The brazier in the center was lit, its orange-red firelight illuminating the entire space as shifting shadows danced across the stone walls.
Uchiha Yashiro stood by the entrance. Once he saw that nearly everyone had arrived, he slowly walked over to the stone door and forcefully shut the heavy slab.
With a dull boom, the secret chamber was instantly cut off from the outside world. The firelight became the only source of illumination, casting shadows across everyone's faces.
Kiyoshi, who had only just become a genin, sat at the very back and could feel pairs of eyes constantly turning toward him.
Those gazes varied. Some were curious, some disdainful, while others carried faint appreciation and expectation.
The scarlet Sharingan stood out especially clearly in the dim light, gleaming with a cold sheen.
Naturally, there was no shortage of surprise among them.
Hazuki Uchiha was a chunin, seated slightly toward the rear of the middle rows.
Her eyes widened. She clearly had not processed how Kiyoshi, who had gone to collect ninjutsu only some time ago, had already graduated.
Hazuki Uchiha wondered whether she should go over and exchange a few words with Kiyoshi to ease the tension between them.
After all, her attitude toward Kiyoshi last time had hardly been pleasant.
It would be troublesome if Kiyoshi claimed he did not mind but secretly held a grudge.
Hazuki Uchiha certainly did not believe that a genius like him would remain merely a genin.
"Congratulations, Kiyoshi, on becoming a ninja."
After pondering for a while, Hazuki Uchiha rose to her feet and intended to walk toward Kiyoshi.
Unexpectedly, Kiyoshi merely nodded faintly, completely different from the honest, guileless smile he had shown that day.
Kiyoshi's attitude was beyond Hazuki Uchiha's expectations.
"Kiyoshi, you..."
She had just wanted to ask whether Kiyoshi