Strength

The next day.

The Ninja Academy.

Twenty wooden dummies were set up in the training ground.

The dummies were quite worn, evidently having been recycled many times over.

Today's test primarily evaluated how quickly students could strike the twenty dummies positioned throughout the training grounds using kunai.

The test was conducted individually.

After the chunin instructor gave the order, the students ran back and forth across the training ground, each giving their all.

"Burn, my youth!"

Most were left gasping for air, though some appeared quite exhilarated.

"Kakashi, let's have a contest! Yesterday's clone technique wasn't my forte, but today's test focuses on kunai throwing and taijutsu—and taijutsu is my specialty."

Might Guy wiggled his thick eyebrows, the yellow scarf around his neck fluttering with his excitement.

"You go first."

Kakashi Hatake stared with dead-fish eyes, gesturing for Might Guy to go ahead.

He glanced toward Nohara Rin and noticed Obito chattering away about something.

Sighing, Kakashi Hatake walked over to the side of Shimizu Uchiha.

The other peers around were far too noisy; this guy was at least quieter, Kakashi thought to himself.

"Kakashi, I'll be waiting for you!"

Might Guy shouted something about youth and ran off to take the test.

The dummies were not all on level ground; some were in trees, while others were positioned opposite the half-open windows on the third floor of the classroom. Each was a significant distance away, requiring the students to sprint back and forth.

"Why haven't you graduated early?"

Once the people nearby had mostly cleared out, Kakashi suddenly asked.

"Are you talking to me?"

Shimizu turned his head.

"Your score of 90 is more than enough to graduate early. Why haven't you?"

"How can that score compare to a perfect one? I'll think about it once I can score a perfect grade."

Shimizu shook his head.

There was no benefit to revealing his true strength now; why would he expose himself so early?

Only if revealing a bit of strength could achieve a specific goal would Shimizu ever consider it.

Currently, the external strength he displayed throughout the Ninja Academy was upper-middle, just shy of the top tier.

It was a position that could justify early graduation, but also allowed him to stay.

There was a strategy to this ranking.

If he were too high, he would attract the attention of Danzo and the Third Hokage, who might start force-feeding him the Will of Fire or brainwashing him daily to put the village above all else.

Unless necessary, Shimizu didn't want that.

It wasn't that he feared what Danzo might do; as long as his talent was high enough, the Uchiha clan would certainly protect him, and since Danzo didn't have a mole working from the inside yet, he wouldn't dare tear his face off with the Uchiha.

He simply didn't want to invite unnecessary trouble; who knew what accidents might occur?

If his profile were too low, he would also attract Danzo's attention, which was dangerous. Danzo could have him killed without a trace and replace him with a member of Root disguised to live his life.

Because his presence was so faint, the Uchiha clan's attention would be minimal, making it hard for anyone to notice.

Uchiha Heyuan was one such person who had been replaced by Danzo.

Weak strength, low presence.

Whenever Shimizu thought of this, he felt a chill run down his spine.

A disguised person had infiltrated the Uchiha for so long, and Fugaku, who led the survival of the clan, hadn't even noticed.

No one knew if there were others like Uchiha Heyuan.

Therefore, Shimizu chose an upper-middle position—not too prominent, yet consistent with the Uchiha reputation for producing elites.

Danzo wouldn't target someone like that; he only went after the inconspicuous ones.

"A perfect score?"

Kakashi muttered to himself.

He had come here with the intention of inviting Shimizu Uchiha to graduate with him.

He would be graduating soon, and if Shimizu Uchiha chose to graduate at the same time, there was a high probability they would be on the same team.

He had observed Shimizu Uchiha; he was far more mature than his peers and possessed impressive strength.

The efficiency and completion rate of their missions would surely be higher if they worked together.

He wanted his father to be proud of him, and he could not tarnish the reputation of the White Fang of the Leaf.

Shimizu and Kakashi chatted idly like this.

As for Kakashi's invitation, Shimizu chose to politely decline.

Graduating early was impossible unless his strength reached the level of a Jonin or higher.

"It's my turn, I'm heading out."

Shimizu took out a kunai and went to take the test.

The average student in his grade took five minutes to complete this test.

Being able to finish within two minutes was considered a perfect score.

"Two and a half minutes will do for this time."

Shimizu calculated the time, carefully controlling his strength.

Ever since he awakened the Sharingan yesterday, his physical fitness had been slowly improving.

It would be bad if he accidentally scored a perfect grade.

Shimizu planned out the route he would take; each puppet was at a different distance, and mapping out a path could save a lot of time.

There were eight puppets he could attack right from the starting point.

Twelve others required him to move.

The kunai in Shimizu's hand flew toward the eight surrounding puppets simultaneously.

He was like an arrow released from a bow, moving rapidly through the training ground as if tracing the route he had designed in his mind.

Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds... two minutes and twenty-nine seconds; at exactly two minutes and thirty seconds, Shimizu stopped.

"90 points. Your performance is as good as ever. You and Kakashi's class is the best one I've ever taught."

The Chunin teacher said with a smile.

"Ahhh, why did I only get 70 points!"

Uchiha Obito was on the verge of tears nearby; 70 points was already a rare high score for him.

"Shimizu, you must work very hard in your spare time."

Nohara Rin rarely saw Shimizu playing with his peers, so she guessed that he spent all that time on training.

"Kakashi, you actually got a perfect score again."

Once Kakashi finished his test, Might Guy couldn't wait to run up to him.

"But next time, I will definitely win. I just slipped up this time. My speed was faster than yours, I just hit fewer puppets than you did."

"Fine."

A faint voice came from beneath Kakashi's black mask.

"However, I feel like Shimizu is really strong."

Might Guy whispered.

Kakashi glanced over in confusion, not understanding why Might Guy would say that.

Might Guy explained, "Didn't you notice that Shimizu isn't even sweating?"

Kakashi's pupils constricted. He looked at Shimizu in the corner, who looked as if nothing had happened, and his eyes held an unreadable expression.

Why would Shimizu hide his strength?

Was he dissatisfied with the Leaf?

Or did he have some other concerns?

Kakashi frowned, staring intently at Shimizu, as if he wanted to see right through him.

"Kakashi, do you want to walk home together?"

Nohara Rin walked over with small steps behind Kakashi to ask.

Uchiha Obito followed closely behind, and seeing Rin go to Kakashi, he immediately ran over as well.

"Rin, let's walk home together. Don't we share part of the way?"

Obito said with a silly grin.

He was imagining walking home with only himself and Nohara Rin.

During this interruption, the bell rang, and Kakashi realized that Shimizu had disappeared again.

The restroom corridor.

The men's and women's restrooms were on the left and right, facing each other across the sinks in the hallway.

"Might Guy, a ninja who specializes in taijutsu..."

Shimizu shook his head and washed his face.

His physical body had grown stronger, so this amount of exercise wasn't particularly tiring.

He had inadvertently left an opening.

Fortunately, it wasn't a major issue, and not many people had noticed.

The chunin instructor had been unaware from the very beginning that Shimizu was hiding his true strength, even after it had increased further yesterday due to the awakening of his One-Tomoe Sharingan.

"Uchiha Shimizu."

A crisp female voice suddenly came from behind, its melodic tone carrying a hint of bold, unrestrained spirit.

Kurenai Yuhi, with her round face and red pupils, walked over.

"Do you know genjutsu?"