Chapter 11: Promoted to Platoon Leader, Status Improved Again
Uchiha Akira—this name, in just one month, went from a "talented newcomer" to an undisputed "genius" in the Guard.
A few days later, Uchiha Akira stood in front of the bulletin board at the Guard headquarters. A new notice had just been posted there: Guard Platoon Leader Selection Assessment Notice.
"A Platoon Leader, huh…" Akira murmured to himself.
This was exactly what he needed. Higher status meant more authority, more resources, and more generous rewards from the system.
"Akira, you're here to see the notice too?" A familiar voice came from behind him.
Uchiha Tekka strode over. He looked at the bulletin board, then at Akira, a meaningful smile on his face.
"How about it? Interested?"
"Does the Platoon Leader think I should be interested?" Akira replied with a question instead of an answer.
"Haha! You kid!" Tekka laughed heartily. "If you're not interested, then no one in the Guard is qualified! Go on, I've already signed you up!"
"Thank you, Platoon Leader," Akira said gratefully.
"Don't mention it! You deserve it!" Tekka patted Akira's shoulder, his tone filled with expectation. "Do well, don't embarrass me!"
The assessment date was set for three days later. The location was the Guard's exclusive central training ground. Besides Akira, five other senior Chunin from the Guard participated in this Platoon Leader selection. All of them were over twenty years old, experienced, and quite skilled.
The first item was practical combat. Opponents were decided by drawing lots.
Akira's first opponent was a senior Chunin named Uchiha Mine, whose taijutsu was fierce and his Fire Release quite proficient.
"Uchiha Akira, please guide me," Uchiha Mine said in a deep voice, his eyes serious. Facing the rising star Uchiha Akira, Uchiha Mine dared not be careless in the slightest.
"Please," Akira said concisely.
The moment the battle began, Uchiha Mine launched the first attack.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A scorching fireball roared out, directly aiming for Akira's face. Akira's body flickered, avoiding the direct impact of the fireball like a ghost, while simultaneously forming hand seals rapidly.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Dozens of fist-sized fireballs, as if they had eyes, attacked Uchiha Mine from all directions. Uchiha Mine's expression changed slightly, and he quickly dodged, but Akira's Phoenix Sage Fire was controlled too precisely. Several fireballs still grazed his clothes, leaving a smell of charring.
"Such fast hand seals! Such precise control!" A chorus of exclamations rose from outside the arena.
Uchiha Mine steadied himself, his gaze even more serious. He took a deep breath and formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
A highly compressed fire bullet, carrying astonishing heat, shot toward Akira. Akira did not dodge, a flash of blood-red light flickering in his eyes.
One-Tomoe Sharingan, activated!
The instant the Flame Bullet was about to hit him, his body twisted at an incredible angle, narrowly avoiding a vital spot. Seeing Akira activate his Sharingan, Uchiha Mine also activated his Bloodline Limit, a pair of One-Tomoe Sharingan identical to Akira's.
The two went back and forth, clashing dozens of times in a mere few seconds. Although both had the One-Tomoe Sharingan, Uchiha Mine's development was clearly not as good as Akira's. Coupled with Akira's powerful taijutsu, he seized a moment of reaction delay from his opponent, delivering a whip kick imbued with immense force, striking hard at Uchiha Mine's waist and ribs.
"Bang!"
A muffled thud. Uchiha Mine felt an irresistible force at his waist, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground, unable to get up for a long time. The two had only exchanged blows for a short while, and Uchiha Mine was overwhelmingly defeated.
The entire venue was silent for a few seconds, then erupted in thunderous applause.
"Too strong! Senior Mine was defeated so quickly!"
"Is Uchiha Akira really a Chunin?!"
In the subsequent practical combat rounds, Akira was unstoppable. Even the strongest Elite Chunin among them could only last about thirty exchanges against him. In the practical combat segment, Akira, without a doubt, scored full marks.
The second item was tactical analysis. The examiners presented a simulated scenario: Traces of an enemy spy were found outside Konoha Village, suspected of carrying important intelligence. Candidates were required to devise a capture plan, considering factors such as the integrity of the intelligence, minimizing casualties, and preventing the enemy from resorting to desperate measures.
Several candidates presented their views. When it was Akira's turn, he only pondered for a moment before providing a highly feasible plan.
"First, blockade all major routes out of the village. Utilize the Guard's patrol network to form an encirclement, gradually narrowing the scope."
"Second, dispatch elite reconnaissance squads. Use Sharingan or secret techniques to pinpoint the spy's exact location. Absolutely avoid alerting the enemy."
"Once located, do not attack head-on. Send team members skilled in genjutsu to attempt silent infiltration. Control them with genjutsu, prioritizing intelligence security."
"If genjutsu fails, or if the spy is too strong, then subdue them quickly with a team combined attack. Make sure to capture them alive; intelligence is more important than lives."
"At the same time, set up a second line of defense on the periphery to prevent accomplices from assisting or the use of special escape techniques."
"The entire operation must be secretive, swift, and efficient."
The three chief examiners nodded repeatedly. One of the examiners, Uchiha Gen, even clapped his hands and praised, "This kid is not only exceptionally strong but also remarkably clear-headed. He's a true general!"
In tactical analysis, Akira once again received a full-mark evaluation.
The third item was genjutsu release. Examiner Uchiha Setsuna personally took action.
"Uchiha Akira, are you ready?" Uchiha Setsuna's voice remained cold.
"Please."
Setsuna's gaze suddenly sharpened, and an invisible eye power instantly enveloped Akira.
"Genjutsu: Haze Clone Technique!"
This was a mid-level genjutsu that caused the victim to see countless illusory figures, lose their sense of direction, and eventually suffer a mental breakdown. However, the moment the genjutsu was activated, the One-Tomoe in Akira's eyes suddenly accelerated its rotation.
He only felt the scene before his eyes flicker slightly, and countless figures of Uchiha Setsuna appeared, but the next second, he clearly perceived the flow of Chakra that was disrupting his mind.
"Break!"
Akira let out a low shout, his Chakra within his body vibrated slightly, and his powerful mental energy exploded, causing the illusion before him to shatter like a reflection in a mirror. The entire process took no more than three seconds.
"This…" For the first time, a clear look of surprise appeared on Uchiha Setsuna's face. His Haze Clone Technique, even an ordinary Jonin, couldn't break it so quickly.
The assessment ended. The result was without suspense.
Uchiha Inaho announced on the spot: "In this Platoon Leader selection, Uchiha Akira, with a perfect score in all three categories, ranks first! Effective immediately, he is promoted to Platoon Leader of the Konoha Police Force, granted a platoon formation, and may personally select three team members!"
Whoosh—!
The entire venue erupted in cheers even more enthusiastic than any before.