Chonhua: Yeah, This Is My First Time Awakening!

As he spoke, Orochimaru chased after Nawaki.

"Don't run! Watch Lord Nawaki teach you a lesson!"

Nawaki's lips curled into a smile, his eyes bright and alert. He ran with perfect ninja form, racing past one tree after another.

"There you are!"

A glint flashed in Nawaki's eyes. When he spotted the Sunagakure ninja looking panicked, he hurled a kunai at them, then began forming Hand Seals to prepare a ninjutsu.

Whoosh!

Just then, Uchiha Chonhua appeared. He saw what was beneath Nawaki's feet, and his pupils contracted.

The roar of wind and thunder erupted. Uchiha Chonhua kicked off the ground, shattering the earth beneath his foot. Web-like cracks spread in every direction as he shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow!

Smack!

Nawaki's smile still lingered as he looked at the Sunagakure enemies, delight in his eyes.

Suddenly, his body felt heavy. The scenery swept backward, and then his back hit the ground, bringing a little pain.

The pain cleared Nawaki's head. Realizing what had happened, he hurriedly looked at the person lying on top of him.

"Chonhua!?"

What was Chonhua doing here?

The question swirled through his mind. Remembering the Sunagakure ninja, he hurried to push Uchiha Chonhua off him...

Boom!

A tremendous explosion thundered, and flames burst forth, surging into the sky.

Nawaki stared, stunned, at the raging flames. The scorching wave spread and battered him, stinging his skin.

Smack!

Pain flared across Nawaki's right cheek as Uchiha Chonhua slapped him hard.

"...Chonhua."

Uchiha Chonhua looked at him with exasperation. "Nawaki, you broke your promise to me!"

Nawaki stared blankly, ignoring the pain in his cheek. His astonished gaze fixed on Chonhua's eyes, and he couldn't say a word.

"Thank goodness. We have Chonhua-kun to thank..."

Orochimaru arrived. Seeing the raging flames, he was overcome with dread. Nawaki had come within a hair's breadth of being swallowed up by the Explosive Tag ambush.

Thinking of the consequences if Nawaki had died, Orochimaru felt a chill. He couldn't imagine Tsunade's reaction.

He didn't have time to wonder why Uchiha Chonhua was here. All he could feel was gratitude.

It was a good thing Chonhua-kun had shown up! Thank goodness he saved Nawaki at the last moment...

"Senior Orochimaru."

Uchiha Chonhua looked up at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru glanced over, and in the next instant, his snake-like pupils contracted.

"...The Sharingan. And it's the Three-Tomoe Sharingan..."

In the glow of the flames, Uchiha Chonhua's Three-Tomoe Sharingan shone, its bewitching crimson light the only thing that mattered.

Chapter 60: Chonhua: Yeah, This Is My First Time Awakening!

On the way back, Orochimaru and Nawaki kept glancing over at him.

Uchiha Chonhua held a kunai and used its reflection to gaze at his Three-Tomoe Sharingan in delighted amazement.

He was entranced. No matter how long he admired it, he couldn't get enough!

The handprint still showed on Nawaki's right cheek. He rubbed it, and the burning pain made him grimace.

"Chonhua, you hit way too hard."

At that, Uchiha Chonhua put away his kunai and snorted at Nawaki.

"What did someone say earlier? Didn't you promise me? And then you went and acted recklessly again."

"You were this close to being blown up by an Explosive Tag!"

Nawaki gave an awkward laugh and scratched his head.

"Ugh."

Nawaki sighed and said guiltily, "It was my fault. If Chonhua hadn't shown up, I'd be dead already."

Thinking about how close he'd come to death, Nawaki shuddered.

"This time! This time I swear! I absolutely, absolutely won't act on my own again!"

"You'd better not."

Uchiha Chonhua shot him a sideways glance.

Where had I heard that before?

Nawaki thought for a moment. Wasn't that exactly what Chonhua had told him before they set out?

"Hahaha..."

Nawaki felt awkward. It had barely been any time at all, and he'd already forgotten Chonhua's warning.

Smack!

The more Nawaki thought about it, the guiltier he felt. He raised his left hand and slapped his own left cheek hard.

Now both cheeks bore handprints.

"Ow, that hurts!"

The slap to his left cheek jostled his right one, and Nawaki crouched down in pain, holding both hands beside his face without daring to touch it.

"Nawaki, think about Teacher Tsunade more often." Uchiha Chonhua shook his head helplessly and used the Mystical Palm Technique to treat him.

"You're all Teacher Tsunade has left."

At that, Nawaki fell silent.

"Chonhua-kun, thank you for saving Nawaki." Orochimaru studied him with a probing gaze. "That was a close call. What brought you here, Chonhua-kun?"

Uchiha Chonhua replied calmly, "Senior Orochimaru, please punish me. I was worried something might happen to Nawaki, so I went against my mission and left the team without permission."

Nawaki looked at Uchiha Chonhua in dismay. So he'd gone off on his own too.

But Chonhua had left the team because he was worried about him. Nawaki felt guilty and swore to himself that he'd stop acting rashly!

"Teacher, if anyone should be punished, it should be me. I'm the reason Chonhua broke the rules."

"There were extenuating circumstances. Chonhua-kun, you don't need to be so serious. I don't think you're at fault."

After all, Teacher Sarutobi had chosen him, and he'd done it to save Nawaki. If Orochimaru punished Uchiha Chonhua, Tsunade would come knocking.

That sounded like a lot of trouble, so Orochimaru decided it was better not to make more of it. He let the matter drop.

He was more curious about something else.

Orochimaru fixed his snake-like eyes on Uchiha Chonhua's.

"You awakened your Sharingan out of concern for a comrade's safety, and the first time you awakened it, it was already the Three-Tomoe Sharingan."

"Chonhua-kun, nothing like this has ever happened in the Uchiha Clan's history."

Orochimaru watched Uchiha Chonhua's expression as he continued slowly, "Had you... awakened it before?"

Uchiha Chonhua met Orochimaru's gaze. He looked pleased with himself, the corners of his mouth lifting into a wild, unrestrained smile.

"Senior Orochimaru, just because no one else can do it doesn't mean I can't."

"There's never been another genius like me in the Uchiha Clan's history!"

His words drew glances from Orochimaru and Nawaki.

Orochimaru frowned, uncertain of his own guess.

Uchiha Chonhua's striking change in personality was just like that of most Uchiha who had awakened their Sharingan.

So... perhaps Uchiha Chonhua really was so exceptionally gifted that he'd awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan right away?

As Chonhua had said, there were few talents like his in the Uchiha Clan's history.

Orochimaru pondered this, then his lips curved slightly.

Interesting.

It was impossible to tell what was true and what wasn't.

Uchiha Chonhua really was a child full of secrets.

He licked his lips and looked at Uchiha Chonhua with interest.

He remembered Uchiha Chonhua's sparring match with Namikaze Minato. In hindsight, that sudden surge in Chonhua's strength seemed to take on a different meaning.

Was it really as Uchiha Chonhua had said, or was he hiding something?

Orochimaru would just have to keep an eye on him.

Orochimaru's gaze shone with excitement. He was very curious!

"Nawaki!"

Seeing his sister Tsunade storm toward him, Nawaki hunched his shoulders, fear written across his face.

"Big Sis, don't hit me on the head..."

Before he could finish, Tsunade pulled Nawaki into her arms. Her eyes reddened as she said, "Don't scare me like that, Nawaki!"

Nawaki froze. His eyes reddened too, and tears rolled from their corners.

He hugged his sister tightly and repeated, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Big Sis. I made you worry."

"I'll never, ever act recklessly again."

Tsunade rapped Nawaki sharply on the head. As he clutched it in pain, she snorted.

"Remember what you said! You don't even care about your own safety, and you still dream of becoming Hokage?"

Tsunade looked at Nawaki with disdain. "If you're dead, your dreams won't matter!"

She yanked the necklace from around Nawaki's neck. "I'm taking back Grandfather's necklace. You're so rash and reckless—I can't trust you with it!"

"Aw, come on."

Nawaki's face fell. He'd begged for Grandfather's necklace for a long time. His sister had given it to him before the war began, but now it was right back where it started.

Grandfather's necklace was gone. Nawaki was utterly dejected.

"Where's Chonhua?"

Tsunade asked. Nawaki composed himself and gestured for her to follow.

They went to a tent near the back of the camp.

Tsunade stopped. She heard the familiar sounds of muffled groans and cries of pain.

She pulled back the flap, and just as she'd expected, it was the Temporary Hospital.

Uchiha Chonhua's forehead was beaded with sweat. He was treating the wounded alongside Namikaze Minato and two other ninja who knew Medical Ninjutsu.

There were even fewer medical ninja here.

Seeing this, Tsunade rolled up her sleeves. "I'll help!"

They worked frantically, and the treatment only paused temporarily once night began to fall.

Wiping the sweat from his face, Uchiha Chonhua asked, "What brings you here, Teacher Tsunade?"

Tsunade took a drink of water and said, "Orochimaru ran into a poison he couldn't identify, so Senior Sakumo sent me over."

Sunagakure were skilled with poisons. Orochimaru had studied quite a few toxins through his dealings with snakes.

During the fighting against Sunagakure, he'd figured out some of the poisons, but there were others he simply couldn't identify. He could only ask the Command Center to send Tsunade over.