Land of Fire, Konoha, Ninja Academy.
In this season when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, the Ninja Academy's cannon fodder... no, its graduates, were about to embark on brand-new lives.
"Hey, Huayue, I heard a new tricolor dango shop opened nearby. Want to go try it?"
Uchiha Huayue, who had been sprawled across his desk, snoring away with his black hair tied into a ponytail, was shaken awake. There was a lazy yet inexplicably beautiful air about him as he instinctively looked around.
"Is it already time? I'll sleep a little longer. Remember to wake me when the Jonin Instructor arrives."
He sprawled back across the desk. Beside him, Anko could not help glaring angrily. Was he going or not, already? What a bastard...
Uchiha Huayue, male, was ten years old—the graduation age at Konoha Ninja Academy—and a classmate of Mitaraishi Anko.
It was the time of the Third Great Ninja War. With the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire was far from peaceful, and the surrounding countries also showed signs of making a move.
Huayue and the other Ninja Academy graduates of his year were fortunate. After all, they could still experience a complete Ninja Academy curriculum.
At the same time, they were unfortunate, because the moment they graduated, they would be sent to the battlefield by Konoha's old fossils, where they would build up other people's fame and prestige.
"Huayue, you should at least pretend to be a little more enthusiastic in front of your juniors. Don't make them lose faith in you, all right, Yugao?"
Though she was young, Uzuki Yugao had already blossomed into an obvious beauty. She smiled calmly, her expression helpless.
Yet, in an Inner world that no one could perceive, on a pale-blue lake of consciousness, a pitch-black fox was glaring red-eyed at Huayue, who was glaring back just as fiercely.
"Hey, you Uchiha brat, sacrifice a bag of potato chips and I'll give you some chakra. Remember, they have to be fish-cake flavor. If you dare switch them to dried-bamboo-shoot flavor, I'll kill you!"
"And I'm sick of this scenery too. Change it to Maple Courtyard... no, on second thought, Cherry Blossom Forest would be better."
The black-and-orange fox before him seemed to have fallen into a choice paralysis. Huayue's mouth twitched, and he could not help asking in confusion,
"If I remember correctly, what I just obtained was the Nine-Tails. Are you really the Nine-Tails, Kurama?"
"You damn brat! Of course I'm the Nine-Tails. But how do you know my name? Did that Menma fellow tell you?"
Wait, Menma? Could this Sign-In System be...
Huayue hurriedly looked toward the sudden Sign-In System. The three pitch-black tomoe in his eyes spun wildly, finally allowing him to make out the nearly imperceptible words before the Shinobi World Sign-In System.
"Limited Tsukuyomi Ninja World Sign-In System. Limited Tsukuyomi? No wonder this black fox is so agreeable. So it's the Black Nine-Tails."
He nodded faintly. The Limited Tsukuyomi was originally an existence that had been reversed from the original world. Uchiha Sasuke had become a scumbag, Naruto had become Menma, and Hinata had become a big sister...
"So that's how it is. Because this is a reversed world, even Kurama has become more agreeable?"
His blood-red Sharingan gleamed. Just as he was about to negotiate amicably with the Black Nine-Tails, who was still caught in choice paralysis before him, a violent shaking jolted Uchiha Huayue awake from his Inner world.
"Damn it, who interrupted my good time?"
"Idiot! The Jonin Instructor is here. Can't you wake up already?"
Anko urged him in a low voice, her face turning deathly pale. A thick, slick, wet brown-black python was slowly tightening around Huayue's bewildered face, frightening the two girls until their faces went pale.
"A ninja must never let his guard down. Students without any sense of tension are disliked, my adorable students. Heh heh..."
"You're so noisy. What a troublesome pervert."
The python suddenly constricted. As a cloud of White Mist dispersed, the Huayue who should have been lying in his seat had become a Substitution Log.
"Heh heh. Speaking your true thoughts in front of others will make people dislike you, my adorable student."
A thin figure silently stood behind the three of them. His cold, grave gaze held a trace of scrutiny as it slowly shifted from Anko and Yugao to the black-haired boy on the platform.
"Teacher Orochimaru? Sorry, sorry. He's always been like this. Please don't take it to heart."
Anko hurriedly apologized, while Uzuki Yugao remained silent beside her, her brows slightly furrowed.
Ignoring Anko's apology, a trace of surprise flashed through Orochimaru's eyes. As he sized up Uchiha Huayue, he discovered that Huayue was sizing him up as well.
His long hair hung loose, his facial lines were cold and hard, and his skin was as cold and pale as a snake's. He was truly the sort of person who made it difficult to feel any goodwill toward him.
"An apology? It's nothing. It seems one of you is rather full of himself. Now head to the Third Training Ground. Your first mission is beginning."
The Third Training Ground? Could it be...
Having more or less guessed what Orochimaru was planning, Huayue kept his mouth shut while Anko and Yugao hurried after him.
Konoha's Third Training Ground.
In front of the Substitution Logs used to practice throwing shuriken, streams burbled and birds sang amid fragrant flowers.
Uzuki Yugao had arrived at the training ground early and was holding a single-edged sword. Anko was also adjusting her ninja tool pouch. Only Huayue kept his eyes lowered, having already guessed what was coming.
"Heh heh, what punctual children. I don't dislike students who are on time."
"Yes, yes, all right, let's get started already. Whether it's taking the bells or a one-on-one fight, I won't lose, Teacher Orochimaru."
Hearing Huayue's words, Orochimaru merely smiled and extended his right hand. Two crisp bells dangled from it, while his dangerous eyes held a hint of amusement.
"It seems you've heard certain rumors. With your strength, taking the bells from me will determine who gets to graduate from the Ninja Academy. The failures will be fit only to return to school."
"Now, begin."
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The moment his voice fell, the intense heat instantly dried the air. The fireball surging toward him made excitement appear on Orochimaru's face.
"I almost forgot. I should have reminded you that you could attack with the attitude of trying to kill me. It seems now that I worried for nothing. Heh heh heh..."
His body melted like mud, and his supple, snake-like form hung down from a tree branch in the distance.
"Uchiha Huayue. His performance was average among his Ninja Academy class, and he has never displayed anything extraordinary. It seems he's hidden himself quite deeply."
"You two, as ninjas, must never leave your backs wide open to the enemy. Hidden Shadow Snake Hands."
Snake after snake, like ropes, bound Anko and Yugao's bodies. From the mouths of the snakes clinging to them, Orochimaru's figure emerged, his deep-purple tongue gently licking Anko's face.
"Oh my, thank you for the praise, Teacher Orochimaru. But you should remember this well: a ninja must never leave his back wide open. Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique..."
Heat hot enough to boil the stream surged forth once more. The excitement on Orochimaru's face grew even more pronounced as he let out a low, cold laugh.
"What happened to Teacher Orochimaru? Why has he been chuckling over there ever since saying 'begin'? What happened?"
Beside her, Anko's face was filled with confusion. Yugao gripped her sword hilt even more tightly, her face full of shock.
"Could it be... could it be that Teacher Orochimaru... has fallen under a genjutsu?"
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