Four years of constant meditation training had further enhanced his perception abilities. Although he hadn't practiced any special sensory ninjutsu, within a range of two to three hundred meters around him, he could always sense any disturbances.
Through the dappled gaps between the trees, one could see at the end of the grove a small path leading towards the school. Eight or nine figures wearing green chunin vests were rapidly approaching, each with a look of intense concern.
They had just received the message that eighty or ninety students were about to fight in the grove, which already had them on edge, fearing something unexpected would happen. However, upon arriving nearby and observing briefly, they found that the number of students fighting was not eighty or ninety, but three or four hundred. From time to time, they even saw students using family-taught or school-taught ninjutsu, which scared them into a cold sweat.
Hands forming seals, Hitugaya used a body flicker technique. His true body suddenly appeared beside Uchiha Chiyan, startling him. Chiyan nearly punched Hitugaya in the face but luckily recognized him just in time and withheld his punch.
"The ninja school teachers are coming. If we don't leave now, we might all have to call our parents!" Regardless of which world they're in, teachers calling parents is always incredibly intimidating. Without wasting words with Chiyan, Hitugaya directly got to the point.
"What?!?"
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Chiyan's voice changed. Even though he was about to graduate from the ninja school and become a full-fledged ninja, the thought of being caught by the teachers still...
Even Sarutobi Shinsuke across from him was momentarily panicked, unsure if Hitugaya was telling the truth. For a time, both looked around almost simultaneously and saw those green figures at the end of the path. Abandoning their troubles with each other, they quickly gestured to their companions to start retreating, supporting the more severely injured ones as they moved.
Their actions were remarkably in sync.
Figures flickering a few times, Hitugaya arrived beside Uchiha Ryuka, En, and Shuofu.
"Retreat! The teachers are here! If you stay, you'll regret it!" He lifted his hand to form seals, dispersing the shadow clone that had been watching over them. Ignoring the tall, skinny one and the plain-looking boy beside them who were momentarily dumbfounded, he picked a direction and darted out of the grove.
Not daring to question whether Hitugaya had just dispersed a shadow clone, the few were also startled by his words. Hastily, they followed behind Hitugaya, running towards the outskirts of the forest.
At this moment, the teachers' angry shouts came from the edge of the grove: "You bunch of idiots, stop right now!"
When they reached the open clearing, the ninja school teachers realized things were worse than they thought. Unlike Uchiha Chiyan and Sarutobi Shinsuke, who both kept some restraint under the leaders' orders, those stirred up by Hitugaya among the commoner ninjas and the clan children had no such restraint. They fought freely, relying solely on their judgment.
From time to time, one could see the shadow of a shuriken flying by.
Seeing the situation deteriorate, the teachers turned pale with fear of serious injury or death occurring among the students. Any such incident would mean they had failed in their duties, and no infuriated parents or the Hokage would let them off lightly.
"Everyone run, the school teachers are here!"
This exclamation finally snapped some sense into the hot-headed, chaotic young ninjas. Initially, no one paid much heed to the angry shouts, but when they heard "school teachers are here," some began to realize the gravity of the situation.
"Run fast! We cannot get caught!"
"Change direction! Damn it, they're blocking us!"
"Teacher! Teacher! It's not my fault; I'm the victim here!"
In no time, this group of young ninjas scattered like startled animals, recklessly fleeing the grove, leaving the arriving teachers struggling to handle the situation.
[It seems that regardless of the world, students caught red-handed by teachers for mischief react similarly!] Hitugaya, already escaped with his companions, turned back to see the previously gawking crowd now resembling lost dogs. He squinted his eyes and smirked slightly.
[You all thought you could watch my show, huh? Now you know better!]
[Someone headed back to the school, eh? Are they calling for medical help or reinforcements?]
[Well, that has nothing to do with me. Time to go home and eat. Today's been a fun day!]
Just as Hitugaya speculated, the teachers, unprepared for the severity of the situation, felt short-handed and had to send someone back to school to call for medical ninjas to tend to the injuries.
This unprecedented brawl among the ninja school students ended up being dubbed the "Grove Battle." Uchiha Chiyan, Sarutobi Shinsuke, and Uchiha Hitugaya garnered fame among their peers, earning many admirers.
On the flip side, Shimura Enka, who had been KO'd in a few moves, became a laughingstock. Many who suffered under his harsh methods before took this opportunity to mock him. If he weren't graduating soon, he would probably find it hard to remain in the school.
Afterward, the teachers accounted that about three hundred students participated in the brawl, with nearly forty injured. Fortunately, most injuries were minor, only requiring some basic treatment and a few days of rest.
(End of Chapter)