C40 Your Reaction Is too Slow!!

The air was thick with discomfort.

Hyuga Neji and Hinata's expressions were painfully contrived.

Once close as children, a series of unfortunate events had left them estranged, their relationship reduced to that of distant acquaintances who seldom spoke.

Their unexpected reunion was as surprising as it was awkward.

Neji's bitterness toward Hinata and the Hyuga main house festered, a wound opened by his father's death.

Conversely, Hinata was steeped in guilt, her father's death inextricably linked to her.

Initially, she had cheered for Tenno against Neji, but upon learning of Neji's swift defeat, she felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

For a while, they stood in silence, each deliberately ignoring the other's presence.

Then, Naruto, with his characteristic lack of tact, burst out, "You both have white eyes. Are you guys siblings?"

Everyone mentally facepalmed.

The Hyuga's signature pale eyes made their sibling connection clear.

Naruto's question was laughably naive.

The Hyuga's discomfort with their lineage was palpable; they had no desire to be reminded of their familial ties.

Naruto's cluelessness was almost comical.

He seemed utterly devoid of observational skills.

Hyuga Neji scoffed, dismissing the blond, orange-clad boy as an imbecile not worth his time.

Hinata, with her usual grace and as Naruto's classmate, knew him better.

Yet, influenced by Tenno, her feelings had shifted.

Naruto was no longer the object of her secret affection but merely a classmate.

Facing Naruto, Hinata showed no embarrassment.

In her typically serene tone, she explained, "Yes, Naruto. Neji is my cousin, and we both belong to the Hyuga clan."

"Neji?"

The name jogged Naruto's memory.

He stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Then it clicked.

He slapped his thigh, shouting, "I remember now! He's the genius who was taken down by Brother Tenno in one hit!"

Silence enveloped the group following his outburst, leaving Hyuga Neji momentarily speechless.

Neji felt as if a wound in his heart, barely healed, was being torn open with merciless force.

Around him, everyone else's faces betrayed odd expressions.

Hyuga Hinata couldn't help but think, Naruto's mention of such a subject must be tearing Neji apart.

Tenno inwardly sighed, "Naruto, you're hopelessly oblivious."

Tiantian pondered, "Brother, this new friend of yours seems like a real blockhead."

Lee couldn't believe it, thinking, "I never thought I'd meet someone even more clueless than me! Tenno, let him join us. That way, I won't be the least sharp tool in the shed!"

Breaking the tension, Tenno moved beside Naruto and introduced him, "Everyone, this is Naruto, Hinata's classmate. We're all friends here now."

One by one, the others nodded and introduced themselves in turn.

"I'm Tiantian, Tenno's sister. It's a pleasure, Naruto."

"Name's Lee Rock, Tenno's classmate. We're friends from here on out."

"I'm Hinata. We're classmates, but we haven't really talked much before. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."

"Now that we're all familiar with each other, let's kick off this cookout! We've got a lot to do, so let's get to it!" Tenno said with a smile.

Everyone nodded and set to work—some lit the fire, others skewered meats and veggies, and a few chopped ingredients.

Just as Tenno was about to dive in, Hyuga Neji approached him with a cold determination. "Tenno, I challenge you to a rematch! This time, I'm determined to come out on top!"

"Now?" Tenno's brow furrowed.

If he refused, Neji might not let it go, complicating matters further.

So Tenno accepted, "I'll take your challenge, but let's make it interesting with a bet."

"What's the bet?" Neji asked, intrigued.

With a sly grin, Tenno laid out the terms, "If you win, I'll hand back your title of chief student and the moniker of Genius Youth. But if you lose, you're handling all my tasks during today's barbecue!"

After a moment's hesitation, Neji agreed, "Deal, I accept your terms!"

He knew he couldn't allow the shadows of past defeats to linger; they would otherwise follow him for a lifetime.

He was not one to give up so easily!

He was resolute in his determination to conquer Tenno!

"Then let's be on our way," Tenno said, striding toward the horizon.

A proper battle required plenty of room, and Tenno certainly didn't want to ruin the day's barbecue.

From the distant woods, the sounds of combat continuously reverberated.

"Guess who will win, my brother Tenno or Hyuga Neji?" Tiantian inquired with a charming expression, looking to the others.

Naruto shouted confidently, "Brother Tenno will definitely win!"

Hinata followed with a slight nod, saying, "Although Neji is exceptionally gifted, I still believe Tenno will come out on top."

Lee, with a look of utter confidence, crossed his index fingers over his chest and analyzed, "I think Tenno will end the fight within ten minutes!"

That fast?

Surprise registered in both Naruto and Hinata's eyes.

Yet, Tiantian shook her head, then held up three fingers, and with a secretive smile, she said to everyone, "My brother can finish the fight in three minutes!"

Even Lee was shocked by this claim.

Recently, Hyuga Neji had demonstrated extraordinary skill at the Ninja School.

Moreover, they had heard he'd been collecting information on Tenno for quite some time and had some understanding of Tenno's attack strategies.

He surely wouldn't be as careless as the last time. So, how could he possibly be defeated by Tenno so quickly?

Everyone found it hard to believe. Could Tenno's strength have reached a level beyond their imagination?

However, during their discussion, Tenno and Neji had already walked out of the forest.

Tenno was the same as before, his clothes spotless. In contrast, Neji's face was covered with wounds. The result of the duel was obvious, and everyone had guessed the outcome correctly.

But they hadn't anticipated that it would unfold exactly as Tiantian had said—the entire duel had lasted less than three minutes from start to finish!

"How did you guess that?" everyone asked Tiantian curiously.

Tiantian's face once again bore a mysterious smile as she explained to the group, "Because my brother was hungry, he wanted to finish quickly and come back to eat!"

Everyone wore an expression of amazement.

Was he really so driven to end the fight in under three minutes simply because he was hungry?

Had they not been in a rush to eat, Tenno might have taken more time to spar with Neji. It could have even helped Neji build a bit of confidence. But hunger was calling, and Tenno was set on wrapping up the fight quickly. The strength he displayed was undeniably impressive.

Onlookers couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for Hyuga Neji, as they looked on with empathetic eyes.