The Match

The entrance exam officially began!

The rules were simple. The Chunin instructors would draw two students at a time to face off, while everyone else watched and waited.

As the matches went on, the instructors would observe each student's athleticism, coordination, and other essential qualities for a ninja.

They would also invite members of the Hyuga Clan to examine the students' chakra pathways, allowing them to make an overall assessment of each student's aptitude for becoming a ninja.

Therefore, the exam wasn't about passing or failing based on wins and losses. The matches were simply a way to assess the students' potential.

So even if a student lost, they wouldn't necessarily be eliminated.

Conversely, even if they won, they wouldn't be admitted if the examiners decided they lacked the aptitude to become a ninja. (Asuma, for example.)

At that moment, Lihuo had an arm around Obito's shoulder, rubbing his slightly trembling calves.

He'd stopped Obito just now by patting him on the head, which had incidentally triggered the "Head-Patting System."

"Ding! You patted D-rank ninja Uchiha Obito, a promising young ninja. Choose one of the following rewards."

"Middle-aged women's affection"

"10,000 yen in savings"

"Goggles"

"I choose the 10,000 yen."

As expected, there weren't any decent rewards to be had at this stage, but having some savings was always a good thing.

Just then, Obito's voice rang out.

"Idiot Lihuo! Why'd you let him off so easily?!"

"More importantly... how come you get to act so cool?! How'd you do that? Teach me!"

At that, Lihuo merely smiled.

"Don't be an idiot, Obito. Just watch the matches. Your big brother Lihuo will take down that jerk soon enough."

"Huh? You're really going to fight him? Are you stupid? I know how strong you are. You're just asking for a beating!"

Obito really was the kind of hot-blooded idiot who couldn't make you angry.

He knew perfectly well that picking a fight with that guy would get us beaten up, yet he'd still charged right at him.

Lihuo stopped thinking about it and tilted his chin toward the matches, signaling Obito to pay attention.

But inwardly, Lihuo was far from calm.

Thank goodness I coated my feet in chakra, then accelerated suddenly and stopped right in front of him. I managed to look cool. Otherwise, I'd have disgraced myself as a transmigrator.

But even with incredible chakra control, it's useless if I don't know how to use it.

It was like having chakra control on Tsunade's level. If you didn't know Medical Ninjutsu, you still couldn't save anyone.

Lihuo was stuck in exactly that predicament. He couldn't use the rewards he'd swiped from the Third Hokage in the right way.

If I really do end up fighting that jerk, I'll have to figure out how to deal with him.

My weakness is that I have ninjutsu and chakra control, but only Micro-Kakashi's worth of chakra. Besides the Three Body Technique, I can only use one other jutsu.

To beat that big-nosed guy, I have to choose the right moment to use that one jutsu.

At that thought, Lihuo's eyes shifted as an "evil" plan came to mind.

For the rest of the time, Lihuo spent nearly every moment refining his plan in his head.

After all, this would be his first fight. And the Uchiha Clan valued strength above all. If he really had no ability, he wouldn't dare swagger around in front of Lihuo.

While refining his plan, Lihuo spotted quite a few familiar faces on the training grounds.

Ebisu, Yamashiro Aoba, and Asuma flashed past, and were eventually accepted.

Kakashi also won his match in a flashy manner, then quickly left.

Nohara Rin's match sent Obito scampering over to cheer her on.

In the end, both Rin and Obito were judged to have the aptitude to become ninjas and were admitted.

At that moment, Lihuo watched Kakashi heading off. Beside Kakashi was a tall, silver-haired man with a short sword strapped to his back.

"Konoha White Fang—Hatake Sakumo. He's every bit as impressive as they say."

"Just standing there, he was like a sheathed sword, its sharpness hidden within."

"I wonder how he'd do endorsing toothpaste. White Fang Toothpaste." Lihuo mused mischievously.

But the training grounds were far from peaceful. The big-nosed guy had drawn an unknown civilian-born ninja.

"Referee, I refuse to fight him! Where's Uchiha Lihuo? Let me fight him!"

His arrogant outburst drew the instructors' ire.

One instructor couldn't stand it any longer and stood up.

"Listen, student. You don't get to choose your opponent, and you shouldn't disrespect him."

"A ninja's duty is to obey orders and carry out missions. Your behavior shows you're unfit to be one."

The arrogant boy raised his chin, unconcerned.

"This is a private matter of the Uchiha Clan. What right do you have to butt in? Bring that coward Lihuo here!"

Lihuo didn't show the slightest fear. He stood and walked steadily toward the training ground, silently grumbling to himself.

If everyone in the Uchiha Clan is like this, it's no wonder their neck problems never get treated... I mean, it's no wonder the villagers isolate them.

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had just watched Asuma and Hatake Kakashi's match and was about to leave to handle some official business. Seeing this, he stopped with interest.

Isn't that the child who touched my Hokage hat earlier? Interesting. Let's see how he does.

Though I suppose that means putting off my paperwork again.

Biwako will definitely scold me.

In any case, the Third Hokage turned his attention to the match as well.

Lihuo and the master of neck-pain treatment stood facing each other, boundless fighting spirit blazing in their eyes. (The master's was in his nostrils.)

The instructor overseeing the exam spoke first. "Both sides, form the Seal of Confrontation!"

As they formed the hand seals, the big-nosed guy kept running his mouth. Lihuo paid him no attention, devoting himself entirely to this fight—his first since arriving in this world.

The match began!

In an instant, Lihuo and his opponent rapidly opened the distance between them. Just as Lihuo was searching for an opportunity to strike, his opponent moved.

He didn't rush in, nor did he launch a jutsu. Instead, he used a classic Uchiha Clan skill Lihuo had forgotten about—Shuriken!

The few Shuriken looked simple enough, but they subtly blocked every escape route.

There was no time to think. With nowhere to dodge, Lihuo didn't try. He pushed his dynamic vision to the limit.

He pulled a Kunai from his ninja tool pouch and charged forward, knocking aside the incoming Shuriken before closing in on his opponent.

"Still not good enough. Your throws are too weak!"

Before his opponent could answer, Lihuo drove a straight punch at him.

Caught off guard by the sudden close-range attack, his opponent had nowhere to dodge and could only cross his arms to block.

But who could have guessed that such a simple punch would land with a muffled thud?

Thud!

His opponent flew back ten paces, tumbling and scrambling before finally managing to stop himself.

Opponent: (･_･; If it isn't bugged, then he's cheating!

The boys watching all looked astonished.

"Why? Why are you so strong?"

The amateurs watched the spectacle, but the experts saw what was really happening. The Hyuga examiner and the Third Hokage both understood.

Lihuo had almost no combat experience—not even much experience in a fistfight. Yet he had landed a clean hit because of his exceptional chakra control!

He'd concentrated chakra in one part of his body, then released it in a burst at the moment of impact, dealing tremendous damage.

The Third Hokage nodded.

"This boy's technique is rather similar to Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred."

"However, now that his opponent knows how much that attack hurts, he won't just stand there and let him hit him."