A brutal Iron Shoulder Slam crashed into Uchiha Aozora's back. He had no time to react.
Boom!
A massive wooden log in the air exploded into splinters.
"Substitution Technique?"
Seeing the shattered wood, Aburame Shige frowned slightly in doubt.
The Substitution Technique, though basic, still required hand seals—and he was certain that Aozora hadn't formed any.
In truth, Aozora hadn't used a standard substitution. What he activated was "False Form," a mystical art taught to him by the Heavenly Tome. It allowed him to alter his appearance or substitute himself with another object to escape death.
Unlike the Substitution Technique, False Form required no seals and could be executed instantly. That was how he escaped in the nick of time.
Aburame Shige, typically a man of few words, felt a rare urge to comment.
"You're impressive, no doubt. But this is as far as you go."
As he finished speaking, his hands emerged from the wide sleeves of his cloak and swiftly formed hand seals.
"Secret Technique, Insect Tornado!"
Suddenly, Aozora felt the air around him begin to swirl. At some point, he had already been encircled by insects.
He gave a helpless smile. He had originally saved a Fireball Jutsu to land a sneaky hit on his teacher, but now there wasn't even a chance.
The gusts whipped up by the Insect Tornado were too strong. If he used a Fire Release now, it wouldn't hurt Aburame Shige—it would only backfire on himself.
Shaking his head and fixing his hair, Aozora shouted loudly, "Sensei, I surrender!"
His clear voice reached Shige's ears, prompting him to release the jutsu. With a low murmur, he muttered, "Such a peculiar Uchiha."
Hayate Gekkō and Inuzuka Aya, who had been rushing over to help, were stunned by Aozora's sudden surrender. They nearly tripped over themselves in confusion.
Seeing Shige glance in their direction, the two exchanged a look, then said in unison, "We surrender."
And thus, Team Three's first mutual introduction came to a close.
Watching Hayate and Aya looking slightly dejected, Aburame Shige suddenly said, "Not bad. You all did well."
Aya, who had looked crestfallen, immediately sprang back to life, cheering as she spun around joyfully with her now-small white dog in her arms.
The disappointment on Hayate's face also vanished. He sheathed his sword calmly.
Aozora gave a small smile, quietly accepting the compliment.
Once Aya had finished celebrating, Shige removed his sunglasses and formally introduced himself. "Let's properly get acquainted. I'm Aburame Shige. I specialize in combat using insects."
"This is my first time acting as a teacher, so I hope you'll bear with me."
The three students quickly responded with their own introductions.
"Inuzuka Aya reporting! This is my partner, Kogane. Don't be fooled by his size—he's amazing!"
"Hayate Gekkō. My dream is to pass down and refine the Konoha-Style Kenjutsu."
"Uchiha Aozora. I specialize in tool-based combat and ninjutsu."
After hearing their introductions, Shige put his sunglasses back on and added, "Most of my skills lie in my clan's secret techniques, so I may not be able to teach you a wide variety of jutsu. But I'll do everything I can to help you grow stronger."
Then he declared, "To celebrate the formation of Team Three, lunch is on me!"
"Anything you want, as long as it's available in Konoha."
Hayate and Aozora managed to remain composed, but Aya's eyes were already blazing with enthusiasm.
"Meat. I want meat!"
"Woof! Woof!"
Watching Aya and her excited pup, Aozora and Hayate exchanged a glance and shrugged in unison. Neither wanted to argue with her in that state.
They settled on barbecue, though the three of them weren't exactly well-versed in Konoha's barbecue joints.
Shige led them to a slightly secluded restaurant. Despite its location, it was bustling with customers.
After exchanging greetings with the staff, Team Three was guided to a private booth.
Just as they sat down, a waitress arrived with menus.
Shige let the students order first.
Aya went all out, picking beef, pork, ribs, and fish in one go.
Hayate was more restrained, choosing a lighter spread with a preference for vegetables.
Aozora, as expected, kept things balanced—an even mix of meat and vegetables.
After they finished ordering, Shige added a few of his own favorites, along with drinks and side dishes for everyone.
Handing the menu back to the waitress, Shige said, "The food will take a while. Use this time to reflect on the battle. Once it's ready, I'll ask each of you to share your thoughts."
A few minutes later, the fire was lit, and their meat and vegetables were delivered.
Shige placed a few slices of meat on the grill and asked, "Thought it over? Who wants to go first?"
Aozora hesitated to speak. After all, he had managed to destroy Shige's Shadow Clone twice with just two kunai. If he spoke first and acted modest, what would the other two say?
Aya, who was usually never short on words, now looked slightly embarrassed. She knew she hadn't performed well earlier and didn't know how to explain herself.
Fortunately, Hayate stepped up and broke the silence.
"In the first fight, I panicked when Sensei used the strategy of trading blows. I backed off in fear, which put me in a dangerous position. If it hadn't been for Aozora's kunai, I would've lost."
"My performance in the later battle wasn't particularly impressive either."
Shige nodded first, then gave a subtle shake of his head—his expression unreadable.
Encouraged by Hayate's honesty, Aya mustered her courage and said, "Sensei, I made a rookie mistake at the start. Faced with an unknown threat, I should have tested the situation with a shuriken instead of charging in recklessly."
"I promise I won't make that mistake again."
After hearing both students out, Shige responded, "Good. You've both recognized your weaknesses."
"Aya, your personality is impulsive. You underestimated the enemy and rushed in. Hayate, your real combat experience is lacking, and you haven't trained enough in teamwork."
He paused before continuing, "But you both have strengths too."
"Aya, your sense of smell is sharp, and your reflexes are excellent. A normal genin would've fallen into that first trap easily. Your performance in close combat also showed promise."
"Hayate, your swordsmanship is polished. In close quarters, you're not inferior to a standard Chūnin."
Aya grinned bashfully at the praise, scratching her head. Hayate, though more reserved, couldn't help but smile slightly at the corners of his mouth.
"If the two of you can shore up your weaknesses, you'll both be eligible for the Chūnin Exams in a year. You have the potential to stand on your own as true shinobi."
Both of them nodded in admiration, fully convinced by Shige's insight.
Watching how just a few words from Shige had won over the hearts of his teammates, Aozora felt a new respect for the typically quiet Jonin.
Silence didn't mean he couldn't speak, it just meant he chose not to.
With the review complete, Shige picked up his chopsticks and announced, "Let's eat."
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!