Zhou Cheng activated the Ninjutsu Gift Pack without hesitation.
In an instant, a wealth of information about ninjutsu flooded into his mind.
The hand seals and chakra control for each C-rank Fire Release Ninjutsu were etched clearly into his memory.
Uchiha Tadashi saw Zhou Cheng staring blankly and immediately laughed.
"Hey, kid, scared?"
"Then just admit you're a fraud. You're nothing but a Genin!"
He was convinced that everything was part of a scheme between Zhou Cheng and Itachi.
If he wanted to become a candidate for clan head, he had to compete with Itachi at every turn.
He had to outshine Itachi.
Zhou Cheng sneered. If you're determined to humiliate yourself, I'll be happy to oblige!
"Are you sure you want to compete with me in Fire Release?"
Uchiha Tadashi nodded, looking utterly confident.
"Our Uchiha Clan is renowned for Fire Release, and my chakra nature is Fire!"
Zhou Cheng gestured for him to go ahead and perform his jutsu first.
"Let's use the Great Fireball Technique at the same time and see whose is stronger!"
Uchiha Tadashi smiled confidently and began forming Hand Seals.
He was trying to exploit an advantage. A jutsu's power depended on the amount of chakra used, and as a Chunin, he had far more chakra than Zhou Cheng.
Unfortunately for him, Zhou Cheng was a cheat.
Just having top-tier Fire Release chakra affinity made Fire Release Ninjutsu easier for him to learn.
It also increased the power of every Fire Release jutsu he used.
Watching Uchiha Tadashi's hand seals, Zhou Cheng almost burst out laughing. You think you can compete with Itachi like that? What an idiot!
Itachi's hand seals were several times faster than his.
The Great Fireball Technique was a C-rank jutsu, and Zhou Cheng had already learned it.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
They both spewed torrents of flame from their mouths, which gathered into fireballs.
Uchiha Tadashi was startled. Zhou Cheng's Great Fireball was more than half again as large as his own.
He stared in disbelief.
How was this possible? He was only a Genin!
That Great Fireball was already comparable to one cast by an elite Chunin.
Boom!
The two fireballs collided, erupting in a massive explosion.
The blast sent Uchiha Tadashi tumbling to the ground, but Zhou Cheng's Great Fireball hadn't vanished completely. It kept flying toward Uchiha Tadashi.
Thud!
Uchiha Tadashi had just gotten back to his feet when the fireball struck him head-on, knocking him away and setting his clothes alight.
"Young master!"
The men Uchiha Tadashi had brought with him cried out in alarm and rushed to save him.
The next moment, a figure appeared before him, ripped off Uchiha Tadashi's burning clothes, and pulled him out of the flames.
"Whoa, that Great Fireball is almost at Jonin level!"
"Zhou Cheng really wasn't lying!"
"He made it look so easy."
"He wasn't even using his full strength. If he had, Uchiha Tadashi would already be dead beneath that Great Fireball."
The person who had torn off Uchiha Tadashi's clothes and rescued him was Shisui.
"Damn you, you had the nerve to doubt Senior Zhou Cheng. You deserved to get burned!"
Many of the onlookers nodded along.
A single fireball had made it clear who was stronger.
Uchiha Tadashi had lost completely.
"You brought this humiliation on yourself!"
"Remember, there's always someone stronger. Let today teach you a lesson!"
Zhou Cheng put on the air of a seasoned senior, then glanced up at the sky. That was enough for today.
"It's getting late. I'm closing up for the day!"
"I'll be back here tomorrow. Come early!"
Huh?
Those still waiting in line let out disappointed groans.
They hadn't gotten their rewards yet.
They might have two chances each day, but missing out today meant they'd get two fewer rewards than everyone else.
Those two chances might have been enough to win them a precious treasure!
"Senior Zhou Cheng, don't go! So many of us haven't had a turn in the Arena!"
"Yeah, couldn't you stay open a little longer? We've been waiting ages!"
Zhou Cheng didn't stop. He leaped off the Arena and headed straight for home.
"I'm dying to get myself killed, and I'll be back here tomorrow!"
"Certain people wasted too much of my time today!"
Watching Zhou Cheng disappear into the distance, those who hadn't gotten a reward all looked dejected, as if they'd lost a fortune.
They turned furious glares on Uchiha Tadashi and surrounded him several layers deep, refusing to let him leave.
"It's all your fault we missed out on today's rewards!"
"Exactly! You owe us!"
"Beating you up wouldn't even vent all our anger!"
Faced with the crowd, Uchiha Tadashi showed no remorse. He pointed straight at those who had spoken.
"You're asking for it!"
"I'm the Great Elder's grandson. Have you thought about the consequences?"
His words only made the crowd angrier.
"What, are you going to kill all of us?"
"What a big shot! Even the clan head wouldn't dare act like that. Who do you think you are?"
Uchiha Tadashi trembled with rage, his eyes bloodshot. Anyone who didn't know better might have thought he'd awakened his Sharingan.
You bastards! Once I become a candidate for clan head, you'll all be groveling at my feet!
He silently memorized the names of those who had spoken, planning to settle the score with them later.
Outside the crowd, Itachi and the others made no move to help Uchiha Tadashi. They simply took Sasuke and Uchiha Izumi and headed in the opposite direction.
They had to report what had happened to the clan head.
Meanwhile, Zhou Cheng returned to his little house.
Looking at the shabby place, Zhou Cheng sighed. He finally had enough money to fix it up!
After a day of Shield Breaking, he'd earned plenty of Ninja Tools and money. He was no longer destitute.
After his parents died, his situation had grown worse and worse. The Ninja World was, after all, a place where strength ruled.
Even the weakest ninja was better off than an ordinary person.
But Zhou Cheng's body couldn't extract chakra at all, so he was destined never to become a ninja.
The other children in his clan could bully him with impunity, and tensions between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha were growing. No one dared hire Zhou Cheng, even when he looked for work outside the clan.
To survive, he'd had no choice but to keep selling off the valuables in his home, until he awakened the system.
"Look who's back, the good-for-nothing!"
"Which house did you beg at today?"
"I heard he bought a bunch of lumber. Is he building himself a coffin?"
As Zhou Cheng walked along, he heard all kinds of filthy insults.
Zhou Cheng remembered them. They were all kids who had bullied him in the past.
He ignored them. His stomach was already rumbling, and he just wanted to get home and find something to eat.
"Hey, we're talking to you!"
"Are you deaf?"
Someone tugged at Zhou Cheng, making him stop. I don't want to deal with you, and now you're pushing your luck?
He turned and stared coldly at the kids around his age.
"Get lost!"
The kids froze under his gaze. Zhou Cheng coldly repeated himself, then turned and continued on his way.
"Bastard, who do you think you are?"
"You dare tell us to get lost?"
"You're asking for a beating!"
The ringleader grabbed Zhou Cheng and swung a punch at the back of his head.
Zhou Cheng tilted his head and dodged the punch. The boy was stunned. He'd actually dodged it?
Zhou Cheng spun around and broke free of his grip. A bunch of idiots!
"I'll say it one more time: get lost, or don't come crying afterward!"
The boy felt humiliated in front of the others. He'd missed his punch and Zhou Cheng had broken free.
He lunged again, reaching for Zhou Cheng's chest with one hand while clenching the other into a fist.
Zhou Cheng stepped back and began forming Hand Seals. You want to die? I'll grant your wish!
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Boom!
At such close range, the boy had no chance to dodge. The fireball hit him, blasting him away before setting his whole body alight.
"Ah! Ah..."
His agonized screams rang across the little courtyard. The others panicked, unsure what to do. They didn't dare help him for fear the flames would spread to them.
Zhou Cheng gave a cold laugh and kicked him into the drainage ditch beside them.
Before you continue