Naruto: Choosing from Birth - Section 19

The dust on the field gradually settled. At the edge of the arena, a scattered shuriken suddenly transformed back into Uchiha Cheng.

"When?"

"Was that the Transformation Technique? That's so sneaky. So the most basic Transformation Technique among the Three Basic Techniques can be used like that. I've learned something, I've learned something."

"What the hell are you going to learn? If you turn into a pig, you'll only have a pig's head while your body stays human. Can you completely turn into a shuriken?"

"Terrifying. He'd been setting this up from the moment he threw those shuriken at the start."

The students both inside and outside the arena revealed shocked expressions. They were all ninja students, so why was the gap so enormous? Whether in strength or thinking, the difference was simply too great.

"Game over!"

Uchiha Cheng ignored the uproar around him. His hands became a blur as he rapidly formed seals.

Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Technique!

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

The original body used Fire Release, while the shadow clone used Wind Release.

A combined ninja technique.

Wind fueled the flames, and the flames empowered the wind!

It swept across the entire arena like a world-ending cloud of fire.

How... could they block this? How could they escape?

The Kumogakure Students' vision was filled with a despairing crimson glow.

I would never forget that crimson color filling my entire field of vision, nor the suffocating despair it brought. I had once been utterly convinced that aside from strength, wisdom was a ninja's greatest weapon.

But before absolute power, what could wisdom use to prove its existence?

Was my Nindo wrong?

At that moment, Takada Asaka, the future commander of Cloud Village, fell into deep self-doubt.

...*

Suddenly, a figure leaped into the arena like a ghost!

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."

A massive torrent barely managed to shield all the Cloud Village students.

This was Matsudaira Kazuto, the second-in-command of the delegation visiting Konoha.

Feeling the Chakra in his body drain at an alarming rate, a bead of cold sweat silently slid down Matsudaira Kazuto's face.

This Konoha brat was actually this strong. One had to know that he was a Jonin.

"On behalf of the Cloud Village students, I declare that we have lost this friendly match. As agreed, we'll treat everyone. We invite all teachers and students of the Ninja Academy to dine at Konoha's largest barbecue street—the Hundred Delicacies District."

It was better to admit defeat directly and cleanly. If all their students joined forces and still could not beat a single opponent, it would be far too humiliating.

"Yeah!!!"

"Thank you, Hokage!"

"Thank you, Brother Cheng!"

"And we should thank our opponents too. Thank you to the Cloud Village Academy for your generous contribution."

The Konoha students were fired up. It was amazing—they had watched an incredible battle and would even get to enjoy a free barbecue feast.

The more events like this in the future, the better.

After all, they had the invincible Uchiha Cheng on their side.

Sure enough, it was nice to rest beneath a great tree!

As they looked at the proud figure standing on the stage,

Konoha's talented students had mixed feelings.

Unlike the ordinary students, who were excited about enjoying a feast, they cared more about the gap in strength.

The difference was simply far too great. They had once felt smug after learning one or two ninja techniques.

Yet after seeing Uchiha Cheng, they realized that he could use all kinds of ninja techniques with effortless ease. He had even mastered a difficult B-rank ninja technique.

Hyuga Hiashi clenched his fists tightly in frustration. How was he supposed to catch up?

His younger brother, Hizashi Hyuga, stepped forward two paces and gently placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"He may be strong, but we are not weak either. If one day we have to become his enemies, then as long as Brother gives the order, I will never retreat even half a step."

In Hizashi's heart, rules and family were everything.

Hiashi turned around, looked into his younger brother's eyes and at the Caged Bird Seal concealed on his forehead, then nodded firmly.

Afterward, all the teachers and students of Konoha headed to the Hundred Delicacies District together with Cloud Village.

Uchiha Cheng was kept behind alone by the Third Hokage.

"You're Uchiha Cheng, right? The younger generation truly surpasses the old. At such a young age, you already possess such formidable strength."

"How is it? Do you find the Ninja Academy's courses too simple? Do you want to graduate early and go out to see a whole new world?"

The Third Hokage asked with a smiling face, like a kindly old wolf grandmother.

"They're not simple at all. I still have a lot to learn. I get a zero on every theory exam. How could I graduate with grades like that?"

"Theory is actually very simple. As long as you set aside a little time every day, you'll be able to learn it."

"But Nomura-sensei said that if I don't learn theory well, my thinking will become flawed and I'll only become a slave to power. I don't want to become a slave to power."

Nomura-sensei, standing beside the Hokage, immediately darkened.

Damn it, he's using my words as an excuse?

When have you ever done anything but sleep in my classes? And don't you hand in blank papers on every exam? I think you deliberately submit blank papers because you want to stay in the Ninja Academy.

The Third Hokage knew Uchiha Cheng quite well.

So he stopped wasting words with him.

"Enough! No more nonsense. If you truly wanted a good score on paper, no one could stop you."

"You cause trouble at school every day, and there are simply too many reports about you. I won't pursue those matters. As long as you graduate early, I can personally arrange for you to join Konoha's special unit—the Anbu—without taking the exam."

"That would make you the youngest Anbu member in Konoha's history."

"Ding! Faced with the Third Hokage's sweet talk, please choose!"

"1: Refuse the Third Hokage! Use the lack of precedent for early graduation at the Ninja Academy as an excuse and continue staying at the academy. Reward: Shuriken Throwing Technique Mastery."

"2: Join the Anbu and become the youngest Anbu member in history. Reward: Master-level Shuriken Throwing Technique (future Uchiha Itachi level.)"

"3: Agree to graduate early, but refuse to join the Hokage's direct unit, the Anbu, in the name of the Konoha Military Police Force. Reward: Grandmaster-level Shuriken Throwing Technique (the number one shuriken throwing technique in the ninja world)."

Uchiha Cheng, who had originally wanted to keep loafing around comfortably at the Ninja Academy, immediately had his eyes flash when he saw the third reward.

Ah, those small fries at the Ninja Academy really aren't very interesting. A man's ambitions lie in all four corners of the world! I should go out and see the broader world beyond.

Seeing Uchiha Cheng suddenly become excited, the Third Hokage happily stroked his beard. Sure enough, he was still a child, deeply interested in the empty title of being the youngest in history.

Uchiha Kagami, don't blame me for luring away your youngest son. He made this choice himself.

"Then I shall formally present you with—"

"Wait!"

Uchiha Cheng raised a hand, stopping the Third Hokage from continuing.

"What exactly does the Anbu do? What are the benefits of joining?" Uchiha Cheng's eyes sparkled as he asked like a curious child.

"The Anbu mainly carries out special missions that ordinary people cannot handle. After joining, you can choose any ninja tools and ninja techniques you want, and you can quickly be trained into an elite Jonin."

"Do I look like someone lacking ninja tools and ninja techniques?" Uchiha Cheng deliberately scratched his head. Hmph! I don't believe you'd pull out Forbidden Techniques like Impure World Reincarnation or Flying Thunder God for us to choose from.

"..." The Third Hokage looked at the large number of concealed weapons still scattered across the field, then thought of how this child had unleashed one ninja technique after another and could even use Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.

A dark line immediately appeared on his face. This was a little awkward!

He had nearly forgotten that the boy even knew the Might Clan's Eight Inner Gates. Those damned Uchiha had actually been making moves in secret. Since when had they begun cooperating with the inconspicuous Might Clan?

Hmph, if I can't restrain the Uchiha Clan, can't I restrain you?

From now on, don't even dream of being promoted to Chunin. Stay among the Genin and do your weed-pulling work properly!

"Besides, Anbu and all that—the name alone sounds far too dark. It's nowhere near the brightness of my Uchiha Clan's Will of Fire."

"..."