Chapter 15 — Displaying Talent
He could barely remember the last time he had slept so comfortably.
Early in the morning, the sound of birds chirping outside the window woke Tetsuya from his deep slumber. Sitting up in bed, he stretched his arms lazily before stepping onto the floor barefoot, feeling completely refreshed.
While Tetsuya was washing up, a knock sounded at the front door on the first floor. Opening it, he found Kurenai Yūhi standing outside.
"Good morning, Teacher Kurenai."
"After organizing my father's ninja notes, I copied down a few Fire Release techniques from them."
Kurenai did not enter. Instead, she handed him a set of documents. Not only did they contain the hand seal sequences for three C-rank and two B-rank Fire Release techniques, but they also included some personal insights that Yūhi Shinku had casually jotted down during his Fire Release training.
"Thank you, Teacher Kurenai."
Tetsuya flipped through the material with delight and realized that aside from one C-rank technique he had yet to master, he had already "harvested" the other four Fire Release techniques from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He had been wondering how to legitimize the Fire Release techniques he possessed. Now, just as he was dozing off, someone had delivered a pillow.
As long as he was careful about the Sarutobi clan's exclusive techniques, he could now use the rest of his Fire Release openly in battle.
While browsing the notes, Tetsuya followed Kurenai to the training ground, where he found Asuma Sarutobi already waiting with a steaming breakfast in hand.
"Kurenai, why are you out so early today?"
Seeing her, Asuma's somewhat weathered face broke into a smile.
"This is my new student, Tetsuya. His talent in genjutsu is no less than mine. However, relying solely on genjutsu is too one-dimensional, so I found him a few Fire Release techniques."
Hearing Kurenai's praise, Asuma sized Tetsuya up before laughing heartily.
"If you needed Fire Release techniques, why not come to me? The Sarutobi clan's Fire Release is the best in Konoha!"
Well then. With the Uchiha clan wiped out, not only had the Hyūga begun boldly proclaiming themselves Konoha's number one clan, but even the Sarutobi were unwilling to fall behind, claiming the title of number one in Fire Release.
Asuma beckoned to Tetsuya before striding to the center of the training ground.
"Watch carefully. This is a secret Fire Release technique passed down in the Sarutobi clan."
The hand seal sequence was so familiar that before Asuma even finished, Tetsuya already knew what technique he was about to use.
"Fire Release: Great Blaze Technique."
Asuma's cheeks suddenly puffed out as he spewed fierce flames from his mouth, forming a massive pillar of fire that surged toward a wooden post three meters away. In just a few breaths, it was reduced to ashes.
"Well? This is our clan's secret Fire Release technique. Even defensive ninjutsu can hardly withstand these unrelenting flames… Back then, it only took me an hour to learn this technique and I completely stunned the old man."
Since Tetsuya was Kurenai's student, Asuma already considered him one of their own. While speaking, he glanced toward Kurenai—only to find that she seemed unimpressed by his display, which dampened his enthusiasm somewhat.
"Next, I'll explain the key points of this technique in detail. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask."
Asuma patted Tetsuya on the shoulder and was about to demonstrate again at a slower pace when Tetsuya shook his head and stepped forward.
"Fire Release: Great Blaze Technique."
Under Asuma's watchful gaze, Tetsuya replicated the technique exactly, causing the cigarette dangling from Asuma's lips to fall to the ground.
"...I once heard that Itachi, the clan exterminator, could instantly master any ninjutsu after seeing his father perform it just once. I never expected to witness the birth of another genius with my own eyes."
Asuma stared at Tetsuya wide-eyed, as if he had just seen something unbelievable.
"Sigh… If your talent had been discovered earlier, perhaps your current achievements wouldn't be inferior to Senior Kakashi's."
Kurenai had also been drawn over by the commotion, her voice filled with regret.
If Tetsuya could shine in this Chūnin Exam, perhaps she could take the opportunity to suggest to Lord Hokage that future team leaders take more responsibility—so that talents like this would not be buried.
"You flatter me, Teacher Kurenai. Compared to Lord Kakashi, who became a jōnin at twelve, my talent is still far behind."
Tetsuya seemed slightly embarrassed as he responded modestly.
Revealing part of his talent was naturally to escape the fate of cannon fodder. Given Asuma's relationship with the Third Hokage, Tetsuya's name would likely reach Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears soon.
Although it was currently a rare period of peace, small-scale conflicts still occurred along the borders of the Five Great Nations. Without demonstrating some value, he would soon be assigned as expendable manpower to guard the borders—or worse, sent as a spy to other countries to gather intelligence for Konoha. Neither was something Tetsuya was willing to accept.
While each of the Five Great Shinobi Villages had its own characteristics, Konoha was not only the place Tetsuya knew best but also the center of many major future events. If he hadn't received the gift from his fellow transmigrator, leaving Konoha might have been wise. But now, before he had squeezed dry all the enviable abilities within the village, he had no intention of departing.
The Uzumaki clan's physique.
Hashirama Senju's cells.
And the Hyūga clan's Byakugan…
All of these would become nourishment for him to ascend to the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
"I challenge you!"
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye. Taking advantage of a brief moment when Kurenai stepped away, Kiba Inuzuka suddenly walked up to Tetsuya and spoke.
"Kiba, that's not a good idea. Teacher Kurenai will be angry."
Beside them, Hinata Hyūga nervously tapped her index fingers together in front of her chest as she tried to dissuade him.
"Fine. I accept your challenge."
Seeing the fighting spirit in Kiba's eyes, Tetsuya nodded and walked to the center of the training ground.
Blindly burying oneself in training was not the best way to improve. Tetsuya was curious about his true combat strength.
"Heh, that's more like it!"
Earlier that morning, Kiba had learned from Kurenai about Tetsuya's ability to master a B-rank Fire Release after seeing it once. Recalling how Tetsuya had refused to spar last time, he couldn't resist issuing a challenge.
"Here I come!"
From several meters away, Kiba did not call his ninken to assist. Instead, he charged straight at Tetsuya alone. When he was within two meters, he swung his arm, scattering several purple pellets around Tetsuya. Thick smoke immediately billowed up, plunging Tetsuya into a world where he could not see his own hand in front of his face.
The Inuzuka clan possessed a unique secret technique. By concentrating chakra into the nose, they could gain a sense of smell tens of thousands of times sharper than an ordinary person's. Even within smoke, they could clearly pinpoint an enemy's position, amplifying their strengths to seize the opportunity to attack.
Moreover, Kiba knew Tetsuya had been training in genjutsu recently. After embarrassing himself before the Naraku Clone last time, he had devised a method—using smoke to obscure vision and avoid falling into illusions.
A good chance to test the Sharingan's effect.
Within the purple haze, Tetsuya—wearing cosmetic contact lenses—activated his Sharingan and immediately captured Kiba's movement trajectory through the smoke.
"It's over!"
Behind Tetsuya, Kiba leapt high into the air and brought his hand down in a powerful chop aimed at Tetsuya's neck.
What?
Just as the strike was about to land, Tetsuya seemed to foresee it. He lowered his head slightly, narrowly avoiding Kiba's decisive blow. Then, with a swift motion, he kicked Kiba in the shoulder, sending him flying out of the smoke in a sorry state before he crashed heavily onto the ground.
Woof! Woof!
Seeing his master injured, the still-small Akamaru barked angrily and lunged at Tetsuya.