Twin Kekkei Genkai

Silence.

The vast space was so quiet that the fall of a needle could be heard.

Numerous powerful auras retracted to their absolute limit in an instant, leaving only ragged breathing as a remnant of the previous brutality.

What met their eyes was a domain of snow!

The giant trees beneath their feet, the stubborn weeds, the crawling insects—everything was covered in frigid ice, and it was clear that the freezing had occurred in a mere heartbeat!

Those insects and beasts were still frozen in the very states of hunting and resting they had occupied before death!

As for the culprit behind it all—

Dozens of cold, piercing gazes fell directly upon the small figure sitting alone amidst the ice and snow.

He sat with eyes tightly shut, snow settling upon his body. The kunai gripped in his hand had long since been encased in ice, and a bone-chilling cold continued to surge outward uncontrollably.

"What is this?"

Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha fell silent, his rugged brows knitting into a deep frown. Their clan specialized in Fire Release, with a minority adept in Lightning Release, yet before them lay a landscape frozen in ice.

"Could it be?"

Elder Yashiro also trembled, his hands, as gnarled as eagle talons, shaking at this very moment.

The Sharingan, hailed as the strongest dojutsu, gradually faded from view.

This was yet another Kekkei Genkai!!

They could not see through it!

Just as this group of Uchiha elites reached that conclusion, the small figure sitting in the snow suddenly opened his eyes, a pair of black tomoe resting quietly within his scarlet pupils.

The wind grew clamorous in that instant.

The snow danced in that fleeting moment.

"Secret Technique: Wind-Soughing Crane-Cry."

The biting cold frantically stripped away every trace of life in the vicinity; ice crystals quietly condensed in the void. This power, both strange and familiar, seemed intent on freezing the entire area!

This was the Ghost Entanglement Power!

The power of a lord-level Great Yokai, the Yuki-onna!

Even though this was merely a power he had forcibly borrowed, it was enough to make genin retreat and force chunin to take him seriously!

That night was a sleepless one, both for the Uchiha and for the high-ranking officials of Konoha.

"An Uchiha with a dual Kekkei Genkai has appeared: Arata."

"Age: Five years old."

"Awakened Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan, Ice Release."

"Parents: Caught in the aftermath of the Nine-Tails' invasion."

Looking at the intelligence report placed on his desk, the Third Hokage exhaled a ring of smoke, his expression momentarily vacant.

Shisui, Itachi, and now Arata.

Why did the heavens always bestow such favor upon that clan?

"So, what do you intend to do, Hiruzen?"

A sinister inquiry drifted from the shadows of the room. Following the voice, one could see an old man leaning on a cane, his right eye wrapped in bandages.

"Wait, we must wait longer."

"It is still not certain that Shisui Uchiha stands on our side."

After a long silence, a somewhat helpless reply finally echoed through the room.

Spring, the 54th year of Konoha.

Delicate cherry blossoms bloomed vibrantly in the season of lingering winter chill.

The Ninja Academy was holding graduation exams while simultaneously accepting registrations for the new class.

The sixth-year students had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

As long as they passed the assessment, they would graduate from the academy, earn the title of Konoha genin, and receive the forehead protector that symbolized their status as independent ninja!

The corridors of the waiting area were filled with excitement, anticipation, and a myriad of other emotions.

However, just before the exam began, the appearance of a young student from a lower grade caused these passionate seniors to feel a sense of unease, and they gradually reined in their emotions.

The newcomer wore a light blue ninja outfit and black shorts. His face was handsome and refined, his expression calm; he showed no sign of timidity despite walking through the midst of the upperclassmen.

"Third-year student, Arata Uchiha!"

A voice squeezed out through gritted teeth, revealing the newcomer's identity.

It was the voice of Rin Sarutobi.

Three years ago, he and his brother had been soundly beaten by this boy and warned never to provoke Izumi Uchiha, a classmate of his, again. Due to the disparity in age and strength, they had been forced to swallow their resentment in silence.

However, he was no longer the little brat he once was. Forget the Three Basic Jutsu required for the academy graduation exam; he could even weave the hand seals for the C-rank Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu.

Perhaps the opportunity to leverage this situation and exact his revenge was today!

A cold glint flickered in the corner of his eyes as Rin Sarutobi turned his body, preparing to squeeze through the crowd of students.

But at that moment, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, pinning him firmly in place.

Rin turned his head in frustration, wanting to see who was looking for trouble at such a critical juncture, only for his gaze to fall upon the face of his own brother.

"Don't cause trouble."

Compared to his younger brother's recklessness, Ki Sarutobi was relatively more composed.

He lowered his voice, and although his eyes also held anger, there was more fear within them, as if he were recalling some nightmare.

"Brother!"

Rin was unconvinced and continued to struggle, but in the end, he could only watch as the other boy walked past them.

However, even though Rin Sarutobi's actions had been stopped, other upperclassmen still stepped forward.

"Hey, Arata Uchiha, what are you doing here? Today belongs to our graduation exam."

As the boy walked halfway, nearing the examination classroom, three graduates blocked the corridor, cutting off his path.

At this point, the boy who had been acting as if no one else existed finally reined in his attitude a little.

As his footsteps halted, his gaze shifted upward.

The first to come into view was a burly, or rather, somewhat obese senior. Embroidered on his clothing was a large "Food" clan crest. Uncle Yashiro, who had taught him about ninjutsu and the powers of the ninja world for years, had mentioned that this was the symbol of the prestigious Akimichi clan of Konoha. They excelled in the Multi-Size Technique, possessed strength far beyond the average person, and one should never easily promise to treat them to a meal.

The two companions at his side looked much more normal.

However, the obscure fluctuations of mental energy and their sharp gazes highlighted that they were far from ordinary.

"Yamanaka," "Nara."

Glancing at those two distinct clan crests, Arata had an idea of who they were.

"Examination form?"

"Big Brother Hishi, he wants to take the graduation exam!!"

Just as Arata Uchiha raised his eyes to scrutinize the trio blocking his way, an exclamation reached his ears.

Hearing this, Hishi Akimichi's expression shifted slightly. He had naturally seen the examination form in the other boy's hand, but there was a difference between the boy admitting it himself and hearing it as a guess from someone else.

"That is correct."

Arata Uchiha responded calmly and took another step forward, ignoring the obstruction as he continued to walk.

He did not want to cause trouble either.

"Graduate? Heh, go back and study for a few more years, third-year."

"As your senior, I'll teach you right now what it means to be humble and know your place!"

Having received his answer, Hishi Akimichi threw a punch in anger. What a disgrace it would be to graduate alongside a little brat three years his junior! Even if it was the Uchiha, the number one clan in Konoha, they couldn't be this arrogant!

This was not a time of war, after all.

Moreover, having one stunning, peerless genius like Itachi Uchiha in that clan was enough; if another one appeared, what were the other clans supposed to do?

Hishi Akimichi's fist was not particularly fast, but it carried power that did not lose to an adult's, to the point where the surrounding air seemed to groan as it was shaken.

As Hishi threw his punch, the surroundings instantly became noisy: some urged him not to bicker with a junior, while others clamored that it was well done and that he should teach the kid a lesson.

After all, although Arata Uchiha had some reputation in the academy, it was ultimately just the petty squabbling of the lower grades. There was a massive difference between him and this group of graduates who were about to be promoted to genin and carry out missions for the village! And this gap was one that could not be erased, no matter what.

Just as most of the upperclassmen anticipated that Arata would choose to flee and consciously abandon the idea of graduating early, the unexpected happened.

Facing a member of the strength-oriented Akimichi clan, the little guy who was three years his junior showed no signs of dodging—or more accurately, he had temporarily changed his mind about not causing trouble.

[Instant Mission Trigger: Dominate the Class]