This One Really Was Something

Qingyu looked at the system prompt and suddenly felt...

It was worth it.

Even if it killed him, it was worth it.

He closed his eyes and let the cheers wash over him.

In his mind, Izuna was laughing uproariously. "Hahaha! Well done, kid! Uchiha pride!"

Tobirama, meanwhile, summed things up calmly. "You adapted well under pressure, but your chakra control still needs work."

"Also, your form was a mess on that last move. You'll need to practice more when you get back."

"The only thing worth praising might be how cool the move looked... The strategy was good, though."

Izuna said, "What good is looking cool? You nearly got yourself killed!"

Tobirama replied, "The strategy worked. The risk was proportional to the reward."

Qingyu said, "..."

Teacher, I just finished fighting for my life. Could you let me catch my breath first?

On the viewing platform, Fugaku Uchiha slowly rose to his feet, a clear smile on his face.

After a brief silence, Hyuga Hiashi also stood and nodded to Fugaku. "The young Uchiha is impressive."

"Neji of the Hyuga is strong, too," Fugaku replied politely. "He has a bright future."

The two clan heads exchanged a glance. Everything that needed to be said passed between them without a word.

In a corner of the stands, an Anbu member wearing an animal mask quickly jotted something down in a notebook:

Uchiha Qingyu, suspected of possessing intelligence about the Hyuga Clan's weakness.

Source unknown. Further observation required. Recommendation: add him to Root's priority surveillance list.

After finishing, he vanished silently into the shadows.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be a big deal for someone important to know about the Hyuga Branch Family's weakness.

But when you were an Uchiha, it was a big deal!

Danzo: You know this kind of secret? Are you plotting to overthrow Konoha?!

Qingyu: This one really was something!

Besides, which important person didn't know this so-called secret?

The Medical Corps had already rushed onto the field and begun checking the two of them.

As Qingyu was lifted onto a stretcher, he saw someone helping Neji to his feet.

Their eyes met again.

Neji suddenly said, "Next time, I won't lose."

Qingyu smiled. "Next time, I won't let you find an opening so easily."

The stretcher carried him away from the arena.

Qingyu gazed up at the sky above the arena and let out a long breath.

He'd won the first match.

Next...

He looked toward the waiting area.

Sasuke Uchiha was watching him coldly, a complicated look in his eyes: surprise, unwillingness to accept defeat, and... fighting spirit?

Farther away, Gaara of Sunagakure was also staring at him with those emotionless eyes.

Qingyu suddenly felt that his Chunin Ninja Exams might be even more... thrilling than he'd imagined.

Don't mess up the new account!

When Qingyu regained consciousness, his first thought was: Who am I? Where am I? How many horse-drawn carts ran me over?

His whole body hurt so much that he nearly thought he'd turned into one of those little ponies from his notebook.

Tenten must be hauling big carts around somewhere...

He opened his eyes to a stark white ceiling. The air carried a peculiar mix of disinfectant and some kind of herbal medicine.

Konoha Hospital's exclusive scent. You only had to smell it once to remember it forever.

He tried to move his fingers.

"Urgh..."

Good grief, that hurt. It felt like every muscle in his body had gone on strike.

His chakra pathways were so empty a horse could run through them. He could barely even lift an eyelid.

"You're awake?" A calm, flat voice drifted over from beside him.

Summoning every last ounce of strength, Qingyu turned his head and saw Itachi Uchiha sitting in a chair by the bed.

He held a report in his hand, his expression as composed as if he were admiring a potted plant.

"Itachi... senpai?" Qingyu's voice was hoarse.

"Am I... still alive?"

He wanted to smack himself as soon as he'd asked.

What a stupid question. If he were dead, would he be lying here thinking about life?

The corner of Itachi's mouth seemed, perhaps, possibly, to lift by 0.01 millimeters.

"You're alive. The Medical Corps diagnosed chakra depletion, minor muscle tears, and mental fatigue. They recommend two days of bed rest."

Qingyu let out a long breath and went limp as a pancake. "Two days... Wait, what about the next match?!"

"Five days from now." Itachi set the report down.

"Your opponent will be the winner between Kankuro and Temari. There's plenty of time."

Qingyu's brain slowly rebooted. He blinked, and his memories gradually returned.

Right, the elimination rounds. He'd just taken down Neji Hyuga. His next opponent was...

"So it's not Gaara or Sasuke..." he murmured, inexplicably relieved.

After all, those two were both cheats. One was a Jinchuriki, and the other was the protagonist's brother. In his current state, he'd be walking straight into a beating.

"You seem very interested in their matches," Itachi remarked suddenly.

Qingyu's heart tightened. "Huh? No, I just... have the same curiosity as any spectator. You know how it is."

"You can apply to watch tomorrow's match." Itachi stood and took a small scroll from inside his clothes, setting it on the bedside table.

"The clan head asked me to tell you to get some rest. Also..."

He paused. "This contains information Shisui compiled on Sunagakure Puppet Technique and Wind Release basics.

"He said, 'Kankuro's more likely to win, but you never know—there could be an upset. It's always best to be prepared.'"

Qingyu looked at the scroll, a complicated warmth rising in his heart.

Uchiha concern was always so... practical and full of strategic consideration.

"Please thank Shisui senpai for me, and thank you, too," he said sincerely.

Itachi nodded and turned toward the door.

When his hand touched the doorknob, he suddenly stopped and glanced back.

"That last move was impressive."

Qingyu's eyes lit up.

"But next time," Itachi added, "don't wager your life."

"I feel like you're different from the other Uchiha."

The door closed softly.

Tobirama: What good does being different do? You're still an Uchiha, aren't you? Remember, once an Uchiha, always an Uchiha!

Qingyu stared at the ceiling as two voices immediately started arguing in his head.

"You heard him! Wagering your life! Even that poker-faced kid noticed!" Izuna sounded unusually shaken.

"If you'd taken those Sixty-Four Palms head-on, you wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed right now. You'd be in a coffin!"

"But the strategy worked," Tobirama countered calmly.

"The risk was proportional to the reward. And he proved that exploiting the Byakugan's weakness was viable. It was only a makeshift tactic, but its strategic value is immeasurable."

"Even the greatest value in the world doesn't matter if you're dead!"

"Which is why you need to improve your survival skills. Qingyu, after you're discharged, I'll teach you a few basic techniques for staying alive—"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Qingyu weakly raised a hand. "Teachers, I just woke up. Can I catch my breath first...?"

Silence fell in his mind for two seconds.

Izuna huffed. "Fine. You get ten minutes. Then we start reviewing the match.

"We'll go over every detail. The angle of your sidestep when you dodged the twenty-seventh palm was wrong. You could easily have strained your back."

Qingyu said, "..."

He had a feeling his hospital stay would be even more exhausting than the match.

"Knock, knock."

There was a knock, and then the door opened a crack.

"Qingyu-kun~ I heard you woke up?"

Shisui Uchiha poked his smiling face through the opening, carrying... a fruit basket?

Qingyu blinked, checking that he wasn't hallucinating.

It really was a fruit basket, beautifully wrapped, with a pink bow tied on top.

"Shisui senpai, what's this...?"

"A get-well-soon gift." Shisui came in and set the basket on the bedside table before naturally taking a seat.

"I thought custom Military Ration Pills would be more practical, but the Medical Corps said you need vitamins and sugar right now."

Qingyu stared at the fruit basket, which clashed horribly with the usual shinobi aesthetic, and was at a loss for words.

"Oh, and congratulations on winning!" Shisui smiled, his eyes crinkling.

"Watching it nearly made my heart jump out of my chest. When you slid along the ground at the end, the clan head almost bounced right out of his chair."

Qingyu imagined Clan Head Fugaku losing his composure and found himself wanting to laugh.