*Chapter 23: You've Got a Little Dog Leash on Your Head!*

As soon as Sasuke uttered these words, the numbers before his eyes jumped again, continuing their upward trend. Clearly, the system counted this as yet another instance of showing off.

For a moment, the ramen shop fell into complete silence.

The faint bubbling of boiling water could be heard as Uncle Ichiraku worked on cooking the noodles.

Neji clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms. The veins on his forehead bulged, straining against his headband, and the muscles in his face twitched ever so slightly. Fury was evident in his expression.

Sasuke's words were infuriating! Neji wanted nothing more than to put him in his place, but he knew this was Uncle Ichiraku's ramen shop, where fighting was strictly off-limits.

Besides, with Guy-sensei present, he wouldn't have the chance to fight even if he tried.

The reason was simple.

Uchiha Sasuke was still a student at the Ninja Academy, not yet a full-fledged ninja. As a Genin, Neji couldn't attack a non-ninja. Doing so would be a direct violation of the village's rules.

More importantly, Neji’s pride as a self-proclaimed genius wouldn’t allow him to challenge someone who hadn’t even graduated from the Academy. It would be beneath him.

But what frustrated Neji most of all was the helplessness he felt. He was seething with anger at Sasuke's audacity, yet he couldn't find a way to retaliate effectively.

The worst part? Sasuke wasn't wrong. There was nothing inherently wrong with not caring about others' opinions. That realization made Neji even angrier—angry at Sasuke, but even angrier at himself for his inability to respond. A tangled mess of emotions churned within him, leaving him uncomfortable and irate.

Sasuke, on the other hand, said no more. He calmly picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating the third bowl of ramen in front of him.

"Uchiha Sasuke... I've heard your name for a long time. You're the so-called genius of the Uchiha clan," Neji finally spoke, dragging out his words deliberately before shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"I hear you have an exceptionally talented older brother. At your age, he not only passed the Chunin Exams and became a Chunin, but he also joined the Anbu as an elite ninja. Compared to him, you're nothing but a shadow—a boy who can only talk big."

Neji’s tone was icy. Unable to directly counter Sasuke's earlier words, he decided to strike where it would hurt most: Sasuke's sore spot.

If I can't challenge him outright, I'll provoke him into challenging me. If he accepts, then I can fight him without breaking the rules! Isn't he always spouting off about being an avenger? Let's see what he's really made of!

Satisfied with his ploy, Neji smirked slightly. It felt good to vent his frustration without fear of immediate retaliation.

"Neji!" Guy's stern voice broke through the tension. He frowned deeply, displeased by Neji's harsh words. But the damage was already done; words, once spoken, could not be taken back.

Sigh...

Guy sighed inwardly. He had always known Neji to have a fiery temper. During training, the boy often spoke bluntly about the branch and main families, showing little regard for others' feelings. But this... this was something else entirely.

Guy didn’t know all the details of what happened that fateful night, but he knew it had been a bloodbath.

And that from it, only Uchiha Sasuke had emerged alive.

...

Sasuke continued eating, his face impassive and devoid of emotion. However, his heart simmered with annoyance.

This Sasuke was not the original Sasuke. He hadn’t lived through the Uchiha Clan Massacre. He had no memories of the warmth of parental love or of his brother's care.

But...

He was Uchiha Sasuke now.

Neji's words had stung, poking at a wound he hadn’t fully come to terms with. If Neji wanted to provoke him, then Sasuke saw no need to hold back either.

Fine. If that’s how you want it, let’s hurt each other.

Despite his growing irritation, Sasuke remained outwardly calm. He slurped his noodles in silence, ignoring Neji's barbs. The awkward stillness that followed only heightened everyone's discomfort—especially Neji’s.

It was like Neji had thrown a punch with all his strength, only to hit nothing but air. Worse, the effort left him feeling bruised himself.

What kind of person doesn’t even react to this? Neji wondered. Sasuke's unflappable demeanor was starting to make him uneasy. Maybe that massacre broke his mind completely...

Two long, tense minutes passed.

During that time, the only sound was Sasuke quietly eating.

Finally, Sasuke placed his chopsticks down on the table with a sharp clack. The sound echoed in the hushed room.

"Neji," Sasuke began, turning toward him. His dark eyes gleamed with a sharp, calculating glint. "Since you brought up Itachi, let me ask the so-called genius of the Hyuga clan something."

"What is it?" Neji asked, caught off guard by Sasuke's composure. He had expected an outburst, not this calm, measured response.

"How old are you?" Sasuke asked coldly.

"Thirteen," Neji replied automatically, still unsure of Sasuke’s intentions.

Sasuke smirked. "Thirteen, huh? At thirteen, you're here rolling your eyes in a ramen shop, trying to intimidate a student who hasn’t even graduated from the Academy. Meanwhile, at thirteen, my brother had already wiped out the entire Uchiha clan."

As he spoke, Sasuke raised a finger, waving it mockingly in front of Neji’s face.

Whoosh!

The air seemed to freeze.

Everyone present gasped. Even Neji was momentarily stunned. The weight of those words—wiped out the entire Uchiha clan—was staggering. That Sasuke could say them so casually only made it more chilling.

+9

The numbers before Sasuke’s eyes ticked upward once again.

Neji clenched his teeth. "Hmph! Unlike your brother, that traitor, I would never harm my own clan members!"

"Shut up!" Guy barked, standing abruptly. Grabbing Neji by the arm, he pulled him to his feet. "We're leaving. Now."

Guy couldn’t let things escalate further. Any more, and the situation would spiral out of control.

But as Guy dragged Neji away, Sasuke’s voice rang out once more, cutting through the tension like a blade.

"I'm afraid it’s not that you wouldn’t do it, but that you couldn’t. You lack the strength to take on your clan members. And honestly..." Sasuke paused, raising a hand to tap his forehead with a mocking smirk.

"You’ve got a little dog leash on your head."

(End of Chapter)