The First Generation Rookies of Konoha

Uchiha Osamu's opponent was a member of his own clan.

Another boy in the class was named Uchiha Yatsushiro. He had a Daoist-style spiky hedgehog haircut and narrowed eyes. His features were fierce, and by Uchiha standards, his looks were genuinely lackluster, yet his expression was arrogantly proud in the same way as the other Uchiha.

Uchiha Osamu, with her long, wavy hair, was the exact opposite. Whether it was her appearance or the gentle expression on her face, she looked frail and not strong at all.

Yet Uchiha Osamu had taken the initiative to choose him as her opponent.

This meant that the Uchiha-style pride was deeply engraved in Osamu's bones. She disdained fighting the weak—in other words, her classmates—even though one of them was a Hyuga.

Yatsushiro was fairly strong among the boys. Besides, since his opponent was from the same clan, he did not need to hold back out of sympathy.

In the Uchiha clan, the gentler and kinder someone was at heart, the more terrifying they were.

The more such a person was like that, the more easily they could sense the stimulation of negative emotions and awaken their eyes.

Osamu was that kind of person. Unlike ordinary Uchiha, after awakening the Mangekyo, she had not gone to extremes under the stimulation of negative emotions. Osamu had remained gentle from beginning to end, which was why she had developed a technique like Hanabi's—one that bloomed only briefly yet was astonishingly beautiful: Izanami.

Therefore, this girl was exceptionally terrifying.

As for Izanami, although the technique appeared gentle and urged people to do good, its essence was a terrifying art that twisted the mind and personality, just like Kotoamatsukami, the strongest genjutsu.

Body Flicker Shisui had the strongest genjutsu that came with awakening the Mangekyo, while Osamu had developed hers independently. With only two or three years at most since the Uchiha civil war began, it was not difficult to see who was more skilled compared with Shisui.

Not to mention that Osamu had successfully prevented internal strife within the Uchiha clan and delayed its collapse. Without exaggeration, Osamu had been the strongest Uchiha at the time.

To put it even more bluntly, the Three Ninja of the same era would not have been enough to defeat her.

The more carefully Mimi thought about it, the more seriously she took the little girl before her.

After the ceremonial Opposition Seal, the battle ended in an instant.

Uchiha of this age could not yet properly wield their signature Fire Release. Although Mimi suspected that Osamu could.

But Osamu did not use it. The two charged at each other, and in the instant they crossed paths, most people did not even see what happened before Yatsushiro was flipped onto the ground by Osamu. She immediately pinned him down as he tried to rise, pressing a blunt kunai against his throat.

The clean and decisive instant defeat meant that the two had already developed a generational gap in technique. It was practically an adult beating a child.

"Winner! Uchiha Osamu!"

Uchiha Osamu got to her feet and politely formed a seal to express her thanks for the instruction.

"Damn it!"

Yatsushiro clearly had not realized the gap between them. Thinking they were only slightly different in strength, he wore an expression of utter unwillingness.

However, someone had realized it. Hinata Hitomi stared intently at Osamu with her Byakugan, unable to look away.

As a martial arts expert from a family with generations of experience, she had not merely watched pigs run—she had eaten pork. At home, her father beat her exactly like that, with the same clean efficiency.

She bit her lower lip tightly, a trace of unwillingness showing on her face.

She had fallen to fourth place.

The current class rankings were Mimi first, Tsunade second, Uchiha Osamu third, and herself fourth.

Although she had not fought either of them, she could not defeat Tsunade or Osamu.

Technically, Tsunade was not as meticulous as she was, but taking even one punch from her would mean certain defeat.

And if she struck Tsunade, judging from what her Byakugan observed inside that little monster's body, it would be no more effective than scratching an itch.

If the battle dragged into a drawn-out struggle, she would be the only one who could lose once it became a contest of Chakra consumption.

From her observations, Osamu's Chakra was roughly equal to her own. Thus, her attacks could cause Osamu considerable trouble. The key problem was that Osamu's technique was even more meticulous than hers.

There were many movements she could not see clearly before the battle inexplicably ended.

That abnormal speed of attack—if she could not see through it, all that awaited her was defeat.

These monsters!!

Hinata Hitomi gritted her teeth and looked toward Mimi.

She did not want to look at the situation inside Mimi's body again.

This monster among monsters!!!

Don't even think about leaving me behind!!!

"Finally, it's my turn!"

"Who wants to fight me?"

Accompanied by Jiraiya's exaggerated laughter, the boys all looked eager to fight him.

Jiraiya was still far too weak at this point. His opponent was soon chosen, and the battle began. It was a textbook case of two weaklings fighting each other: the sounds of heavy blows flew alongside cries of pain, and they beat each other with wild, clumsy punches, occasionally entering the classic stage of trading insults. It was an intense, evenly matched battle.

Very ordinary.

It was simply a contest of who had thicker skin and tougher flesh.

Tsunade stared blankly at the sky, still not recovered from the massive extraction of Chakra.

Hinata Hitomi looked at Mimi.

Mimi, meanwhile, was looking at Osamu. Not knowing how Osamu had sensed Mimi's gaze beneath her mask, Osamu looked at Mimi and revealed a slightly bashful, gentle smile.

Seeing this, Hinata Hitomi gritted her teeth and turned her head away resentfully.

That monster has never looked at me!!!

Monsters really do notice other monsters!!!

Mimi gave Uchiha Osamu a slight nod in response.

I really can't underestimate this girl.

She had awakened her eyes.

Even if it had only been for an instant, the Kikaichū had already caught that unusual, cold Yin Release Chakra.

Her young body was not yet strong enough to use the Sharingan for an extended period. Instantly opening and closing them to discern the key to victory in battle, thereby reducing the burden and consumption, was an extremely skillful and intelligent method.

The moment had been so brief that no one present except Mimi had noticed her awakening her eyes. This meant that the girl possessed exceptionally outstanding battle instincts, awareness, and reflexes.

Uchiha Osamu was a true monster.

An Uchiha? In the distance, the Third Hokage stared at Osamu inside the crystal ball and took a puff of his cigarette.

This child's taijutsu is a little stronger than Tsunade's.

Her personality seems quite good as well.

Then, the Third Hokage looked toward Jiraiya, who was battered from head to toe after his victory, shouting and laughing foolishly.

He could not help smiling.

What a lively and resilient child.

Then he looked at Mimi, his eyes growing deep.

This child doesn't seem lively enough. But when I think of the generally withdrawn personalities of the Aburame clan, I can understand it.

At least her surname isn't Uchiha.

So, how should I approach her next?

It would be much easier if she were like that white-haired boy who laughs foolishly and looks easy to deceive.

In the arena, it was Hinata Hitomi's turn to fight.

Looking at the bandages on Hinata Hitomi's head, the Third Hokage's eyes dimmed.

Such a young child, yet she already has to bear such a heavy fate.

He had seen this child when school began, with that innocent, bewildered expression on her face.

Without realizing it, she's already learned to show such a cold expression?

What a cruel form of growth.

The clan...

They call Konoha a village where everyone is as close as family, where children can grow up peacefully and happily without worry or fear. As the Hokage, I really have failed.

The Third Hokage gave a self-mocking smile.

"First Hokage-sama and Second Hokage-sama really have left us with difficult problems."

"Haah! Gentle Fist!"

The instant the battle began, she charged forward like a tiger and struck the opponent's raised hands with a palm.

Compared to ordinary Hyuga, who tended to favor defense and counterattacks, Hinata Hitomi was extremely aggressive.

Mimi still remembered how timid the girl had been when they first met, but now she had already draped a layer of armor over her heart.

You could call her strong, and she certainly was. You could call her fragile, and that would not be wrong either.

Because of her young age, although she had mastered the Gentle Fist, she was still unable to penetrate the muscles beneath the skin and the Chakra, attack the meridians and internal organs, and paralyze her opponent instantly.

Still, it was clear that the opponent was in tremendous pain from what seemed to be an ordinary palm strike from Hinata Hitomi. As he cried out in pain, his chest opened up, and Hinata Hitomi immediately pressed her palm lightly against it.

He cried out and fell to the ground, unable to rise again.

Compared with the flesh-rending pain of trading punches with the other boys, the suffering this girl inflicted was far more insidious.

It was like being stabbed by needles. The unlucky Hiruko felt as if he might pass out from the pain at any moment, and he let out a loud, gleeful wail of agony.

He somewhat regretted choosing this opponent!

He simply could not forget how Hinata Hitomi had been frightened unconscious by Mimi at first and seemed so easy to bully.

Hinata Hitomi won with ease.

She looked at Hiruko lying on the ground and snorted. Although she had not wanted to fight someone like him, there were no opponents worth fighting anymore. At this point, anyone would do. Besides, he had brought this upon himself, so he had no one to blame.

"What an outstanding child," the Third Hokage said, puffing on his pipe.

My Konoha truly has no shortage of talent.