Naruto: Choosing from Birth

Any unhappiness was instantly thrown to the back of their minds.

"Cheng-nii, Lord White Fang!"

Since Mikoto Uchiha had not received any notice, she was equally delighted. However, she quickly composed herself, stood up, and immediately bowed.

"Mikoto Uchiha and Anna Tachibana. Good, everyone is here. All of you, proceed to Konoha Training Ground Number Seventeen."

Sakumo Hatake briefly looked over Mikoto and Annai. After confirming their identities, he tossed out those words and turned to leave.

"Cheng, if we'd known it was you guys, we would've been willing to wait even longer."

On the way to the training ground, Anna Tachibana spoke excitedly to Uchiha Cheng.

"Oh? Looks like we came early. How about you go back and wait some more?"

"No, no! I was joking, joking. Hehehe..."

Konoha Training Ground Number Seventeen.

As one of Konoha's traditions, Sakumo had Cheng and the other two introduce themselves.

"My name is Anna Tachibana. I come from a small family that has already declined. I like bitter foods such as bitter melon the most, because the sweetness after bitterness is the most wonderful feeling in the world."

"My dream is to become a great ninja and restore my family's former glory."

"Although I'm a girl, I firmly believe I'm no worse than boys. In fact, many boys can't endure hardship as well as I can. I hope Sensei won't hold back during daily training. Even at the highest intensity, I'll be able to endure it."

Seeing the determination in the short-haired girl's eyes, everyone was slightly stunned.

Hatake Sakumo was a little surprised. Although he had long known all the information about her, his attention had been focused on the other two Uchiha. He had not expected this female student to be quite good as well. At the very least, her attitude gave her the foundation to become strong.

Although she came from a fallen family, she had developed her own training methods from a young age. She trained harder than many others, and her file showed that she had already mastered Chakra control techniques such as tree climbing and water walking.

Of course. If someone with an excessively poor foundation had been assigned here, the gap between teammates would have been too great, and much of their training progress could not be coordinated. That would not align with the Hokage's policy of having this team independently complete higher-difficulty missions as soon as possible.

"My name is Mikoto Uchiha. My hobby is cooking, and my specialties are Three-Flavor Rice Balls, Steamed Cod, honey-glazed barbecue..."

"I like many things. My dream is to taste all the delicacies in the world, make even more delicious food, and have enough strength to stay by someone's side so that he can always eat the best dishes."

What flavorful hobbies and dreams. She nearly made me drool. Though this child seems to be showing signs of puppy love? That must be corrected.

Hatake Sakumo thought silently and nodded as usual.

"My name is Uchiha Cheng. My hobby is eating."

"I like Mikoto's cooking, Kushina's Whirlpool Massage, Lady Tsunade's..."

"Ahem, all right, I was joking. What I like most is Mikoto's cooking. After eating it, trying anyone else's food feels like one word: inedible! Because I'm simply too full to eat anymore."

"My current dream is to become the strongest in the ninja world!"

"Pfft..." Mikoto could not help covering her mouth and laughing softly.

"Reporting, Sensei!" After Uchiha Cheng finished speaking, Anna Tachibana deliberately raised her hand timidly. "I suspect I'm the unnecessary one in this team."

You only realized that now? X3!

Hatake Sakumo gave Uchiha Cheng a deep look, then took two silver bells from his pocket and tossed them to him.

"Since you want to become the strongest in the ninja world, then stand still and spar with them using only one hand. If you lose the bells or move, you lose. No lunch for you today."

"You two will snatch the bells from Uchiha Cheng. If you can take them or make him move his feet, you win. Likewise, if you lose, there will be no food for you either."

"Then let your teacher properly see what you're capable of. Begin!"

"W-wait a moment!" Annai quickly raised her right hand. "Sensei! You're underestimating us too much. Cheng doesn't need to stand still. We only ask..."

"We only ask that he give up both hands. Hehehe, I remember he can form Single Hand Seals. If he throws out some powerful ninjutsu, wouldn't we be done for? I was wrong earlier. It's that Sensei thinks too highly of us."

"Are you sure? If Uchiha Cheng has no objections, then that is acceptable." Hatake Sakumo replied with a smile.

"I'm sure! Right, Mikoto?"

Uchiha Cheng rolled his eyes. "Since that's the case, we'll do as you say."

A few minutes later, after running twenty fast laps around the entire Training Ground Number Seventeen on her long legs, Anna Tachibana looked at Uchiha Cheng, who was still running energetically ahead of her.

She finally could not hold on any longer.

With a thud, she fell to the ground.

Annai, wearing shorts with bandages around her thighs and a ninja tool pouch strapped to her leg, rubbed her slightly reddened knees with both hands. Tears shimmered faintly in her eyes.

"I quit! This is too unfair!"

She had not expected that even after giving up both hands and relying only on his legs, Uchiha Cheng could run so fast and for so long.

Every ninjutsu and ninja tool thrown at him during that time had been dodged.

Whenever Annai got angry and tried to get close enough to punch him, he started running a marathon around the entire training ground.

Most infuriating of all, he would occasionally slow down. When she caught up, he would suddenly speed up again. Whenever she thought she could grab a bell, he would drift away.

As a result, she had unknowingly been led into running twenty laps.

For a moment, she was so upset that her small chest rose and fell rapidly.

She wanted to become a powerful ninja. She wanted to revitalize her family. Yet it seemed she could not even pass a ninja's first lesson.

Overcome with grief, she wiped her eyes with both hands and burst into tears. *

"All right, stop pretending. The eye drops you secretly took from your ninja tool pouch just now are showing."

"That trick won't work. Maybe it would have a chance of succeeding if a long-haired, delicate, pitiful weak girl acted it out. Mm, someone like little Mikoto."

Uchiha Cheng dodged Mikoto's sneak attack from behind. One person was pretending to cry and playing the sympathy card while the other launched a sneak attack. Trying to rely on someone else's sympathy? They had yet to receive the harsh lessons of ninja society. They were still a little naive.

"Ah? You saw through that? Damn it, Uchiha eyes really are sharp."

It was your act that was too fake, all right?

"Fine, this time I'll stand still and give up one hand. Come at me with everything you have. I'll go easy on you."

"Hmph, we'll definitely get them this time. Mikoto, use ninjutsu from afar while I beat him up in close combat. Let's see which one his ninjutsu hits first."

Annai gripped a kunai in reverse, leaned forward, and pounced at Uchiha Cheng like a diving cheetah.

So vicious. I'm standing still and giving you one hand already.

I've decided. I'm not going easy on them anymore!

Sharingan, activate!

Eight Inner Gates, Second Gate: Gate of Rest, open!

Annai suddenly felt a fierce gust of wind rise before her eyes. She involuntarily shut them, but the kunai in her hand continued stabbing toward Uchiha Cheng without slowing.

As expected, the kunai was knocked away, and her right wrist was seized.

An opportunity!

To defeat Uchiha Cheng, she could only seek victory amid danger.

Her eyes snapped open! Borrowing the momentum, Annai stomped with her right foot, and the instant burst of force kicked up clouds of dust from the ground.

She spun and pulled her wrist! Her arm somehow shrank by a full circle, slipping slickly out of Uchiha Cheng's hand. It was a secret technique unique to her small family.

Whip kick!

Her long, pale leg lashed toward Uchiha Cheng like a cracking whip, carrying a fierce gust of wind.

Smack!

"Not bad strength!"

Although it was still easily blocked, Annai did not give up. Her other leg quickly wrapped around as well. Using Uchiha Cheng's arm as a pivot, with her feet pointed upward and body hanging downward, both hands rapidly reached for the bells at his waist.

"You little wildcat. I'm done playing with you."

Uchiha Cheng violently shook his right arm, lifted, then slapped.

Smack!!!

Annai's butt took a blow, sending her entire body flying into the air.

"Mikoto, now!"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Mikoto, who had been preparing for a long time, immediately launched a massive fireball.

Sent flying through the air with her face flushed red, Annai did not want to give up this opportunity. She spun around, drew two more kunai, and attempted to form a pincer attack with Mikoto from above and below as she fell.

But then...

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

A new ninjutsu he had learned during his year of seclusion was unleashed at incredible speed with Single Hand Seals.

A massive wall of water rose in a circle around Uchiha Cheng and fiercely blocked the great fireball.

In midair, the kunai in Anna Tachibana's hands sank half an inch into the water wall but could go no farther. Instead, they splashed up sprays of water. She slipped on the semi-elliptical water wall and rolled down along it.

Just as she was about to land face-first, a pair of powerful arms reached through the fading water wall, caught Annai, slung her over a shoulder, and gave her another hard smack.