Naruto: Choosing from Birth

"Ding! Congratulations! Your taijutsu and hand seal speed have each increased by thirty percent."

With the physical abilities and reactions of an Elite Chunin, along with the chakra reserves of a Special Jonin, facing Hiashi and Nawaki at this point really was a bit like bullying them. The system's assessment of them as Experience Babies was spot-on!

Hiashi might have looked imposing as he attacked, but even without activating his Sharingan, Cheng found his speed far too slow and his strength far too weak.

The dust and smoke caused by the Fire Release on the right had only now begun to disperse.

Ishibashi-sensei carried Nawaki Senju, whom he had rescued, into the middle of the field and announced:

"Uchiha Cheng wins!"

The surroundings fell deathly silent before cries of astonishment swiftly swept through the crowd!

"That was way too fast, wasn't it?"

"It was one against two! The Uchiha Clan is too strong."

"No, Cheng-nii is just too strong."

"No wonder Cheng-nii dared to be so overconfident. They weren't even on the same level. Using both hands would have been bullying them, wouldn't it?"

Shimi Aburame recalled how he had shouted about challenging Uchiha Cheng to a one-on-one last night, and quietly squeezed deeper into the crowd.

"They're not on the same level."

Hiashi lay blankly on the ground. His body hurt badly, but his heart hurt even more.

I can already strike with thirty-two palms using the Eight Trigrams Palm, yet I lost even worse than when I used sixteen palms last time.

Against Uchiha Cheng, I only landed eight palms.

And it was two against one. I never thought we would lose.

Now... I've disgraced the entire Hyuga Clan.

When I think about going back...

Forget it... I don't want to think about it. I don't want to get up either.

I'm exhausted!

Just let me lie here forever...

"Bastard! Let's do it again! Nomura-sensei, why did you stop me just now? That little flame couldn't have hurt me."

"If I hadn't been careless and failed to expect that he could form hand seals with one hand, how could I possibly have forgotten to dodge? Hmph!!!"

"I'll count this as one loss to you. If Hiashi hadn't been blocking the way, I wouldn't have held back... Let's fight twice more. Best two out of three!"

Nawaki Senju shouted loudly.

Hiashi's hand twitched.

"Stop messing around. You beat Hiashi, who lost to me. Challenge me again after that."

Hiashi's hand twitched again.

"Hmph, him? One Water Release from me would leave him unable to move, only able to take a beating. I think I should give him my dead-last spot."

Veins bulged on Hiashi's hand. Had his Byakugan evolved? The veins had spread all the way to his arms.

"Come on, then. Let me see your Water Release. I'll admit losing to Uchiha Cheng, but do you think I can't even handle a little nobody like you?"

Hiashi sprang to his feet. He had lost his usual composure as passion and fury blazed anew. After all, he was still just a child.

As for Uchiha Cheng, if thirty-two palms were not enough, then he would use sixty-four, one hundred and twenty-eight, Revolving Heaven, Mountain-Breaking Strike...

The Hyuga Clan and Uchiha Clan were both among Konoha's two strongest great clans. There was no way the Hyuga Clan could be so far behind.

Our predecessors managed to close the gap between the two clans!

I! Hyuga Hiashi! The Hyuga Clan's genius, should be the one to erase this gap—and even surpass them!

"Enough. These sparring matches are meant to help you identify your shortcomings, not build resentment. You're all tired, so rest for now."

"Next group: Minato Namikaze, Yuma Nishimura."

Ishibashi-sensei hurriedly stopped the children, who were about to lose control in anger and embarrassment.

"Cheng-nii, you were amazing! How did you do that Single Hand Seal?"

"Cheng-nii is so strong! Please teach me how I can become as strong as you."

The moment Uchiha Cheng returned to the student group, he was quickly surrounded by a crowd.

Minato Namikaze, the talented commoner with brilliant blond hair, received no attention at all during his match.

Even after he swiftly defeated his opponent and returned to the field, the crowd was still intensely discussing the first battle.

Thus, because the first battle had been so dazzling, the other matches seemed far less interesting. None were evenly matched, and some were merely ordinary students who were still barely proficient in the Three Basic Techniques trading blows.

After this practical examination, Uchiha Cheng once again became the center of discussion throughout the entire Ninja Academy.

Even the major ninja clans became somewhat restless.

After all, the opponents in this one-against-two battle had been no pushovers, and he had faced them with only one hand.

The talent he displayed had spread even among people who usually paid little attention to the Ninja Academy.

"You said that while facing Nawaki, he still defeated you with one hand in eight palms?"

"Yes, Father. I failed your teachings and brought shame upon the Hyuga Clan. I am willing to accept any punishment, and I will work twice as hard. Next time, I will definitely be able to fully execute the Eight Trigrams Palm!"

Hiashi did not dare conceal anything. He knelt deeply before his father, the current clan head, Hyuga Ashitachi.

"It seems the gap between your physical abilities and combat experience is simply too great. With his strength, even ordinary Genin would likely be no match for him. He may even already possess Chunin-level strength."

"The Uchiha Clan's talent truly is terrifying."

"However, an enemy's strength should not be an excuse for your weakness. You brought shame upon the clan this time. You are confined for three months!"

"You need not attend school for now. During this time, I will personally teach you. The essence of the Eight Trigrams Palm is not that more palm strikes mean greater mastery. Abandoning the fundamentals in pursuit of the superficial is utter foolishness!"

"Thank you, Father."

At Tsunade's home.

"Sis, I lost to the Uchiha Clan today. But next time—next time, I'll definitely win."

Nawaki Senju spoke cautiously. It could not be helped; his sister's unreasonable Super Strength iron fists were sometimes far too heavy.

"It's fine. Our Senju Clan has always been late bloomers. What harm is there in letting them take the lead for now? Besides, the Uchiha Clan is full of cunning people. You must have fallen for his scheme, right?"

Tsunade, now a young woman with blond hair and beautiful brown eyes, smiled as she comforted Nawaki Senju.

"R-Right! Hmph! If Uchiha Cheng hadn't said he would give us one hand and made us lower our guard, then suddenly formed hand seals with one hand and caught me off guard, we wouldn't have lost. He was too cunning!"

"Mhm, mhm. Oh, right. Sis found an excellent teacher for you. How about letting him guide you for the next few months? Consider it a change of pace."

"Which teacher?"

"Your sister's classmate, Orochimaru. He's very good."

"That big shot who plays with snakes? No way... He's too scary. I was wrong. I'll train obediently on my own."

"Then it's settled. You leave tomorrow!"

"When did I agree to that? Really, no..."

That evening, Uchiha Cheng's family sat quietly around the table, eating a delicious dinner.

Once Fugaku Uchiha, who ate the slowest, put down his bowl,

"Cheng, I heard you defeated children from the Hyuga Clan and Senju Clan at school with one hand?"

Uchiha Kagami, Cheng's father and the current clan head of the Uchiha Clan, lightly tapped the table with his index finger.

"Yes. They were too weak. If I didn't use one hand, it wouldn't serve any purpose as tempering."

The moment the usually strict Uchiha Kagami spoke, Cheng understood his meaning. He simply did not want Cheng to become arrogant and complacent.

Arrogance and conceit were merely attitudes the Uchiha Clan's upper ranks deliberately displayed to outsiders.

For a clan filled with powerful geniuses, it needed to have certain "flaws" besides its strength.

Only then would some people lower their guard and lessen their vigilance.

The Senju Clan of the past had been too perfect, too active upon the stage of this ninja world.