A Further Step for the Duo

Sharingan.

A Kekkei Genkai passed down through the Uchiha clan.

It grants the user the ocular power to read, memorize, and replicate an opponent's movements.

The torrent of chakra generated within the body not only enhances dynamic vision but also pushes physical capabilities to new heights.

Its ingenuity in mimicking enemy techniques by stealing hand seals is a dojutsu that strikes fear into the hearts of many ninjas who possess secret ninjutsu.

"However, my Lava Style is a Kekkei Genkai—you can't steal that!"

In the lush, verdant forest, Juri and Dodai stood in a standoff.

A Kekkei Genkai of the technique system is a talent that only so-called "geniuses," born with two or more nature transformations, can master.

Even with the Sharingan, it cannot be used.

And so, on one side stood the Sharingan and the "dead weight," while on the other were the Lava Style and Water Style users.

The situation where Diejian could not move was overwhelmingly disadvantageous, yet Juri smiled as if she were overjoyed.

"Good... this is great. I can feel it... I can see it... the color of your chakra, that fluctuation."

Juri spoke in an excited, breathless tone, her hands pressed against her cheeks in a bewitching gesture.

Diejian's mouth twitched.

To Dodai and his companions, the "Uchiha" were terrifying beyond measure.

But to Diejian, the Juri before his eyes was terrifying in an entirely different sense.

Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger—the hand seals were formed with dizzying speed.

Dodai wanted to escape with the Kirigakure Genin, but the eye that had seemingly been taken by Diejian began to throb, causing him to lose his balance for a split second.

The Kirigakure Genin hurriedly began to weave seals.

Juri, having finished her seals a moment earlier, drew a deep breath into her lungs and arched her back.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

"Water Style: Water Wall!"

The flames erupting from Juri's mouth grew larger by the second.

The accumulated inferno swelled into a massive fireball, more than enough to swallow a person whole, as it bore down on Dodai and his group.

The Kirigakure Genin countered with Water Style.

The massive block of fire collided with the wall of water.

The enemy seemed to have poured in a considerable amount of chakra, for the water wall was both thick and immense.

"How dare you underestimate the Uchiha... no—how dare you underestimate me!!"

—A deafening roar.

After a brief stalemate, the mass of fire shattered the water wall.

The scattering spray turned into steam.

"That Juri, she actually broke through Water Style head-on with Fire Style..."

Even for Diejian, breaking through Water Style with Fire Style was difficult.

Unless there was a massive disparity in strength, it was nearly impossible.

Diejian was left speechless.

"I am a Konoha Genin—Juri of the Sharingan."

She declared this to Dodai and the others, who had been blown away by the blast.

Standing leisurely amidst the swirling smoke, Juri's silhouette—her hair dancing in the wind—captured Diejian's gaze.

With her back to him, Juri glanced over her shoulder and offered a cool, slight smile.

That look, as if to say "no words are necessary," was her retort to Diejian.

Seeing Juri point out his string of blunders through her actions, Diejian thought with a bitter smile, "She really holds a grudge."

"To stay silent after being shown up like this would be too unmanly."

Though his steps were unsteady as he stood up, he could not show weakness.

He shoved all the ninja provisions he could find—Military Ration Pills, Blood Replenishment Pills—into his mouth, focusing on the flow of chakra within his body and his "tenketsu."

Even if it meant pushing himself recklessly, Diejian had to stand side-by-side with her now.

To let Juri make up for all his mistakes was a matter of his own dignity.

"Be careful, that guy's short blade is coated with a delayed-action poison."

Diejian leaned in close to the ear of Juri, who stood with her back to him, and whispered.

He pretended not to notice Juri flinch slightly at the breath against her ear as he continued.

"My slug healing won't be in time. Listen, if you get hit, it's over."

"I wouldn't make such a low-level mistake. Right, Senju?"

"That sounds awfully nice..."

Watching the sticky, cloying smile bloom on Juri's face, Tobirama felt his mouth twitch.

Juri raised her staff, and Tobirama drew his Kunai.

His body still wasn't obeying him; it seemed he would have to let Juri take the lead while he provided support.

Tobirama cast a sidelong glance at Juri, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

Those glowing, crimson eyes were the very proof of the Uchiha clan.

Tobirama and Juri—at this moment, a Senju and an Uchiha stood side by side.

It wasn't that Tobirama didn't understand what this signified.

Deep within those eyes, which stung with an intensity that felt almost overwhelming, and deep within a body that seemed on the verge of trembling—an explosive torrent of chakra scorched Tobirama's soul.

"Juri. We are Uchiha and... Senju. I imagine you might have your own thoughts on the matter, but for this battle, I'm counting on you."

"I have no intention of getting chummy with a Senju."

As if recreating a moment from the past, their gazes locked.

Her voice was as clear as if she were reciting poetry.

"Even if you say you won't get chummy... we are a two-man team now. We are, for all intents and purposes, bound by fate."

"Hmph... how nauseating."

Juri glanced at the man beside her, while simultaneously tapping her staff against his throat with a thud-thud.

Yet, contrary to her words and actions, a gentle smile graced her cheeks.

And the same was true for Tobirama.

It had been a long and arduous road.

It was truly unexpected that they could only become close by standing on the brink of death.

It was a blessing that the Jonin in charge of this "Uchiha" was such a kind person.

Pushed by Dai, guided silently by Sakumo, and given many trials by Tobirama for the sake of his disciple's growth.

Even when not by his side, the warmth received from Ina remained with him.

To say he felt any unease in his heart?

That would be a colossal lie.

"However—"

Juri pulled her staff back to her side and cast a glance at Tobirama with her narrow, slender eyes.

The way she lightly flicked her earring with her fingernail drew Tobirama's gaze.

"—if it's words of a 'friend' you're offering, I wouldn't mind hearing them. I don't care what happens to the Senju, but I don't want 'Tobirama's' standing to suffer."

Back during the Genin promotion exam, Tobirama had asked Juri about her ambitions.

At that time, Tobirama had resonated with Juri, who was inheriting her clan's dreams in a different form.

And from the depths of his soul, he had wanted to praise that dream.

Therefore, when the Hokage's residence was attacked, Tobirama had intended to offer his own return to the facility in exchange for Tobirama allowing Juri and Sakumo to become Genin, acting with that as his premise.

Looking back, perhaps Tobirama had been wrong from the very start.

Someone once said that the true essence of a ninja lies in self-sacrifice.

Tobirama, too, had once held that up as a virtue.

However, that exam did not demand self-sacrifice, nor did it require it.

What it demanded was the judgment to choose unity when faced with the unreasonable, and a heart that cared for one's comrades in the village.

What was needed was the ability to suppress the fear of being eliminated and the selfish desire to become a Genin—the truly noble "resolve of endurance" that encompasses both.

If the assigned mission were carried out by a team of comrades who knew each other inside and out, perhaps none of this would be necessary.

But that wasn't necessarily true.

Even within the same village, there are people one might never have crossed paths with.

To be teamed with such a person and face life-threatening danger—the question of whether one can truly empathize with a comrade is by no means an exam of "I'm going to die, so you run away."

At that time, Juri had revealed her "innermost thoughts," which she called a dream.

And yet, for Juri, who was trying to collide head-on even if clumsily, Tobirama had not revealed his own "innermost thoughts."

Then, there was only one thing left for Tobirama to do.

To convey those long-delayed, "first and last" feelings.

To end their mutual misunderstandings and become comrades who could truly collide with one another in the truest sense.

"Juri, my dream is—"

★

"Diejian, there's a Kunai at two o'clock. The Kirigakure ninja seems to be trying to retreat to the rear to use Water Style to pierce through us. Use the Stealth Technique on your main body, use a Shadow Clone as a feint, and take him down."

"Understood."

Diejian deflected the Kunai amidst the mist.

Juri's Sharingan, spinning endlessly with a guttural sound, did not let a single enemy movement escape her, even in the fog.

"Shadow Clone Technique."

Diejian entrusted the diversion mission to the created Shadow Clone, while he himself suppressed his presence using the Stealth Technique.

The Shadow Clone ran, making sounds that were not too deliberate, while the main body followed silently.

When the enemy's Water Style hit directly and the Shadow Clone vanished with a sound, Diejian rushed toward the caster like a gale.

Seeming to sense Diejian's intent, Dodai attempted to block his advance with a Lava Style: Wall, but Juri's Sharingan, capable of perceiving chakra, would not allow it.

However, Dodai was also an excellent ninja.

Although he could not use Genjutsu due to the mist, the Sharingan could see the color of chakra, making Dodai's movements crystal clear to Juri.

Even so, Dodai, heavily wounded and with his body wrapped in Rubber Armor, did not retreat a single step when facing Juri, holding his ground tenaciously.

"Caught you. Fire Style: Twin Dragon Flame Bombs!!"

Diejian sensed the Kirigakure Genin within his own presence-sensing Domain.

High-pitched emotions shook his soul, bestowing upon Diejian a new Fire Style jutsu.

Two flame dragons spat from his pursed lips, circling from the left and right to seal off the Kirigakure Genin's retreat.

The flame dragons tore through the ground with their jaws, and an explosion rang out.

The Kirigakure Genin could not help but jump backward, his feet leaving the ground.

In that split second of hang time, Diejian seized the opening, released his chakra in one go, and injected an even greater amount of chakra into his legs.

"Gah..."

Taking Diejian's headbutt to the abdomen, the Kirigakure Genin flew backward, spraying blood foam.

Diejian circled behind the flying Kirigakure Genin and caught his body.

However, there was no gentleness in the way he caught him; it was a rough catch, merely extending one arm.

Using Diejian's arm as a fulcrum, the Kirigakure Genin's body bent backward into the shape of a sharp angle.

A crunching sound of bones echoed, and the Kirigakure Genin rolled his eyes back, vomiting blood.

"That just now... Body Flicker? Too fast..."

Diejian placed the unconscious Kirigakure Genin on the ground.

He began rummaging through the opponent's body looking for a scroll, but upon noticing the structure of his body, he sighed awkwardly.

"A spear when thrust, a naginata when swung, a katana when held... To be able to utilize it to this extent is truly remarkable."

Scene shift, Juri and Dodai.

Dodai tilted his head to dodge a thrust, crouched to evade a downward swing of the staff, and simultaneously unleashed a sweep kick.

Juri planted her staff into the ground as a shield for the kick and launched a spinning knee strike using the planted staff as an axis.

The position was perfect to shatter Dodai's head—Dodai used the reaction force of pushing against the ground to propel his body upward, flying over Juri as if tracing a parabola.

Facing such free-flowing staff techniques, he actually escaped into the air where he couldn't move—Juri, borrowing the momentum of her rotation, pulled out the staff stuck in the ground and swung it.

It was a crescent-shaped trajectory that would have been enough to bisect a body if it were a katana.

Dodai performed hand seals in mid-air, spitting a rubber membrane from his mouth to protect himself.

However, the resilient force of the staff could not be fully blocked, and Dodai, wrapped in rubber, was sent flying into the distance.

"Don't think you can escape!!"

Juri quickly performed hand seals, releasing Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu.

A smaller, and therefore faster, mass of fire than before chased after Dodai.

Accompanied by an explosion, the flames scattered and vanished into the mist.

"Oh my."

"You can even defend against this, Uchiha!!"

Dodai jumped using the Rubber Wall as a springboard, even utilizing the high-speed movement of the Body Flicker Technique; this was his all-out assault.

Being able to defend was also largely due to the injury Diejian had inflicted on his leg.

Without any means of recovery, Dodai once again felt the disadvantage of a prolonged battle.

"Pierce through!!"

The flexible, writhing staff finally triumphed in the exchange with Dodai, smashing its tip into his solar plexus.

Even with the rubber membrane, it could not completely negate that impact.

Dodai exhaled all the air from his lungs, sliding across the ground as he was sent flying.

His breathing was ragged, and as he stood up while enduring the pain in his solar plexus, the mist around him began to dissipate.

Dodai realized the implication and lowered his head in regret.

"It seems our partner has finished the job. You should prepare yourself as well."

The mist cleared—Juri stood at the front, and Tobirama at the back.

Trapped like a turtle in a jar, Dodai glanced at the Kirigakure Genin being carried by Tobirama.

"So, we lost..."

Tobirama's wounds were still being treated by a Slug.

Although he was far from fully recovered, being caught in a pincer attack between Tobirama, who possessed strength surpassing that of the Kirigakure Genin, and Juri, who wielded the Sharingan, meant that turning the tide of victory was now impossible.

He might have been able to take one of them down with him if he were to die.

But this was, after all, the Chunin Exams, not a place to throw his life away.

Even so, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be killed right here.

Dodai placed his scroll on the ground, signaling his desire for them to spare him.

"That might not be true. Let's kill him and take the scroll!"

"Stop, Juri. That's enough."

"Tobirama, why!"

"This is an exam, not a mutual slaughter. Besides, we owe him a favor from earlier. Konoha shinobi are not despicable. My apologies. Take this guy with you as well."

He was referring to the negotiation where they had stated their names, only for the enemy to attack before Dodai had finished speaking.

Acting against one's own code of honor was something he didn't wish to do, even to an enemy.

Tobirama took a step back, Dodai took a step toward Tobirama, and Juri took a step forward.

Maintaining their distance while shifting positions, Juri retrieved the scroll.

After confirming that Juri and Tobirama were not launching an attack, Dodai hoisted the Kirigakure Genin onto his back and vanished from the area using the Body Flicker Technique.

"Juri!"

The sudden life-or-death struggle, the overuse of the Sharingan, and the reckless expenditure of ninjutsu.

Having exhausted her Chakra, Juri lost consciousness the moment she confirmed Dodai had fled.

Tobirama ran toward the staggering, falling Juri, caught her slender body in his arms, and gently stroked her mud-stained cheek.

The sight of the sleeping Juri, with her drooping eyes and relaxed mouth, made him smile involuntarily.

"Good work."

He scooped up the sleeping beauty of the forest and smiled at her.

However, Tobirama's injuries were far more severe than Juri's to begin with.

He had been holding on thanks to the Slug's healing and the boost from Chakra Release, but he couldn't maintain it forever.

"Ha... the future looks grim."

Thanks to Juri, they had managed to pull it off, but their first battle had been against such a formidable foe.

Thinking about how guys of this caliber were everywhere, Tobirama only felt weary.

Tobirama sighed and vanished from the spot.

★

"Mmm..."

"Are you awake, Juri? Here, water."

"My apologies."

Juri, still bleary-eyed, took the tube made from carved wood.

Inside sloshed the bounty of the forest.

The cold water moistened her throat, and Juri's consciousness cleared.

"What happened to me afterward?"

"You slept for a day and a half. You must have been exhausted from overusing the Sharingan."

It was the result of continuously pouring Chakra into her newly awakened Sharingan to search for the enemy in the mist.

After the exam ended, it would be best to have Tobirama's grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, help her with a check-up.

He had heard from Tobirama that the more advanced form of the Sharingan—the Mangekyo Sharingan—carried the risk of blindness if overused.

Even for a regular Sharingan, it was better to be cautious.

Juri agreed to the suggestion of a physical exam, handed the empty tube back to Tobirama, and let out a long breath.

"What about the enemy?"

"No problem. I've covered the perimeter with a chakra-concealing barrier and set up alarm barriers as well. I also used a minimal amount of chakra to create a few Shadow Clones to patrol. If the enemy approaches, we'll know."

He took a Military Ration Pill from his pouch and handed it to Juri.

With Katsuyu's healing, natural recovery from sleep, and the nourishment from the medical supplies, things should be fine for the time being.

Perhaps it was a bit overprotective, but during Tobirama's training, this was roughly how he treated Diejian.

"I see... Sorry."

"For what?"

"For losing consciousness and causing you trouble. I'm so useless."

"Don't worry about it. I'm a Shadow Clone; the original is sleeping over there. I'm reaching my limit, so I'll leave the rest to you."

With a soft poof, Diejian vanished before Juri's eyes.

Juri stared blankly at the spot where he had disappeared, then glanced toward the direction where the original Diejian was sleeping.

"I feel like I've been shortchanged. You really are something, Diejian..."

She stood up, clenching and unclenching her hands as if to check her senses.

She lifted and lowered her legs one by one, rotating her shoulders a few times.

When she opened her closed eyes, they revealed crimson irises with two tomoe.

Aside from the stiffness in her back from sleeping uncomfortably, there was no other discomfort.

The stiffness in her back would likely be forgotten in a little while.

Juri sat down beside the sleeping Diejian and took some portable rations from her own pouch.

These were ninja rations made by the Konoha cafeteria, enough to fill one's stomach.

So bored... Juri thought, nibbling on the food in small, squirrel-like bites while waiting for Diejian to wake up.

"Good morning, Juri."

"That is not a 'good morning'! You slept like a log!! ...Are you, okay now?"

"Yeah, I feel great. The wounds were deep, but it's not my first time surviving a harsh situation. I ate all the Military Ration Pills, Blood Replenishment Pills, ninja rations, and medical supplies before I passed out. I figured I wouldn't die. How long has it been?"

"It was a day and a half ago when I woke up. Two more days have passed since then."

"So, three days have passed... I'm still missing one scroll. If I don't move soon, we're in trouble."

His body, far from fully recovered, was full of issues: muscle aches, dizziness, hunger, stiffness in his limbs and shoulders, and bones that creaked.

However, this was within an acceptable range.

The existence of this acceptable range was primarily thanks to Tobirama's training.

The various training sessions he once thought were demonic had now borne fruit, and even Diejian felt it hadn't been in vain.

That said, things like going without sleep or rest to complete missions would probably become a matter of course once he became a Chunin or Jonin.

He couldn't really complain about that.

After a simple meal and confirming his physical condition, Diejian sent out a Shadow Clone to patrol.

A change occurred in his body—the Shadow Clone that had gone out to patrol vanished, and its experience returned to Diejian.

"I got information from the Shadow Clone. It seems a target has taken the bait. Another Shadow Clone is luring them over. Get ready."

Diejian stood up and sheathed the short sword he had placed to the side back into his waist.

Juri followed suit, gripping the staff that had been leaning against the tree trunk.

Those who had fallen into the trap were Genin from Sunagakure and Konoha.

Although they were Konoha Genin, most were not from the same class as Diejian and the others.

To Diejian and Juri, they were unfamiliar faces.

But the other side seemed to recognize them.

They probably chased after them because they thought Diejian was a "failure."

The level of a ninja with only that much intelligence-gathering capability was easy to guess.

Moreover, they had Juri, who had awakened her Sharingan during this exam—they basically couldn't lose.

The result was as expected; the Konoha Genin easily fell under the genjutsu of Juri's Sharingan.

There was also the lesson learned from the incident with Dodai.

The Sunagakure Genin's strength was the only variable, but he seemed to only know how to use Wind Release, and he vanished after being swallowed by Juri's Fire Release.

"How boring..."

"You went too far. You could have killed them."

Diejian summoned Katsuyu to provide emergency treatment to the Sunagakure Genin, who was twitching and nearly charred.

He had never been fond of unnecessary killing.

Naive guy, Juri thought, glancing at Diejian with her dark eyes.

However, it is precisely this type of person who is most terrifying when they finally lose their temper.

Juri let out a bored huff.

After obtaining the second scroll, Kasama and Juri headed toward the tower said to be standing in the center of the forest.

★

The first thing Juri and Kasama did upon reaching the tower was not to follow the instructions on the sign to "open the collected scrolls"—but rather to collapse onto the floor, crying out that they were "dead tired."

The accumulated exhaustion made them want to just fall asleep right there.

But they were ninjas, after all, so they didn't drift off on the spot.

Kagami, who had appeared through the summoning technique inscribed on the opened scroll, was just about to offer them some words of comfort with a smile—when he witnessed the disheveled state of his disciples.

He scolded them for being so sloppy, yet he couldn't help but feel a pang of worry at their utterly exhausted appearance.

What was particularly shocking to Kagami was the sight that met his eyes when he looked down: the "bald spot" on Kasama's head.

A sense of agitation, wanting to ask but not daring to, washed over Kagami Uchiha.

He had noticed the change in Juri's temperament and the awakening of her Sharingan, but the impact of that bald spot was far greater.

Incidentally, Kasama's bald spot had been caused when his hair was torn away by one of Dodai's rubber bullets.

"You finally made it! You were so slow, I was worried sick—uh, this, this look... are you two alright? Are you still alive—?"

"Don't give us that relaxed look... we went through a lot."

"A whole lot."

"What was that?"

After Kagami briefly informed them of the content of the next exam and vanished, Ina poked her head out from the inner door.

Physically and mentally exhausted, the two remained slumped on the floor even after Ina appeared.

Dressed in casual attire, it seemed Ina had arrived quite a while ago.

According to Ina, although it took her some time at first to grasp the terrain and build rapport with her partner, once they had communicated to a certain extent, she switched to a relentless offensive.

Fully utilizing her natural talent as a sensory-type ninja, she repeatedly conducted search-and-destroy missions, and as a result, Ina finished her second exam in about half a day.

For the three days since then, Ina hadn't even returned home, waiting with Kagami for Kasama's arrival.

Feeling the warmth of Ina's kindness, Kasama trembled with emotion, thinking what a good person she was.

On the other hand, Juri inwardly spat at the thought of the heartless last member of Team Six, who was said to have reached the tower first and already left.

When Ina asked what had happened, Kasama and Juri recounted their hardships.

Hearing the name that came out of Kasama's mouth, Ina blinked.

"Dodai? I heard the strongest Genin in the Hidden Cloud was called that."

"I suppose so. I thought it was strange, too; his strength was just wrong. Especially since the second group wasn't anything special, it made it stand out even more. Honestly, why did we have to run into someone like that right at the start..."

"You really have the worst luck. But hey, isn't it good enough that you're alive—good work."

Ina extended her slender, pale fingers toward the reclining Kasama.

Kasama grinned, gripped her hand tightly, and pulled himself up.

Ina gently placed one hand on the cheek of the mud- and blood-stained Kasama as he stood.

With her free hand, she took out a handkerchief and wiped away the blood and grime.

"Hey, Ina. You're going to get dirty."

"It's fine. Don't move. Good boy..."

Stared at without blinking, Kasama couldn't say a word; he stood stiffly, awkwardly averting his gaze.

Ina took this as consent and gently wiped away the blood and mud.

Revealed beneath the filth was a fresh scar—even if the wound healed, that shocking mark would likely never disappear.

"This is an honorable wound from protecting a comrade."

"Don't say such stupid things!"

Ina lightly tapped Kasama's cheek as he wore his proud expression, then traced the scar with her fingertip as if to soothe it.

The subtle pressure, hovering between a touch and a caress, was ticklish; Kasama squirmed slightly, and his backside took a hit.

"Oof!"

"Disgusting, you wimp."

Juri, who had stood up at some point, kicked Kasama in the rear while he was still dazed.

She huffed unhappily and turned her head away with a pout.

As for Kasama, the impact on his exhausted body was unexpectedly severe, and his knees buckled as he trembled.

Kasama's body had reached its limit with that final blow.

Unable to even support his own weight, his arms shook as he pleaded, "Hey, h-help me," before he collapsed onto the floor with a thud.