The Third Hokage was not the only one watching Uchiha Sora. Danzo was keeping an eye on him from the shadows, too. He had received the intelligence immediately and sent his subordinates to monitor Sora closely.
Uchiha Sora naturally noticed the attention from the Konoha High Command.
But he had already prepared himself for it, so he did not particularly care.
He needed to demonstrate a certain level of ability next, after all. That would make joining ANBU to hone his skills much easier.
Uchiha Sora spent the month quietly training.
Soon, the day of the finals arrived.
Konoha had already become exceptionally lively, with visitors filling its streets and alleys.
The exams were held in a massive arena, with ample space for ninja to fight. The surrounding stands were spacious as well, able to accommodate at least tens of thousands of spectators.
Before the finals began, Uchiha Izumi and her daughter had already secured seats in the front row.
Hirai Mitsuteru happened to be free and came to cheer him on as well.
Uzuki Yugao was out on a mission and could not attend.
Before the opening match, the ten Genin who had qualified for the finals, including Uchiha Sora, entered the arena under the eyes of the crowd and followed the chief examiner's instructions.
High in the stands, the Third Hokage was quietly watching the exams as well.
When had the participants in the chunin ninja exams ever experienced being watched by such a huge crowd, with the Hokage himself looking on? Apart from Uchiha Sora, they were all rather excited, even Itachi.
After the chief examiner announced the rules, the first match of the finals began immediately.
Everyone who had reached the finals was quite capable. In fact, most had already attained the level of a Chunin.
To the ordinary spectators in the stands, the fights were quite exciting, and cheers rang out from time to time.
Uchiha Sora watched with little interest, but Izumi, sitting beside him, chattered excitedly.
Still only a student at the Ninja Academy, she felt a little afraid watching these real battles between ninja, but also deeply yearned to be like them.
Time ticked by.
The first, second, and third matches passed without either Uchiha Sora or Uchiha Itachi being called.
Even the fourth match did not involve either of them.
Uchiha Sora and Itachi immediately understood that they would appear in the fifth match as the grand finale.
At last, the fourth match ended.
The fifth match arrived.
With everyone's eyes on it, the display showed the words: Uchiha Sora vs. Uchiha Itachi.
"Sora! You've got this! Even if your opponent is Itachi, I believe you can win!" Uchiha Izumi encouraged him.
Sora nodded and looked toward Uchiha Itachi, who was sitting with his parents a short distance away in the stands.
Uchiha Itachi nodded to him and entered the arena first.
Uchiha Sora was about to follow when Uchiha Fugaku, sitting nearby, suddenly spoke to him. "Sora, you are a member of the Uchiha Clan. I have a few words for you."
Uchiha Sora looked puzzled.
The next second, a wave of ocular power swept over him as Uchiha Fugaku's eyes instantly turned into scarlet Sharingan.
The surroundings changed in an instant as well. The entire arena emptied, leaving only him and Fugaku.
Genjutsu!
Immune to genjutsu, Uchiha Sora frowned slightly. He was about to break Fugaku's illusion and leave when Fugaku spoke. "Sora, there are things I cannot say to you in front of everyone, so I brought you into this illusion. Please don't take offense."
Only then did Uchiha Sora hold back.
Fugaku said, "I hope you will let Itachi win this fight."
Uchiha Sora frowned at his words. "Clan leader, I need a reason!"
Uchiha Fugaku paused thoughtfully. "I need Itachi's path as a prodigy to continue uninterrupted. This holds tremendous strategic importance for the Uchiha Clan!"
"Sora, you should know that most members of the Uchiha Clan can only join the Konoha Military Police Force after becoming ninja. But do you understand that, impressive as it may seem, the police force holds little standing in Konoha? It is effectively a marginalized department."
"If I want to increase the Uchiha Clan's influence, I must place our people in higher-ranking departments within Konoha, such as ANBU!"
"I have long placed great hopes on Uchiha Itachi joining ANBU. If he loses this duel, I fear it will create many more obstacles."
After hearing all this from Fugaku, Uchiha Sora could not help feeling a little wistful.
Fugaku had mapped out Uchiha Itachi's childhood down to the last detail. Unfortunately, he did not know that as Itachi grew stronger, he would eventually take a path that went against his parents and clan.
Between the clan and Konoha, Itachi would ultimately choose Konoha.
From Uchiha Sora's perspective, Uchiha Fugaku was not wrong. The Konoha High Command had indeed become rotten. Unfortunately, he had overestimated his son's attachment to the clan and underestimated Danzo's treachery.
This time, however, Uchiha Sora was here-a transmigrator who knew the plot. He would never allow the Uchiha Clan to follow the same old path to annihilation.
At that thought, Uchiha Sora shook his head slightly and smiled. "Clan leader, I understand what you are trying to do. But I'm sorry. My goal is also to join ANBU!"
"What? Uchiha Sora, you want to join ANBU?" Fugaku was very surprised.
Then he immediately frowned again and said gravely, "Sora, there is only one opening for an Uchiha to join ANBU in the near future. I have always reserved it for Itachi. I will not approve of you joining ANBU!"
"Then there's nothing I can do. If you won't agree, clan leader, I'll let the Third Hokage make the choice himself," Uchiha Sora said calmly.
He understood Fugaku's thinking perfectly.
Itachi was his son, so Fugaku could naturally control him. Sora, on the other hand, was merely a fellow clan member. Once Sora grew stronger and joined ANBU, he could easily slip out of Fugaku's control.
Just like Shisui Uchiha now-even as clan leader, Fugaku could no longer order Shisui around.
Uchiha Fugaku's expression darkened. "Sora, are even you going to defy my will as clan leader?"
"Clan leader, you have your will, and I have mine!" Uchiha Sora smiled slightly. "But no matter what, I will always remember that I am an Uchiha!"
With that, Uchiha Sora snapped his fingers.
Under Fugaku's incredulous gaze, the illusion he had constructed shattered!
The clamor of their surroundings returned.
Uchiha Sora turned and lightly made his way into the arena.
Uchiha Fugaku sat frozen in place, his mind in turmoil.
Uchiha Sora had hidden himself so deeply! Even I had no idea his strength had grown to this extent over the years! He actually broke my genjutsu so easily!?
Even Shisui might not possess this level of skill with genjutsu, would he?
Uchiha Fugaku was utterly shaken, and just as bewildered.
What exactly was Uchiha Sora trying to do? What was his goal?
How could a child of only ten behave so extraordinarily? His will? What was that supposed to be?
In the arena.
Uchiha Sora stood before Itachi, looking at him with a smile.
They had been friends for four years now. As his friend, Uchiha Sora felt it was time to do something for him.
"Itachi, show me your full strength. Don't hold anything back, or you'll lose in an instant!" Uchiha Sora said.
As he finished speaking, scarlet flooded his eyes.
Three-Tomoe Sharingan! Activate!
The chief examiner, who was closest to them, froze at Uchiha Sora's arrogant words. But when he saw Sora's Three-Tomoe Sharingan, he instinctively found himself agreeing.
The spectators high in the stands also looked shocked.
"Sharingan! He actually has the Sharingan!"
"My god! His Sharingan even has three tomoe!"
"He's only ten, and he's already developed his Sharingan to that level? I don't think this kid was even famous before!" the visiting spectators exclaimed.
"Heh, that's Uchiha Sora, the prodigy who graduated in the same year as Uchiha Itachi. How could he be ordinary? He's just kept a low profile all these years," a spectator from Konoha said proudly.
"Three tomoe at ten? Even a prodigy like Uchiha Itachi might be in trouble this time, right?"
"I never imagined the Uchiha Clan had another prodigy like this hidden away! Just what you'd expect from the Uchiha!"
"Konoha really is powerful! The Uchiha Clan alone has given us such a surprise!"
The spectators buzzed with discussion.
High in the stands, the Third Hokage also kept his gaze fixed on Uchiha Sora, his expression filled with interest.
In the arena, Uchiha Itachi instantly activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and met Uchiha Sora's gaze.
Although they were friends, they had never truly fought each other. Itachi had always heard Shisui talk about how strong Sora was. Only now, standing opposite him, did he truly feel that immense pressure.
"Sora! I'll give it everything I've got!" Uchiha Itachi suddenly leaped up, drew a kunai, and lunged at Sora.
Swish!
A blade flashed as Uchiha Sora drew his short sword.
Clang!
The kunai and short sword collided, sending fierce sparks flying.
Uchiha Itachi used the impact to spring backward. His hands rapidly formed hand seals, and a sudden jet of flame erupted from his mouth!
Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!
But almost simultaneously, Uchiha Sora had already formed his hand seals and unleashed the same ninjutsu.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!
The two enormous fireballs crashed together in midair. The scorching flames sent out waves of heat that even the distant spectators could feel.
Both continued feeding their fireballs, pitting their chakra against each other.
Suddenly, Uchiha Itachi's expression shifted slightly. He hastily cut off his fireball and rolled aside.
With nothing left to oppose it, Uchiha Sora's fireball thundered forward, blasting a charred crater into the spot where Itachi had stood.
Before you continue