Indra's Chakra

Back before Konoha was established, during the Warring States Period.

Fire Style had once been synonymous with the Uchiha.

The Uchiha possessed the Kekkei Genkai known as the Sharingan. On the battlefield, they used powerful Fire Style techniques to reduce countless enemies to ashes.

In all the vast Ninja World, only the Senju Clan could stand against them.

Later, the Uchiha and Senju set aside their differences and founded Konoha together.

The Ninja World entered a new era of hidden villages, and shinobi found themselves living in a new world.

As time passed, Konoha weathered two Shinobi World Wars. The Third Shinobi World War had only just begun not long ago.

Generations changed, but the Uchiha remained an ancient, powerful clan—and one of Konoha's great families.

Yet after moving their clan grounds several times, the Uchiha had become little more than Konoha's police force...

And now.

As that Fire Dragon spiraled above the exam arena!

As the Uchiha boy raised two fingers, seemingly hesitating over whether to burn his opponent to ash!

Could the fear of the Uchiha, buried deep in the souls of their ancestors, really be felt by Hyuga Seikawa alone?

"Fire Style... can it really be used like that?"

An Akimichi finally couldn't contain his astonishment. He even forgot about the chips in his hand, his voice trembling.

"So this is the Uchiha..."

"..."

Fugaku didn't voice any words of shock. He seemed calm, but Mikoto, whose fingers were entwined with his, could feel her husband's excitement better than anyone.

She gently stroked her belly. "My child, you have a very powerful big brother."

"Orochimaru..."

Wearing his hat, the Third had once witnessed Ruohuo's technique with his own eyes through the Crystal Ball. He took a puff of his pipe, but his aged face showed little joy.

No one knew what the old man was thinking—not even Orochimaru, who stood closest to him.

"During the second Chunin exam, the boy once used this technique to circle the Forest of Death, setting a huge swath of forest ablaze."

"I had no choice but to stop the exam. It took the Rescue Squad a full three hours to put out that fire..."

"I've heard, teacher." Orochimaru gave his voice a grave note.

"This was my oversight. I still underestimated the boy's talent. His current strength has far surpassed what the Chunin exam can handle..."

"I should have anticipated it."

Orochimaru took the blame upon himself.

But how could the Third possibly hold him responsible?

The Uchiha had already covered Konoha's losses this time, and besides, the Third's purpose now wasn't to assign blame.

Another extraordinarily talented Uchiha...

Danzo's concerns weren't unfounded, but the Third was still more inclined to follow the example set by his teacher.

"From now on, keep the boy by your side, Orochimaru... don't forget what I've entrusted to you."

Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Understood, teacher."

The key to reconciling the Uchiha and Konoha?

Orochimaru hadn't forgotten the boy's dream that day...

To become clan head, protect Konoha, venture into the Ninja World, and build something great.

In Orochimaru's eyes, his teacher's concerns were undoubtedly unnecessary.

The boy hadn't come into contact with any of that yet.

And if Konoha's High Command would only set aside some of its prejudice, what need was there for a bridge?

In a shadowy corner.

Danzo watched the boy coldly. The sunlight never reached the old man, and no one could make out his expression.

"Elder, the Bug Squad has intercepted White Fang's emergency distress call."

A Root Ninja appeared, bowed, and quietly reported.

"Tell the Bug Squad to withdraw from the battlefield, maintain silence, and prepare to carry out the extermination mission against the Uchiha."

Danzo kept his eyes fixed on the boy above the exam arena and continued:

"Give the intelligence on Uchiha Ruohuo to those rats hiding in Konoha. Make sure they can send it back to their respective villages."

"If the plan fails, I still want to ensure that brat dies in an attack by another hidden village."

"Yes." The Root Ninja vanished.

Danzo tapped the armrest rhythmically with his fingers. He'd made plenty of preparations in advance, but still didn't think the operation was safe enough.

That Uchiha brat's talent was plain to see.

Danzo had been born in an era protected by the First, when the Ninja World Asura's legacy still cast its shadow.

He didn't know whether the Uchiha brat deserved to be compared to Uchiha Madara.

But Danzo didn't want to—and didn't dare to—wait and see...

What if the brat became another Uchiha Madara?

Konoha didn't have a second First to stand against him...

"If Orochimaru is willing to cooperate, so much the better..."

Danzo closed his eyes and considered whether it was possible.

From what he knew of Monkey, the Fourth Hokage's position would never be passed to Orochimaru.

Even if Tsunade had been down and out since the Second Shinobi World War, and Jiraiya had no desire to become Hokage, Monkey wouldn't consider Orochimaru as long as there was a more suitable candidate.

That man was far too ambitious...

But if he could make use of that ambition, perhaps...

Hyuga Seikawa ultimately failed to avenge his beloved younger brother.

The examiner announced the winner.

But Hyuga Seikawa really had been the "strongest" of the candidates.

After that, Ruohuo received a bye in the semifinals.

Then he faced an opponent who withdrew of his own accord. He made it to the finals without even getting out of his seat.

Just as he prepared to go through one more round of formalities, his final opponent withdrew as well. The semifinal had taken too much out of him, and both his chakra and stamina were running low.

"..."

And so Ruohuo won first place without breaking a sweat. He felt as if he'd taken part in nothing at all.

With that, the Chunin exam was declared over.

The exam had taken less time overall. If the rules hadn't been urgently changed to keep several candidates in the running by other means, it would have ended even sooner.

But the moment Ruohuo rode a Fire Dragon above the exam arena spread by word of mouth among the Konoha shinobi in the stands.

It wasn't exactly the talk of the town, but everyone marveled that such a prodigy had emerged among the Uchiha.

The Third announced that four people had been promoted to Chunin.

Ruohuo was one of them, along with two civilian shinobi who had performed well in the semifinals.

And the last one was none other than Ruohuo's opponent in the first round, Hyuga Seikawa!

Well... managing to "last" through two of Ruohuo's techniques was something to be proud of.

As for what Hyuga Seikawa himself thought...

Ruohuo couldn't be bothered to guess. He had something more important to do now.

[ Ding— ]

[Clan Mission (B): Get promoted to Konoha Chunin. ✓]

[Received B-rank Clan Reward: Indra's Chakra.]

[Indra's Chakra: Your chakra will be empowered by Indra, the progenitor of ninjutsu, and you will gain the Power of Samsara: Yin.]

[Power of Samsara: Yin: Your spiritual energy has greatly increased. When you obtain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and the Power of Samsara: Yang, you can gain the Six Paths Eyes.]

[You received 1 B-rank Main Skill Slot.]

[Personal Attribute Interface unlocked. Click to view.]

[Your Sharingan has evolved into the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.]

"..."

After Ruohuo finished processing the information,

Did I just get something incredible?