Naruto: Power in Play

[Level Up!]

Vengeance was a dish best served cold.

To Ando, it was better served fresh—daily, if possible.

He ignored the glowing Level Up prompt hovering in the corner of his vision, dismissing it with a casual mental swipe. His focus was elsewhere: on his audience. The small crowd of classmates gathered around the sparring ring wasn't just there for idle entertainment. They came to watch the "orphan upstart" get put in his place. Or so they thought.

That day, like every other day, Ando intended to prove them wrong.

He had learned his lesson the hard way a month ago when he was ambushed by a group of his classmates. He could handle any of them one-on-one, but the crafty bastards had ganged up on him, exploiting his momentary overconfidence.

He may be able to win in a one-on-one situation, but the crafty bastards could still gang up on him.

Thanks to the 'observe' skill, Ando knew the identity of his assailants. But unfortunately, acting on that knowledge wasn't so simple. He couldn't afford to tip his hand, to make anyone suspect he was anything more than a scrappy orphan with a knack for bouncing back. Healing abilities were rare, yes, but they were still grounded in the realm of possibility. But premonition? That was a different story.

It didn't matter, though. Ando had other ways to deal with his problems. Since he knew that the ones who ambushed him were his classmates, he just had to find a reason to conveniently fight them all.

He decided to go with the simplest route possible: he threatened them all to rat out the culprits.

Naturally, Ando's methods did not sit well with the majority. The Hyuga in his class felt indignant and immediately proposed a duel. And of course, Ando refused. He was not afraid of fighting, but he was not going to go and try his luck against one of the strongest ones in his class. At least, not yet.

The kids were infuriated by the open provocation and disregard to their 'superiority'. Some others tried threatening Ando, and of course, once they fell for his provocations, the orphan had all the leverage he needed to push them into a duel.

A one-on-one match against each clan member of the class, and a two on one against the civilians.

Which caused an uproar. It did not surprise Ando all that much. The civilians, as cowardly as always, wanted to stand against the deal. And even some of the clan kids questioned him for it.

Ando continued provoking them, but it was clear it was not going to pass. But then something unexpected happened.

The homeroom teacher, Soda, backed Ando up.

"Now this is an interesting idea." The teacher casually walked into the classroom, silencing every single one of them. "I like this idea. And it just happens that I was about to introduce sparring into our curriculum. And I think Ando's idea will serve as a great motivation for some of you to take it seriously. After all, who doesn't want to beat him up?"

The man finished with a grin, ignoring the indignant shout from Ando. "Now, I know you all want to get started right up on this arrangement, but I personally think that having you all gang up on Ando is a little unfair."

"And since I am a benevolent teacher, and a firm believer of justice. I will be tweaking the mechanics of this little arrangement."

Soda clapped his hands with a mischievous grin. "Alright, listen up! We're going to have four rings in the training yard, and this is how it's going to work. Each of you will enter one of these rings, with one simple goal: defend your place. You can only leave the ring once you've been defeated, but don't worry—if you manage to hold your position for long enough, you'll start to earn some serious respect... and points."

He paced around the classroom as the students murmured among themselves.

"Here's the twist," Soda continued. "You're not just fighting for survival; you're fighting for grades. I'll be watching and grading every fight. The longer you stay in the ring and the more skill you show, the higher your grade."

"I know most of you want more than just passing marks. So, for the last ones standing in each ring, you'll get bonus points. The ones who fight the smartest, not just the longest, will reap the real rewards."

Soda paused, letting the students absorb the weight of his words.

"The rules are simple: once you're in the ring, no leaving until you're knocked out or yield. You can challenge anyone in each of the 4 rings, but you're only allowed to fail once per ring. But! If you do well, and manage to secure 3 consecutive wins, you will be allowed to challenge the other rings once more. The fights keep going until only one person remains in each ring, and those last standing will be recognized. You'll have the chance to strategize, observe, and adapt to your opponents—use what you've learned. After all, this isn't just about brute strength."

Soda turned his gaze toward Ando with a knowing smirk. "And don't think I'll be going easy on anyone. Fight like it counts, because it does."

Which brings us to the current timeline, a month later, and Ando has managed to dominate a ring on his own. An incredible feat, considering that everyone wanted to get a piece of him.

"Next!" He proudly declared from within the ring. "Is there anyone worth my time in this class?" By now, Ando's trash talking skills has developed into an official skill recognized by the system. He may even have developed a taste for provocation.

Ando was met with the heated glare of his classmates. Unfortunately for them, Ando had already beaten most challengers in his bracket. They knew it, and Ando knew it, so all they could do for the moment was to bear in the gloating.

His classmates hated him! But they had to admit that the orphan was really pushing them back. A shred of begrudging respect was growing in them. Respect for his grit and potential. Everyone still remembered the days when a random student could wipe the floor with the orphan. It was inspiring to see Ando make so much progress in such a short amount of time.

Sadly, all shred of respect was ruthlessly pushed back by their desires to beat the orphan up. The fact that Ando kept on insulting them was not helping at all.

Some of the people who were planning on challenging other rings couldn't bear it and started marching towards the Ando.

"I'm next!" A student shouted as he stepped inside the ring. He stretched his left arm forward, while his right hand was positioned close to his torso. The kid bent his legs and firmly planted them in the ground.

His name was Kazuchi Shiro, and he came from a small clan outside the village of Konoha. He was one of the more promising talents of his clan, and had particular affinity for their clan's Takegu fighting style, which focused on defensive and counter maneuvers.

"Come, if you dare!" Kazuchi declared with a ferocious glace. One that did not quite match his stance.

"Nah, I'd rather catch my breath first." With just one look, Ando could tell that his opponent's style was focused on defense. He was all for testing and trying to adapt his style to all kind of situation. But there were times where the solution was as simple as just not to play into the enemy's field.

If Kazuchi's style was centered around defense, then Ando would force him to switch into offense.

"You can come whenever you're ready." Ando made a show of crossing his arms as he goaded his opponent. "Or are you too much of a coward?"

"Yes, I am."

"Huh?"

"I am a coward so please hurry up and kick me out of this ring!"

For a moment, Ando forgot to move, confused by the unexpected awkwardness. Wasn't I supposed to be the shameless one? he thought to himself.

From his vantage point under the shade of a tree, Soda watched the scene unfold with a quiet smirk. He casually scribbled a small plus sign next to the student's name in his notebook.

Before Soda could dwell further on the fight, a voice cut through the air, smooth and cheerful. "It seems like you're having fun, Soda-san."

Soda's pen hovered mid-air. Suppressing a groan, he slowly looked up to find Mizuki approaching with his usual smile, the sunlight catching the edges of his silver hair. Soda's lips twitched into a courteous smile, though it lacked any real warmth. "Well, if it isn't Mizuki-san," Soda replied, snapping the notebook shut with a practiced motion. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The exchange was polite, but beneath it lay an unspoken tension, one that Soda never quite shook when dealing with Mizuki.

"Don't be so distant, will you? I just came by for a chat," Mizuki replied, his voice smooth, with a genial smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He casually glanced over at the sparring rings, his tone light but probing. "I couldn't help but notice the exercise you've been putting your students through. It piqued my curiosity."

Soda shrugged, maintaining his polite demeanor. "Ahh, well, it's nothing new, really," Soda said, slipping his notebook into his pocket. "I was inspired by the upcoming academy tournament and wanted my students to get some practical experience before things get serious."

His eyes returned to the students in the rings, still immersed in their chaotic fights. "It's working quite well," Soda added. "They're getting more than just the usual classroom lessons. A little real-world application, you know?"

Mizuki nodded, his smile never wavering. "I see. It's always good to prepare them for what's ahead… especially with such promising talents in this class."

Soda's expression remained neutral, though his mind was already working hard to read between the lines. He knew Mizuki was always looking for an angle.

"Well, if you really want to know. In just a month, I've remarked a noticeable growth in my students. And they are starting to take physical conditioning a lot more seriously." A hint of pride could be seen in Soda's attitude.

And it was well deserved. Mizuki was not a very enthusiastic teacher, but even he had to admit that motivating the first years to take their training seriously was a feat worth mentioning.

"And it seems like some have made more progress than others." Mizuki meaningfully remarked, casting his eyes at Ando. "It's incredible to see an orphan dominate the ring so easily."

"Yeah," Soda simply shrugged and went silent.

Mizuki remarked the immediate change, but said nothing. He kept observing the ongoing fight in the ring. He watched how Ando slowly gained the upper hand by directing the flow of the fight. He noticed that the physical difference between the two fighters were not that big. Ando may be slightly stronger, but he was up against a Shiro clan member, which was reputed for their taijutsu. The lean physique of the clan member had nothing to do on the body of an eigth years old, but again, so was Ando's.

And yet, Ando was winning, despite having defended the ring for a couple matches already.

"He really is something." Mizuki commented. "I'm gonna be honest with you Soda, I came here to talk to you about Ando. Some of my… associates have asked me to look into him." He paused, his words hanging in the air before adding, "I'd really appreciate it if you could share any useful information you have."

Soda did not say anything for a time. He was scribbling something on his notebook. Mizuki did not mind it, he calmly waited for the other teacher to finish. Until finally, Soda let out a small sigh.

"I swear this kid is dragging me into all sorts of trouble." Soda muttered. "There's not really much I can tell you that I haven't told the others already."

"He's got a strange kekkei genkai—one that heals him completely overnight. It seems to improve his physique too, bit by bit. He's smarter than most kids his age, and definitely more perceptive. But... he's violent. A lot more violent than you'd expect."

"…I can see that. Though, I think the word battlethirsty would suit him more." Mizuki retorted. He leaned in slightly. "But judging by your words, I assume he's caught the eye of quite a few people?"

"More attention than you can imagine. Everyone seems hell-bent on roping him into something."

Mizuki tilted his head, a hint of curiosity crossing his features. "You don't sound thrilled about that. It's a good thing, isn't it? With the right clan behind him, he could be leagues ahead of his peers."

Soda's expression darkened slightly as he turned his gaze back to the students in the rings. "In a few months, he'll already be ahead of them, clan or not. I don't think he needs to join any of the clans."

Mizuki raised an eyebrow, sensing something deeper in Soda's tone.

Soda leaned back against the tree, his eyes scanning the various rings where his students fought. "Ando isn't the type of kid you can contain in a clan. He thrives on independence. Putting him under the thumb of a clan could break that spirit. He's... wild."

Mizuki chuckled softly. "Wild? He certainly has a way of ruffling feathers. But even a wild beast can be tamed. With the right incentives."

"Or they bite the hand that tries." Soda shot him a sharp look. "That kid's smarter than people give him credit for. He knows what's happening around him, and he's playing the game better than anyone realizes. Honestly, I think the clans need him more than he needs them."

Mizuki was silent for a moment. His gaze still fell on Ando, who was continuing to dominate his ring, his opponent struggling to keep up with his relentless pace.

Ando dodged a sweeping kick, stepping to the side and landing a sharp jab to Kazuchi's ribs, forcing the boy to stumble back. "You're making this too easy," Ando taunted, though his breaths were heavy now. Kazuchi responded with a glare but no words. He knew Ando was trying to provoke him.

But Ando was getting tired. He'd been holding the ring for far longer than anyone expected, and even with his unnatural recovery speed, fatigue was setting in.

"Still standing, huh? Guess you've got more stamina than brains." Undeterred by his opponent's silence. Ando kept on provoking him, earning groans from his spectating classmates.

Kazuchi's stance shifted, his feet subtly moving into a more aggressive position. And Ando's grin faltered.

He saw the slight flex of muscles in Kazuchi's legs before the boy launched forward with unexpected speed. But Ando was ready. He sidestepped, and in a fluid motion, swept Kazuchi's legs out from under him.

Kazuchi hit the ground with a thud, and the class erupted into a mix of disappointed noises.

Soda glanced at Mizuki, a smug smile on his lips. "See what I mean? He's not just strong—he's calculating."

Mizuki nodded slowly, his gaze still on Ando as the boy raised his arms in victory, standing alone in the ring, smirking at the rest of his classmates. "Calculating or not, he's drawing a lot of attention. That kind of talent... someone's going to want to control it."

The way Mizuki said those words implied something that Soda didn't like. His expression darkened slightly. He was about to retort when Mizuki cut him.

"But that's all speculations, of course. The academy is as safe as it gets for people like him."

AN : Thanks for reading! And don't forget to check out P4tre0n / RP741 for more!