Chapter 21: No One Can Be More Pretentious Than Me on This Street!

Sasuke's heart surged with excitement. The jutsu he had long sought was finally within his grasp.

*Knock, knock, knock...*

A gentle knock on the door interrupted his elation, pulling him out of his joyful trance.

"Sasuke, time's up. Come out."

The Third Hokage's voice came from outside. Unbeknownst to Sasuke, the two-hour time limit had expired, marking the end of his brief access to the scroll storage room.

"Lord Third Hokage, give me three more minutes."

Sasuke's brows furrowed. The Flying Thunder God Technique lay right before him—he couldn't afford to let this opportunity slip away.

With that, his dark, ink-like eyes transformed into the crimson hue of the Sharingan. Two tomoe rotated within his pupils, tracing black circular trajectories against the red background.

These rotations resembled miniature black holes, greedily absorbing chakra and draining Sasuke’s reserves at a terrifying pace.

Ignoring the strain, Sasuke focused on memorizing every detail before him.

The Third Hokage, perhaps sensing Sasuke's urgency, refrained from further interruptions.

The formulas and texts were labyrinthine—space-time ninjutsu of S-rank difficulty. Just committing them to memory taxed Sasuke’s mental strength to its limits.

*Thud!*

The scroll slipped from his grasp, hitting the ground with a sharp sound. Sasuke, weakened and unsteady, collapsed, unable to support himself.

Yet, a faint smile graced his lips.

Done. Memorized.  

He resealed the scroll and carefully returned it to its place.

As Sasuke completed these actions, the three-minute deadline expired. The Third Hokage opened the door and found Sasuke sitting on the ground, panting heavily.

"Sasuke," the Hokage said, his voice tinged with caution, "I must remind you again to exercise restraint when learning forbidden jutsu. There’s a reason they are classified as such."

The Third Hokage’s gaze lingered on Sasuke, serious yet understanding. He didn’t pry into what had transpired during those two hours. A promise made was a promise kept. However, a word of caution was his duty as an elder.

"Lord Third Hokage, thank you. I understand your concern," Sasuke replied, nodding. He pushed himself to his feet. The sharpness in his eyes had faded, replaced by a weariness that enveloped his entire being.

The chakra expenditure had been overwhelming.

With a spirit attribute rated at E and chakra reserves almost negligible, Sasuke’s body struggled to endure the strain inflicted by the relentless demands of the Sharingan.

So this is why Kakashi is so drained all the time, Sasuke mused bitterly. Too much energy consumption.  

"Do not speak of today’s events to anyone," the Third Hokage instructed firmly. "Whether it’s Uchiha Madara or the forbidden jutsu, these are secrets between us."

"Don’t worry," Sasuke said flatly, walking toward the door. His steps were sluggish, each one feeling as though he was dragging lead weights.

"This is for you."

The Third Hokage pulled a small pouch from his robes, its weight betraying the coins inside. He handed it to Sasuke.

"Next month's living expenses," the Hokage said simply.

"Thank you."

Sasuke didn’t hesitate to accept it. He understood that this gesture stemmed from Itachi’s request for the Hokage to look after him.

Walking down the hallway and retracing his earlier route, Sasuke soon exited the Hokage’s office.

Night had fallen, and under the moonlight, the sharp contours of the faces on Hokage Rock seemed even more pronounced.

*Grumble~*

Sasuke’s stomach protested loudly. He hadn’t eaten dinner, and the prolonged use of his Sharingan had left him famished.

"I’ll grab some ramen at Ichiraku."

Recalling the map of Konoha in his mind, Sasuke decided on Ichiraku Ramen without hesitation.

---

Ten minutes later, Sasuke arrived at the ramen shop. Despite it being past the usual dinner hour, the place was still bustling with activity.

Business seems good, Sasuke thought, noting several occupied seats through the half-lowered curtains.

"Uncle Ichiraku, three bowls of ramen, please," Sasuke called out immediately upon entering.

"What flavor?" Uncle Ichiraku asked.

"Anything is fine." Sasuke waved off the question, too hungry to care about specifics.

"Got it!" Uncle Ichiraku turned to prepare the order.

Just then, Sasuke felt several gazes fixed on him. Turning instinctively, he found himself looking at four individuals, each sporting a ninja headband.

The closest to him was a young man in a white T-shirt, his smooth hair accentuating his pure white, pupil-less eyes.

Next to him was a girl dressed in pink, her hair styled in two buns.

To the left were two green-haired individuals—one younger and smaller, the other taller and older.

Team Guy.  

Sasuke instantly recognized them: Might Guy, Rock Lee, Tenten, and Neji Hyuga.

What a coincidence.  

Judging by their state, they had likely just returned from a mission and were replenishing their energy with ramen.

"Lee, eat up! This bowl of youthful energy will fuel our training tonight!" Might Guy declared enthusiastically, his grin glinting under the shop’s lights.

"Yes, Guy-sensei!" Lee replied, though his eyes occasionally darted toward Sasuke. So this is the Uchiha genius.  

Meanwhile, Tenten’s cheeks flushed slightly.

He’s... kind of handsome.  

Realizing her thoughts, Tenten quickly buried her face in her bowl, avoiding further eye contact.

Of the three genin, only Neji’s expression remained unmoved. His piercing white eyes regarded Sasuke as if he were an unremarkable passerby, incapable of stirring even the faintest ripple in his heart.

Damn.  

This guy dares to act pretentious in front of me?  

No one can outdo me in this regard!  

Before Sasuke could make a move, Neji spoke first.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said, his voice calm but carrying an edge.

The other members of Team Guy immediately turned their attention to him, intrigued.

Lee held his breath, his wide eyes darting between the two. Is this what a conversation between geniuses sounds like?  

Without warning, Neji activated his Byakugan. Veins bulged around his temples as he directed his chakra-enhanced gaze at Sasuke, analyzing the flow of energy within him.

Moments later, Neji deactivated his Byakugan, his expression cool and unimpressed.

"So, you’re the so-called top genius of the Academy this year," he remarked dismissively. "Frankly, you don’t seem like much. It appears your year’s students lack true competitiveness."

The air grew heavy with tension. Even Tenten and Lee looked uneasy at Neji’s sharp words.

"Your dad gave you a pair of cheating eyes," Sasuke retorted calmly, his tone devoid of emotion, "and you use them to roll your eyes. What a waste of potential."

I am a gentleman, Sasuke thought smugly. I’ll win this with words. No need for fists.  

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(End of chapter)