True Enrollment at the Ninja Academy

The next day, having slept poorly, Uchiha Zhuang opened his bedroom door and stepped into the living room. He saw the breakfast already prepared and a note left behind, the house now empty. Reading the note, which said, "Whether you are strong or weak, it is only temporary; remember to eat on time," a warmth instantly flooded Uchiha Zhuang's heart. He smiled, placed the note back on the table, and ate his breakfast at a leisurely pace.

Arriving at the Hokage Rock, he gazed out at the panoramic view. Lying on the grass, watching the deep blue sky and the drifting white clouds, he felt an unexpected sense of peace. As the breeze blew, his eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, Uchiha Zhuang fell asleep. In his dream, he saw the Kage-level powerhouse again, but this time, the warrior wasn't fighting; he was traveling incessantly, witnessing one magnificent and wondrous landscape after another. Filled with realization, the warrior walked toward the sunset, seemingly waving at Uchiha Zhuang one last time before leaving only his silhouette behind. "Onii-sama!" A voice rang out nearby. Uchiha Zhuang slowly opened his eyes to see Jiraiya and Orochimaru calling to him softly. He sat up straight and said, "I'm thirsty. Here is ten thousand ryo. You two go together and buy me a sparkling fruit juice. Make sure the ice doesn't melt; I want it chilled." After speaking, Uchiha Zhuang lay back down, crossed his legs, and stared at the sky. The two boys took the money and ran toward the building district with a shout of "Hai!" "Remember to bring some snacks, too. We'll eat before training," Uchiha Zhuang called out. "Hai!" the two replied from a distance!

By the time his little underlings returned with the goods, Uchiha Zhuang had taken another nap—was this the lethargy of spring and autumn? He stretched his limbs, let out a yawn, and the three of them began to eat. Once finished, Uchiha Zhuang said, "The plan is set. From now on, every day—and I mean every day! You two will run laps around Konoha. I don't require speed; you can even start by walking. After one lap, you will each practice sit-ups, push-ups, tree-climbing, and water-treading for half an hour each. This will last for three years! After three years, the previous routine remains, but you will add one hour each of shuriken throwing, kunai practice, swordsmanship, and sparring. Three years after that, everything remains the same, but you will add one hour each of ninjutsu casting, hand seals, and rapid-fire seal practice under pressure. You may increase the training load during these nine years, but you may not decrease it. Once these nine years of training are complete, it will be time to head to the battlefield. Go and temper yourselves there." Hearing Uchiha Zhuang's systematic training plan, the two underlings were astonished, then knelt to thank him. In the ninja world, no one would formulate a training plan for others without reason; everyone basically fumbled through it themselves. Such a complete and clear plan was no less than giving a third-grader a twelve-year study guide for college entrance exams—they were already ahead of other children at the starting line. In the following month, under Uchiha Zhuang's training and with sufficient food, the two made rapid progress. Their physical fitness far exceeded that of ordinary children, and they even began to slowly refine their chakra. On the final day, Uchiha Zhuang demonstrated all the Water and Fire Style ninjutsu he had mastered, carefully explaining the pros, cons, and precautions for each. The underlings listened, mesmerized; after all, powerful and flashy ninjutsu were cool to anyone, let alone children.

On a crisp autumn afternoon, the three walked slowly toward the streets of Konoha. Uchiha Zhuang shared parts of his recent experiences that were suitable for children and slowly instilled his philosophy in them: this world needs peace! He spoke of the Child of Prophecy, mountain gods, natural energy, and more. In front of the Uchiha compound at dusk, Uchiha Zhuang looked at his two underlings and said, "A bag of rice must be carried to the second floor, a bag of rice must be carried to the third floor... only by experiencing pain can one understand pain, empathize, and cherish peace. But do not let pain blind your eyes. Think more, and treat the world with kindness! That is how you will find the path to peace!" Watching Uchiha Zhuang, who stood with his back to the sunset with stars seemingly flickering in his eyes, the two felt a tremor in their hearts; a sense of worship for his strength began to grow within them. Seeing that it was getting late, Uchiha Zhuang urged them to go home. The two underlings left reluctantly, turning back every few steps. Finally, Jiraiya shouted to Uchiha Zhuang, "Onii-sama! What should we do if we encounter a situation where we have absolutely no idea what to do!?" "When in doubt, ask the spring breeze. If the spring breeze is silent, follow your heart," Uchiha Zhuang replied with an ancient saying (a common phrase from Earth, though in the ninja world, it sounded like an ancient proverb from thousands of years ago). After speaking, Uchiha Zhuang turned and walked home, muttering to himself, "I don't know a damn thing; I'm just as lost as you are! You two are the ones who will be half-protagonists later; you can do whatever you want and be fine." Back home, Uchiha Zhuang saw Meiko cooking and Genmu reading the newspaper with a toothpick in his mouth and his legs propped up. He smiled gently and walked inside.

During dinner, Uchiha Zhuang looked at the two and said, "I've thought about it carefully. I think finishing the Ninja Academy is a good idea. It will allow me to build a solid foundation, meet more companions, and make it easier to train later." There were no wild claims about saving the world or bringing peace; instead, his words were ordinary and grounded in reality. Meiko and Genmu were both surprised. "Is that really what you think?" Without a word, Uchiha Zhuang took out the Five Elements Eight Trigrams Body Tempering Manual and gave it to Genmu. The two took it and flipped through the pages, seeing that the content was entirely about human meridians, acupoints, and detailed conditioning techniques, with cultivation methods and combat techniques in the back. Shocked, the two were speechless for a long time. Meiko said, "Where did this come from? A secret manual like this is a treasure; it's likely the foundation of some clan!" "You must never let anyone else know about this! This book is enough to have our entire family wiped out in silence," Genmu said, still shaken. Uchiha Zhuang hadn't expected such a reaction; it seemed that such manuals were incredibly precious in the ninja world! He would have to be careful not to take it out so casually in the future. Uchiha Zhuang said earnestly, "I didn't know it was so precious; I'll be more careful next time. I found this in the locker of a bandit leader when I wiped out a hideout in the Land of Rivers. I suspect they had just looted it from some fleeing clan members who were carrying this treasure!" "That must be it; otherwise, bandits could never possess such a treasure. What do you plan to do with it?" Genmu asked. "I don't know, can I trade this book for a wife?!" Genmu had been expecting something sensible, but upon hearing this answer, he was petrified on the spot. Only Meiko smiled and said, "Is it that little girl from the Hyuga clan? I heard about it—you saved her that day and even went on a date! Don't worry, Genmu and I will help you!" Uchiha Zhuang was speechless; whenever the topic of a daughter-in-law came up, Meiko was exceptionally proactive! "I mean, we can see just by looking at it that this book is perfectly suited for the Hyuga clan's cultivation. It's a brand-new theory, and I think it would be a huge help to their clan's strength. They would never give up such a treasure. So, I want to use this book as a possibility and a catalyst to forge an alliance between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans. Ideally, it would lead to me getting a wife, though I think the chances are low." "That possibility exists, but you must understand that the village elders have always prevented the Uchiha and Hyuga from getting too close. If you pull out a treasure like this, it won't escape the eyes of the higher-ups. They will stop us from forming an alliance at any time, or even find an excuse to confiscate the treasure. Don't think it's impossible; it has happened before," Genmu mused. The three fell silent, staring at the treasure, lost in thought.