When the Third Hokage Discovered He'd Been Had

Three days later, at the Konoha Ninja Academy.

After spending the past few days in great comfort, Miya returned to the Ninja Academy to take the early graduation exam.

Outside the examination room, Kurenai Yuhi and Rin Nohara knew Miya was taking his graduation exam that day. Once he entered the room, the two girls waited eagerly, hoping to see his incomparably handsome face wearing a ninja Forehead Protector when he stepped back out.

Besides Kurenai and Rin, Asuma and Obito, who had a grudge against Miya, were waiting outside too, along with classmates such as Might Guy and Genma Shiranui.

They all hoped Miya would graduate without a hitch, so he wouldn't have to come back to school and torment them anymore.

Inside the examination room, Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally took the role of chief examiner. Beside him were Miya's homeroom teacher, Masaki Kuhara, and Orochimaru, whom Miya recognized at a glance.

"Miya, begin!"

"Today's exam covers the Three Basic Techniques."

Standing in the examination area, Miya shrugged indifferently and formed a single hand seal: Tiger.

Bang, bang, bang.

In an instant, the three Miyas in the room transformed into Hiruzen Sarutobi, Masaki Kuhara, and Orochimaru, respectively.

Clone Technique + Transformation Technique.

Miya's performance stunned Masaki, especially since Miya had only formed one seal.

"Th-this, this..."

Masaki was so stunned he couldn't even speak clearly.

"Miya, congratulations. You passed."

Hiruzen smiled kindly as he spoke.

"Such mastery of the Three Basic Techniques..."

Orochimaru, seated to the side, turned to look beside him and said with a wicked smile:

"My name is Orochimaru. From now on, you're my disciple."

Miya stepped out of the shadows, where he had been hidden from their view, and said to Orochimaru:

"My name is Miya Hanama. I look forward to learning from you, Teacher Orochimaru."

Bang, bang, bang.

As soon as Miya finished speaking, he dispelled the Three Basic Techniques, leaving behind a substitution log.

Orochimaru was extremely pleased with Miya's performance. He had actually managed to use the Three Basic Techniques at the same time, something many Chunin couldn't do.

Orochimaru would have had to be out of his mind not to be pleased with such an exceptionally gifted disciple.

I want to know your secrets more and more...

Orochimaru stared at Miya, who was smiling faintly, and thought silently.

He knew that Miya's greatest strength wasn't ninjutsu, but Taijutsu, and that he had also mastered an immensely powerful form of Nintaijutsu.

In fact, the Nuclear Fission Furnace inside Miya had played a crucial role in allowing him to reduce the hand seals for the Three Basic Techniques to a single seal.

The Atomic Chakra inside his body had already carried out the workings of the other seals.

After accepting the ninja Forehead Protector from Hiruzen and putting it on his forehead, Miya stepped out of the examination room.

"Ah, Miya, congratulations on becoming a Genin!"

"That's wonderful, Miya! Starting today, you're a Genin of the village!"

The instant Rin and Kurenai saw Miya step out of the examination room with the ninja Forehead Protector on his forehead, their faces lit up, and they stood on either side of him.

"Yeah, you'll become ninjas soon too."

Miya smiled in response.

"Miya's incredible."

"He finally graduated."

Miya's other classmates chattered endlessly among themselves, but deep down...

That big bully Miya finally graduated.

We finally don't have to live in fear anymore.

It's so great that we don't have to see him again.

Those were the true thoughts of Miya's classmates.

"Miya..."

Seeing Kurenai and Rin gathered around Miya, Asuma and Obito were so jealous their eyes turned red. They clenched their fists, turned, and left.

Jealousy drove people mad.

The two swore to themselves that they would never lose to Miya in the future.

Step one: train hard.

Step two: defeat Miya.

Step three: win Kurenai Yuhi/Rin Nohara back.

It had to be said, Asuma and Obito were still too naive.

Miya was a cheat user they could hardly hope to catch up to.

That was true in the past, the present, and the future.

To celebrate his graduation, Miya took Kurenai and Rin to the barbecue restaurant again.

"Miya, you're here."

"Oh, you became a ninja!"

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

The moment Miya appeared, the restaurant owner hurried over to greet him.

He was the god of wealth. How could he not be treated well?

When the owner saw the ninja Forehead Protector on Miya's head, he hurried to congratulate him.

"Uncle Sanbon, bring on the barbecue."

Looking at the restaurant owner, Miya spoke with great authority.

"Right away. Please, have a seat."

The restaurant owner happily went to prepare Miya's barbecue.

Over the past two days, he had finally seen Miya's terrifying appetite for himself. No matter how much food there was, Miya ate every last bit.

It was all money!

To earn more, he had to keep churning it out!

With Miya visiting again tonight, he was planning to go settle the bill with Hiruzen.

In three days, Miya had eaten a million ryo's worth of food. His funds were starting to run thin.

As for how Hiruzen would react when he saw the bill, the owner didn't care. Miya had eaten it all, and he still had the written agreement.

A million in three days meant ten million in a month, didn't it?

That was the reward for ten of the lowest-tier S-rank missions!

It hurt to think how much money Miya had eaten through over the past two-plus years, but if he hadn't been able to eat so much, there was no way he would have such a powerful physique and strength now.

At the end of the day, it came down to money equaling strength.

Operation clean plate, dig in!

When the barbecue arrived, Miya gave it no more thought and dug straight in.

Early the next morning.

Miya got up early, ate a simple breakfast of just a few hundred million bites, and headed for the address Orochimaru had given him.

Konoha Training Ground 40.

The barbecue restaurant owner had gotten up early too. He took the bill and the written agreement and went to see Hiruzen.

When Hiruzen saw the restaurant owner at his door, he smiled and asked:

"Sanbon, what brings you here so early?"

The restaurant owner took out the bill, handed it across Hiruzen's desk, and said:

"Lord Hokage, sorry for the trouble, but could you settle the bill?"

"Otherwise, I won't be able to keep the restaurant running!"

When it came to acting, the restaurant owner was a professional too.

Looking at the restaurant owner's mournful face, Hiruzen suddenly had a bad feeling. He picked up the bill and looked at it, and his vision instantly went black.

"O-one, one million ryo!"

Hiruzen's premonition had come true, but it also made him realize that Miya had been putting on an act when he'd eaten until he was stuffed in front of him a few days ago.

To put it plainly: Miya had taken him for a ride.

That little bastard Miya.

Gritting his teeth, Hiruzen cursed Miya in his heart. He really hadn't expected Miya to be able to eat so much!

Of course, Hiruzen didn't doubt the bill's authenticity. He didn't believe a barbecue restaurant owner would dare deceive him.

My poor little stash.

Hiruzen's heart ached for the private savings he'd hidden away. He'd had such a hard time accumulating them.