sandy ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Silence fell.
"Senpai?" Tendo-kun asked from above, his voice full of concern. "Are you alright? Did something trip you? It's my fault—I should've warned you the ground isn't very even."
Mizuki lay face-down, ears ringing, half from the impact and half from sheer humiliation.
He pushed himself up, dust covering his face, eyes bloodshot with rage.
"You…!"
No matter how he looked at it, Tendo-kun's innocent expression now seemed filled with mockery.
"I was careless!" Mizuki snarled, launching himself forward again.
This time, he attacked with caution—punches and kicks chained together as he circled.
Straight punches. Side kicks. Elbows. Sweeps.
Though nothing extraordinary, he was still a Chunin, and the barrage carried momentum.
Unfortunately, he was facing Tendo-kun.
Without even activating the Sharingan, Mizuki's every movement was laid bare—the tension in his muscles, the shift in his center of gravity, even his gaze.
It all appeared in Tendo-kun's perception like slow motion.
The result was almost comical.
Mizuki attacked frantically.
Tendo-kun swayed calmly.
Every blow missed by a hair.
Minutes passed.
Mizuki's breathing grew ragged. Sweat poured down his face. His attacks lost form, devolving into desperate flailing.
"Senpai," Tendo-kun said kindly, "your rhythm's off. Want to take a break?"
That was the final straw.
"Shut up!"
Mizuki poured everything into one final, wild punch aimed at Tendo-kun's chin.
Tendo-kun sighed.
"Senpai, you'll hurt yourself like this."
He didn't dodge.
He punched.
A simple, direct strike.
His fist landed first.
Slap!
Mizuki spun in place and crashed to the ground.
Blood and teeth hit the sand.
"I'm sorry," Tendo-kun said sincerely. "I didn't control my strength well. I'll cover your medical expenses."
Mizuki fled in tears.
[Mission Complete]
Tendo-kun smiled.
Silence returned to the training ground—leaving behind only a few broken teeth as witnesses.