"The inheritance fragment of Yamato, a Wood Release powerhouse, has been placed in the danger zone of the Trial Grounds."
"The Association will shortly issue each candidate a Scientific Ninja Tool for the assessment."
"It can record the points you earn, and it also comes with a map."
"You can use it to find out which Mutant Beasts inhabit each area."
"As well as the exact coordinates of the danger zone where the Yamato Fragment has been placed."
"If you encounter danger, you can use the Scientific Ninja Tool to activate Flying Thunder God and teleport back."
"However, that also means withdrawing from the assessment."
After President Bai finished explaining the rules, the candidates followed the Association's guides to collect their watch-shaped Scientific Ninja Tools.
"This assessment will last three hours. The timer starts now."
President Bai made the announcement solemnly, and the Secret Realm Teleportation Device activated.
A deep, dark spatial rift formed in the center of the arena.
Under the guidance of the Association's staff, the candidates entered the spatial rift one by one.
Since he needed to team up with Chen Qi to earn points, Luo Yu entered the rift right behind him.
An instant later, his vision swam.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared at the outermost edge of a mountain forest.
He looked around. Chen Qi was nowhere in sight, and only a few unfamiliar candidates stood nearby, looking bewildered.
Apparently, their arrival points were randomly distributed among the various entrances to the Trial Grounds.
This was also meant to prevent anyone from forming a group right at the start.
Although the assessment tacitly allowed candidates to team up, there was a catch.
Without some real ability, they might never manage to meet their teammates in the Trial Grounds, surrounded as they were by Mutant Beasts.
Luo Yu tapped his Scientific Ninja Tool, projecting a map of the Trial Grounds.
Then his gaze settled on a particular mountaintop marked as a danger zone.
The special reward must be there.
Besides helping Chen Qi, securing Yamato's inheritance fragment was also crucial.
The strongest contenders were probably already heading that way.
If he spent his time searching for Chen Qi, someone else might take the Yamato Fragment.
With that thought, Luo Yu immediately sprang into action. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
Two shadow clones instantly appeared on either side of him.
Likewise, his chakra was evenly divided into 11 portions.
For Luo Yu's original body, however, this only meant a lower maximum mana pool.
With hashirama cells serving as his blue buff, his chakra recovered at a visibly rapid rate.
As long as he exercised restraint when using ninjutsu, it was practically no different from having unlimited mana.
By comparison, the shadow clones inherited only about 30% of the original body's chakra recovery ability.
Although that still far outstripped many ninjas of the same rank, they could not spend chakra as freely as the original.
"You two split up and look for Chen Qi. I'll go fight for Yamato's inheritance fragment."
At the original's command, the two shadow clones immediately headed into the woods to the east and west to search.
Luo Yu also chose a shorter route and headed for the danger zone.
An Eye of Sand high in the sky witnessed everything.
Site Three of the Jiangli Secret Realm Teleportation Arena.
An enormous screen hung high above the center.
Since the detailed proceedings of the assessment were confidential within the Association, it displayed only the participants' points.
The many principals and parents could only judge how things were going from the scores.
With the assessment underway, President Bai turned and entered the Supervision Group's workspace upstairs.
That was where the internal staff monitored the assessment.
Once the assessment began, the Trial Grounds' management system generated an Eye of Sand to monitor every candidate's movements.
The footage was transmitted through the backend to the Supervision Group's screens.
"Old Bai, you're finally here."
The moment President Bai entered, he saw Curator Jiang approach to greet him.
"President Bai, you changed the method for obtaining the Yamato Fragment at the last minute. What exactly are you up to?"
Many prominent figures from the Jiangli Families were also in the room.
They were the parents of the second-generation ninjas on the screens.
"If you weren't so fond of digging up information about the assessment in advance, I wouldn't have had to make changes."
President Bai calmly sat down in a chair and watched the many candidates on the countless screens.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, he noticed two spare screens switch on, both displaying the same person.
"What's going on with those two extra screens?" President Bai asked, looking quizzically at the monitor seated before them.
The monitor answered respectfully, "One candidate used shadow clones to split up."
"Those two screens show his clones."
A middle-aged man in a sharp suit looked proud. "That must be my son, Chen Qi."
"He was a perfect match for Genma Shiranui's inheritance, which is why he mastered the Shadow Clone Technique so quickly."
Everyone looked over. The speaker was Chen Shi, head of the Chen Family.
At that, President Bai glanced at the screens again, then said, "No, I've met your son. He's nowhere near that handsome."
Skeptical, Chen Shi also looked at the screens, only to be surprised.
"You're right. This boy doesn't seem to be from any of our Jiangli ninja families."
Recognizing Luo Yu on the screens, Curator Jiang smiled. "Oh, it's Luo Yu."
"I looked into him. He comes from a Common family, so it's only natural that you don't know him."
At that, the prominent figures of Jiangli all voiced their doubts.
"Impossible! He's already mastered the Shadow Clone Technique, and he can create two clones. His proficiency must be at least at minor mastery! He's clearly merged with a powerful inheritance."
"Exactly. And it must be at least white quality."
"A White Legacy—how could a Common family afford one?"
Curator Jiang smiled. "Ninjutsu like the Shadow Clone Technique might be difficult for other people, but Luo Yu could probably learn it after seeing it once."
He had seen Luo Yu use the Mangekyō Sharingan's abilities.
Those were far more difficult to use than the Shadow Clone Technique.
Besides, with the Sharingan's perceptive abilities helping him, even his grandmother could instantly learn ninjutsu at the Shadow Clone Technique's level.
"Learn it after seeing it once? Old Jiang, just tell us—is this kid your illegitimate son?"
"He must be. Why else would you go to such lengths to sing his praises?"
"Exactly! When I asked you to give an honest assessment of my kid's talent, all you did was pick him apart."
Curator Jiang smiled proudly. "Don't believe me?"
"I guarantee Luo Yu will take first place in this assessment. Anyone who disagrees care to make a wager?"
His sheer arrogance left everyone baffled.
Even President Bai, standing nearby, could not help turning his attention to Luo Yu.
What was so special about this kid that he could give Old Jiang such an inflated ego?
Meanwhile, in the Trial Grounds.
On the way to the danger zone.
Luo Yu flickered from branch to branch, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan active as he surveyed his surroundings.
"Hm?" Luo Yu was surprised to discover that all the creatures around him were Novice Rank Two Water Lizards.
According to the information on the map, the Mutant Beasts inhabiting this route should all have been Novice Rank One Wind Sprites.
Yet not only were their ranks wrong, even their species were completely different.
Had he gone the wrong way?
Luo Yu could not help feeling puzzled.
Before you continue