The Stirring of the Cheat

The training field in the Uchiha Clan Compound was still scorching after the ninja academy let out, the sun so vicious it seemed ready to roast people alive.

Arashi stood in the line, sweat rolling down his forehead and along his cheeks, dripping onto his neck with an itchy tickle.

All around him were little Uchiha brats, each dressed in clan attire, their faces excited, nervous, or both.

Today was an extra basic Fire Release training class arranged by the clan, teaching the Uchiha's signature skill—the Great Fireball Technique.

The one in charge of training was a middle-aged clansman named Uchiha Takayuki. A scar ran from his brow bone down to his chin, making him look rather fierce.

He held a wooden kunai in his hand, occasionally rapping the heads of children whose movements were not up to standard.

"Gather your chakra in your dantian, then guide it through your meridians to your throat! Your hand seals must be fast and precise! Remember, the key to Fire Release lies in explosive power!"

Takayuki's voice was like sandpaper scraping over stone, dry and sharp, leaving no room for drowsiness.

Several children ahead took turns going up to try.

Some strained until their faces turned bright red, only to spit out a tiny cluster of sparks, like they had let out a fart, drawing a round of muffled laughter.

Some were a little better, able to spit out a fireball the size of a fist, but it still wobbled unsteadily and went out before flying very far.

"You useless trash!" Takayuki cursed, pointing his kunai at the student who had only spat out a few sparks. It was Uchiha Obito.

"You can't even control basic chakra properly. You've completely disgraced us Uchiha! Go back and practice breathing at a water vat for two hours!"

Uchiha Obito only lowered his head and said nothing.

"Kids without parents really have it rough. Anyone can curse at them a few times." Arashi unconsciously thought of how Obito had also lost both his parents.

He took two steps forward and stood in the center of the training field.

All the surrounding gazes focused on him at once—curious, disdainful, and some taking pleasure in his misfortune.

After all, he had been so arrogant at the ninja academy some time ago, offending quite a few people, especially those within the Uchiha who thought themselves above everyone else.

"Begin!" Takayuki barked.

Arashi took a deep breath and began refining chakra according to the method taught by the clan.

The feeling of chakra circulating through his body was far smoother than it was for ordinary children.

The Vegeta template had given him a natural affinity for chakra far beyond his peers, and his reserves were nearly three times greater than those of children his age, but he always felt it was not enough... not enough "force"!

It was like exerting strength through a layer of cloth, soft and limp.

He quickly formed seals: Horse—Fire—Ram—Snake—Tiger.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A ball of orange-red flame burst from his mouth. It was far stronger than what the previous children had produced, about the size of a basketball, and it roared forward, crashing into a distant target with a bang, scorching a small patch black.

"Mm, passable."

Takayuki nodded, his tone flat. "Decent chakra control, average power. Barely passed."

Passed?

Arashi raised an eyebrow.

He had already been unhappy with Uchiha Takayuki! Now, that fire inside him flared up.

Who was he? He was someone who had transmigrated with the Vegeta template! A single Great Fireball had actually earned him an evaluation of "barely passed"?

This was simply the ultimate insult to his identity as a transmigrator!

"Tch."

He could not help letting out a scoff. His voice was not loud, but everyone present was a ninja, with sharp ears, and they all heard it.

Takayuki's brow immediately furrowed. "Uchiha Arashi, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much."

Arashi lifted his chin, his gaze toward the other man filled with disdain. "I just think there's something wrong with your judgment."

"What did you say?!"

Takayuki narrowed his eyes, the scar on his face looking especially savage under the sunlight. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"I'm just stating a fact."

Arashi met his gaze without the slightest fear.

What a joke. With the template backing him up, he was not about to be scared by some genin glaring at him.

"Want me to demonstrate again, so you can see it clearly?"

"You're courting death!"

Takayuki shouted angrily, his aura pressing down on him.

He was an adult genin, after all. His chakra reserves and presence were not something a child could compare with.

The surrounding children were so frightened they shrank back, and even Obito raised his head to look.

But Arashi seemed not to feel that pressure at all. There was only one thought in his mind: not strong enough!

The power of that Great Fireball was completely unworthy of the potential granted by the template!

He needed stronger power! He needed the kind of power that could shock everyone!

A fierce longing burned in the bottom of his heart, almost crushing his reason.

Intermediate sense of qi allowed him to vaguely perceive the flow of energy within his body, yet he could never find the method to make it erupt. Until now, when he subconsciously made a movement—his feet spread shoulder-width apart, his body sinking slightly, his hands crossing in front of his chest, palms facing inward, then suddenly flinging open to both sides!

This posture... was the classic pose from the template's memories, the one Vegeta used when gathering power!

Although he was not Vegeta, imitating the template's actions seemed to trigger some kind of resonance.

Almost the instant he assumed that pose, Arashi felt the "cloth" inside his body being violently torn apart!

The chakra that had originally flowed obediently suddenly turned berserk!

A surge of energy far vaster and hotter than before welled up from deep within his body, rushing along his arms and madly surging toward his throat!

This was the resonance between the combat instinct granted by the template and his beginner-level qi control, and Vegeta's posture had just happened to become the key that detonated the energy!

"Graaah—!"

He could not help letting out a low roar. The Sharingan in his left eye surfaced beyond his control, its single tomoe spinning wildly—extreme emotional fluctuation and erupting energy had actually stimulated the Sharingan as well.

Takayuki had originally wanted to teach him a lesson, but upon seeing him like this, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong. A fierce sense of danger surged into his heart. "What are you doing?!"

Arashi did not answer. All of his attention was focused on that power about to burst forth.

He could clearly "see" the "qi" inside his body roiling and roaring!

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!!"

This time, it was no longer the gentle spray from before.

A massive ball of flame, at least more than three times larger than the previous one, carried rolling waves of heat and a piercing howl. Like an enraged fire dragon, it burst violently from his mouth!

The orange-red flames nearly lit up the entire training field, and even the air was roasted until it distorted.

The fireball moved extremely fast, sweeping past Takayuki and slamming hard into the distant target with a deafening boom!

BOOM—!

The entire ground seemed to shake.

The target was swallowed by flames in an instant. Not only that, the flames' remaining force did not diminish, crashing straight into the stone wall behind it and blasting open a half-man-high, charred gap. Shattered stone and smoke flew everywhere!

The training field fell into dead silence.

Everyone stared dumbstruck at the stone wall with the gap blasted into it, their mouths open wide enough to stuff in an egg.

Takayuki was so shocked he retreated two steps, the scar on his face twitching. His eyes were filled with disbelief and deep shock—this was not fear, but an instinctive recognition of world-shaking talent.

For a five-year-old child to raise the power of the Great Fireball to this degree—chakra reserves, control, explosive power, every aspect far surpassed the standard. This was no longer something the word "genius" could describe!

Obito's eyes went perfectly round. He had thought that as long as he worked a little harder, he would succeed too. After all, his goal was to become "Hokage"!

But what had just happened... was that still a Great Fireball? That was practically a disaster!

Arashi stood in place, panting slightly, but his face carried a faint flush of excitement.

He could feel that although quite a lot of chakra had been consumed, that feeling of power surging through him was simply too exhilarating!

Just then, the system's voice rang out again: