Oh my God, this is literally me!

"That's enough for today." Shisui put away the whiteboard.

"Get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow..." He paused.

"Tomorrow's match between Sasuke and Gaara—do you want to watch?"

Qingyu nodded. "Of course!"

It was one of the iconic scenes from the original story. How could he miss it?

Oh my God, this is literally me!

Amaterasu!

"Then I'll apply for a spectator pass for you." Shisui stood up.

"Oh, right. The Clan Head asked me to tell you to visit him after the match. It seems... he has something to discuss with you."

Qingyu's heart tightened.

Clan Head Fugaku wanted to see him? What for?

Could anything good ever come of the Uchiha? Could he please have nothing to do with them? It wasn't as if Itachi hadn't wished him a happy new year, so why did the Anbu or Root have to come knocking at his door instead?

But he didn't ask for details. He simply nodded.

"Got it. Thanks, senpai."

If you knew too much and didn't eat the Hokage's "loyal oranges," then naturally you'd have to eat the "spring onions" later.

After Shisui left, silence settled over the hospital room again.

Qingyu lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as he replayed the day's training in his mind.

[ Ding! ]

[System Notification: Limited-Time Mission "Devil Instructor in the Ward" complete!]

[Completion Rating: A-]

[Mission Reward: Chakra control +5% (Current control precision: 73% → 78%)]

[Bonus Reward: Received one random ninjutsu insight from Shisui... "Thirty-Seven Practical Tips for the Body Flicker Technique (Part One)"]

Qingyu's eyes lit up.

Insights on the Body Flicker Technique! It was only part one, but these were Shisui's personal tips!

He eagerly opened the scroll, but the very first line made the corner of his mouth twitch:

"Tip One: Run faster."

There was a smaller note underneath:

"This is not a joke! 90% of Body Flicker Technique failures are caused by insufficient speed! So start by practicing running."

Run! Go! Go! Go! Johnny! Go!

Still going? You might as well push the wheelchair faster.

Qingyu: "..." That was so like you, Shisui-senpai.

He continued reading. The rest was much more serious.

From how to distribute chakra through the legs, to techniques for cushioning a landing, to keeping his vision clear while moving at high speed... It was packed with useful advice.

"These tips..." Tobirama commented in his mind.

"They're practical, and some of the ideas coincide with my own research from back then."

"Hmph, they're not bad." For once, Izuna didn't find anything to criticize.

"The kid really does know a thing or two about movement."

Qingyu studied the material ravenously, only reluctantly putting the scroll away when a nurse came in with dinner.

After dinner, he continued his chakra recovery training.

By nightfall, his chakra recovery rate had reached 65%, and his body barely hurt anymore.

With the Uchiha physique and the system's help, he was recovering at an astonishing rate.

The patient in the bed next to his had been discharged that afternoon. Now he was alone in the room.

Qingyu sat on his bed, gazing at Konoha's nightscape outside the window, when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"System," he asked silently.

"That hidden 'Expectations of the Uchiha' side quest... What are the conditions to trigger it?"

[Hint: Hidden Side Quest "Expectations of the Uchiha" requires the following conditions]

[1. Reach "Rising Star" status within the Uchiha clan (Complete)]

[2. Receive an audience with the Uchiha Clan Head, Fugaku (Incomplete)]

[3. Make a certain declaration at a clan meeting (Incomplete)]

[4. ??? (Unknown)]

Qingyu stared at the list of conditions, especially the final "???", and felt his nerves start to fray.

Unknown conditions were the worst. Who knew what kind of nonsense the system would come up with?

What if it threw another life-or-death event at him...

Like defecting, staging a coup, or wiping out the clan...

"Don't overthink it," Tobirama said. "Improve your strength one step at a time. Once you're strong enough, you can handle any side quest."

"That's easy for you to say..." Qingyu sighed.

"But I can't shake the feeling that the Uchiha storyline... is pretty deep."

In the original story, the Uchiha had already been wiped out by this point. But in this world, they seemed perfectly normal...

The clan meeting was still being held, the young ones were taking the exams as usual, Shisui was alive, and Itachi was still a regular Anbu...

Had the timeline changed?

Or was this... the calm before the storm?

This world was a little too dramatic!

"Thinking about it won't help," Izuna scoffed.

"What's coming will come. All you can do right now is get stronger—strong enough to deal with anything that happens."

Qingyu nodded.

That was true. Strength was everything.

Please, system, give me a one-click stat-boosting feature. I don't want to work hard anymore!!!

He lay back in bed, closed his eyes, and began circulating his chakra.

Night deepened.

Konoha Hospital gradually grew quiet.

In a corner of the hospital, an Anbu member wearing an animal mask spoke quietly into a communicator:

"Target 'Qingyu' received special ward training from Shisui Uchiha today. The training covered chakra control and tactical analysis. His recovery rate is unusually high; he is expected to make a full recovery by tomorrow."

"Fugaku Uchiha has scheduled an audience with him tomorrow."

"Recommendation: Continue observation. Also, the Sunagakure Jinchuriki and Gaara's condition... is unstable. Security should be increased for tomorrow's match."

A brief reply came from the other end of the communicator: "Understood. Continue monitoring."

The Anbu member put away the communicator, melted into the shadows, and disappeared.

Moonlight streamed through the windows, spilling across the empty corridor.

In the silence, it seemed as if one could hear hidden currents stirring.

The next morning, Qingyu was woken by a Medical Corps nurse in a "gentle" manner.

She yanked the curtains open, and sunlight smacked him right in the face.

"Qingyu, it's time to check your chakra recovery." The nurse held a clipboard.

Still half-asleep, Qingyu held out his hand. The nurse pressed a Chakra Detector against his wrist.

The device gave a faint buzz as numbers flickered across its screen.

"78%... Not bad." The nurse made a note.

"You can be discharged, but I recommend avoiding strenuous exercise today."

"What about watching the match?" Qingyu asked at once.

"You can watch while sitting down." The nurse put away the device.

"But if you suddenly leap up in the stands and charge onto the field, the Medical Corps won't be responsible for dragging you out."

Qingyu: "..." Had this nurse seen too many hot-blooded youngsters?

The discharge process was faster than he'd expected.

Ten minutes later, Qingyu was standing outside Konoha Hospital, breathing in the long-missed fresh air of freedom—though that freedom was only temporary.

"Why not grab something to eat first?" Izuna suggested in his mind. "I see a dango shop over there."

"I recommend replenishing your energy," Tobirama analyzed rationally. "Given the various situations that may arise, it's important to build up your stamina."

Qingyu rubbed his stomach. He was definitely hungry.

The bland hospital food had practically sucked all the flavor out of his mouth.

So he wandered over to the shopping district and found a ramen shop that looked decent. He boldly ordered a bowl of chashu ramen with a soft-boiled egg and extra chashu.

The Chunin Ninja Exams came with a stipend, so why not spend it?

While he waited for his ramen, he watched the passersby. Konoha's mood was noticeably different today. Talk of the match could be heard everywhere.