Chapter 18

"What's that smell?"

Liuyun sniffed. There was a scorched smell in the air, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Did you forget to turn off the stove?"

"Oh no! I forgot!"

Uchiha Mikoto's expression changed, and she turned and pattered inside on her slender legs.

"That girl!" Liuyun chuckled.

Only when Uchiha Fuchu and his companion had vanished completely did Liuyun narrow his eyes.

"Uchiha Fuchu is quite a character!"

"Father! I really can't accept this!"

On the road, Uchiha Fugaku gripped his crutch tightly, anger written across his face.

Why did he have to apologize when he was the one whose legs had been broken? And to a commoner, no less!

"There's nothing you can do, whether you accept it or not!" Uchiha Fuchu sighed and warned him earnestly.

"Just remember this: you can provoke anyone in the Uchiha Clan now, but never provoke Uchiha Liuyun or his companion!"

"What if I do provoke him again? What'll happen? Will Uchiha Liuyun kill me?"

A hint of mockery appeared on Uchiha Fugaku's deathly pale face.

"If you die, I won't avenge you!" Uchiha Fuchu stared coldly at Uchiha Fugaku.

"Heh! I understand! I'll stay out of his way from now on!" Uchiha Fugaku gave a bleak smile.

Inside a classroom at the Ninja Academy, all the students chattered excitedly as though they had been pumped full of adrenaline.

Today was their graduation day.

Beside Liuyun's group of three, Kushina's little face flushed red with excitement.

"Hey! Hey! We're graduating! Starting today, I'm a ninja! I'm one step closer to my ultimate dream!"

"Go for it, Kushina! I know you can do it!" Uchiha Mikoto encouraged her.

"Hmph! Of course I can!" Kushina slapped her flat chest and raised her head proudly.

"I'll show those stinking men who look down on us that women can become Hokage too!"

"Oh, right! Liuyun!"

Kushina suddenly lowered her head and slowly leaned between Liuyun and Mikoto, whispering conspiratorially.

"Did you know? Apparently, the Third Hokage will be here for our exam today!"

"I heard Tsunade complaining last night that the Third Hokage wanted her to lead a team of graduates!"

"We need to do our best today and try to get Tsunade as our teacher!"

"Really, Kushina? Then we'd better give it our all!" Mikoto's eyes lit up, excitement spreading across her little face.

(Holy shit, I checked my dashboard today and was stunned! Thank you for the 5,000 tip! This humble author is overwhelmed by your generosity! Bowing in thanks!!)

Another instant defeat, a dumbfounded Jiraiya! (Third update!)

Watching the two girls chatter away, Liuyun wore a faint smile.

Looks like that old schemer Hiruzen Sarutobi has made his move!

He could guarantee that he would be assigned to one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's three students.

Tsunade was the most likely candidate. After all, he knew that big-busted woman, and they got along pretty well!

After all, he was the man who would become the Fifth Hokage.

"Liuyun! This time, I'll definitely beat you!" Minato Namikaze walked up to Liuyun, his expression resolute.

"I'll be waiting!" Liuyun looked utterly unconcerned.

A year ago, he might have considered Minato Namikaze a rival. Now... forget it!

"Everyone, assemble at Training Ground Four!"

Wang Tenggangyi poked his head in, documents in hand, and shouted.

Whoosh!

The students rushed outside excitedly, while Liuyun was dragged along by the two girls.

How did it feel? Pretty decent, he supposed. He still had a ways to go before heading down the Cao Wei route.

At Training Ground Four, a somewhat burly young man with a scar on his face stood like a statue!

Not far away stood Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in his Hokage robes.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was still young at this point, and his strength was at its peak.

Seeing Liuyun and the others emerge, his dark face immediately blossomed into a chrysanthemum-like smile.

"These children are all the village's future!"

The noisy crowd immediately quieted upon seeing the Third Hokage standing before them.

Pairs of bright eyes gazed at Hiruzen Sarutobi, filled with excitement.

"Lord Hokage! Everyone is here!" Wang Tenggangyi approached respectfully.

"Mm! Then let's begin!" Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled kindly.

"Yes!"

Wang Tenggangyi turned and shouted to the expectant students.

"Today is your graduation exam!"

"All your years of hard work come down to today!"

"This is Chunin Fujiwara Wangchong. The exam is simple! Last three minutes against him at full strength, and you pass!"

"Of course! Before that, at Lord Hokage's request, we'll hold a friendly match!"

As though noticing everyone's confusion, Wang Tenggangyi smiled despite his stern expression and called out.

"Uchiha Liuyun! Minato Namikaze! Congratulations! Lord Hokage has granted both of you special promotions to genin!"

"You won't need to take this genin exam. Just fight a match using your full strength!"

Just as I thought! Liuyun thought upon hearing Wang Tenggangyi's words.

That bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi has already started paving the way for me!

Ding! It's time to show everyone your strength!

1. Defeat Minato Namikaze instantly. Reward: a 30% increase in physical constitution!

2. Show the future Fourth Hokage some respect. Fight an evenly matched battle and win narrowly in the end. Reward: a 10% increase in chakra!

3. End in a draw. Reward: a 10% increase in mental energy!

I choose option one!

Physical constitution was exactly what he needed right now, and option one was also the choice he wanted most.

At that moment, Minato Namikaze leaped up, then performed a stylish backflip and landed in front of Wang Tenggangyi.

He turned and smiled faintly at Liuyun, his eyes shining with excitement.

Minato's got some moves. If anyone says he doesn't know how to show off, I'll smash their damn head in.

"Liuyun! Go get him! Teach that sissy a lesson!"

Kushina's little face flushed with excitement.

"Good luck, Liuyun!" That was Uchiha Mikoto.

"All right!" With the two girls cheering him on, Liuyun slowly walked over to face Minato Namikaze.

"Chunin Wangchong! We're counting on you!" Wang Tenggangyi said.

"Don't worry!" Fujiwara Wangchong nodded impassively.

"Lord Hokage, we've prepared a seat for you over there!"

"Sorry for the trouble!"

Only after Wang Tenggangyi and Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken their seats did Fujiwara Wangchong call out.

"Begin! Show us what you've learned, and let Lord Hokage see your strength!"

"Liuyun! I found a really powerful teacher this past year and trained incredibly hard just to beat you!"

Minato brimmed with confidence, fierce fighting spirit burning in his eyes.

"I know, I know!" Liuyun yawned, utterly uninterested.

In a large tree in the distance, a man and a woman stood facing each other.

"This is the future student our teacher picked for you? Is the old man trying to screw you over?"

Jiraiya watched the scene nearby with a strange look in his eyes.

"Probably not! Liuyun should be pretty strong, right? I read his file. He beat your prized student Minato Namikaze a year ago!"

Tsunade raised a delicate eyebrow, her tone uncertain.

"That kid is Uchiha Liuyun?" Jiraiya looked astonished.

He had heard Minato mention him many times over the past year, but he had never imagined someone so lazy.

"Tsunade! How about a bet?" Jiraiya's eyes darted about, gleaming with cunning.

"What are we betting on?" The moment she heard the word "bet," Tsunade perked up.

"This fight. We'll each back our future student."

"What are the stakes?"

"Whoever wins has to grant one request from the other person's student!"

"Deal!" Tsunade agreed without a second thought.

Just as they finished speaking, startled cries rose from below, immediately drawing their attention.

They saw Minato Namikaze charge toward Uchiha Liuyun like a yellow flash.

But in the next instant, Minato Namikaze stopped mid-stride, his eyes vacant, standing there like a statue.

Meanwhile, Liuyun walked leisurely toward Minato Namikaze as though no one else were around.

Tsunade gave Jiraiya a peculiar, teasing look and reached out to pat Liuyun's shoulder.

"Jiraiya! Thank you on behalf of my future student!"

Jiraiya's mouth twitched. With their level of strength, both of them could naturally tell that Minato had already fallen under Liuyun's genjutsu.

But how fucking long had it been since the match started? Fujiwara Wangchong's words had only just faded.

(This was written in advance. If you don't want instant defeats, I'll add some fight scenes later!!)

The system wants me to show off! (Fourth update!)

It had practically been an instant defeat, right after he and Tsunade had made their bet. What a resounding slap in the face!

Seated nearby, Hiruzen Sarutobi was utterly shocked.

Uchiha Liuyun's skill in genjutsu could already rival that of some special jonin.

Minato Namikaze's defeat was understandable. Had Hiruzen not kept his eyes on Uchiha Liuyun the entire time...

He probably would have struggled to notice when Uchiha Liuyun had cast his genjutsu.

This kid's so young, yet his genjutsu already rivals Shinku's!

"Excellent! Excellent! It seems assigning this boy to Tsunade was the right decision!"