<h4>Chapter 24. Postponed Rematch</h4>


    “Oh, Shikato, Where are you from? And what are you reading?”


    Chouki met Shikato on the streets. It felt a little weird that Shikato would go outside during the holidays instead of staying home.


    “Oi Chouki, I just visited Akabane’sic store and went to buy hisic. Surprisingly I got a poster as a reward for his first costumer or something like that.”


    Shikato showed his poster to Chouki.


    “Let me take a look.”


    Chouki leaned forward curiously. Although Shikato was in a hurry to get home, he didn’t mind a chit-chat with his best friend.


    Chouki’s eyes widened.


    “Wow, is there still any poster left?”


    “I think so, but a lot of people might be there already.”


    Shikato seemed to get a little impatient.


    “Ah, okay, then bye Shikato!”


    After heard it, Chouki hurriedly left Shikato and ran to Akabane’s store.


    It wasn’t hard to found theic store since Chouki knew where Shikato went before.


    Not long after he arrived near the store, he saw several figures passing away behind him.


    “That’s...Sakumo? And, Orochimaru too!?”


    Chouki became anxious and immediately quickened his pace.


    However...


    If it’s about speed, Chouki has a disadvantage from his ssmates, and he can only saw both of them disappeared out of sight.


    “Is this buyingics orpetitions? Why are there so many people!?”


    On the street, he saw another ssmate ran in the same direction.


    Sakumo, Orochimaru, Murasaki, and even Ryuu himself! They were likepetitors that won’t fall behind.


    “Ahem... Ryuu-kun, let’s go get Akabane’sic!”


    Chouki coughed excitedly.


    “Hmph, I didn’t go there forics. Kurama Akabane has dishonored mest time, and I demand a rematch!”


    Ryuu said, angry while clenching his fist.


    But soon, he noticed that it just a distraction from Chouki to surpassed him in an instant.


    “Damn it, don’t cheat!”


    He hurriedly chased him.


    Ryuu had forgotten his first intention to take revenge on Akabane and only thought ofpeting with the other to get to the store as soon as possible.


    This meaninglesspetition continues until they reached the store. After Shikato left, Akabane immediately received his second customer.


    Unlike the first customer, the second one is someone impressive.


    “Sarutobi-sensei, why are you here too!?”


    Akabane was baffled by the fact that the Third Hokage himself became his second consumer.


    “Hahaha, I grew to like youric and decided toe and buy one. It’s for Shinnosuke if you ask...”


    Hiruzen lighted his cigarette and said with a smile.


    “Yeah, very convincing Sarutobi-sensei..”


    Akabaneined silently.


    As a high ranking ninja, Hiruzen could arrive faster than his son Shinnosuke.


    “Shinnosuke, he umm.. asked me to buy one copy..”


    Hiruzen took a copy and couldn’t help but looked shameless.


    Akabane took notice of some racket in the distance.


    Sakumo was in front, followed by Orochimaru, Chouki, and Murasaki. Behind them was another of Akabane’s ssmates.


    Shikato was the first one to arrive, as he was about to asked Akabane for a copy. He saw the Third Hokage walking out of the store.


    “Uhh... Sarutobi-sensei?”


    Then, Orochimaru and the other arrived together


    Hiruzen paused for a moment, then he lifted his smoke pipe and cleared the way for Sakumo and others to enter.


    “Is Sarutobi-sensei came here to buy Akabane’sic?”


    Orochimaru sighed lightly


    Hiruzen looks confused, and he didn’t know how to reply.


    “Do you still want the poster prize Sarutobi-sensei?”


    Akabane’s clone enjoyed the scene in front of him, saw how an old man came to theic store to buy aic and fight for the prize poster with other children.


    Hiruzen coughed and said hesitantly, “Of course not. I just came to buy aic for my son and support Akabane. I.. I’m not... going to take the poster..”


    “As expected from the Third Hokage, here is youric sensei.”


    Akabane’s clone smiled and gave theic.


    Hiruzen took theic and left silently.


    As a highly respected Hokage, he can’t be seen snatches a poster in front of his former student.


    After watching him leave, Orochimaru nced at Sakumo, then looked back at Akabane. Then he said, “I’ve managed to save one poster from getting snatched by Sarutobi-sensei. Do I get a reward for it?”


    “Of course not!”


    Sakumo red at him.


    “Please remain calm... I’ll consider the Third Hokage as a special guess, and the next customer must still obey the rules that the firste first to serve.”


    Akabane’s clone said.


    Orochimaru nodded silently and said with a disappointed tone, “Well, then that makes me the third costumer. “


    Orochimaru epted it without resistance. At least he was the top three...


    Since when this became apetition?


    Chouki coughed a few times before he could argue, but Orochimaru had already stepped forward to get theic.


    “Line up one by one, don’t worry, there is plenty for everyone.”


    If these people make trouble, the store will be very noisy.


    As a clone, he can’t hold the ground.


    “Huh!? I don’t care about any of your rules. Akabane,e out and have a rematch with me!”


    Ryuu finally arrived and shouted from the front door.


    Akabane’s clone frowned slightly.


    He is a clone after all, but just like the real Akabane, he didn’t like trouble, and Ryuu Uchiha was indeed a big trouble.


    “Akabane, don’t pretend you didn’t hear me! Come out and fight with me. I haven’t prepared wellst time, and I wouldn’t lose this time!”


    Ryuu continued to exim.


    Sakumo and Orochimaru looked back on Ryuu.


    The two didn’t interfere because this was Akabane’s store, but if he asks for their help, they will stop him without hesitation.


    “What’s the matter? I’m here for a rematch, not making trouble!”


    Whether Sakumo or Orochimaru, they had the best atbat prowess. Even if Ryuu was from Uchiha n, he has no confidence if he has to fight with either of them.


    “Um... I don’t mind with the rematch, but since you’ve already here, why don’t you buy myic first? I’ll treat you as same as the other costumer.”


    Akabane’s clone pointed to theic shelf.


    “what?”


    Ryuu didn’t expect this kind of response and didn’t know how to reply.


    The clone smiled inwardly while Ryuu sat on the ground, thinking about his request.


    “If I bought youric, you would fight with me?”


    Ryuu looked fierce and murderous.


    “Yep..”


    The clone nodded lightly.


    Anyway, he was only a clone, and when the timees, Akabane himself will have to deal with Ryuu.


    At this time, Orochimaru and Sakumo had picked theiric and ask for the prize poster.


    “Since you both are the top first three, you will get a free medium-size poster, umm... wait, let me see...”


    The clone was picky for a while, then finally gave Sakumo and Orochimaru their prize.


    Sakumo excitedly took it over.


    He has been waiting for it from the first he heard about the prize and rushed as soon as he knew that Akabane’s store had opened.


    “Comee! Open it now!”


    Murasaki ranked fifth, and when he saw Sakumo get the poster, he immediately asked him to show it.


    Sakumo nned to open it at home, but since the store has hyped up for a few days now, everyone wants to take a look at everyone’s prize.


    Ryuu looked disdainful, but couldn’t help looking curiously.


    The poster portrayed a masked man leaned against a big tree while reading a book called “Icha-Icha Paradise.”


    On the lower right, there was his name.


    “Kakashi Hatake!”


    “This... this is awesome!”


    In an instant, his eyes widened.


    “Orochimaru, let us see yours.”


    Chouki looked at Orochimaru.


    “Nope, I’ll go back and open it alone.”


    Orochimaru kept the poster unopen and shook his head.


    Heard this, everyone else was felt disappointed, including Ryuu, who couldn’t help but felt disappointed too.