Konoha Cemetery.
The Third Shinobi World War had only just broken out, and the list of Konoha's heroes had already grown considerably.
Among them were the subordinates who had accompanied Orochimaru on this mission.
There were six of them. All had died.
The S-rank mission had been completed successfully, but the cost had been steep.
Orochimaru had returned.
But he was the only one who had.
"Life is fragile, Ruohuo," Orochimaru said softly before the gravestones.
Orochimaru and his student weren't the only ones there to pay their respects. The Third and the fallen shinobi's family and friends were there as well.
The atmosphere was somber.
But Ruohuo had reason to suspect that Orochimaru had come to pay his respects only to put on a show in front of the Third.
"I can feel their Will of Fire, Sensei."
As Orochimaru's student, Ruohuo had learned how to play his part, too.
"They sacrificed themselves for Konoha's future."
"I'll carry the Will of Fire of those who came before me and become a worthy Chunin!"
Orochimaru smiled and rested a hand on Ruohuo's shoulder.
He didn't pat his head because Ruohuo would definitely dodge...
At noon, the final round of the Chunin exams began.
Every examination had its share of favoritism, and the Chunin exams were no exception.
Looking at those "familiar" faces and recalling the funeral that morning, Ruohuo suddenly understood the Third a little better.
The fighting at the front was getting more intense by the day.
Konoha's war reserves were still sufficient for now, but the village had to prepare for what lay ahead.
Some of these Genin candidates really were strong enough to be Chunin.
By the rules, they should have been eliminated. But the person who made those rules clearly needed more Chunin.
"So how exactly did Might Duy offend the Third?"
Ruohuo glanced around, but couldn't spot Might Duy. He muttered under his breath.
Could someone who'd one day kick the Seven Ninja Swordsmen down to the Lucky Trio really be unqualified to become a Chunin without opening the Eight Gates?
Whatever.
"First match! Uchiha Ruohuo versus Hyuga Seikawa!"
"Contestants, take your positions!"
Ruohuo stepped into the arena. His opponent was a Hyuga boy of about twelve or thirteen.
There was no one by that name in the original story. He was probably just some nobody.
But since Ruohuo had made it this far, he decided to hold back a little to make sure he got his Chunin vest.
Right.
He'd show off his combat intelligence and the Will of Fire of the Konoha Style, putting the Third at ease.
Ruohuo formed the Seal of Confrontation.
Hyuga Seikawa did the same, then threatened him in a chilly tone. "I've finally been waiting for this moment..."
"Though the clan head has repeatedly forbidden me from fighting you, this is the Chunin exam, after all."
"So no matter what I do from here on, the clan head won't interfere, Uchiha Ruohuo!"
"..." Ruohuo frowned. "Are you serious?"
Had that fire in the Forest of Death awakened your Will of Fire, Hyuga Style?
Did you really have to fight the Uchiha to the death?
But Ruohuo soon understood the reason for Seikawa's hostility.
"My poor little brother still can't get out of bed! I'm his older brother, but I can't do anything! You have no idea how I feel!"
"..." Ruohuo shrugged.
"You could... spend more time with him, you know."
"Begin!" The examiner cut off the threats with a command, then retreated beyond the fighting range.
"Byakugan!" Hyuga Seikawa immediately entered battle mode. Veins bulged around his eyes as he rushed at Ruohuo!
Ruohuo didn't let his guard down.
He knew the exam was being controlled behind the scenes, from the opponents to the results.
In other words, Seikawa had been assigned to him by the Third.
Twice his age, with an equally powerful Kekkei Genkai and formidable Gentle Fist.
So, in Ruohuo's view...
This guy should be pretty tough.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Fist of the Fire God!
Ruohuo breathed out a blaze that took the shape of a fist and slammed toward Seikawa!
"That boy's Fire Style... has gotten even stronger." In the stands, Fugaku praised him, his fingers entwined with his wife's.
He'd never seen anyone reshape a Great Fireball like that before.
"But it does suit Ruohuo's age, doesn't it, dear?" said Mikoto with a gentle smile. Her pregnancy was already showing. "Don't you think that jutsu is cute?"
"Haha." Fugaku chuckled. "Cute? I doubt his opponent would agree."
On a raised platform in the distance, the Third made a similar remark.
"He's still a child, after all... But his control over the shape of the ninjutsu is truly impressive. A Uchiha prodigy, as expected."
"Ruohuo's talent for Fire Release Ninjutsu may exceed our understanding, Sensei," Orochimaru said hoarsely from behind the Third. "After discovering his unusual ability, I already kept raising my estimate of his talent."
"But the truth is, Ruohuo still has a long way to go before he fully develops it..."
Orochimaru glanced at his teacher's thoughtful expression and smiled faintly.
He wasn't the only one who'd underestimated Ruohuo's talent. Even his teacher had done the same, hadn't he?
Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried to have this Hyuga boy defeat Ruohuo with the Gentle Fist...
True, his age meant that Taijutsu and chakra reserves might be Ruohuo's only weaknesses right now.
But how could age conceal the blazing light within this boy?
Boom!!!
The flaming fist slammed into the ground, while Hyuga Seikawa had already retreated to the edge of the arena.
"That's the maximum range of your jutsu, right?"
Hyuga Seikawa's expression was grave. If he couldn't get close to Uchiha Ruohuo, he'd be severely limited.
But Seikawa was clearly overthinking it.
"If I make my attacks look reasonable, I should be able to do this, right?"
Ruohuo raised an eyebrow.
The final round was an elimination match, but winning or losing wasn't the deciding factor in whether someone became a Chunin.
Still, winning was better than losing... as long as he won impressively and honorably.
"Then let the show begin..."
Ruohuo raised two fingers. "Fire Style: Fire (Earth) Dragon Bullet!"
A flaming dragon's head formed beside Ruohuo and opened its jaws. Then it spat fireballs at Hyuga Seikawa one after another!
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
"Not good!" Hyuga Seikawa's expression tightened. He took a deep breath and coated his hands in chakra.
"Gentle Fist Art! Eight Trigrams Eight-Hit Palm!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Hyuga Seikawa knocked down the first wave of fireballs one after another!
But that wasn't the end. The second wave was already upon him, denser than before and twice as numerous!
"Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms!"
Hyuga Seikawa's form was precise, his chakra flowing smoothly as he knocked the fireballs aside with the Gentle Fist again!
"That Hyuga has already lost." In the stands, Fugaku shook his head.
He didn't know why Ruohuo was being so "cautious" this time, but to Fugaku, Seikawa had lost the moment the Great Fireball drove him back.
Besides, even if Seikawa managed to close in, Fugaku still didn't think Ruohuo would lose.
Ruohuo's Fire Style had been hot enough to cost the Uchiha Clan nearly a million ryo in compensation. How could an ordinary Hyuga withstand that?
"Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Hyuga Seikawa kept striking. This time, he'd knocked down exactly thirty-two fireballs!
"Hah..." Hyuga Seikawa gasped for breath.
The Gentle Fist was meant to strike an enemy's chakra points and prevent them from using chakra. He hadn't mastered the stronger Sixty-Four Palms yet, and Thirty-Two Palms was his limit.
But Uchiha Ruohuo must have almost run out of chakra by now, right?
"Hm?"
Hyuga Seikawa frowned. "Where is he?"
The arena was empty except for the examiner and a pair of shoes. Where had Ruohuo gone?
Behind him!?
Hyuga Seikawa jolted and whipped around, but there was only a wall behind him.
When he turned back, he saw the examiner staring upward in shock. The audience was just as silent.
"What happened...?"
Hyuga Seikawa looked up, his expression slowly going blank.
A dragon wreathed in roaring flames circled through the sky, dazzling and scorching. Its enormous head stared down at him, and the sight alone made his heart pound!
On the dragon's head stood the barefoot boy, two fingers raised, his face unreadable...
"Sigh..."
Ruohuo stood atop the flaming dragon and looked helplessly toward the Third in the distance.
Who said I only knew Fire Style? I've held back this much already...
You can give me that Chunin vest now, right?
Before you continue