Konoha Light

Many new students could be seen using the "Provocation" technique. A few were even sitting recklessly on the guardrails of a three-story building, yet their movements weren't exactly agile.

"Bastards, what are those little brats looking at?"

"Hmph, do they really think that just because they're from the Sarutobi Clan, we wouldn't dare teach them a lesson?"

Despite their words, the group didn't actually seem very eager to act. They merely exchanged glances, their eyes repeatedly shifting toward one particular individual in the middle.

"Shoujian, what do you think we should do?"

"You're a rising star of the Uchiha family; you can't lose to the Sarutobi clan!"

To them, even though the Sarutobi clan had the powerful backing of the Third Hokage, they still paled in comparison to the illustrious Uchiha family—a well-established powerhouse dating back to the Warring States Period. They believed that a simple scuffle between children wouldn't lead to any serious consequences between the two great families.

The young man called Shoujian seemed hesitant. His father had explicitly warned him to avoid conflicts with anyone from the Hokage faction while at the academy.

His upbringing and the pride ingrained in him as a member of the most prestigious clan in Konoha made it difficult for him to understand why he should have to yield to others. However, his father's insistence ultimately left him no choice but to comply.

Because of this, he reluctantly mingled with these so-called "companions," using their oppressive behavior toward weaker students to mask his own insecurities. Still, he refused to admit that his father's words had made him feel weak.

After pondering for a moment, Shoujian shook his head and said, "I'm not afraid of Asuma, but this isn't to our advantage. They've already learned to stick together. If we go after them now, we could end up facing several dozen of them at once."

"What? Those freshmen actually know how to band together?"

"They didn't seem like they were coping well before. If they really run into trouble, they might just back down."

In truth, the group was feeling some hesitation.

For students who hadn't yet learned any real jutsu, sheer numbers alone could be an effective deterrent.

They relied on their own small clique to act arrogantly within the academy, and even older students rarely dared to challenge them.

Thinking about this, their irritation gradually faded. They lost interest and muttered, "Tch, I guess they got lucky. We'll just go shake down some second-years for 'protection money' instead."

"But even those second-years are starting to band together lately."

"Forget it, let's just wait and see. Unlike that group of monster-like freshmen, the second-years don't have anyone as formidable as Shimizu leading them. They wouldn't dare step out of line."

On the Training Grounds

"Asuma, move faster! Don't let him use his Clone Jutsu!"

"Damn it! We're at a disadvantage since we don't know any jutsu yet!"

"Don't worry, we've got the class rep on our side!"

"Shimizu, this time I definitely won't lose to you!" Asuma shouted as he dribbled the ball, his five shadow clones rapidly shifting positions before charging toward Shimizu.

"You still haven't realized, have you?" Shimizu smirked and pointed.

"Huh?" Asuma was confused for a moment before instinctively passing the ball to another teammate.

The moment Asuma received the ball again, one of his five clones stopped moving, flashing a sly smile.

"Asuma, thanks for that," he said.

Bang! In the blink of an eye, the clone transformed into Shimizu himself and swiftly stole the ball.

"Clone Jutsu... and a Body Replacement Jutsu... Damn it! When did he—?" Asuma was frustrated. If Shimizu hadn't distracted him with those words, he might have sensed the trick at the last moment.

But Shimizu didn't go for a solo play. Instead, he passed the ball to a teammate. Even though his teammates weren't skilled and often lost possession, he patiently supported them.

To him, individual heroism like Asuma's was not the right path. A true victory required teamwork.

As the match intensified, a small girl from their class suddenly rushed over.

"This is bad! This is really bad! There's a fight in the classroom!"

However, instead of looking shocked, Shimizu's face showed a certain excitement—almost as if he were eager to witness the drama unfold.

"That should be enough of a setup," he thought to himself. Then, pretending to be surprised, he asked, "Classmate Suzuki, what happened?"

"It's Kurenai, Hina, and Mai! They're fighting over Shimizu!"

"Wait, what?!"

At that moment, the surrounding students turned to stare at Shimizu with strange expressions.

Although children in this world were somewhat precocious, even at five or six years old, romance was still a foreign concept to them.

But to Shimizu, these naive emotions were actually more intriguing. They represented a yearning for beauty—whether in appearance, personality, talent, or knowledge.

Naturally, children didn't yet understand how to conceal their feelings, which often led to "battles" like this.

In fact, Shimizu had seen similar situations in his past life. His little nephew, thanks to their family's good genes, would often complain about how hard it was to "manage his harem" in kindergarten.

Of course, Shimizu had the ability to prevent such incidents from happening, but instead, he had secretly encouraged them.

Sigh... To think I've stooped to stirring up romantic rivalries between five-year-old girls. I really am shameless, he thought to himself as he made his way back to the classroom.

Just as he stepped inside, he was met with a chaotic scene—noisy cries and the sounds of sobbing filled the room.

"My head hurts so much... Wuuu wuuu wuuu~"

"Mai isn't responding!"

"What?! Did Mai go crazy?!"

"What?! Is she dead?!"

"Ahhh! Someone get Teacher Yagami, quick!"

Two little girls were sitting on the ground, crying loudly. Another girl lay motionless nearby, while the girl named Enka sat at her desk, looking helpless. Her large eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

As for the rest of the class, they were simply watching the drama unfold like an excited audience.

Taking one look at the scene, Shimizu quickly pieced together what had happened.

It seemed like Mai and her two friends had picked a fight with Kurenai. However, Kurenai, being a natural prodigy in genjutsu, was no ordinary girl. A single illusion was enough to incapacitate them instantly.

But Kurenai had clearly underestimated the power of genjutsu. For mentally immature children, illusions were much more dangerous than other types of jutsu.

While Hina and Enka only suffered from a strong headache, Mai—who had a weaker mental resistance—had fainted completely.

Unlike the future elite kunoichi she would become, Kurenai was still just a little girl with talent. Faced with this situation, she was utterly panicked.

The moment she saw Shimizu enter, she instinctively ran to him, clutching the hem of his shirt with teary eyes.

"Shimizu, Shimizu! I... I think I killed her! You have to arrest me!" she sobbed.

Shimizu chuckled and reassured her, "It's not as bad as you think. Mai probably just fainted."

"Really?" She looked up at him, her eyes filled with hope.

Meanwhile, the rest of the class had also noticed Shimizu's arrival. As if they had found their savior, they quickly gathered around and started explaining the situation to him all at once.

Spreading his arms confidently, Shimizu's voice rang out, firm and steady, "No need to worry—I'm here!"

Those few simple words carried an undeniable charm, instantly calming the classroom.

Seeing this, Asuma and the other boys could only watch in silent envy.

They, too, wanted to command that kind of presence.

As for the other girls, they simply stared at Shimizu in admiration, eagerly waiting for him to "perform."