Naruto: Stormbreaker

I kept staring at her with the same deadpan look. She met it with stubbornness, but her social awkwardness got the best of her, and she had to look away. I chuckled, then turned my attention to the track. It was a 400-meter loop, and I glanced at the kids around me to check out the competition.

The clan kids made sure to pretend I didn't exist. Not surprising. I probably looked like someone who broke in just to crash the exam. Ragged clothes, orphan energy, and zero clan pride to flaunt. Classic outsider.

Two kids stood out, though. The Uchiha boy kept staring at me like I stole his lunch money. Sure, I was taller than most and looked stronger, but I worked hard for that. Ever since I started chakra circulation, I'd gone through a wild growth spurt. Not my fault. Still, his eyes screamed, "I challenge you, and I will win."

On the other side was the Yamanaka girl, smiling at me like a receptionist greeting a corrupt CEO. The only thing I felt from her was curiosity. Pure, unfiltered interest. And that smile? Creepy calm. I thought to myself, "What a weird bunch of kids. What are they feeding them in Konoha?"

The instructor lined us up at the starting line and shouted, "Begin!"

We all took off. Most kids were smart enough not to sprint from the start, but a few civilian kids in the group couldn't help themselves and started running at full force to prove something.

I ran fast, but not at full speed. I augmented my body with chakra, which by now wasn't too hard to maintain. I could keep it up for a long time before needing a break, so I kept at it.

By the fourth lap, the civilian kids began to slow down. They'd started out strong, but now their stamina was fading fast. By the fifth lap, they were falling behind. By the sixth, some had dropped out. The seventh saw even more of them hit the dirt.

Some of the clan kids were slowing down too, though they kept a steady pace. As for me? I hadn't even broken a serious sweat.

I glanced behind me and saw the shrimp still sticking close but clearly struggling. She was panting, soaked in sweat.

"Do you want me to carry you, little shrimp?" I teased.

She glared at me with frustration but said nothing, probably to save her breath.

"I can't hear you!" I laughed and sped up, leaving her behind in the glorious dust trail of my hard work. Muwahahaha, I laughed in my mind like the true villain I was not.

But then I looked to my left and saw the Uchiha kid. He was pushing himself so hard I half-expected his Sharingan to awaken on the spot. His stamina was seriously impressive, and he had this stormy intensity, like a steam engine running on pure spite. Or maybe just a whole lot of pent-up rage.

I ignored him and focused forward. Then I sensed a presence to my right. The Yamanaka girl was still running beside me, wearing that same unsettling CEO boardroom smile. She looked totally calm, but I could tell she was close to her limit. The weird part? She wasn't sweating at all.

I looked ahead, thinking once more, "Seriously, what is wrong with Konoha kids? Why are none of them normal?"

One lap later, the shrimp collapsed onto the track, wheezing like she was on her last breath.

"Timber!" I yelled dramatically and kept running.

Now I was starting to sweat a bit. My chakra control was beginning to slip, but I still had plenty of chakra left. I knew I'd soon have to switch to pure stamina, which was fine. My stamina could handle it.

Two more laps, and the rest of the clan kids were done. They lay scattered across the field like dropped sardines. Only three of us remained.

Another lap passed, and the Yamanaka girl sighed in resignation before casually walking off the track like she'd just finished a casual morning stroll.

I was impressed.

"Is she treating this like a job interview or what?" I thought to myself.

That left just me and Mr. Brooding Fire Eyes.

I glanced at him. He was sweating heavily, breathing hard, his entire face twisted in effort and pride. And that's when it hit me. If I kept running, this kid might literally pass out trying to beat me.

I sighed.

He reminded me too much of those bull-headed kids back at the orphanage who would fight just to prove something. I knew exactly the kind of pride that wouldn't let him stop.

So, I stopped.

Right there on the track. Just slowed down and stepped aside with a smirk.

His eyes widened. First surprise, then disbelief, then fury.

He stumbled past me, and just a few steps later, collapsed onto the track like a fallen hero. I stayed standing, stretching out my back like this was just another jog.

Letting him win would eat at him more than losing ever would. It was a gift. And also a lesson.

I strolled over to the shrimp, who was still wheezing and holding her chest.

"You alright shrimp?" I asked.

She looked at me with narrowed eyes and whispered, "Are you even human?"

I grinned.

"That's a secret."