Hidan's New Comrade-in-Arms

"My name is Hidan. I am a newly promoted Genin who graduated from the Hidden Sand Village Ninja Academy this year. I specialize in taijutsu. Please guide me."

"My name is Wuzhong Pheobe. I am a newly promoted Genin who graduated from the Moon Lake New District Ninja Academy this year. I specialize in Crystal Release and medical ninjutsu. Please guide me."

"My name is Fanzhizhang. I am also a newly promoted Genin who graduated from the Moon Lake New District Ninja Academy this year. I specialize in Boil Release. Please guide me."

Akasuna Hideki closed the folder containing the three students' files and looked up at them, somewhat surprised. All three were children of postwar immigrants, and all had graduated early from the Ninja Academy under the new policies introduced after the education reforms. Their time at the academy had only been one year!

After Jing Hang appointed Ebizo as Minister of Education, the Ninja Academy system had been changed from a six-year program to a seven-year program.

Normally, children enrolled around the age of six and graduated around thirteen. However, a new policy allowed every child one opportunity to apply for early graduation.

Of course, the prerequisite was passing the regular graduation exam. Those who passed the written test, taijutsu, physical fitness, and ninjutsu examinations, with at least three subjects rated excellent, could graduate early. As Jing Hang and Ebizo put it, geniuses deserved an opportunity too.

And now, the three standing before him were all so-called "geniuses." Fine, then. Let me see what these "geniuses" are made of.

"Hello, everyone. I am the captain and instructor of Team 21, Jonin Akasuna Hideki. I specialize in Puppet Technique. From now on, we may become comrades in the same combat unit. I say may because you still have one test to pass."

Smiling, Akasuna Hideki pointed to a flagpole standing in the clearing. The three looked over and saw a small red triangular flag fluttering from it.

"From now until this time tomorrow, the three of you must do everything you can to take down that little red flag. Naturally, I will do everything in my power to stop you. If you succeed, you will officially become a ninja squad with a combat designation. If you fail..." Akasuna Hideki slowly took out a scroll.

"Sorry, but anyone who fails must hand over their ninja headband and ninja ID, then return to school for retraining."

The scroll unfurled completely, bearing the two characters "Black" and "White." With two loud puffs, two clouds of white smoke dispersed, revealing two puppets—one black and one white. Both stood nearly two meters tall, wearing tall hats and long robes. The white one carried a mourning staff, while the black one wielded a soul-binding chain. They looked savage and terrifying, brimming with killing intent.

"These are my combat puppets, Black Impermanence and White Impermanence. Since you have only just graduated from the Ninja Academy, I will not use poison this time. Are you ready? If you are, begin!"

Akasuna Hideki wore a smiling expression, appearing kind and approachable.

"Can I cut down the flagpole?" Hidan asked, pulling out his triple-bladed scythe.

"Of course. As long as you get the flag, anything goes."

"I'll keep the puppets busy. Fanzhizhang, keep the teacher occupied. Pheobe, take the flag. How does that sound?" Hidan quietly asked his two comrades.

"There are two puppets. Can you handle them?" Fanzhizhang asked.

"Probably. Let's try it first. Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Hidan created a Shadow Clone. One held the triple-bladed scythe, while the other wielded a spear, and they charged straight at the flagpole.

Fanzhizhang followed close behind, his target Akasuna Hideki at the rear. Wuzhong Pheobe did not move, remaining in the safe zone, ready to provide support at any moment. She was a medical ninja; according to the second of Tsunade's Three Rules taught at the Ninja Academy, medical ninjas must never stand on the front lines.

Black Impermanence immediately broke away to face Fanzhizhang, while White Impermanence suddenly opened its mouth and sprayed a barrage of flying needles at Hidan. Hidan spun his scythe like a propeller, deflecting some of them, while the Shadow Clone beside him holding the spear was directly struck into a puff of white smoke.

Once the barrage ended, Hidan threw his scythe at White Impermanence. White Impermanence raised its mourning staff to block it, producing the clang of metal. Clearly, the mourning staff was no ordinary weapon. White Impermanence then turned toward Hidan and spat out a stream of water. Hidan twisted aside, and the water stream struck the ground behind him, instantly blasting a small hole into it.

Fanzhizhang was not having an easy time against Black Impermanence either. No matter which route he chose, his attack paths were completely sealed off. Fanzhizhang decisively widened the distance between himself and Hidan, who was entangled with White Impermanence, hoping to leave Wuzhong Pheobe room to fight. Seeing the right opportunity, he leaped high into the air and raised his left hand like a blowpipe.

"Boil Release, Clever Mist Technique!"

Fanzhizhang exhaled a cloud of mist straight toward Black Impermanence. When the mist touched the sand and stones on the ground, they began to smoke from the burning. The mist was clearly highly acidic.

Black Impermanence opened its mouth at the mist as well, spewing a roaring torrent of flames that immediately held back Fanzhizhang's acidic vapor. Man and puppet fell into a stalemate.

Seeing Fanzhizhang create an opening between himself and Hidan, Wuzhong Pheobe immediately rushed forward, aiming directly at Akasuna Hideki guarding the flagpole.

"Crystal Release, Coiling Dragon Technique!"

With a sharp cry, Wuzhong Pheobe summoned a blue crystal dragon that soared into the air and instantly bound Akasuna Hideki tightly.

"Sorry, but the red flag is mine!"

Wuzhong Pheobe smiled and sprang up, holding a piece of blue crystal as she prepared to sever the flag rope.

At that moment, a figure shot out and kicked Wuzhong Pheobe flying a great distance away.

Wuzhong Pheobe clutched her painfully kicked waist and looked at the newcomer. It was Akasuna Hideki! Then she looked at the one trapped by her Coiling Dragon. Chunks of skin were peeling from its face, until a horse's face was revealed beneath!

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you. This is another one of my puppets—Horse Face!" Akasuna Hideki said.

"If you're tired from fighting, there are rations and water over there. You can eat while discussing how to take the flag!"

"What a formidable youngster! I never expected the Hidden Sand Village to produce someone like him." Madara watched Jing Hang's retreating figure and could not help praising him from the bottom of his heart.

"I was beside you the entire time. You two were just chatting. You did not discuss anything important, did you?" Black Zetsu asked, confused.

Madara looked at Black Zetsu and said indifferently, "It seemed like we were chatting, but during that time, I cast genjutsu on him three times. Each time, he merely blanked out for an instant before breaking free. He was demonstrating his strength to me!"

Even Black Zetsu was somewhat shocked. "He has that level of skill?"

Madara fell silent, as though pondering something. "Back then, only that fool Hashirama had Unrestrained Sage Technique, the bane of my genjutsu. This kid must have encountered some fortunate opportunity. Perhaps he knows a little of it too."

"Then what was his purpose in coming to see you?" Black Zetsu asked.

"Like his predecessor Reto, he is a typical pragmatist. All the nonsense he said just now had only one meaning—don't provoke me," Madara said calmly.

"Then why didn't he..."

"Why didn't he kill me? Is that it?" Madara shook his head helplessly.

"He did not kill me because he was not absolutely certain that he could. Otherwise, he would have acted long ago."

Madara sighed.

"He is a great talent. Twenty years earlier, I could have traded blows with him. Now..."

Madara closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the sky.

"I am old and fading. Fine. Our strength is still too weak. Have White Zetsu withdraw from the Hidden Sand Village. With this man there, Sunagakure cannot be touched. Wait. Wait until someone capable of inheriting my will appears. Only then will the earth tremble."

"Eh, there are words on the ground. That should be what that kid left behind." Black Zetsu looked at the stone bench Jing Hang had been sitting on.

"Oh? What did he write?" Madara was somewhat surprised. Leaving words on such hard granite was no easy feat.

"You were not yet born when I was born; when I was born, you had already grown old. You resent that I was born too late; I resent that you were born too early. If only we had lived at the same time, we could fight and settle it once and for all! Hmm, not bad calligraphy." Black Zetsu read it word by word.

A sharp gleam flashed through Madara's eyes.

"What overbearing arrogance. He is courting death! Black Zetsu!"

Black Zetsu stood at attention. "Yes!"

"Prepare... to move..."