Chapter 0020: Threat
Time flies like an arrow. Before I knew it, another graduation season had come.
This year, the whole ninja world was in chaos. The military strategies of the major nations were no longer hidden but had become openly aggressive.
And the spark that set it all off? The Hidden Sand Village, under the pretense of searching for their missing Third Kazekage, launched a full-scale invasion of the Land of Rivers. At the border, they clashed violently with Konoha's defense forces.
This was how the Third Great Ninja War began.
But right now, I couldn't care less about wars or peace treaties. I had much bigger problems. Like the fact that I was sprinting through the narrow alleys of Konoha with a tiny pair of panties on my head. Yeah, you heard that right.
"Big sister's panties are the best! I could sniff them for a hundred years and never get tired!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, trying to outrun my pursuer.
"Damn it!" Kurenai's voice, filled with anger, echoed behind me. I could practically feel her rage heating up the air. Her pretty face must have been bright red by now. "You pervert! When I catch you, you're dead meat!"
[Congratulations, Host, for completing the option. You've gained ten days' worth of chakra and taijutsu training] - the system's voice chimed in my head, making me sigh in relief.
Finally. At least this nightmare was over. Even though I've been through these ridiculous choices before, they never got less humiliating.
I mean, seriously, who could possibly stay calm after doing something like this?
"Sorry, big sister!" I stopped in my tracks, quickly bowing in apology. Without wasting a second, I grabbed the white panties from my head and handed them back to her.
"Last month, you walked into the men's bathhouse wearing my camisole," Kurenai said coldly, her eyes narrowed at me. "And today, it's panties, huh? Looks like your illness isn't getting better; it's getting worse. Clearly, I haven't been teaching you a good enough lesson."
"B-big sister?" I stammered, but before I could react, a fist came flying toward me.
Bam!
The sound echoed as her punch landed hard.
Kurenai walked out of the alley, her panties in hand, face expressionless. Behind her, I was left clutching my face, feeling utterly defeated.
On the street, some younger ninja students stopped in their tracks, whispering amongst themselves.
"Who's that guy? He looks so lame!"
"Don't underestimate him. That's Yuhi Hiroto."
"What, the guy they call the Legendary Pervert?"
"Yeah! Every girl in the third-year class avoids him like the plague. You'd better watch out too. If he sets his sights on you, it's over."
"I'm not worried. I believe senpai will protect me."
Listening to the gossip around me, I could feel a dark cloud hovering over my head. Damn it, if it weren't for these stupid options, I wouldn't be stuck with this cursed nickname, "Legendary Pervert."
Just last week during the graduation exams, my performance in ninjutsu, taijutsu, shuriken throwing, and even combat was perfect. Yet no one remembers that.
Instead, all they talk about are the messed-up things I've been forced to do: asking girls for their panties, camisoles, or, god forbid, groping them. Singing Conquer in the girls' bathroom? Yeah, that happened too.
Honestly, I'm not a bad-looking guy. Some might even call me handsome. I'm usually pretty polite, and my abilities are top-notch. But thanks to this perverted reputation, none of that matters.
Sigh.
I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. My future seems so bleak, I can't see a single ray of light. Is this really how my life's going to play out?
I feel lost. Totally lost.
I just hope things will change after I graduate from the academy.
As I was wallowing in my misery, I suddenly remembered that today was the day I was supposed to meet up with Yui Uchiha. Thinking about my cool yet secretly warm-hearted senpai, a bit of the gloom lifted from my heart.
"Big sister, I'm heading to the training grounds. Don't wait for me for lunch," I called out to Kurenai.
"You're meeting that senpai of yours again?" Kurenai turned to me with a strange expression.
"We're about to graduate, so I wanted to say goodbye," I muttered, feeling strangely guilty all of a sudden, unable to meet her gaze.
"Is that really all…?" Her eyes locked onto mine, her tone laced with something I couldn't quite place. But then, she waved her hand dismissively. "Fine. Just come home early tonight."
"I will," I replied, relieved as I turned and headed toward the training grounds.
But when I got there, Yui was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a few guys wearing ninja headbands approached me.
"You're Yuhi Hiroto, right?" The guy leading them gave me a once-over before speaking.
"Yeah, you know me?" I asked, scratching my head in confusion.
"I don't need to know you," he said, raising his chin in a superior way. "I'm here to warn you. Stay away from Yui. She's my brother's fiancée. If you keep hanging around her, you're going to regret it."
"…huh?"
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