"Ding. System notification: Challenge mission—defeat the Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen. If you fail, you will lose all your clothes and be tied up outside the Konoha Gate."
"Are you kidding me? You want me to challenge the Third? Don't mess with me like this!"
Uchiha Chen felt like this system had been made to send him to his death. Challenging Itachi and Shisui had been manageable; at least, they weren't much older than him.
They were geniuses and strong, sure, but still within reason.
But what came next? A mission to hunt bandits had brought Orochimaru into the picture, and now he was supposed to challenge the Third?
Uchiha Chen felt that in less than a month, he'd be asked to challenge Kaguya.
"Relax, relax. This mission has no time limit, so take your time completing it. This system is going to get some rest."
The shameless system chimed in again. Chen really wanted to strangle the thing.
"Chen? What's wrong?"
Uchiha Shisui looked puzzled, thinking Chen had used up too much chakra.
"Oh, it's nothing, Big Brother Shisui. I still have plenty of chakra. The Great Fireball Technique doesn't take that much out of me. I could probably use it about ten more times right now."
Both Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi were startled by that.
Neither Shisui nor Itachi had the kind of chakra reserves that made them stand out.
Hearing that Uchiha Chen had so much chakra at his age, they couldn't help feeling a little envious.
"You really are something. At this rate, in less than a year, you'll have more chakra than Itachi and me combined."
Shisui sounded a little helpless.
"It's not that exaggerated, is it?"
Chen was a little embarrassed. He hadn't even told them the whole truth.
Maybe it was because of the system, or maybe because he was a transmigrator, but Chen's chakra reserves were astonishing.
Of course, he still couldn't compare to that guy who could casually make hundreds or even thousands of Shadow Clones.
"Even if you have a lot of chakra, you still need to learn how to control it.
Saving chakra during a fight could be the difference between life and death. Starting today, you're going to learn how to manage your chakra.
Itachi, keep an eye on him."
Shisui didn't want a genius to go to waste, so he wanted to help Chen avoid unnecessary detours.
"No problem."
Itachi nodded. Clearly, he listened to Shisui.
"Chen, have you considered enrolling in the Ninja Academy?
With your talent, you could easily join as a transfer student."
Shisui suddenly brought it up. Chen was only a little over four years old, but his abilities were already enough for the Ninja Academy. He might even have been able to graduate early.
"I think I'll pass. I'd rather wait until I'm old enough to start school."
Chen wasn't very fond of school.
More importantly, starting at the Ninja Academy at four would inevitably draw attention.
Attention from others wouldn't be a big deal, but if Danzo or Orochimaru took an interest in him, that would be trouble.
And with a system that was always trying to get him killed, who knew if it would give him a mission to break into Root headquarters?
"If that's what you want, I won't push you.
But if you change your mind, you can always come find me.
By the way, I'll be going on a mission over the next few days. Just train with Itachi."
Shisui was already a Chunin, so naturally he had missions to carry out. He'd only been resting because he'd just finished one.
"No problem."
Uchiha Chen trained with Itachi and Shisui all morning.
The abilities he'd gained from the system were all at proficient level, but proficiency and being able to use them in actual combat were two different things.
After all, Uchiha Chen hadn't developed his abilities gradually.
After a full day of training, Chen had made a lot of progress, but he was exhausted.
Back at his place, he collapsed onto the bed and opened the system.
Host: Uchiha Chen Age: 4 (18) Abilities: Ninjutsu: Three Body Technique LV1, Great Fireball Technique LV1, Shadow Clone Technique LV1. Taijutsu: Basic Taijutsu LV1. Genjutsu: XXXXX. Items: Blade of the Soul (Asauchi)
Looking at the system panel, Chen felt a little helpless. Most of the missions he'd gotten over the past four years had been useless. Only recently had he started getting some normal ones.
At least now he'd seen things like ninjutsu.
Still, the next mission was clearly another trap.
If it had only been to challenge the Third, that would've been one thing. The problem was that he had to defeat him.
Even in old age, with his strength greatly diminished, the Third was still Kage Level. Even without considering the guards, Chen couldn't defeat him.
"Am I really supposed to wait a few years? If I do that, this damn system probably won't give me any other missions, and I won't get anything else out of it."
Thinking this over, Chen picked up his Zanpakuto.
It was a weapon from the Bleach World, and Chen figured that if he could manage to achieve Shikai, he might actually have a chance to challenge the Third.
But after sitting quietly for a long time, Chen still felt nothing.
He couldn't help wondering: was this thing really an Asauchi?
"Looks like I can't rely on this useless system. I'll have to figure something out another way.
The Third is a lecher. Maybe I should just use the Sexy Technique?"
The Sexy Technique was basically just the Transformation Technique. Chen couldn't believe it would work on the Third.
Still, he really didn't want to be as shameless as Naruto.
"Wait... I've got it."
Chen suddenly thought of a way he might be able to "defeat" the Third, and immediately began making preparations.
Uchiha Chen started preparing to challenge the Third. Meanwhile, Orochimaru went to see Danzo.
"What do you want?
Have there been any developments in the research on the First Hokage Cells?"
Danzo asked.
"No. I need more test subjects. There are some things I need to improve."
The thing Orochimaru was referring to was the Cursed Seal.
He'd thought the Cursed Seal was already quite well-developed, but Uchiha Chen had wiped it away without a trace. That made Orochimaru think there were still serious flaws in it.
"It still needs work?
Do you know how many test subjects I've provided you with lately? Sarutobi has started to suspect something. You should lie low for a while."
"Heh. You're worried about Teacher Sarutobi?
Danzo, don't forget that I'm the only one who can help you with certain things.
Without my medicine, you wouldn't be able to suppress the things in your body that don't belong to you."
Clearly, neither Orochimaru nor Danzo was an easy person to deal with.
"Are you threatening me?"
"You can take it that way. Remember to send the test subjects to my laboratory."
With that, Orochimaru turned and left, leaving Danzo with a dark look on his face.
"Orochimaru, don't think I have to rely on you for everything."
After Orochimaru had left, Danzo spoke with a vicious expression. He, too, had made up his mind.
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