The aftermath of the practical assessment slowly rippled through the Ninja Academy. Ling's "precisely calculated narrow victory" earned him more attention and thoroughly ignited Sasuke Uchiha's obsession.
Just as Tobirama had expected, Sasuke did not sink into despair after a single defeat. Instead, he turned it into fuel for even more frenzied training. His gaze toward Ling no longer held simple rivalry, but an offended chill and the determination to defeat him utterly. Between classes, during lunch-whenever he had the chance-Sasuke's eyes followed Ling like a shadow, trying to find his weaknesses.
See? I told you. Tobirama snorted gleefully in Ling's mind. Obsession and pride are bred into the bones of that Uchiha brat. You made him lose face in public, and he's holding you responsible. You'll have no shortage of trouble from now on.
Ling felt somewhat helpless about it, but he was not overly worried. To him, Sasuke's challenges were merely a minor diversion along his path of training. They could even serve as a useful whetstone, helping him maintain his disguise and hone his fundamentals. He kept to his usual routine, neither provoking Sasuke nor backing down.
Ino, however, seemed more concerned about Sasuke's "hostility" than Ling himself.
"Sasuke-kun seems to be watching you all the time lately, Ling." During lunch, Ino leaned closer and whispered worriedly, "Is he angry about the assessment? Should I go talk to him?"
"No need." Ling shook his head. "It's just normal competition."
"But..." Ino wanted to say more, only for Tenten to interrupt her.
"Oh, boys scuffling with each other is perfectly normal!" Tenten casually patted Ling on the shoulder. "Still, you really are good, Ling. You pushed that cool Sasuke pretty hard. Teach me how you dodged his kunai next time, will you?"
Even the shy Hinata would sometimes instinctively edge a little closer to Ling when Sasuke swept him with an icy gaze, as though trying to offer what little support she could.
Sakura found herself even more conflicted. She worried about Sasuke, yet felt that Ling had done nothing wrong, leaving her to fret helplessly on the sidelines.
Naruto was the most direct. With his hands on his hips, he shouted at Sasuke, "Hey! You stuck-up jerk! You lost, so deal with it! What are you staring at Ling for? Fight me again if you've got the guts!" Naturally, Sasuke ignored him completely, leaving Naruto howling in frustration.
Ling noticed all these subtle interactions, but they stirred little within him. He merely found them... somewhat noisy. He continued devoting most of his energy to his intense, secret nighttime training under Tobirama.
His practice of Rending Space made a breakthrough. After countless tedious repetitions of moving mere centimeters, he could finally extend the distance to a full meter with consistency! Energy leakage had also decreased by thirty percent, and his coordinate precision had greatly improved. Though still far from usable in actual combat, it was a qualitative leap.
He had also grown more proficient at combining shape and nature transformation in Water Release. He could now instantly condense tougher, more versatile "pure water" constructs and embed the "sharpness" and "oscillation" of Wind Release more deeply within them, multiplying their power.
The Ice-Breath Concealment Technique had practically become second nature to him. Combined with the Tranquility Incense purchased from the flower shop and modified by Tobirama, it worked remarkably well.
Yet the shadows lurking in the dark had not dispersed simply because he was living his "school life."
A few days later, Ling keenly sensed that feeling of being watched by Root again. Although the surveillance was more discreet than before, with different people keeping a greater distance, the cold, clinging sensation was exactly the same.
Clearly, the previous warning had only made them restrain themselves temporarily. They had not given up. Danzo's interest in him seemed to have deepened because of his performance in the assessment.
Once, while Ling was practicing Rending Space with his presence suppressed to an extreme degree, he faintly sensed an unusually powerful and concealed sensory force. Like an invisible radar, it swept over the Hatake Residence with extreme caution, seemingly searching for something.
It did not feel like Kakashi or the Third. It was deeper, older, and carried the cold indifference of someone appraising a tool.
Hmph. It seems that loyal hound at Danzo's side-Aburame Ryoma-has made his move. Tobirama's tone was grave. Some special insects may still have detected the faint fluctuations from your spatial practice. From now on, you must layer at least three isolation barriers whenever you train in Rending Space!
Ling felt immense pressure. Too many things lay hidden beneath Konoha's deep waters.
That day, Kakashi suddenly returned early and tossed Ling a scroll.
"A Chunin-level chakra control training scroll." His tone remained flat, but his eyes seemed to carry a pointed message. "Practice properly. However good your control is, it means nothing if your power runs wild."
Something stirred in Ling's mind. Kakashi's words sounded like a reminder to stay hidden, yet also like a probe to see whether he had an explanation for the "just right" control of his Water Release during the assessment.
"Yes, Mr. Kakashi." Ling accepted the scroll, his expression unchanged.
Kakashi watched him for a few seconds, then suddenly added, "Things have been unsettled in the village lately. Avoid going out at night."
Ling raised his head and looked at Kakashi.
But Kakashi had already looked away and returned to his room with a lazy yawn.
A warning? Or a hint?
Ling tightened his grip on the scroll. Kakashi had definitely noticed something-perhaps the faint disturbances from his nighttime training, or perhaps signs of Root's activities. His guardian was far more perceptive than he let on.
That night, Ling refrained from any more high-risk training. Instead, he carefully studied the new scroll Kakashi had given him and followed its methods for the most basic chakra control exercises, reducing every fluctuation to a minimum.
He knew he was walking a tightrope that was growing narrower and narrower.
Ahead of him was Sasuke Uchiha's increasingly fierce, challenging gaze.
Beside him was the simple, warm concern of Ino and the others.
In the shadows were Root's ceaseless surveillance and Danzo's ever-growing interest.
Behind him were Kakashi's seemingly lazy yet all-seeing eyes and the Third's quiet attention.
And his greatest trump card and mentor remained hidden in a mental world no one knew about.
The pressure weighed like a mountain, yet it also drove him forward.
Ling's gaze grew ever more resolute in the darkness of night.
No matter how many eyes watched him, no matter how many undercurrents surged, there was only one thing he needed to do: become stronger.
Strong enough to cut through every veil of uncertainty and take control of his own destiny.
The Uchiha's obsession and Root's shadows were merely trials along his path to strength.
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