Training!

Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound in Konoha.

Uchiha Fugaku had just been discharged from the hospital and returned home. A few days earlier, he had suffered a crushing defeat in his battle against Liuxia. As soon as he got home, he reported the details of the fight to his father, the current head of the Uchiha Clan.

"Even without using the Sharingan, you couldn't beat that Senju brat named Liuxia with the Uchiha Shuriken Jutsu?" His father's voice held a note of surprise and concern.

Uchiha Fugaku nodded, his expression grave. "That's right, Father. His Uchiha Shuriken Jutsu is every bit as good as mine. I still don't understand how he managed to break free, or when he used the Clone Technique to conceal his real body!"

His father furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment before speaking. "It seems the Senju Clan has produced another genius like Tobirama Senju. Our relationship with the village is already strained. If the Senju faction continues to control Konoha, there'll eventually be no place for the Uchiha Clan here!"

Uchiha Fugaku took a deep breath. He knew his father was right. The situation was growing more unfavorable for the Uchiha Clan by the day, and they had to find a way to deal with it.

"Father, I also discovered something very strange during that fight. It was exactly why I suffered such a crushing defeat."

"Hmm?"

"During the fight, I used the Sharingan's hereditary genjutsu on him. The Sharingan—but strangely, even though he made direct eye contact with me, the genjutsu seemed to have no effect on him at all!"

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. A member of the Uchiha Clan said, "Clan Head, the Great Elder and the others heard that the young clan head had returned. They're demanding that the clan meeting be held early!"

His father's eyes turned cold. "So they've come, just as I expected. Those Hawks really do come running as soon as they catch a whiff of trouble."

Uchiha Fugaku clenched his fists, humiliation surging through him. He knew this was all because he had lost to Liuxia. The Hawks, led by the Great Elder, had never been very obedient to his father, and now they were using the defeat as an excuse to pressure him!

A trace of resentment flashed in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes. He couldn't accept losing to a young ninja from the Senju Clan. He understood that this defeat wasn't just a personal disgrace; it was a crisis for the entire Uchiha Clan. His father, the current clan head, wore an exceptionally grave expression. He knew that if he mishandled what came next, it would cause turmoil within the clan. The madmen of the Hawks would destroy the Uchiha Clan if they took power. He would never allow it!

Just then, the Uchiha outside the door delivered another message. "Clan Head, the Great Elder and the others have already gathered in the Council Chamber. They're waiting for you to join them."

The clan head rose and straightened his clothes before saying to Fugaku, "Come on. Let's go meet them. Whatever happens, we can't let the Uchiha Clan's honor slip away while we're in charge."

Uchiha Fugaku and the clan head entered the Council Chamber. The tension in the air was almost tangible. The Doves and the clan head's faction looked uneasy. They knew this was another attempt by the Hawks to force the clan head's hand, and this time, the odds were naturally against them. The Hawks, led by the Great Elder, wore expressions of discontent and suspicion, their eyes fixed on Fugaku and the clan head like swords aimed at their targets.

The Great Elder's voice rang through the Council Chamber, his words full of accusation and challenge. "Clan Head, the Uchiha Clan's honor and strength are beyond question. But Fugaku's defeat has dealt a serious blow to our clan's standing. We must act immediately to restore our position."

The clan head didn't show any sign of panic in the face of the Great Elder's accusations. His voice was calm and firm. "Great Elder, I understand your concerns. But we have to stay calm. We can't make a rash decision because of one defeat. We need a long-term plan to secure our clan's honor and standing."

Fugaku stood to one side, determination in his eyes. He knew he couldn't let one defeat affect the future of the entire clan. He took a deep breath, then spoke. "Great Elder, I admit that I lost my fight with Liuxia. It was a personal disgrace. But next time, I'll restore the Uchiha Clan's honor myself!"

While the Uchiha Clan was plunged into crisis because of him, on the outskirts of Konoha, Liuxia and Nawaki stood on a broad training ground, their shadows stretching in the sunset. The trees around them swayed gently in the breeze, rustling as if cheering the two of them on. The ninja tools and craters scattered across the training ground bore witness to their tireless effort and sweat.

The Third Hokage had already informed them about the teams for the Chunin Ninja Exams. Liuxia would enter the exams alone, so he could dominate his opponents all the more effectively. Nawaki, meanwhile, would form a temporary team with Uchiha Yan and Hyuga Suzuran.

Liuxia guided Nawaki through training in various ninjutsu, from basic Taijutsu to complex techniques, insisting that every movement be executed with precision. Nawaki was still young, but his talent and potential were undeniable. If he hadn't lost his life so early, he could have become at least an elite Jonin.

"Nawaki, the first round of the Chunin Ninja Exams will most likely test your theoretical knowledge. It might be a written exam, so don't forget to review!"

"Though I'm not much of a student, a mere Chunin exam won't be a problem for me!" Nawaki was showing off again, though he wasn't the least bit cool about it.

Liuxia smiled. He knew Nawaki's personality and understood his strengths and weaknesses. "But I think the written exam will test how well you gather intelligence. After all, for a Chunin, the ability to gather information is more important than theoretical knowledge." Liuxia continued. Nawaki was far too careless about this sort of thing. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so reckless as to walk straight into an enemy trap during the war.

Nawaki nodded. He was honest and straightforward, but he understood that Liuxia was only trying to help him. He began to carefully consider Liuxia's advice and realized that only thorough preparation in every area would allow him to achieve good results in the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Liuxia continued patiently instructing Nawaki. They began practicing various intelligence-gathering scenarios. Liuxia told Nawaki to try using special methods to obtain information while under close surveillance. If he failed, that would lead straight into another important part of the Chunin exam training: combat practice (getting beaten up).

To avoid the pain of being beaten, Nawaki put everything he had into learning and mastering intelligence-gathering techniques. Even so, Liuxia caught him more than a dozen times on the spot, and what followed was naturally more than a dozen rounds of inhumanly intense training.

"Liuxia, I told you ages ago not to spend all your time playing with your big sister! Look at you now—you're practically her clone! You have no idea how to hold back. Ow... That hurts like hell..." Having completely forgotten that he had a special talent for getting caught whenever he badmouthed someone behind their back, Nawaki once again set foot on the path of no return.

"Nawaki!!"