Naruto: Choosing from Birth

"Watch this!"

Minato Namikaze swiftly fired three volleys of shuriken. The shuriken behind actually caught up to those in front, colliding continuously in midair.

At the same time, his hands flew through seals!

"Super-Duper Thomas 360-Degree Spinning Shuriken Shadow Clone!"

So Minato Namikaze's genius talent for naming things like a cringe-fueled chuuni had awakened this early!

In an instant!

The entire sky was densely packed with shuriken, stabbing at A? Yotsuki Ai? Idiot? Brother! from every direction without a single blind spot.

"Lightning Release Armor!"

In an instant, tangible Chakra enveloped Yotsuki Ai's entire body, and the lightning around him became even more dazzling.

Meanwhile, within the Uchiha Clan, the Jinchuan Trading Company had won the negotiation.

The rights to distribute Uchiha-brand "Lao Gan Ma" were handed entirely to the Jinchuan Trading Company.

The Jinchuan Trading Company directly offered five million ryo and the famed blade Duan Xue as a gesture of goodwill, along with a fifty-fifty split of the profits.

The Jinchuan Trading Company would cover all operating costs, including cracking down on knockoffs and piracy.

Should the Jinchuan Trading Company face violent attacks from competitors, it could also hire Uchiha clansmen as guards.

Of course, with profits this substantial, Uchiha Clan Head Uchiha Kagami still had to engage in a fierce battle of words with Konoha's higher-ups.

Giving up a portion of the profits to the village was unavoidable, but this additional income could greatly improve the clan's benefits.

Overruling all objections, Uchiha Kagami awarded the greatest contributor, Uchiha Cheng, three million ryo, the famed blade Duan Xue, and a fixed twenty percent share of the profits.

That meant the remaining thirty percent would be used in negotiations with Konoha. Well, at most they could give Konoha ten percent. Let them have a sip of the soup.

Cheng is still too young. I'll manage that twenty percent for him for now.

That was what Uchiha Kagami thought.

Then, the eight-million-ryo banknote Uchiha Cheng had just received was taken away by his father, Uchiha Kagami, before he could even warm it in his hands, under the excuse of saving it for his future wife.

Naturally, he was still given three hundred thousand ryo in spending money, leaving his older brother Fugaku Uchiha teary-eyed with envy.

It went without saying that he had an unlimited supply of ninja tools. There were so many that he simply stored them in Sealing Scrolls and carried them with him.

Duan Xue, the famed blade sharp enough to slice a hair, hung at his waist.

His entire bearing instantly rose by several levels.

When Uchiha Cheng arrived at the school, waves of shouts came from the training ground.

"Yotsuki Ai will win!"

"Yotsuki Ai will win!"

"Yotsuki Ai will win!"

On the arena, Yotsuki Ai had already won nine matches in a row. After using Thunder God Armor to withstand Minato Namikaze's attack at the cost of minor injuries, he had defeated Minato with his lightning-fast movements.

After all, although he possessed a unique advanced training method for Thunder God Armor, he was still far from reaching the nearly invincible level of his father, the Third Raikage, known as the strongest shield.

However, with his defense and speed enhanced, dealing with Ninja Academy students was still far too easy.

Even Uchiha Yuto, ranked first in practical combat among Konoha's sixth-years, had been defeated.

"He's terrifying. Is he a monster? Isn't he tired after fighting nine matches in a row?"

"Is the gap between our two ninja schools really this huge?"

"His speed is just too fast. Without Minato's Shuriken Throwing Technique, no one else's shuriken can even touch a single hair on him."

"Other than Minato and Uchiha Yuto from the sixth year, everyone else was instantly defeated. They barely drained any of his stamina."

"We're done for. At this rate, no one at Konoha Ninja Academy can beat him."

"No! Maybe that person can! The Great Demon King: Uchiha Cheng! He's held Minato Namikaze and the others firmly beneath him in practical combat rankings for years!"

"Right, right, I almost forgot about the Great Demon King. Mainly because practically everyone in the grade has been pranked by him. It hurts just thinking about it. If you hadn't mentioned him, I wouldn't have remembered him at all. Where is Uchiha Cheng?"

"Uchiha Cheng..."

"Uchiha Cheng!"

"Uchiha Cheng!"

What began as one or two questioning voices became increasingly unified, and the overwhelming shouts quickly drowned out the opposing students' cries of "Yotsuki Ai will win!"

"Who is this Uchiha Cheng? Is he the strongest one?"

"I heard he's also a fourth-year? Their story is falling apart now. Their fourth-years are supposed to be the graduating class."

The Cloud Village students' cheers were interrupted, and they began whispering among themselves.

As Uchiha Cheng walked into the crowd, a system prompt suddenly sounded in his ears:

"Ding! Your reputation has officially begun to rise from the Ninja Academy. From today onward, your legend will spread throughout the ninja world! The rewards for this choice will receive a doubled effect."

"Ding! Faced with your classmates' heartfelt cries, do you want to rise to fame or earn infamy? Please choose!"

"1: Ignore the cries. Keep a low profile above all else! Do not fight! Reward: Ninjutsu—Rashomon! After the doubled effect, reward: Triple Rashomon!"

"2: Answer the cries. Accept the challenge in high profile! Reward: Healing Technique! After the doubled effect, reward: Mystical Palm Technique!"

"3: Accept the challenge in high profile! Let your opponent take a Soldier Pill to restore stamina. Reward: Eight Gates Formation! After the doubled effect, reward: You may open the first two gates of the Eight Inner Gates without side effects."

Amid the roaring waves of cheers, Uchiha Cheng, dressed in dark blue Uchiha attire with the famed blade Duan Xue at his waist, slowly stepped into the arena.

"He... he's here!"

"Did you notice? Cheng seems even more handsome now?"

"Brother Cheng is awesome!"

Yotsuki Ai frowned as he looked at the Uchiha whose popularity was clearly even greater than his own.

Unfortunately, he did not know that most of that popularity was actually negative.

"Another Uchiha? I just knocked one down. He was so-so, all reputation and no substance."

"Oh? The one you defeated was the weakest in our Uchiha Clan. I'm indeed just so-so myself—second to last in the clan."

"Still, dealing with you is more than enough. I, Uchiha Cheng, never take advantage of someone in a weakened state. Go take a Soldier Pill and restore your stamina first. Don't say I won unfairly!"

Uchiha Cheng said calmly.

"Oh? Are you sure? I've won nine straight matches. I am a little tired now, and this is your last chance."

"You think nine straight wins are impressive? In a moment, I'll take all of you on by myself and show you what true strength is, and why Konoha is called the number one ninja village!"

"Very well. Then let me see whether your strength is as tough as your mouth."

Yotsuki Ai did not try to act tough. He decisively stepped down and took a Soldier Pill.

His true goal this time was to sweep through the entire Konoha Ninja Academy and crush Konoha's future confidence.

"Listen to that! Brother Cheng is still Brother Cheng—mighty and domineering as ever!"

"I knew it. Who in the Uchiha Clan looks the coolest when looking down on people through his nostrils? Uchiha Cheng, of course!"

"Are you praising him or insulting him?"

"Stop showing off. The opponent is that strong, and you still don't know when to hold back?"

"Sorry! That word doesn't exist in Brother Cheng's dictionary."

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining Eight Gates Formation. Due to the doubled reward: You may directly open the first two gates without side effects."

After resting for a while and taking a Soldier Pill, Yotsuki Ai returned to the arena full of vigor.

"Then... the strongest battle of the Ninja Academy begins!"

Nomura-sensei made a cheeky remark.

"Lightning Release Armor!"

"Eight Gates Formation: First Gate, Gate of Opening—open!"

The moment the match began, both sides erupted with power at once. Two powerful auras stood evenly opposed.

Then they both turned into streaks of light and charged directly at each other in a brutal, no-frills collision at the center of the arena!