"You bastard!"
The words escaped Katsuro's mouth before he rushed towards Akane to hit. His actions were noticed by Hiroshi and Sayuri who glanced at each other and ignored Katsuro's actions.
Noticing their lack of response, Akane wasn't surprised. Instead, a grin appeared on his face, and his hand moved. Just as Katsuro's fist was about to hit Akane, he felt a touch on his neck. He saw Akane in front of him moving sideways, and Akane, who had raised his hand, moved to hold Katsuro's neck.
"I won't let you destroy our space," He murmured in a low voice, loud enough for Hiroshi and Sayuri to hear, and his words froze them. They were surprised by Akane's reflex, and what surprised them more was how easily Akane took control of Katsuro's neck and then flipped him on the ground.
"Dead,"
Akane's voice rang in the place and Hiroshi looked at Katsuro who was lying on the ground on his face and Akane holding his neck while sitting on him.
'That reaction speed! Considering a Chunin, no. Even many Special Jonins don't have such reaction speed.'
With a surprised look that couldn't be hidden, Hiroshi looked at Akane and said, "Even though you win this turn, you will still have to fight."
"Win? Haha, what if I had lost? The tent behind me, which belongs to Tsuna-Nee, would have been destroyed, and most importantly, I am amazed that a Chunin doesn't have the discipline and patience to hold himself."
"It's even funnier that two Jonin don't have reflexes to stop a Chunin, or maybe, they didn't stop him on purpose, right? I guess I will just meet Tsuna-Nee before the fight, since I think you have some hidden conspiracy behind the fight."
Hiroshi looked at Akane, who was giving him a suspicious look and speaking in a mocking tone. He didn't care much about the mocking words, but what he cared more about was the involvement of Tsunade-Hime in this matter.
The Clan head had told him that he had to make sure that there wouldn't be much aftermath, no matter who won the fight. Even if the word spreads, it should be about the battle between two Chunins related to Senju and Uchiha.
This way, Tsunade-Hime wouldn't be able to involve herself, and in case Senju's side does lose, she will have to work more efficiently to make the lost image a bit better.
'So troublesome. This boy is shrewd and strong, and most importantly, he knows what to say and how to act, unlike this Uchiha kid, who doesn't understand anything. There really is no need for the fight, but I can't back down as I need some substantial and a scene that others have seen.'
"It's you who had been trying to provoke him from the start, why are you speaking as if you aren't at fault here? Besides, don't you want to show that Tsunade-Sama hasn't brought a useless guy? Instead of playing mind games like this, show your strength and be done with it."
While Hiroshi was thinking of making the situation better, Sayuri, who had been silent from the start, spoke the words. She had noticed the small eye contact Akane had with Katsuro and how Katsuro's body flinched. Even though she had missed Akane's gaze, she understood something must have happened in that eye contact between them.
Since she didn't sense any chakra usage, it must be something psychological that not only flinched Katsuro but also provoked him to attack Akane.
"Haha? Me? I just spoke the truth. If he can't handle it, it's his fault, not mine. Besides, I am sure Tsuna-Nee must have told them that I am a medical-nin, so I don't think I 'need' to show my skills here. And most importantly, it isn't me playing around but you all."
Akane said with a light chuckle while looking at Sayuri. She had made a good point, but it was ineffective against him, who had gotten used to the way of speaking and making others agree with him.
When he was done speaking to Sayuri, he looked at Hiroshi and continued, "As far as I remember, I think it was me who said that let's finish things quickly, but someone can't control himself, and others are finding excuses to diffuse."
The place became silent again when Akane was done with his words, and looking at him, Hiroshi sighed. He understood that he was 'wrong' in this situation, and he also couldn't bear to see Katsuro lying down. So, he understood that he had to do something and a moment later, he said, "Let's stop this, and really finish the task. I have a mission later, and I have to make preparations for it."
Hiroshi lied that he had a mission but he could just take it later. He was also sure that even if Akane could somehow guess where they were from, he wouldn't be able to check if he had a mission or not. Even if Akane spoke to Tsunade-Hime about it, Hiroshi didn't think she would bother on this matter so there was no problem in lying.
"And you should get up from him. Sigh, why did Commander choose such a troublesome thing for me?" Hiroshi continued with a big sigh, and honestly, even though he had a lot of questions about Akane, he knew that it would get even more troublesome if he continued to poke his nose.
So, he had decided to end this matter here and let the Clan head think more about him. Instead of getting involved in something even more troublesome, such as getting on the bad side of Tsunade-Hime, the fight between Uchiha and Senju, and the worst of all, the politics in the village, he would rather do missions outside since he can't stay at his house for rest of life.
Looking at the guy who seemed to be worse than Shikamaru, Akane had to say that the thought of making a Nara do a troublesome thing and watching their annoyance was quite funny. After thinking for a moment, he decided to stop messing around with him and got up from the Uchiha.
"I will follow you. But before we go, tell me, how many people will be there?"
Hiroshi glanced at Akane, his expression neutral. "There won't be many people. Just a few to ensure the sparring rules are followed. This isn't meant to be a spectacle."
Even though it was supposed to be one, Hiroshi decided to limit the audience since the outcome had already been decided.
Akane nodded, brushing off his hands after standing up. "Good. I wouldn't want to entertain a crowd anyway now. Let's go."
As they walked, Hiroshi and Sayuri exchanged quiet words behind him, their voices just low enough to prevent Akane from catching every detail.
"What do you make of him?" Sayuri asked, her tone thoughtful.
Hiroshi sighed, his hands slipping into his pockets. "Troublesome. He's observant, confident, and shrewd. It's not just strength—he knows how to push buttons. Dangerous combination."
"I noticed," Sayuri replied. "The way Katsuro reacted earlier… it wasn't just about being provoked. Akane's gaze did something. It was almost… unnerving. Like he sees more than he should."
"A Nara shouldn't admit it, but I felt the same," Hiroshi muttered. "We need to keep a closer eye on him."
Meanwhile, Akane walked ahead, glancing around as they left the camp. Even though he could hear the words they were speaking if he wanted to, Akane knew what they would be talking about, so he didn't bother listening to them.
The dense forest surrounding them was alive with the sounds of nature. Birds flitted through the trees, and the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. He noticed subtle movements in the shadows—ANBU. They were skilled, but not invisible to his trained perception. Akane smirked to himself as he noticed another presence moving in their direction.
"Tsuna-Nee doesn't trust them, huh? I guess someone from there," he murmured under his breath, his tone amused.
A while ago in the camp, Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she sensed something amiss. Without a word, she formed a hand sign, sending a shadow clone to follow the group. If the situation escalated to another level, she wanted to ensure it didn't spiral out of control, and it would be better if she took control of the situation rather than Akane.
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Chapter 49 is out on ptreon