"Hmmph! As if a newbie like you would ever understand," Akihiko grunted.


    He had no interest in considering the words of a newbie. He had failed to gauge the years of experience that utz held as a ninja. In all ways, he was much more mature than Akihiko both in age and in personality.


    A man might sprout the wisest words on the. But without the backing of strength or influence? Those words would just seem like the melodious chirpings of a feeble bird ready to be hunted.


    Bying back to the past utz had not only lost his strength but his influence as well. But his memories remained.


    utz too had felt jealousy when he had witnessed higher-ranked ninjaspleting seemingly impossible missions in a breeze. But with time utz had realized that only by freeing oneself of such jealousy and focusing on growth and growth alone can one beat those so-called ''rivals'' that one ims to have.


    But would Akihiko ever understand this? Only time would tell.


    ''Sadly, he would die even before he would have any such realization.''


    utz didn''t lie. He considered him quite lucky to survive till the end. A ninja has to y with his life at every mission!


    "And what kind of strength can a newbie gain from my mere grinding? It would be measly at most."


    Akihiko didn''t believe that having high stats alone would aid someone to ace in the world of hell. Stats were attainable. Anyone can have them. But what he was seeking were unfound cheats!


    utz raised his brows.


    utz didn''t take it in a good light. In the past, he had neither stats nor cheats. Yet he had killed the greatest human powerhouses in hell.


    "You dare?" utz imed. "How about another bet then?"


    utz wanted to see the limits of what he could do. He was tricked before but this time he won''t allow it.


    "Bet?"


    utz nodded.


    "Yup. Let''s do this. You assign a mission to a trainee of yours to protect my life during the newbie drill. If I can''t reach three times my original strength then you win. If I can then I win"


    Akihiko''s eyes shot out wide.


    "Three times?"


    Akihiko felt like utz was only baffling. But he was interested. Curiosity was once again getting the better of him. What kind of trick would utz be using to achieve such exponential growth? That was what he thought.


    "So what would you do if you lost?" Akihiko asked.


    utz shook his head.


    He didn''t want to mess with Akihiko. But for better or worse Akihiko was the only one he could approach at the moment.


    ''Since he dyed my growth. He better make up for it.''


    "Nothing this time. I was disappointed with thest one. And in the same way just to be fair you don''t have to bet anything either. Let''s make it a challenge instead of a bet."


    utz shrugged.


    "Isn''t it fine? I would be teaching your disciple the ways of the earthly ninja and she would be protecting me. Nothing more. We would both benefit from this."


    The plus point of utz''s deal was that he was asking for a trainee and not a bona fide ninja. Had he done so he would have to pay hefty amounts. Akihiko can''t charge him as long it is a trainee that he asks. utz couldn''t hold Akihiko to me either in case the trainee was to me the mission.


    ''It''s a risk but it is worth it.''


    utz smirked. There was nothing wrong with helping each other is there?


    But Akihiko and utz both had their egos to satisfy. They won''t bend against each other no matter what.


    As such bets and challenges were the only way for them tomunicate ande to a deal. utz was going to use Akihiko''s curiosity for his benefit!


    ''We could really have helped each other a lot. If only our ways weren''t so different.''


    utz was someone who hated ninja hood while Akihiko was someone who was in love with it. They were pr opposites to each other.


    utz saw the challenge as an opportunity. While on the other hand, Akihiko saw it as a fun time pass.


    ''What could go wrong with this?'' Akihiko thought.


    That is when he realized that he had missed something really important.


    ''The Second Gen!''


    The second Gen would be joining the newbie drill soon. What will happen if utz might offend one of them? Maebi would lose her life protecting him against them!


    A ninja is a tool. They are meant to give up their life for their client.


    ''But Maebi is just a trainee and I am not much interested in losing her for a stupid mission.''


    "What is the expiry of the protection period?" Akihiko asked, sounding formal.


    utz smirked. He knew of Akihiko''s untold worries. He knew how much of a mess the Newbie Drill was! Not only Akihiko, but even utz was worried about what might happen. utz had to make his ns with minute details if he didn''t want to get into any sort of trouble.


    "Until the Second Gen arrives," utz replied.


    utz didn''t believe Maebi would be of any help to him if he gets into any sort of trouble with the second-gen.


    Akihiko''s ears twitched.


    "How? Just how…" Akihiko couldn''t help but frown.


    How utz gets such information was out of his mind. The newbies were yet to be informed of the appearance of ''them''.


    "You are forgetting that I have a second Gen in my assigned group," utz smirked.


    utz group had only four members which included Verona, Selena andstly Shizu. Shizu herself was second gen too. Shizu had never revealed her status to anyone. But Akihiko did not know of that!


    "Shizu," Akihiko whispered as he closed his eyes.


    ***


    Author:


    Creation is hard for authors. Cheer me up with your power stones.


    Let me know your thoughts on the chapter in thements sections.