"It seems the Otsutsuki bloodline really is transforming my body…" Lucien muttered as he walked toward the Ninja Academy. Even though he was inhabiting a new life, his memories of this place felt strangely intact, guiding his every step.
When he arrived, the graduation exam had already begun. Without hesitation, he slipped inside and took the only empty seat left.
"Hey, Shigure, I heard you were in the hospital. How have you been lately?" his deskmate asked cheerfully.
Lucien glanced at her. She was a girl with fiery red hair neatly tied back, porcelain-white skin, and an innocent face. Her eyes revealed her lineage. A Hyuga.
"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." He kept his answer brief and turned away, uninterested in conversation.
Silently, he activated his Sharingan, scanning the class. Chakra networks of every student lit up before his eyes like intricate webs of light.
"Tch. Compared to the Third Hokage's reserves, these kids are nothing. Just a bunch of brats." Still, a few chakra flows seemed sharper than the rest—unsurprisingly, they belonged to other Uchiha and Hyuga heirs.
The examiner called the class to order. "Next, we begin the graduation exam. Just like always, you must pass one of the three Body Techniques. Transformation, Substitution, or Clone. Now, first examinee—Hyuga Akaichou!"
The shy red-haired girl at Lucien's side stood nervously and walked to the front.
"So, her name's Hinata Akaichou…" Lucien murmured to himself.
"Transformation jutsu," the examiner instructed. "Turn into me."
She quickly formed seals, and with a puff of smoke, transformed into a perfect replica of the instructor. Lucien watched closely, his Sharingan recording every hand seal, every movement of her chakra.
"So this is how ninjutsu works… channeling chakra through seals. Though her control's a little clumsy—lots of wasted chakra—but still enough to pass." He smirked. With one glance, he had mastered the jutsu completely.
The examiner nodded. "Pass."
One by one, the class proceeded with their tests. With each attempt, Lucien's Sharingan studied, absorbed, and copied. The Three Body Techniques were now firmly his.
Then came the call. "Uchiha Mamoru!"
A boy with slick black hair strutted forward, arrogance written across his face. He cast a mocking glance at Lucien, gesturing provocatively as the rest of the class turned to watch.
"This kid's picking a fight with Shigure again! He'll get beaten up for sure!" whispered one student.
"Uchiha Shigure's always at the bottom of the class. There's no way he can pass."
Mamoru's clone jutsu performed flawlessly, earning him full marks. Yet while the others praised him, Lucien yawned at his desk, eyes half shut.
"This guy's chakra flow is sloppy," Lucien said aloud, shocking the class. "He's got more chakra than average, but wastes it all. That clone of his vanished after a second. Pathetic."
"What did he just say!?" Whispers filled the classroom.
Even Hinata Akaichou stared at him in disbelief. The Shigure she knew was weak, humiliated, and quiet. When had he become so bold?
Mamoru's face twisted in rage. "You dare mock me, the clone technique can't even be perfect!" He sneered. "Unless you're saying YOU can do better?"
The examiner frowned. "Uchiha Shigure, since you're so confident, demonstrate the clone jutsu for all of us."
Lucien stood casually, strolling forward. "I'll start with substitution." Forming seals with flawless precision, a puff of smoke enveloped him—only for a wooden log to remain where he had been. At the same instant, his true self lay sprawled back at his desk, head resting lazily on folded arms.
"When did he… switch…?"
"Examiner, substitution performed," Lucien said flatly, pretending to drift back into sleep.
"That's it? Just one technique!" Mamoru exploded. "That shouldn't count!"
The examiner, however, smirked. "Shigure passes."
Shock rippled through the classroom. A boy once derided as hopeless had just succeeded with an elegance no one could deny.
Mamoru stormed out after class, too furious to let it go. He confronted the examiner directly. "Teacher! What happened back there? Why did he pass so easily?"
The man crossed his arms. "You saw a fraction of what he did. When I called the exam, Shigure had already performed clone and transformation jutsu simultaneously. He transformed his true body, sent in a clone, and had that clone perform substitution. The log you saw was his clone. Then the clone dispelled and his true self returned to his desk. Simple."
Mamoru's face twisted. "That's insane… that's impossible!"
The examiner shook his head. "What's terrifying is that he performed all three Body Techniques in an instant—and none of us even saw him weave the seals. That's beyond your understanding."
"But cloning isn't even supposed to be controllable like that! It's just a trick to fool the enemy!" Mamoru argued bitterly.
"That's because… he wasn't using the Clone Technique at all," the examiner said coldly. "He was using the Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Mamoru froze. "What?! That's a B-rank technique! There's no way a kid our age could—!"
"Ask him yourself," the examiner cut him off. "But remember this, Mamoru… you're standing next to a monster. And he's only begun to awaken."
P.S. This chapter highlights Lucien's ability to absorb and reproduce jutsu instantly, revealing the frightening reality of his Otsutsuki-enhanced Sharingan. For the first time, his classmates and rivals witness that the weakest member of the Academy may, in fact, be the most dangerous.