"My name is Hidan. I'm a newly promoted Genin who graduated from Sunagakure Ninja Academy this year. I specialize in taijutsu. Please take care of me."
"My name is Wuzhong Pheobe. I'm a newly promoted Genin who graduated from Moon Lake New District Ninja Academy this year. I specialize in Crystal Release and medical ninjutsu. Please take care of me."
"My name is Fanzhizhang. I also graduated from Moon Lake New District Ninja Academy this year as a newly promoted Genin. I specialize in Boil Release. Please take care of me."
Akasuna Hideki closed the folder containing the three students' information and looked up at them, rather 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. Moreover, they had only spent one year at the academy!
After Keiko appointed Ebizo as Minister of Education, the Ninja Academy system had been changed from six years to seven.
Normally, children enrolled at around six years old and graduated at around thirteen, but a new policy allowed every child one chance to apply for early graduation.
Naturally, they first had to pass the standard graduation examination. Those who passed the written test, taijutsu, physical fitness, and ninjutsu, with at least three subjects rated outstanding, could graduate early. As Keiko and Ebizo put it, geniuses deserved an opportunity too.
And now, the three standing before her were all supposedly "geniuses." Fine, then. Let me see what these "geniuses" were made of.
"Hello, everyone. I'm the captain and instructor of your Team 21, Jonin Akasuna Hideki. I specialize in Puppet Technique. From now on, we may become comrades in the same combat squad. I say may because you still have one test to pass."
Smiling, Akasuna Hideki pointed at a flagpole planted 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. Of course, I'll do everything in my power to stop you. If you succeed, you'll officially become a ninja squad with combat designation. If you fail..." Akasuna Hideki slowly pulled out a scroll.
"Sorry, but those who fail must hand over their ninja headbands and identification cards, then return to the academy for retraining."
The scroll fully unfurled, revealing the characters "Black" and "White." With two loud pops, white smoke dispersed to reveal two puppets, one black and one white. Both stood nearly two meters tall, wearing tall hats and long robes. The white one held a mourning staff, while the black one wielded a soul-hooking chain. They looked hideous and terrifying, brimming with murderous intent.
"These are my combat puppets, Black Impermanence and White Impermanence. Since you've only just graduated from the Ninja Academy, I won't use poison this time. Are you ready? If you are, then begin!"
Akasuna Hideki wore a kindly, smiling expression.
"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 hold off the puppets, Fanzhizhang will keep the teacher busy, and Pheobe will take the flag. How does that sound?" Hidan whispered to his two comrades.
"There are two puppets. Can you handle them?" Fanzhizhang asked.
"Probably. We'll find out. Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Hidan created a Shadow Clone. One held the Triple-Bladed Scythe, the other a spear, and they charged straight for the flagpole.
Fanzhizhang followed closely behind, targeting Akasuna Hideki in the rear. Wuzhong Pheobe did not move, remaining in the safe zone, ready to provide support at any moment. She was a medical ninja, and according to the second of Tsunade's three principles taught at the Ninja Academy, medical ninjas must never stand on the front lines.
Black Impermanence immediately broke away to confront Fanzhizhang, while White Impermanence suddenly opened its mouth at Hidan and sprayed a barrage of flying needles. Hidan spun his scythe like a propeller, knocking aside some of the needles, while the Shadow Clone beside him holding the spear was struck directly and dispersed into white smoke.
Once the needles were spent, Hidan hurled his scythe at White Impermanence. White Impermanence raised its mourning staff to block it head-on, producing a sharp clang of metal. Clearly, that mourning staff was no ordinary weapon. White Impermanence then turned toward Hidan and spat out another jet of water. Hidan dodged sideways, and the water blasted a small hole in the ground behind him.
Fanzhizhang was having no easier time against Black Impermanence. Every attack route he chose was completely sealed off. Fanzhizhang decisively pulled away from Hidan, who was entangled with White Impermanence, intending to leave room for Wuzhong Pheobe to fight. Seeing the right moment, he leaped high into the air and raised his left hand into the shape of a blowpipe.
"Boil Release: Clever Mist Technique!"
Fanzhizhang exhaled a cloud of mist straight at Black Impermanence. When the mist touched the sand and stones on the ground, even they began to smoke from corrosion. Its acidity was clearly terrifying.
Black Impermanence opened its mouth at the mist as well, spewing out a roaring torrent of flames that immediately held back Fanzhizhang's acidic vapor. Man and puppet fell into a stalemate.
Seeing the opening created as Fanzhizhang and Hidan drew apart, Wuzhong Pheobe immediately rushed forward, targeting Akasuna Hideki, who guarded the flagpole.
"Crystal Release: Coiling Dragon Technique!"
With a sharp cry from Wuzhong Pheobe, a long blue crystal dragon soared into the air and instantly bound Akasuna Hideki tightly.
"Sorry, but the red flag is mine!"
Wuzhong Pheobe smiled and leaped 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 far away.
Wuzhong Pheobe clutched her painfully kicked waist and looked at the newcomer. It was Akasuna Hideki! Then she looked at the one bound by her Coiling Dragon Technique. The skin on its face was peeling away piece by piece, until it finally revealed a horse's face!
"Sorry, I forgot to tell you. This is also my puppet—Horse Face!" Akasuna Hideki said.
"If you're tired, there are rations and water over there. You can eat while discussing how to take the flag!"
"What an impressive youngster! I never expected Sunagakure to produce someone like him." Watching Keiko's departing figure, Madara could not help but praise him from the bottom of his heart.
"I was beside you the entire time. You two kept chatting, but you never discussed anything serious, did you?" Black Zetsu asked in confusion.
Madara glanced at Black Zetsu and said indifferently, "It may have seemed like casual conversation, but I cast genjutsu on him three times during that exchange. Each time, he only blanked out for a moment before breaking free. He was demonstrating his strength to me!"
Even Black Zetsu was somewhat shocked. "He has that kind of ability?"
Madara fell silent, as though pondering something. "Only that fool Hashirama's Unrestrained Sage Technique was the bane of my genjutsu back then. That kid must have encountered some fortunate opportunity. He may know a little of it too."
"Then what was his purpose in coming to see you?" Black Zetsu asked.
"Like his predecessor Reto, he's a typical pragmatist. All the nonsense he said earlier 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 didn't kill me because he wasn't absolutely certain he could. Otherwise, he would have acted long ago."
Madara sighed.
"He's a great talent. Twenty years earlier, I could have had a proper fight with him. But now..."
Madara closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the sky.
"I'm old and frail. So be it. Our strength is still too weak. Have White Zetsu withdraw from Sunagakure. With that 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 kid must have left them." Black Zetsu looked toward the stone bench Keiko had been sitting on.
"Oh? What did he write?" Madara was somewhat surprised. It was not easy to leave writing on such hard granite.
"'You were born before I was born; when I was born, you had already grown old. You regret that I was born too late; I regret that you were born too soon. I regret we could not have lived at the same time, to settle victory and defeat in one battle!' Hmm, not bad calligraphy." Black Zetsu read it aloud word by word.
A sharp gleam flashed in Madara's eyes.
"Arrogance laid bare. Courting death! Black Zetsu!"
Black Zetsu stood at attention. "Yes!"
"Prepare... to move..."
Before you continue