Chapter 21: Victory Once Again  

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Nara Shikaku stood in shock, his mind racing. 

What had he just heard?

His face flushed between shades of red and green, a mix of anger and disbelief. No one had ever dared to insult him like this before!

After hearing Uchiha Kento's outburst, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, clenched his fists in frustration. He shouted, "Fugaku! If you're planning a coup now, know that the Uchiha have no chance of winning!"

Fugaku and Itachi remained calm within their towering Susanoo forms. The sight of the colossal figures towering over the village filled the residents with a fear reminiscent of the Nine-Tails' attack. However, unlike the wild beast, these Susanoo were under control.

Sasuke's voice cut through the tension, "Third Hokage, I'll repeat myself— the Uchiha are merely reclaiming our rights. Who here supports us, and who stands against us? Let every clan head present speak."

Nara Shikaku was the first to stand behind Hiruzen. He declared loudly, "Third Hokage, the Nara clan will always support you!"

One by one, the Aburame, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans followed suit, aligning themselves with the Third Hokage. Soon, nearly all the clans of Konoha had taken their place behind him. The corners of Hiruzen's mouth curled into a slight smile. In this situation, even if a battle were to break out, the Uchiha clan would have no chance of victory.

The final clan was the Hyuga.

Hiruzen and Hyuga Hiashi exchanged glances, and the Third Hokage's eyes seemed to urge him, "Join us, and the Uchiha will be powerless."

But Hiashi shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Third Hokage. I believe the village has been unfair to the Uchiha in recent years."

With that, Hiashi stepped forward and stood beside Sasuke. The Hyuga clan had made their choice. Konoha's strongest clan now stood with the Uchiha, forming a powerful alliance that would deter the village's leaders from making any rash moves.

Hiruzen stared at Hiashi in disbelief, as if he had been betrayed. He didn't shout or protest. After serving as Hokage for so many years, Hiruzen knew how to minimize the village's losses.

With a heavy heart, he said in a low voice, "I agree to all the conditions proposed by the Uchiha. The Uchiha have won."

The second confrontation between the Uchiha and Konoha had ended in another victory for the Uchiha.

Finally, Hiruzen looked at Hiashi with a deep sense of disappointment and asked, "I just want to know—why did you side with the Uchiha?"

Hiashi smirked slightly, "Sasuke and Hinata are engaged. The Hyuga and Uchiha are now bound by marriage."

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The next day, Sasuke still chose to attend class as usual. Some students knew that Sasuke had represented the Uchiha in the negotiations with the Third Hokage and had succeeded. Others were unaware, like Naruto.

Naruto arrived in the classroom early in the morning, determined to become Sasuke's friend. But he knew that friends shouldn't hold each other back. Sasuke was a genius, while he was clumsy and slow, so he needed to work even harder!

Sasuke sat down next to Hinata. He whispered to her, "Why are you blushing?"

Hinata turned her head away, too embarrassed to look at Sasuke.

Sasuke gently took her soft, warm hand and said, "Don't be shy. You're my fiancée now, and we'll get married in the future."

The word "marriage" made Hinata imagine a life together with Sasuke. Her cheeks flushed like an apple, and before she knew it, her body went limp, and she fainted on the spot.

Sasuke raised his hand and called out, "Teacher, Hinata fainted! I need to take her to the infirmary!"

Iruka frowned, "Why did she faint out of nowhere?"

He was about to ask more questions, but then remembered that the Third Hokage had specifically instructed him not to restrict Sasuke too much. Iruka sighed and said, "Go ahead, but come back quickly."

Sasuke gently picked up Hinata and quickly made his way outside, where the shade provided some relief.

He took off his outer coat, placed it under Hinata, and leaned her against a tree. Knowing she had fainted from nervousness, he figured she just needed a moment to rest and recover. There was no need to go to the infirmary. Sasuke was simply looking for an excuse to skip the lecture.

"I must run 500 laps!" a sudden voice broke the quiet.

Sasuke turned and saw a boy with a bowl-cut hairstyle running around the academy grounds. It was Rock Lee.

Sasuke called out, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Rock Lee paused, catching his breath, and replied, "I'm running 500 laps around the Ninja Academy to prove I'm worthy of enrolling! I have no talent in ninjutsu, genjutsu, or even taijutsu, so the academy doesn't want me. But the examiner told me that if I run 500 laps today, they'll let me in!"

In truth, the examiner had only said that as a way to dismiss Lee, not expecting him to actually do it.

Sasuke asked, "How many laps have you run?"

With determination, Rock Lee answered, "I've completed fifty laps so far. Just four hundred and fifty more, and I'll be in the Ninja Academy! Maybe we'll even be classmates!"

Rock Lee rubbed his sore calves and continued his run.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the Ninja Academy, a man with a similar bowl-cut hairstyle and green jumpsuit watched the scene intently. This was Might Guy, and the sight of Lee's determination reminded him of his own struggles.

Like Lee, he had no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu, and his body had once been frail. But through sheer perseverance and hard work, he had grown strong. Youthfulness, diligence, and unwavering spirit had been his tools to overcome his limitations.

Below, Hinata slowly regained consciousness. As soon as she opened her eyes, she was greeted by Sasuke's handsome face, and her cheeks flushed red once more.

Hinata whispered, "Sasuke-kun, don't get so close to me. My face feels hot, and my heart is beating so fast."

Sasuke smiled, "Your heart is beating fast? I'll just stay right here and keep you company."

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