Your Fuinjutsu Still Has a Long Way to Go!

Uzumaki Kuming came to school with a heavy heart. The scene from that morning had left a deep impression on him. He had no idea how he had made it to school; it seemed he'd walked there unconsciously.

But once he reached the school gate, Jiuming pulled himself together. He put on a more spirited expression before entering.

He went into the classroom and sat down at his usual seat. He'd barely settled in when someone sidled up to him and whispered with a mysterious air,

"Jiuming, have you heard? The village is planning to send young Genin and Chunin to the battlefield." Shikaichi Nara leaned close and spoke softly.

"I know. I heard." Jiuming looked calm. He rested his cheek on his right hand and casually flipped open his book with his left.

"My dad told me the Third Hokage is going to select a group of students from the Ninja Academy to send to the battlefield."

"Our third-year class is among those being considered."

Seeing that Jiuming seemed uninterested, Shikaichi quickly dropped a bombshell. Sure enough, Jiuming raised an eyebrow at the news, then asked as though it were no big deal, "Is that so? Is the information reliable?"

"It is. It's not just our family; the Akimichi Clan has heard the same thing. And my dad said our class is a priority for selection. Unless something unexpected happens, our whole class will be sent to the battlefield."

Shikaichi Nara was a shrewd little kid. Though he looked like a tiny, helpless child, what he'd just said had still shaken Jiuming.

"I see. They probably made this decision after summoning the Genin and Chunin last night and realizing they didn't have enough people for the battlefield."

"Our class was recruited early at that time. Judging by their abilities, everyone here is at a fifth-year level, and a few of the most outstanding students have even reached Genin level."

"It's understandable that those with exceptional abilities would be sent to the battlefield first. But is it really a good idea to send the most talented children to the front lines?"

"Has Konoha really reached the end of its rope? I don't remember the Second Shinobi World War being this brutal."

Jiuming tried to figure out why the Third Hokage would make such a decision. In the end, he could only conclude that the Hokage had been forced into it. If the children in their class were Konoha's future, then the people fighting on the battlefield now were its present.

If the present ceased to exist, no matter how bright the future might be, it would mean nothing.

"Hey, Jiuming, are you listening?" When Jiuming didn't respond, Shikaichi gently tugged at his sleeve and asked in a low voice.

"I'm listening," Jiuming replied with a nod.

"Are you really not worried about this? We're going to the battlefield! Aren't you scared?"

Seeing how calm Jiuming was, Shikaichi asked anxiously.

"Would worrying help?" Jiuming glanced at Shikaichi.

Uzumaki Jiuming's question left Shikaichi momentarily stunned. He lowered his head and thought about it before answering slowly, "No."

"Then there you go. Instead of worrying, you'd be better off going home and practicing a few more techniques. If you're right and our whole class is going to the battlefield, knowing a few extra techniques might save your life."

Jiuming patted Shikaichi on the shoulder and spoke softly. After hearing his words, Shikaichi fell silent and began to think seriously.

While Uzumaki Jiuming and Shikaichi were chatting, the classroom door opened. A middle-aged man entered, accompanied by a masked ninja.

The man was their homeroom teacher, Kimura Jiudai, a civilian-born ninja who had also been the examiner when Uzumaki Jiuming's class had enrolled.

"An Anbu? Why would an Anbu ninja come to the school? Could what that little kid said be true?" Jiuming saw the Anbu Ninja following Jiudai and glanced at Shikaichi beside him, thinking to himself.

When Shikaichi saw the Anbu Ninja, his body began to tremble slightly. Fear gripped his heart.

"Relax. Don't be nervous." Jiuming put an arm around Shikaichi's shoulders. He could understand how Shikaichi felt.

"Students, we have a special event today. All morning classes are canceled."

"This person beside me is an envoy personally sent by Lord Hokage. He's here to see what our class is capable of."

"The school will be holding an impromptu test this morning. Anyone who passes will be granted Genin status on the spot!"

"Those who pass today's test and become Genin will have the chance to receive direct instruction from the Third Hokage himself—and become his students!"

"This Anbu, who serves directly under Lord Hokage, is here to ensure that the test is conducted fairly and impartially."

Kimura Jiudai made the announcement in front of the entire class.

"Become a Genin and even become the Third Hokage's student?"

"Does that mean we won't have to keep going to school? That's great!"

Jiudai's words set the students chattering. Jiuming's expression darkened as he heard everything.

The Third Hokage was using himself as bait to lure these naive kids into graduating early. Jiuming could guess what they'd be doing after graduation without even having to think about it.

The anger in Jiuming's heart was almost impossible to suppress. If the Third Hokage had simply told the children that the most capable among them would be sent to the battlefield, Jiuming wouldn't have said a thing. Everyone had the right to choose their own path. But this deceptive pitch was absolutely nauseating.

"Teacher Jiudai, if we pass this test, can we become Genin?"

Unable to stand by while a group of little kids were kept in the dark, Jiuming stood up and asked loudly.

"Oh, Jiuming. Yes, if you pass the test, you can become a Genin. And you'll have the chance to receive guidance from the Third Hokage, too." Jiudai saw that Uzumaki Jiuming was the one asking and answered casually. Beside him, however, the Anbu Ninja turned to look at Jiuming, curiosity flickering in his eyes beneath his mask.

"If we become Genin, will we be sent to the battlefield?"

A cold glint flashed in Jiuming's eyes as he asked. Kimura Jiudai was clearly caught off guard by the question and didn't know how to answer. As soon as Jiuming finished speaking, the classroom erupted in commotion.

"Go to the battlefield? We're so young! How could we go to war?"

"Hmph, what a coward. I can't believe we have a chance to go to the battlefield. I'm going to make the most of this opportunity and pass the test no matter what."

"The battlefield! Wouldn't I be able to kill enemies, earn merit, and make money for my family?"

The eight-year-old children started chattering. Some looked forward to the battlefield, some were afraid of it, and others naively thought it would be a stepping stone to success. Though Jiuming knew that children in the world of Naruto generally matured early, hearing the discussion in the classroom still made him feel uncomfortable.

A group of children who ought to have been carefree and innocent were already showing desires and ambitions far beyond their years.

Kimura Jiudai had been worried that Jiuming's question would make the students resist the idea. For a moment, he hadn't known how to answer. But after listening to the children talk, his hanging heart settled. Before he could speak, though, the Anbu Ninja beside him cut in:

"You're Uzumaki Jiuming, right? What you said is correct. If you pass today's test, you'll become Genin, and you may be sent to the battlefield to take part in the war."

"I imagine everyone here wants to become a ninja. Since that's your goal, you should be prepared for this from the start."

"Glory, merit, money, status—you can get all of those on the battlefield. If that's not what you're after, why come to the Ninja Academy?"

"Now that the opportunity is right in front of you, what? Are you going to back down?"

The Anbu's words didn't just dispel the children's fear. On the contrary, they stirred up the bloodlust in some of them. The kids who had been talking about how dangerous the battlefield was began echoing the others and saying they wanted to go. Even Shikaichi Nara, who had been trembling with fear at first, was now shouting that he wanted to go to the battlefield.

Even Kimura Jiudai showed a hint of eagerness.

As Jiuming watched his classmates eagerly volunteer one after another, a chill entered his eyes.

"Who are you?" Jiuming asked coldly. His seemingly out-of-the-blue question left Kimura Jiudai stunned.

"I'm an Anbu Ninja directly under Lord Hokage. As for my identity, I can't disclose it."

The Anbu Ninja replied, then turned to Jiudai and said, "Teacher Jiudai, please arrange the test as soon as possible."

"Understood." Seeing how fired up everyone was, Jiudai agreed.

But the next second, Jiuming sprang out of his seat and charged straight at the Anbu standing beside him, throwing a punch at his abdomen. The Anbu reacted extremely quickly, dodging and then slapping Jiuming on the back as he moved. The force of the slap, combined with Jiuming's own momentum, made it impossible for him to stop. His fist slammed into the blackboard.

Boom!!! A deafening crash rang out. Jiuming's punch cracked the blackboard and the wall behind it, leaving a deep dent that showed just how powerful the blow had been.

"Uzumaki Jiuming, what are you doing?" Kimura Jiudai roared when he saw what had happened.

"You used genjutsu on children this young! You're not an Anbu Ninja directly under the Hokage!"

"Who are you?"

Jiuming ignored Kimura Jiudai and questioned the Anbu Ninja instead.

"Genjutsu?" Kimura Jiudai's heart jolted. He seemed to realize something and belatedly reconsidered what had happened.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Anbu Ninja denied.

But Jiuming had no intention of arguing. He immediately charged at the man again.

"Hmph." Seeing Jiuming coming at him once more, the Anbu Ninja snorted and formed the "Rat" hand seal. The next instant, a black Cursed Seal appeared on Jiuming's back and wrapped around his entire body, pinning him in place.

"He planted the Cursed Seal when he slapped my back?"

"He dodged the attack and countered at the same time. He's an elite."

Jiuming thought to himself. He didn't struggle, simply allowing himself to remain pinned in place. Seeing that Jiuming had been subdued, the Anbu Ninja said, "You attacked an Anbu Ninja directly under Lord Hokage. I'm taking you to the Anbu interrogation room."

"Teacher Jiudai, I'm taking him with me. Please arrange the test as soon as possible."

As he spoke, the Anbu Ninja strolled toward Jiuming. But when he grabbed Jiuming by the collar, he clearly saw a smile spread across Jiuming's face.

"Fuinjutsu: Body Immobilization Technique!"

As Jiuming spoke, the Cursed Seal restraining him quickly spread. In the next instant, it reversed direction and surrounded the Anbu Ninja.

"Impossible! That's impossible!" The Cursed Seal surged toward him as he cried out, binding him tightly. The black markings wrapped him up like a dumpling.

"You bastard, you actually attacked me!" The bound Anbu Ninja still seemed to have some strength left. He roared and struggled, and the Cursed Seal restraining him began to loosen.

"Enough."

Jiuming glanced sideways at the bound Anbu Ninja, gathered Chakra in his hand, and punched him in the abdomen. The man's clothes tore, exposing his skin. The next instant, a black sealing array appeared on the Anbu Ninja's yellow skin. The masked ninja felt the Chakra throughout his body lock in place, and he could no longer move even the slightest amount of it.

He opened his mouth, but all he could manage was a series of "uh, uh" sounds. He couldn't speak at all.

"Your Fuinjutsu still has a long way to go."

Jiuming withdrew his right hand and tucked it into his sleeve. From the moment Uzumaki Jiuming ambushed the Anbu to the moment he subdued him, the entire incident had lasted only a brief moment. Even after Jiuming had restrained the Anbu Ninja, the students in the classroom still hadn't figured out what had happened. Even Jiudai couldn't understand why Jiuming had suddenly attacked him.

"Teacher, this man wasn't sent by Lord Hokage. I suggest we take him straight to Lord Hokage."

Jiuming turned back to Jiudai and spoke. At first, Jiuming hadn't noticed anything unusual. But the moment the Anbu Ninja spoke and used genjutsu, Jiuming realized that there might be something wrong with him.

Jiuming wasn't actually sure whether the man had been sent by the Third Hokage. But his thinking was simple: whether or not the man had been sent by the Third Hokage, he had used genjutsu on the children in that classroom, so Jiuming had struck first.

It didn't matter whether the man was really an envoy. He could just accuse him of having ulterior motives.

Jiuming didn't believe that even if the man really had been sent by the Third Hokage, the Third Hokage would admit to sending someone who'd used genjutsu on children.

There was also a reason Jiuming wanted Jiudai to take the man to the Hokage. If the man really had been sent by the Third Hokage, the Hokage could make the matter disappear with ease. He certainly wouldn't let anything damaging to his reputation get out.

But if the man hadn't been sent by the Third Hokage, the Hokage could use him to find the person behind it all.

"Genjutsu?"

"I thought something felt strange just now."

"That guy used genjutsu on us?"

The children in the classroom had returned to normal by now, though each of them was still stunned by Jiuming's sudden attack on the Anbu Ninja. Only a few of them were trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Jiudai now realized how serious the situation was. He took steel wire from his ninja tool pouch and tightly bound the Anbu Ninja, then applied a seal to block his Chakra before quickly leaving with him.

"Study on your own for now! Another teacher will come to teach you later."

As Jiudai left, he called back to the students, then hurried out of the classroom. Before long, several teachers who had heard the commotion rushed to the classroom. After conferring, they left a female teacher to teach the students and calm them down.

Jiuming returned to his seat under the astonished gazes of his classmates.

"Jiuming, you actually subdued an Anbu Ninja?" As soon as Jiuming sat down, Shikaichi leaned over and asked excitedly.

"I just happened to be a bad match for him. And if I hadn't caught him off guard, I wouldn't have had a chance."

Jiuming knew his Taijutsu was inferior to the other man's. Without using the Yin Seal, he'd had no chance of winning. Before charging in, he'd also planned to drag Jiudai into the mess. He just hadn't expected the other man to use a sealing technique to restrain him. Seeing that, Jiuming had simply gone along with it.

Besides, the Anbu Ninja hadn't been very cautious around Jiuming, so the ambush had worked. Ninja battles were often like that: using preparation to catch an unprepared opponent could easily lead to unexpected results.

"That's still amazing! I saw that Anbu had already subdued you, but you still broke free. And you even used his technique against him. That was incredible!"

Shikaichi was acting like an awestruck fan, firing question after question at Jiuming. Jiuming answered absentmindedly, which only made Shikaichi admire him even more.

"So this is what it's like to be strong. That was so cool!"

The classroom settled back into its usual calm.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage had a serious headache.

He had already confirmed the identity of the Anbu Ninja Jiudai had brought in. It was easy to tell from the Cursed Seal of Tongue Eradication on the man's tongue that he was one of Danzo's subordinates, a Root ninja.

After learning who the man was, Hiruzen Sarutobi's headache only grew worse. Danzo was currently serving in an important position at the front, and the two of them had been comrades for many years. As for what the Root ninja had done wrong that day, all he could really be faulted for was impersonating an Anbu Ninja directly under the Hokage and using genjutsu on children.

The man's offense wasn't enough for Hiruzen Sarutobi to execute him, not to mention that, in theory, Danzo himself ought to handle the matter.

But an incident like this at the school would have terrible consequences. The Third Hokage couldn't stay silent, or his authority would suffer a devastating blow. That was what gave him a headache.

Punish him too harshly, and there'd be trouble. Let him off lightly, and there'd be no deterrent.

"This is difficult."

"Jiudai, did you say the person who subdued that ninja was Uzumaki Jiuming?"

The Third Hokage was still trying to figure out what to do with the man when it suddenly occurred to him that the person who'd subdued him was his nominal disciple, Uzumaki Jiuming. He immediately asked for confirmation.

"Yes. I never expected that child Jiuming to be so strong. He subdued the Anbu in just two exchanges."

"There's no doubt about it. He's a true genius. Wouldn't it be a waste to keep such a genius at the Ninja Academy?"

Jiudai was merely expressing his thoughts, but the Third Hokage took his words to heart.

"You're right. It's a waste of his time and talent to keep a genius like that at the Ninja Academy."

"Prepare to transfer Uzumaki Jiuming's records to the Ninja Archives. He'll graduate early."

"Go back and tell the students who that ninja really was. He was a spy sent by Iwagakure. We'll announce the Ninja Academy test tomorrow instead."

"Also, tell Uzumaki Jiuming to come see me after class."

After speaking, the Third Hokage waved Jiudai away. Once Jiudai had left, he called over one of his own Anbu and had him escort the Root ninja away.

After arranging everything, the Third Hokage went to the window and looked out over the scenery of Konoha, lost in thought.

"Geniuses need to be trained like geniuses."