My Ninja Way

"You have to cheat. That's what this test is about. And you don't need to worry about Naruto. He's the protagonist—just sit back and watch as a supporting character."

Netizen Hunshui Moyu left a comment.

The protagonist?

A supporting character?!

Sasuke's face immediately darkened. At the same time, another voice rang out:

You have received a new suggestion: Wait quietly. Accept and complete this suggestion to obtain a Rank F Scroll.

"Yeah, this is Naruto's big moment too. 'I say what I mean, and I do what I say. That's My Ninja Way!' Isn't that cool as hell?!"

Netizen Michelangelo Carrot started interacting with the comment above.

Cool? Naruto?

Sasuke was momentarily stunned.

No one in Konoha had ever described Naruto that way. Everyone only thought he was reckless. But—

"Now, I will announce the rules for the tenth question!" Examiner Ibiki's words interrupted Sasuke's thoughts.

"As for this question, if you choose not to answer, you will be judged eliminated on the spot. Naturally, your teammates will leave as well."

"But! If you choose to answer and get it wrong, the respondent will be permanently barred from taking the Chunin Exams!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room erupted into noisy discussion and complaints.

"No need to worry, because he's the protagonist?"

Sasuke stared deeply at Naruto's back. On reflection, there truly was no way he could help him. And with the new rules for the tenth question, the earlier questions had already become unimportant.

Then let's see what you can do.

"I will never give up!"

Naruto slammed his hand onto the desk.

"Even if I'm a Genin for the rest of my life, I'll become Hokage with nothing but sheer determination!"

"I say what I mean, and I do what I say! This is My Ninja Way!!"

Naruto's words swept away the unease in the room and instantly ignited everyone's fighting spirit.

As his words ended, Sasuke's heart was shaken to the core.

They were exactly the same.

Naruto's words were identical, word for word, to what the senior named "Michelangelo Carrot" had said in the System!

And they really were kind of cool. (Crossed out.)

Which meant that the earlier suggestion from that senior to use the Sharingan probably wasn't simply because the Uchiha clan was famous.

Knowing the past and foreseeing the future.

What kind of ninjutsu was that? Or had they already entered the legendary realm of sage arts?

It seemed that the benefits brought by this system called "Collective Wisdom" were far more than just scrolls.

Receiving guidance from such a group of eminent seniors would surely provide a tremendous boost to his training.

With that in mind, Sasuke resolved to take these senior netizens even more seriously.

As for their previously incomprehensible way of speaking, Sasuke now saw it as the extraordinary bearing of reclusive masters who did not conform to convention.

"Ramen, ramen, ramen."

After getting through the first round without incident, Naruto shouted for Kakashi to treat them.

"Hey, you two should come too."

Naruto strutted along smugly, then turned and called out to Sasuke and Sakura.

"Really? I get to eat with Sasuke?"

Sakura's heart started swooning.

"I don't have time for something that boring," Sasuke said coldly.

"What? You bastard! What are you acting so proud for?!" Naruto snapped furiously.

Just as another argument was about to break out, Kakashi placed a hand on both Naruto and Sasuke's heads to calm them.

"This really isn't the time to relax! Tomorrow's second exam will be a true trial of blood and fire."

"Anyway, be at the entrance to Training Ground 44 on time tomorrow. Get plenty of rest tonight!"

After returning home, Sasuke hurriedly opened the "Collective Wisdom" system. The first thing he saw was the reward he had not yet claimed.

Congratulations, you completed the suggestion—Wait quietly. You have obtained a Rank F Scroll.

Compared to the previous one, this scroll looked rather crude, grayish-white and dull.

You opened the Rank F Scroll. Congratulations, you obtained 5 High-Quality Soldier Pills.

"This counts as a reward?" Sasuke was speechless.

After picking one up and eating it, he found that it actually tasted quite good.

Unlike the traditional sweet variety, these Soldier Pills did not use honey to improve the flavor. Instead, they contained bits of ham and cured meat—crispy, savory, and rich without being greasy.

Wait, it didn't seem that simple.

About five minutes later, Sasuke gradually felt his body becoming remarkably light, as though he had just woken after a wonderful night's sleep.

Before this, when people said that "Soldier Pills can replenish Chakra," they really meant that they kept you from feeling hungry when you hadn't eaten—after all, producing Chakra required a ninja's physical strength, and being hungry would naturally affect that strength.

But the High-Quality Soldier Pills provided by this system clearly went beyond the concept of ordinary Soldier Pills. They seemed to possess the miraculous effect of instantly restoring one to peak condition!

If he took one of these Soldier Pills at a critical moment in battle...

It would probably be as overpowered as a bug.

With that thought, Sasuke carefully put away the remaining four Soldier Pills.

With this system's help, maybe I really could...

Lying in bed, Sasuke once again thought of the man with tear troughs beneath his eyes.

At the mere thought of him, bloody images flashed through Sasuke's mind and crushed the breath from his chest.

In the stillness of the night, he had already grown accustomed to this pain.

Feel the pain, confirm his own existence, and ultimately complete his revenge. That was the meaning of his life.

Perhaps because of the High-Quality Soldier Pill, Sasuke did not feel sleepy at all.

Since he couldn't sleep, he might as well use this time to prepare properly for tomorrow's exam.

"Good evening, seniors. I am Uchiha Sasuke. Tomorrow morning, I will be taking the second round of the Chunin Exams. I hope to receive your advice and guidance?"

After recognizing the netizens' strength, Sasuke's words became increasingly respectful.

After a short while, replies quickly began to appear.

Netizen 4247: "Well, there goes another one off the deep end."

Lawei Rice: "Has the editor been under that much pressure lately? What kind of questions are these? Can you give us something entertaining?"

Hunshui Moyu: "I get it. Isn't this TRPG? I know how to play this, bro!"

"Go check the original poster's previous post. He's keeping the timeline exact."

Lawei Rice: "What do you mean?"

Hunshui Moyu: "TRPG—tabletop role-playing game. The most classic example is something like Dungeons & Dragons. The game master sets the scene, describes it, asks questions, and then the players make choices. The plot is then developed based on those choices."

"We didn't play the last response right, so the story still followed the original plot. This time, we need a major breakthrough. Hahaha."

Sepi: "Got it, got it! Watch me!"

"Original poster, first thing tomorrow, kill Sakura! I guarantee you'll live the rest of your life in wealth and glory!"

Seeing this, Sasuke could not help frowning.

After all, Kakashi had once said, "Those who do not cherish their comrades are worse than trash."

And he was talking about wealth and glory? Ridiculous.

At the same time, a voice rang out:

You have received a new suggestion: Kill Haruno Sakura after daybreak. Accept and complete this suggestion to obtain an S-Rank Scroll.

S-Rank?!

Sasuke was slightly surprised, but ultimately chose to ignore it.

Hunshui Moyu: "Aren't you just messing around? Let me think—the second round of the Chunin Exams. Damn, that's hard. Orochimaru is after him. Not even immortals can save him."

Lawei Rice: "What's so hard about that? Just don't go. Hide somewhere instead."

You have received a new suggestion: Withdraw from the Chunin Exams and hide. Accept and complete this suggestion to obtain a C-Rank Scroll.

Hunshui Moyu: "What kind of joke is that! Orochimaru only came for two things this time. The moment this guy thinks about the Sharingan, he starts drooling. He'll definitely come take a look at Sasuke."

"Besides, if a Kage-level expert wants to find a Genin, how can you hide? Where would you even hide?"

Orochimaru?

Kage-level?

Did that mean someone as powerful as the Hokage?

Sasuke immediately felt uneasy.

Until now, all he had thought about were battles with Neji, Gaara, or Lee. Even a Jonin's strength had seemed distant to him, while power like the Hokage's felt utterly beyond reach.

It was for the Sharingan...

Without the protection of his clan, he was like a child carrying gold through a busy market. Sasuke clenched his fists in anger.

"Don't chicken out! Orochimaru isn't here to kill anyone. This time, he's just checking Sasuke's potential, and he can even get a Cursed Seal from him for free. What the hell are you scared of?!" Netizen Durian Meteor Hammer commented. "Fight him!"

Why did this Meteor Hammer senior feel so much like Naruto?

So Orochimaru had not come to kill him outright.

Sasuke let out a slight sigh of relief.

Once he knew he would not die, the fear in his heart gradually faded, replaced by a rising fighting spirit.

You have received a new suggestion: Face Orochimaru in battle. Accept and complete this suggestion to obtain a D-Rank Scroll.

Hunshui Moyu: "There really doesn't seem to be any way out. Judging from the later plot, even after the Third knew Orochimaru's purpose and presence, he still insisted on holding the exams. Nothing could be done."

Sasuke scrolled through the forum for a while longer but received no new suggestions. The few scattered new replies were mostly onlookers interested in this simulated game.

Lights flickered across the mountains outside the window, while moonlight draped Hokage Rock in a layer of sapphire blue.

Tomorrow's coming turmoil could not disturb the peace of this moment. In the end, Sasuke fell into a deep sleep.