Training Ground 175 lay in a dense forest southeast of Konoha.
The terrain was varied, with thick woods, open grassy areas, and a small river running through the middle.
Uchiha Jun arrived early and ran into Uchiha Shisui right at the entrance.
"Jun?" Uchiha Shisui asked, looking surprised. "Why are you here so early?"
"The early bird catches the worm." Uchiha Jun smiled. "Are you here to watch, too, Shisui?"
"Yeah." Uchiha Shisui nodded. "The clan head asked me to come see how you do."
"Clan Head Fugaku is coming, too?" Uchiha Jun raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. The clan head said your talent deserves attention, so he'll be watching in person."
Uchiha Shisui paused, then added, "I heard the Lord Third will be keeping an eye on this test, too."
Uchiha Jun's heart stirred.
What? Sarutobi Hiruzen was involved, too?
Didn't that mean he might attract unwanted attention if he performed too well?
But if he didn't do well, he'd lose the S-Rank Ninja Fragment.
That was a problem.
"Whatever. I'll take it as it comes." Uchiha Jun shook his head and pushed the thought aside.
The two of them walked into the training ground together.
Uchiha Jun looked around, then suddenly thought of something.
"Shisui, do you have a spare Ninja Blade?"
"A Ninja Blade?" Uchiha Shisui asked, surprised.
"I use a Ninja Blade for most of my sword techniques. I can use a Kunai, too, but it won't be as effective," Uchiha Jun explained.
Uchiha Shisui thought for a moment, then took the Ninja Blade from his back and handed it to Uchiha Jun.
"You can borrow this one."
"Thanks!"
Uchiha Jun took the Ninja Blade and weighed it in his hand.
The blade was about sixty centimeters long, with a sharp edge and a grip wrapped in anti-slip cord. It felt good in his hand.
Under the [Senju Tobirama (Young)] template, a wealth of swordsmanship knowledge flooded Uchiha Jun's mind.
Senju-style Swordsmanship!
Uchiha Jun twisted his wrist. The Ninja Blade flashed through the air, tracing a bright arc as he spun it, and rang out with a hum.
"Nice blade!" Uchiha Jun praised.
Uchiha Shisui watched Uchiha Jun's movements, surprise flickering in his eyes.
"Jun, your swordsmanship..."
"I just mess around with it. It's nothing special," Uchiha Jun said offhandedly.
He gave a sheepish laugh and didn't explain further.
They walked around the training ground, and Uchiha Jun picked an open spot near the river for his battlefield.
Water Release was strongest near water.
Uchiha Shisui, meanwhile, leaped onto a tree and sat on a branch, ready to watch.
The agreed time was nine in the morning.
Uchiha Jun stood by the river with his eyes closed, waiting patiently.
At eight thirty, a steady, weighty chakra signature entered his range.
Uchiha Fugaku had arrived.
At eight forty-five, a feeling of being watched descended from above.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had arrived, too.
But Orochimaru's chakra was nowhere to be found.
"Where is he?" Uchiha Jun frowned.
Time passed minute by minute.
At nine sharp, Orochimaru still hadn't shown up.
At nine oh-five, he was still nowhere to be seen.
Nine ten...
"What's going on? Did you get lost at life's crossroads, too?" Uchiha Jun wondered.
Just as he was about to make a snarky comment, the situation suddenly changed!
"Boom—!"
The ground beneath Uchiha Jun split open without warning. A gaping maw burst out of the earth and lunged at him!
"Holy shit!"
Uchiha Jun's pupils shrank. His body reacted instinctively.
Under the [Senju Tobirama (Young)] template, his heightened senses detected the chakra underground at once.
That giant serpent had been lurking beneath the ground for at least ten minutes!
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Without hesitation, Uchiha Jun's form turned into a flash of water and vanished from the spot.
"Bang!"
The serpent's jaws snapped shut on empty air, gouging a huge crater in the ground.
Uchiha Jun appeared ten meters away, standing on the river's surface as he watched the giant serpent emerge from underground.
Good lord, the serpent was at least ten meters long, its body thicker than a barrel. Dark brown scales covered it from head to tail, and its golden, slit-pupiled eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
"Orochimaru's snake!"
Uchiha Jun narrowed his eyes.
But before he could catch his breath, the ground around him cracked open again!
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!"
One giant serpent after another burst out of the earth, surrounding Uchiha Jun.
He glanced around. There were at least a dozen of them!
Each one had the strength of a Chunin!
"This is supposed to be a Genin test?!"
"Does Konoha have even a shred of humanity?!"
"No wonder you got your defeat CG after your big strike, you damn bastard!"
Uchiha Jun's mouth twitched. He couldn't help cursing under his breath.
But now wasn't the time for snark.
The giant serpents opened their gaping jaws and lunged at Uchiha Jun!
"Water Style: Water Wave!"
Uchiha Jun formed Hand Seals, and a violent surge of water sprang from the river, turning into a waterspout that sent the nearest serpents flying.
But there were too many of them!
As soon as he finished using Water Wave Jutsu, several other serpents lunged at him from the side.
Uchiha Jun drew the Ninja Blade and used Senju-style Swordsmanship.
"Clang!"
The blade struck the serpent's scales, sending a shower of sparks flying.
The serpent's scales were harder than steel!
"You've got to be kidding me."
Uchiha Jun's expression changed, and he hurriedly dodged.
But just then, another serpent attacked from behind, opening its jaws to sink its sharp fangs into Uchiha Jun's neck!
"Body Flicker Technique!"
"Bang!"
Uchiha Jun appeared farther away, his expression dark.
"This won't work."
The next moment, Uchiha Jun used Tobirama Senju's sensory ability to search for Orochimaru with all his might.
Strangely, he couldn't sense Orochimaru anywhere within several hundred meters. The only chakra signatures there were Uchiha Fugaku's and Sarutobi Hiruzen's!
"How is that possible? Orochimaru isn't here?"
Uchiha Jun dodged the serpents' attacks while rapidly thinking.
No, Orochimaru had to be here.
He was controlling those serpents. He couldn't be far away.
If Uchiha Jun couldn't sense him, that meant Orochimaru had used some method to conceal his chakra.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
He'd been fighting for ages without even seeing Orochimaru. How was he supposed to pass the test?
As more and more giant serpents appeared, Uchiha Jun began to lose his temper.
"I was going to treat you like ordinary people, but all I got in return was rejection..."
Uchiha Jun took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening.
"I'm done pretending. Here's the truth!"
[Uchiha Sasuke (Shippuden), equip!]
"Orochimaru, you showed no mercy, so don't blame me for using your 'stern father' against you!"