ALL NOVEL Chapter 8: Chapter 8
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
The moment he responded, Tetsuya Fujiwara stood taller, his posture straightening.
There was no fear, no hesitation, no unease!
Right now, standing before Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tetsuya wasn't just representing himself. He stood for the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans.
He understood this clearly.
Only by showing enough potential would this ninja legend take a chance on him.
"Good!"
"Are you ready?"
"Lord Hokage, I've been ready for a long time! Let's begin!"
At some point, rain had started falling from the sky, light at first but now pouring down in sheets.
The weather he had hoped for had finally arrived.
"Uchiha Mikoto, Genin!"
In the blink of an eye, to Tetsuya's astonishment, Uchiha Mikoto appeared beside him with a flicker of movement.
Uchiha Mikoto!
As he glanced at her side profile—her long, sleek black hair cascading down—his thoughts were like crashing waves, tumbling and churning.
His opponent for the Genin exam... was Uchiha Mikoto.
Future head of the Uchiha clan, wife of Uchiha Fugaku.
Mother of Itachi and Sasuke.
Tetsuya stared at Uchiha Mikoto for a good ten seconds before he could tear his gaze away.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru—they were all here!
So, having Uchiha Mikoto in the mix didn't seem too far-fetched.
Still, thinking of Fugaku's stern, mature face, Tetsuya couldn't help but marvel.
It's no wonder Itachi and Sasuke turned out so handsome!
They've clearly inherited Mikoto's good genes.
"Tetsuya, your opponent for today's exam is Genin Mikoto Uchiha!"
"As long as you can hold your ground against her for ten minutes without losing..."
"You'll pass the exam!"
"And I will officially grant you the rank of Genin."
After receiving guidance from her clan's elders, Uchiha Mikoto had mastered the single-Tomoe Sharingan.
She could fully unleash the power carried by those eyes.
Her combat prowess was far beyond that of an ordinary Genin.
"I understand, Lord Hokage!"
"I'll do my best!"
"Genin Mikoto! Please go easy on me!"
Among his peers, Tetsuya wasn't short for his age—around 1.3 meters tall.
But standing before Uchiha Mikoto, he found himself a full head shorter.
Sure, age played a part!
But for a guy, height was always a sore spot, no matter the reason.
———
Training Ground 24.
Amid the howling wind, rain poured down from the clouds, turning into a torrential downpour.
Within seconds, both Tetsuya Fujiwara and Uchiha Mikoto, standing in the center of the training ground, were completely drenched.
Uchiha Mikoto, soaked to the skin, undoubtedly hit every mark of Tetsuya's aesthetic preferences.
But now wasn't the time for him to appreciate the view.
Because the moment his focus wavered, Uchiha Mikoto had already activated the single-Tomoe Sharingan, a symbol of the Uchiha bloodline.
The sight of her scarlet eyes sent Tetsuya's nerves into overdrive.
She's already awakened them, huh?
Sarutobi Hiruzen, you really picked me one hell of an opponent!
[Hey, you pure-hearted host! A "boy meets girl" moment—this is fate! Faced with such a cute girl like Uchiha Mikoto, why aren't you doing something? Temporary task triggered!]
[1: Defeat Uchiha Mikoto, leaving an unforgettable impression on her! Reward: A C-rank ninjutsu (random Lightning or Water style) and 300 kill points.]
[2: Fight Uchiha Mikoto to a draw, ensuring she remembers your name! Reward: A C-rank ninjutsu (random style/random technique).]
[You have 10 minutes to complete the task. Failure to do so will result in cancellation!]
Hearing the voice in his head, Tetsuya couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.
Boy meets girl? Fated encounter?
With his scrawny frame?
Even if he had the desire, he didn't have the strength for that!
But the system's tempting rewards gradually deepened the resolve in Tetsuya's eyes.
If he could get a Lightning Style jutsu...
It would be a massive boost to his current power.
I have to win this exam!
Ding!
At the proctor's signal, Tetsuya Fujiwara and Uchiha Mikoto's silhouettes blurred through the rain, clashing in a rapid exchange.
Two sharp kunai collided in mid-air, sending sparks flying through the downpour.
"Oh! What a terrifying kid! At this age, he can keep up with Uchiha Mikoto's speed?"
From the high platform, Jiraiya, rubbing his chin, let out a whistle as he leaned in for a better look.
"Jiraiya, you pervert, back off!"
Seeing his head inching dangerously close to her chest, Tsunade's forehead bulged with anger, the kanji for "wrath" practically appearing above her head.
Unable to maintain her graceful posture any longer, she let out a sharp yell and swung her right hand with full force.
Though she didn't use chakra, that heavy punch wasn't something anyone could handle.
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Orochimaru turned their heads, several large lumps began forming on Jiraiya's skull.
"Tsunade, are you trying to kill me?!"
As the comedic relief of the future Sannin, Jiraiya never failed to entertain.
Sensing the icy glare in Tsunade's eyes, Jiraiya shivered and quickly hid behind Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Another attempt at copping a feel...
Failed again!
"Jiraiya! Behave yourself and watch!"
"Tetsuya Fujiwara's performance is already way more impressive than you were at his age!"
"And Tsunade, you know how Jiraiya is! Next time, just give him a small slap! No need to go all out."
His student was in front of him, and his other student was behind him.
What could Sarutobi Hiruzen do?
He let out a puff of smoke and gave both a verbal slap on the wrist.
"Jiraiya! Sensei's right! This kid from a minor ninja clan is a lot more reliable than you were back in the day."
At this point in time, Orochimaru, though deeply engrossed in the study of ninjutsu, hadn't yet begun his infamous pursuit of forbidden techniques and immortality.
Though his face had a certain eerie softness to it, he still gave off a somewhat warm aura.
Faced with the teasing from Sarutobi and Orochimaru, Jiraiya didn't argue back.
Mostly because Tsunade was still glaring daggers at him.
Her eyes seemed to say, 'Just wait. Today isn't over yet.'
Recalling the days when he was dominated by Tsunade's iron fists, Jiraiya instinctively shrank his neck, forcing himself to stop ogling her imposing figure.
---
"Tetsuya!"
Not far away, Sandaidou Suzuko, watching the ongoing battle, felt a tinge of worry creeping in.
If only Tetsuya were three years older, with a physical build closer to Uchiha Mikoto's.
Today's fight wouldn't be nearly as difficult for him as it currently was.
Moreover, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Since their first meeting, this Uchiha girl had given her an incredibly cold vibe.
It felt like standing at the edge of an abyss!
Cold-blooded! Ruthless!
It was as if she were fighting a mortal enemy, not a peer in an exam. She wasn't holding back in the slightest.
While Sanjodou Suzuko's mind wandered, the battle within the training grounds took another turn.
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