The news that Hatake Sakumo had recovered was like a boulder dropped into a still lake, stirring up a huge commotion in Konoha.
In just one day, the talk on every street had completely changed.
"Have you heard? Lord Sakumo went to the Hokage Building this morning. He looked full of energy!"
"I have a friend who was in the hallway when he said those things outside the Hokage Office. They heard it with their own ears!
'Protecting your comrades is a shinobi's bare minimum'—he was absolutely right!"
"What about all those people who were talking behind his back before? Why are they quiet now?"
"Honestly, we were manipulated by people with ulterior motives... If you think about it, was Lord Sakumo wrong to save his comrades?"
"Not at all! You can take another mission, but once your comrades are dead, they're gone for good!"
Public opinion began to turn.
He was still the same hero; he had simply made a difficult but understandable choice.
And now that Sakumo had so forcefully redefined that choice, it had earned him even more understanding and admiration.
Of course, there were still dissenting voices among the higher-ups, and discussions about punishment continued.
But at least Hatake Sakumo would no longer be haunted by the prospect of "suicide."
Uchiha Ryūha saw all of it.
He sat at the training ground behind the Uchiha Compound, twirling a Shuriken in his hand as he calmly watched the bustling village below.
A system panel appeared before him.
[Special bond "Oath of the White Fang" activated: Hatake Sakumo's current favorability: Trust (75/100)]
Uchiha Ryūha's lips curved slightly.
Seventy-five points of favorability already put Sakumo at the "Trust" level.
In the Shinobi World, that was almost the same as being bound by life and death.
Just then, footsteps sounded at the training ground entrance.
Ryūha didn't turn around. His Reiatsu had already told him who it was.
The footsteps were steady, imbued with firm resolve.
Hatake Sakumo stopped three paces behind him.
"Ryūha."
Uchiha Ryūha turned and gave a slight nod. "Lord Sakumo."
Today, Hatake Sakumo wasn't wearing his despondent house clothes. He had changed into a dark gray shinobi outfit, with the White Fang Short Blade tucked behind his waist.
His hair was neatly combed and his stubble shaved off. Though his eyes still held traces of exhaustion, his whole bearing had changed completely.
Like a blade freshly sharpened.
"Here. This is for you." Hatake Sakumo took a short blade from inside his clothes and held it out.
The blade was about a foot and two inches long. Its scabbard was made of deep-black sharkskin and bore the Hatake Clan crest: a lightning bolt cutting through a fang.
The handle was wrapped in black cord, solid and comfortable to grip.
Ryūha didn't refuse. He took the short blade and drew it from its scabbard.
Clang—
The blade rang out with a clear, crisp note.
Its surface gleamed like snow, shining with a cold light.
The pattern on the blade flowed like water. Its tip curved slightly upward, graceful and deadly.
Near the guard, a tiny "Saku" was engraved.
"This was a spare weapon I used when I was young," Hatake Sakumo said.
"It isn't the White Fang, but it was forged by a master smith and can cut through iron like mud.
You saved me, and you saved Kakashi's future. I don't know how I can repay you for that.
Take this for now. It's a small token of my gratitude."
Ryūha slid the blade back into its scabbard and held it in his hand.
It wasn't heavy, and it fit his grip perfectly.
He could feel the fierce killing intent within the blade—it had tasted plenty of blood.
"Thanks." He didn't stand on ceremony. "I was just missing a short blade that suited me."
A flicker of appreciation passed through Hatake Sakumo's eyes.
No fuss, no pretense, just a frank acceptance of the gift—Ryūha's character was to his liking.
"Also..." Hatake Sakumo paused, lowering his voice. "I heard Root, Shimura Danzō's organization, once made a move against you... Is that true?"
Uchiha Ryūha pushed up his glasses. "Yes. They tried to recruit me a couple of days ago, but I turned them down."
"Damn old bastard." Hatake Sakumo tightened his grip on his short blade. "I'll go warn them."
"It's fine." Ryūha genuinely didn't care. With his strength now, Danzō would have to act personally.
Root alone couldn't cause him any trouble.
"There's something else," Hatake Sakumo said.
"The Third Hokage just announced that in half a month, Konoha will join Sunagakure and Kumogakure in holding a Chunin Selection Exam.
Officially, it's to "promote exchanges and assess the next generation," but...
A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "Kumogakure has also sent a delegation to 'observe.'
Those people have always been warlike. They wouldn't have come running over on their own unless they had something up their sleeves.
Konoha will tighten security during the exams, but there are bound to be gaps.
If you're going to take part, be careful."
Ryūha nodded. "I was planning to sign up."
Hatake Sakumo wasn't surprised.
Given the strength and character Uchiha Ryūha had shown, it was inevitable he would take the Chunin exams.
Being a Genin had already become a constraint for him.
"Registration opens this afternoon," Hatake Sakumo said. "If you need anything, you can give them my name.
The Hatake Clan isn't a major clan, but thanks to me, we still carry some weight in Konoha."
He was openly putting his support behind Ryūha.
Ryūha smiled. "All right."
Hatake Sakumo patted him on the shoulder, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
As he walked out of the training ground, he deliberately slowed his pace, giving the Uchiha clan members along the way a chance to see him talking with Ryūha and giving him the blade.
Soon, word that "Hatake Sakumo visited Uchiha Ryūha and gave him a blade" would spread throughout the Uchiha Compound, and then across Konoha.
It was a silent declaration:
Uchiha Ryūha has my protection.
That afternoon, at the Ninja Academy.
The registration desk for the Chunin exams had been set up in the largest training hall.
Several Chunin examiners sat behind a long table, responsible for recording names and reviewing applications.
Quite a crowd had already gathered in the training hall.
Recent graduates, Genin from previous years, and even some veteran Genin who looked to be in their twenties were lining up to register.
The atmosphere was lively, but there was also a hint of tension.
"Have you heard? This time it's a joint exam between three villages. Sunagakure and Kumogakure are both sending people!"
"Kumogakure? Those battle maniacs? 'Observing'? Yeah, right!"
"Be careful. I heard the people Kumogakure's sending are all hard cases. They might pull something underhanded during the exams..."
When Uchiha Ryūha entered the training hall, he caused a small stir.
"It's Uchiha Ryūha!"
"That genius who awakened an unknown kekkei genkai?"
"I heard he took down a wandering shinobi with Genin-level strength in one move during a mission a few days ago..."
"Lord Hatake Sakumo even went out of his way to visit him this morning!"
The murmurs buzzed around him.
Uchiha Ryūha ignored them and headed straight for the registration desk.
Behind him came Haruno Kazuya and Fujiwara Itsuki from Team Seven, along with their Jonin instructor, Matsumoto Ryūichi.
"Lord Ryūha, have you really decided to take part?" Haruno Kazuya asked quietly, his voice full of admiration.
"Yeah." Ryūha nodded.
"Then we..." Fujiwara Itsuki scratched his head. "We should sign up too! We may not be strong enough, but it'd be good to get some experience alongside Lord Ryūha!"
Matsumoto Ryūichi spoke up as well. "Ryūha, with your strength, you shouldn't have any trouble passing the Chunin exams.
But this time is different. Three villages are involved, and the exam could be... brutal.
You should be prepared."
"I know," Ryūha said.
The three of them reached the registration counter and were about to fill out the forms—
"Ryūha!"
A bright, lively voice came from beside them.
Ryūha turned.
There stood Uzumaki Kushina, her vibrant red hair and green eyes framed by a brilliant smile.
She was tugging along a handsome young man with blond hair, blue eyes, and a warm smile.
Namikaze Minato.
The future Fourth Hokage—and her husband.
"Senior Kushina, Senior Minato." Ryūha gave them a slight nod.
"You're signing up for the Chunin exams too?" Kushina came over and slapped Ryūha on the shoulder, carefree as ever.
"Not bad! I knew you weren't ordinary! Minato, see? I told you he'd take part!"
Namikaze Minato smiled warmly and looked at Ryūha. "Ryūha, I'm looking forward to seeing how you do in the exams."
His smile was infectious, and his blue eyes held genuine admiration.
This was Namikaze Minato.
Sunny, powerful, and the kind of genius shinobi who naturally inspired goodwill.
In the Third Shinobi World War, he would make a name for himself and become the renowned Yellow Flash.
Uchiha Ryūha pushed up his glasses. "You're too kind, Senior Minato. I'm only here to gain experience."
"Don't be so modest!" Kushina said with a grin. "By the way, all three of you from Team Seven are signing up?
You'll have an advantage in the team event!
Minato and I signed up as a team too, along with another teammate... Well, he's got something to take care of, so he'll be here a little later."
As she was speaking, a commotion suddenly rose at the hall entrance.
The crowd parted on its own.
A group of tall, dark-skinned shinobi in dark uniforms.
They surrounded an old man in a white robe and a Raikage's hat as they entered.
The symbol on their Forehead Protectors was a lightning bolt amid clouds.
Kumogakure!
The chatter in the training hall immediately died down.
Everyone looked at the Kumogakure shinobi, their eyes wary and guarded.
The Kumogakure shinobi didn't care. They swaggered over to the registration desk, their gazes sweeping across the people in line.
The young man at the front, with a mohawk, let his gaze linger on Uzumaki Kushina for two seconds.
Red hair was rare in the Shinobi World, especially in Konoha.
Then his gaze shifted to Ryūha.
More precisely, it settled on the new short blade at Ryūha's waist.
The Hatake Clan crest was faintly visible under the lights in the training hall.
The mohawked young man raised an eyebrow and curled his lips into a provocative sneer.
He looked Ryūha up and down with undisguised, predatory eyes, then scoffed.
"Does Konoha's Genin really get to carry the White Fang's short blade?"
The moment he finished speaking, the training hall fell deathly silent.
The faces of every Konoha shinobi darkened.
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