The Battle That Made His Name

Everyone present was calculating in their hearts: how exactly were they supposed to defeat a ninja who was immune to Genjutsu and possessed such astonishing strength and speed?

Hanma's fighting style brought a certain figure to many people's minds—the Third Raikage of Kumogakure.

Did that mean Uchiha Hanma already possessed strength on the level of a Kage?

The many Jonin exchanged glances. Such heavyweight news had to be discussed carefully with their clans once they returned. Konoha's balance of power might soon change.

Compared to the Third Raikage, Hanma's displayed offensive power had not yet reached the level of the Hell Stab.

But Hanma's speed, his "uncontrollable" nature, and his attack power—enough to kill most ninjas—made him an exceptionally troublesome opponent.

The Jonin exchanged looks, gradually focusing their attention on White Fang, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Uchiha Setsuna.

The Third Hokage wore a benevolent smile and said lightly, in a kindly tone,

"What is it? A powerful young talent has appeared in the village. That is a sign that Konoha is flourishing."

Jiraiya sniffed, thinking silently, I've fought him who knows how many times since we were kids.

What powerful young talent? He had always been an absurdly gifted freak.

Still, the old man's words seemed rather meaningful.

Orochimaru narrowed his snake-like eyes as he spoke softly with Tsunade.

Tsunade's unpleasant expression, along with the leg constantly trembling beneath her dark green Haori, revealed the restlessness in her heart.

For all these years, Tsunade and Hanma had remained a pair of bickering rivals.

Unlike Tsunade and Jiraiya's relationship in the original story, theirs had gone from becoming acquainted through fights to gradually warming feelings—a standard romance plot.

Hanma was a restless sort. Whenever he returned from Anbu missions, he often brought her specialties from various ninja villages.

Whenever he had nothing to do, he would take the initiative to invite her out for drinks and meals. On starlit nights in the village, he would stroll through the streets with her.

What angered her was that Hanma had never expressed his feelings.

The two of them had once had the possibility of moving forward together, but Hanma's lack of initiative had left their relationship in an extremely awkward state.

Uchiha Setsuna could no longer suppress the anxiety in his heart. In truth, he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Claiming to have inherited Uchiha Madara's will, he had witnessed his younger brother die in the First Shinobi World War and awakened the power of the Mangekyō.

However, no one had known how to teach him to use the Mangekyō.

When he was young, he had been like Sasuke in the original story, recklessly using up his ocular power for a period of time. It had now clearly declined.

Setsuna himself was the Uchiha Clan's most militant faction leader, and he was also the clan head.

If he had not been worried that his ocular power would fail him, he would have long since unified the clan's various factions and led the Uchiha in challenging the Hokage Building.

His feelings toward Hanma were complicated.

On one hand, he thought highly of this young and powerful clansman. On the other, he still clung to the traditional belief in bloodlines.

When Hanma was young, Setsuna had repeatedly tried to persuade him, hoping to steer Hanma's training back onto the traditional path.

He had always believed that taijutsu had its limits.

Hanma had inherited Uchiha blood, yet instead of digging into the power within that bloodline, he had gone off to temper his body.

That was simply placing himself on the same starting line as civilian ninjas. It was taking the long way around when the shortcut was right there—what a foolish thing to do.

However, after witnessing Hanma's outstanding performance today, Setsuna's Uchiha-exclusive Paranoid streak flared up.

He intended to reveal his Mangekyō. Even blindness no longer mattered.

As long as such a promising clansman returned to the proper path of ocular techniques, the Uchiha would surely produce an invincible leader!

A blazing fire rose in Setsuna's heart. He felt an immense sense of mission. He had to make Hanma value ocular techniques!

If Hanma knew what he was thinking, he would definitely complain: the Uchiha Clan really did produce mental cases and Paranoids in abundance.

"—Whoosh."

The silence was broken as challengers appeared in the arena.

Yet unexpectedly, Uchiha Setsuna and Tsunade moved at the same time and stepped onto the stage.

For a moment, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. The Senju and Uchiha had always been hostile toward one another.

After the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, died, that opposition had only worsened, to the point that the Uchiha had gradually become isolated within the village.

And their arrogant nature doomed them never to explain themselves to others, leaving their situation increasingly dire.

Tsunade said nothing more. She crossed her arms, raised her chin, and squinted at Hanma. There was a trace of provocation in her eyes; apparently, she had long harbored resentment toward him as well.

Setsuna was even less likely to give up his spot. What he intended to do today was, in his heart, a major matter for revitalizing the Uchiha.

To him, this was the perfect occasion to dedicate himself completely to the Uchiha.

Burn himself up, vindicate the Uchiha, pressure the Hokage Building, and pull back a genius who had gone down the wrong path—this was an opportunity that achieved several goals at once. He would never miss it.

Hanma looked at the two of them with amusement. One was a young woman here to pick a fight, while the other was a middle-aged-to-elderly man brimming with inexplicable fighting spirit. What a strange combination.

After thinking it over, he decided that since he had already made enough of a splash today, he might as well take it all the way.

Hanma gently asked the two across from him in a tender yet punchable tone.

"I mean no disrespect. If neither of you is willing to give up, I can try fighting both of you at once.

"Since the Senju and Uchiha have been the best partners since the village was founded, how about fighting side by side again today?"

Tsunade stomped the ground and snarled, "What do you mean, you bastard? Are you looking down on me?"

Uchiha Setsuna, meanwhile, wore a solemn expression as he stared at Hanma and said seriously,

"I have no objection."

Tsunade looked at Setsuna in surprise. The ever-proud Uchiha clan head was actually choosing to join forces with a Senju against one of his own juniors?

That was far too strange. Yet Setsuna paid no attention to her gaze and continued staring resolutely at Hanma.

A trace of surprise crossed Hanma's heart. What was this old man trying to pull now?

The Third Hokage put his pipe to his mouth, deeply exhaled a puff of smoke, then turned to Danzo. "What do you think?"

Danzo waved a hand in disgust. "You should quit smoking, Hiruzen.

"But I support it. It is necessary to understand the village's true current combat strength.

"A village-scale war is something the current main force has yet to experience. It is not easy to determine who can truly bear the burden."

The Third Hokage glanced at Danzo. It was already quite rare for Danzo to say something like that.

Hanma cleared his throat and addressed the crowd.

"I do not mean to disrespect the two Jonin. It is simply that I have made a small breakthrough in my training recently, and I would like to test myself against the two of you."

That attempt at giving them an out might as well have not been made. Tsunade's expression grew even uglier, and an angry flush appeared on her fair face.

After all, she was only a young woman in her early twenties right now, though her personality probably would not change much even when she was fifty.

The Third Hokage looked at Hanma. "Then even in a one-against-two fight, if you lose, you will still be eliminated."

Hanma shrugged indifferently. After considering it, he decided to add a wager to this match.

"Then, Third Hokage.

"If I win, I hope you will give me an opportunity to apply for Forbidden Jutsu training.

"If I lose, then for the next month, I will voluntarily serve as the village's taijutsu instructor without pay, teaching everyone."

The Third was overjoyed upon hearing this and agreed to Hanma's request with a broad wave of his hand.

In this era, Jonin were extremely valuable political and military resources, and they were exceedingly difficult to assign.

Having just emerged from bloody battlefields, every one of them had a distinct personality.

When it came to teaching, they generally would not instruct outsiders aside from close friends and fellow clansmen.

Even in the era when Naruto was born, Kakashi's refusal made it clear—leading a Genin team was not work anyone wanted to do unless there was a special connection, or they were assigned to train children from specific powerful clans in order to build up their own connections and resources.

For a civilian ninja, encountering even a Special Jonin as a team leader was already something to burn incense in gratitude for.

Now, Hanma, whose taijutsu stood unrivaled in Konoha, had voluntarily put teaching on the line. For the village's benefit, today's match had to take place.

"Good. Then This Old Man will raise the stakes a little more."

"The winner of this match will receive an additional opportunity to train in one Forbidden Jutsu. If Uchiha Hanma wins, he will receive two."

"And if Hanma wins, I will specially grant him the opportunity to receive priority in organizing a unit."

With the corners of his mouth raised, the Third announced the rules and stakes of the match to all the Jonin present.

Some might have thought it unfair that Hanma had disrupted the normal selection process.

But in the Shinobi World, rules were not that important. One's own strength was always the greatest basis for speaking.

Rules restrained the weak. Even if the strong broke them, at most they would receive three cups of punishment wine.

Hanma chuckled inwardly. The Third old man was putting him over the fire.

Was he seeing how quickly my strength had soared, trying to probe my limits and pile more burdens on me?

The Third cleared his throat. His demeanor suddenly turned serious as he said in a deep voice,

"Very well. Prepare yourselves. Uchiha Setsuna, Tsunade, you have ten minutes to hold a strategy meeting."

Hanma rolled his eyes. He was utterly speechless. A strategy meeting too? Was the old man that eager for him to lose?

Setsuna, however, put on no airs and ran over to speak with Tsunade. The two whispered with their backs to Hanma, and the atmosphere between them was unexpectedly pleasant.

It seemed that only when facing a powerful external enemy could internal unity remain so strong. That was an unchanging truth from ancient times to the present.

The Jonin present had already grown excited, and discussions erupted without end.

The Uchiha clan head and Hashirama Senju's granddaughter were actually joining forces? And they were joining forces against one person?

No matter who won or lost, this would surely become a piece of gossip retold for decades.

Uchiha Hanma had no intention of holding back any longer.

Facing the two of them, he was under considerable pressure. He could no longer remain as relaxed and carefree as before.

Tsunade was already an outstanding medical ninja, and her Monster Strength Punch had reached a high level of mastery.

As for old man Setsuna, his strange behavior today meant Hanma could not underestimate what he might do.

Unfortunately, no matter what happened, today was the battle Hanma had chosen to make his name.

To quickly gather the experience the system required during the war, temper his Entries, and gain a command position was indispensable. Only then could he choose the battlefields he wanted.

He could also accumulate military merit faster, exchange it for the Scroll of Sealing, and learn Fuinjutsu and Space Ninjutsu early to make up for his shortcomings.

Hanma's heart burned with long-forgotten passion. This time, no one could stop him. This was the first great step after more than ten years of accumulated strength!