Tsunade's Threat

While Uchiha Chen and Minato were chatting idly in the classroom, the third match between the Fifth Grade and the graduating class had already begun on the stage.

That was right, the third match.

Hizashi Hyuga, who had been the second contestant, had already forfeited. Thus, this match became a gauntlet battle between two Fifth Grade students.

Even if the final member of the graduating class could defeat one person, he still lost in the end when faced with two opponents at once.

However, the Fifth Grade's victory had been a narrow one as well, because one of them had suffered injuries even more serious than Hyuga Himeji's.

Hizashi Hyuga was still with Princess Tsunade, keeping his sister Hyuga Himeji company.

As for Hizashi Hyuga, the Young Clan Head... huh? Who cared about him?

He was just a bastard who had beaten his own sister into that state.

Hadn't they heard what the students were shouting when Himeji was carried away earlier?

"Hiashi, why did you do that?!"

"That stinking graduating-class Hiashi! What a despicable guy!"

"Unforgivable! I'm putting you on my top ten list of people I'd least want as a boyfriend!"

"That's right! Make sure he can't get a girlfriend before graduation!"

"..."

Although it was true that Hiashi had suffered more serious injuries.

And now, the situation had become very clear. The only winning groups left were Uchiha Chen's Second Grade group, the Third Grade Aburame group, and the Fifth Grade Hyuga Himeji group.

Although Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu was excellent, the two teammates in the Aburame group had been seriously injured. At this point, he was their only remaining fighting strength.

Meanwhile, only Hyuga Himeji and one teammate in her group could continue fighting.

"So if you want to make the top three, the three spots will be picked from the six of you." Nawaki, that idiot, popped up from who knew where again. Looking like an intelligence dealer, he carried out another shady transaction with Uchiha Chen.

"Your three opponents are Aburame Shibi from Third Grade, Hyuga Himeji from Fifth Grade, and Shimura Miya," Nawaki continued his analysis.

"Hmm, shouldn't Hyuga Himeji be seriously injured?" Uchiha Chen asked doubtfully. "Is your sister's medical skill really that amazing?"

"Of course. Whose sister do you think she is? Naturally, her medical skills are extraordinary." Nawaki kept up his shameless sales pitch.

"Actually, her injuries aren't that serious. The main problem is that her acupuncture points were sealed by the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Once they're released, she'll be fine," Nawaki explained.

So although her brother Hiashi Hyuga talked tough, he had secretly held back?

He really did dote on his little sister. Uchiha Chen sighed inwardly.

Nawaki then looked at Uchiha Chen with a gleeful expression. "Oh, right. My sister asked me to tell you that if you make the top three, you have to choose her as your instructor. Otherwise, she'll break all three of your legs."

Uchiha Chen's face twisted in pain.

"Why? Just because she's a Konoha Jonin, she can threaten me and do whatever she wants to me?"

I'm definitely not choosing that female demon. At that moment, Uchiha Chen recalled Tsunade's terrifying methods.

Nawaki continued to kick him while he was down. "My sister was also muttering something in the back just now. What was it again?"

He hesitated, deliberately keeping Uchiha Chen in suspense. "She said that sooner or later, she'd properly Discipline you—uh, what did that mean again?"

Nawaki's voice gradually slowed.

What was Discipline? Uchiha Chen suddenly felt a chill run through his entire body. He had an inexplicable fear of the word. He felt that it was not a good word.

"...Discipline." Nawaki suddenly spat out the two words.

"That's right. She said it was necessary to properly discipline you," Nawaki said with certainty.

"Discipline? Couldn't she at least use words like educate or guide?" Uchiha Chen complained.

Eh, how strange. Uchiha Chen noticed something odd. Why did Nawaki, who was only six and barely knew any characters, know such a strange word?

A glint suddenly flashed through Uchiha Chen's eyes. It seemed he had discovered an interesting world.

"Nawaki, why do you know such an obscure word as 'discipline'?" Uchiha Chen looked extremely excited.

"...Uh, I saw it in Big Brother Jiraiya's manga."

"What manga?"

"He said it was about life and ethics. He even told me not to tell my sister."

"Jiraiya really hasn't changed at all. When it comes to knowledge in certain areas, perhaps even the Hokage, known as the Professor of Ninjutsu, is far inferior to him," Uchiha Chen silently mused.

"...Achoo." At that moment, Jiraiya lay in a hospital bed, staring lecherously at the young nurse changing his bandages.

"Ah, my wound hurts." The sneeze had pulled at his injury.

"..."

"By the way, Nawaki, why does your sister want to choose me as her student?" Uchiha Chen felt a little uneasy. After all, Jiraiya's fate was still unknown.

Nawaki secretly glanced around and made sure Tsunade was nowhere nearby.

He lowered his voice. "I risked my life to find out the following information. It's worth a bowl of ramen."

Uchiha Chen could only grit his teeth and accept the price hike. After all, the guy really was well-informed.

Nawaki spoke with great satisfaction. "According to eyewitnesses, before Jiraiya got beaten up, he leaked some information in hopes of trading it for a chance to live."

"Big Brother Jiraiya claimed that you were the one who told him to do it. You said it would quickly improve his relationship with my sister."

"And he also said that you might have used Genjutsu on him before. He said you forced him into it."

"So if you don't pick her, or if you don't make it into the top three, you'll probably die horribly." Nawaki wore an expression of complete indifference toward life and death.

Uchiha Chen swallowed. "Then what if I do pick her?"

"Then at most, you'll just break a few bones like Big Brother Jiraiya." Nawaki smiled.

Thud. Uchiha Chen collapsed to the ground. Mikoto hurried over to support the cold-sweating Uchiha Chen.

Just as Uchiha Chen and Nawaki were secretly exchanging information off to the side, Orochimaru had already stepped into the center of the arena.

Meanwhile, Konoha's princess had already gone to rest on a lounge chair in the treatment area behind them.

Perhaps she was also calculating how she would Discipline Uchiha Chen later. Or perhaps she was thinking about how much money she had left and how many more rounds of dice she could play.

"Now then, the final six have been decided: Second Grade's Uchiha Chen, Uchiha Mikoto, and Minato Namikaze; Third Grade's Aburame Shibi; Fifth Grade's Hyuga Himeji; and Shimura Miya. Next will be the battles to determine the exact rankings."

Orochimaru continued forming Hand Seals, and another numbered box appeared beside him.

"The rules are the same as before. Those who draw the same number will fight each other."

"The final three winners will receive private instruction from me, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. This is an exceedingly precious opportunity."

"At the same time, after graduation, there will also be a very high chance of being assigned under an Elite Jonin."

It sounded wonderful. But among the six remaining contestants, aside from Minato Namikaze, who was a true Civilian Ninja, which one of the others did not come from one of Konoha's renowned clans?

What everyone truly valued was the guidance of the three Hokage disciples, along with the possible connections behind it.