First was the Byakugan girl who fainted from Miki's scare. This child, Hyuga Hitomi, as a member of the prestigious Hyuga Clan, had a solid foundation in Taijutsu. Although her personality was a bit soft, she wasn't lacking in resilience and always worked hard to stay in the first echelon.
Furthermore, this child was a member of the branch family. One day, she started coming to school wearing bandages, and from that day on, she worked even harder, yet she could never close the gap with Tsunade.
She was like a little bird in a cage, desperately flapping its wings, yearning for freedom.
The other girl was Uchiha Naori.
This girl didn't attract much attention in class. Unlike the generally proud and arrogant Uchiha, her personality was overly quiet. She usually didn't show off her skills in class, despite having the ability, she never stepped forward. Although she was cute, she was almost like a 'little transparent' (unnoticeable).
It wasn't intentional concealment; it was simply due to her innate personality. Compared to the somewhat childish Tsunade, Chiri was overly mature.
Based on her performance, she was currently in the middle of the class, but in physical education, she always looked at ease, not even breaking a sweat.
Compared to Jiraiya, who looked like a dead dog after exhausting himself for that position, she was clearly more than just a little stronger.
Miki noticed her simply because of her name.
If things developed without incident, this girl would be the strongest female Shinobi in the history of the Uchiha Clan, the ruthless individual who developed the forbidden Jutsu Izanami.
Miki felt that this girl was like a firework; she wasn't blooming now, but when she did, she would definitely be dazzling.
The other classmates were all quite ordinary in Miki's eyes.
Miki herself maintained her position in the first echelon. In terms of cultural subjects, she was first. The material in the textbooks was too simple; she could get first place by just filling in the answers. However, she knew her own situation. At this stage, she could maintain this ranking because she had already learned these things, but as the knowledge deepened, it would be hard to say.
As for physical tests, since she had mastered Chakra, maintaining her current score was not difficult. However, Miki knew that her talent in Taijutsu was very limited, or rather, her innate ability was limited. She clearly felt this when it took her nearly half a year to complete tree climbing and water walking.
Therefore, due to her early learning, her progress was ahead of her peers by more than half a year.
Compared to prestigious families like Tsunade's, she was starting from the same line and did not have an advantage.
Moreover, a large part of her energy was spent on cultivating the Insects. As time went on, it was only natural for her to be caught up and even surpassed by others.
While others were diligently attending class, Miki's attention was largely focused on the Insects on the other side, conducting daily observations. Therefore, she wouldn't be surprised if others left her far behind.
The usually quiet Miki also appeared somewhat gloomy and dazed because of this. Long periods of diverted attention led to her appearing to be daydreaming for most of the time in others' eyes.
Although, due to the mask, only the teachers had so far noticed Miki zoning out during class.
But this also meant that for such a long time, Miki and Tsunade hadn't exchanged a single word.
Because Miki never initiated conversation, the proud Tsunade also decided not to bother with Miki.
However, every time, after giving her all, she would give Miki a contemptuous smile.
Miki had no expression to show; it was a childish trick, and she couldn't be bothered to respond. Even if she had an expression, Tsunade wouldn't see it.
On this day, after the usual ten-kilometer sprint in class, Miki, as usual, prepared to rest alone in a corner.
Her efforts had paid off; some Insects had successfully completed their nuptial flight and were now building nests and laying eggs. The experiment had reached a critical moment, requiring constant vigilance, day and night. The reduction in rest time meant Miki's current mental state was very poor.
Twenty-four hours a day felt completely insufficient. At such times, Miki would unconsciously develop a craving for the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Sometimes, she would also think about this: splitting off a clone, letting the clone work, and herself resting. If the main body slept for eight hours and the clone worked for eight hours, wouldn't it be like no consumption at all?
One works for a day, one sleeps for a day. Each time they wake up and switch, the tired main body accepts and immediately goes to sleep, while the clone continues to work.
Sleeping and working at the same time, wouldn't that be a perpetual motion machine working non-stop all day?
Theoretically, it should be feasible.
However, it was just a thought; practically, there should be many pitfalls involved.
She didn't have the time to think idly now.
The exhaustion of physical strength was doubly difficult for Miki. The taste of long-distance running after staying up late was truly'soul-stirring', and she had to seize every minute of free time to rest.
But things didn't go as planned.
"Everyone, gather up! We're going to do a test."
Teacher Ogawa shouted at the top of his lungs, and seeing that he had attracted everyone's attention, he continued.
"Unlike previous small quizzes, this test is a combat assessment to evaluate your overall qualities. Students who rank lower in the test, don't be nervous; you still have time and opportunities to continue working hard and improve."
As he spoke, Teacher Ogawa distributed the test Shinobi tools to the disorderly queuing crowd.
The unsealed Kunai felt a bit heavy in her hand. It was Miki's first time holding such a thing.
At the same time, at the Hokage Tower, the Sandaime looked at the crystal in front of him, using the Telescope Jutsu.
Almost instinctively, the Chakra-eating Insects sensitively detected a sudden increase of Chakra in the air and began to stir within Miki's body.
Detecting this Chakra, Miki was a bit puzzled. Who was so idle as to secretly watch these 'chicken pecking' fights?
Her eyes subtly scanned the surroundings. There was no abnormal pheromone in the air, nor any abnormalities detected nearby. Was it a long-range Jutsu?
"Each of you, choose your opponent."
"Tsunade Hime, you lead the way and pick an opponent."
Beautiful and cute, good at studies, and of high status, Ogawa always thought of Tsunade first, no matter what.
At this moment, Tsunade stepped forward and looked at everyone. Some people who met Tsunade's gaze nervously avoided it.
In everyone's eyes, although very cute, Tsunade was no ordinary fierce.
After running such a long distance, she wasn't even out of breath.
What was even more outrageous was that she had lapped the last-place runner by a full three laps.
She truly was worthy of the Senju and Uzumaki Clan bloodlines; this physique was monstrous.
Every time she surpassed Hiruko, that kid looked like he was about to cry, gritting his teeth and fighting desperately. Anyone with eyes could see he was in great pain, but Tsunade, this simpleton, had no girlish gentleness and mercilessly ignored him as she passed.
Thinking about it, Hiruko turning into the way he did later, it had to be Tsunade's fault.
Without hesitation, Tsunade looked directly at Miki.
Tsunade disdained bullying the weak.
But if it was someone who ignored her and made her furious, that could be an exception.
As a princess, Tsunade had the right to be willful.
"Come out, you don't want to keep hiding from me, Aburame Miki, do you?"
With hands on her hips, an energetic high ponytail and golden hair, the proud little princess's face was radiant, full of spirit and heroic grace.
Though she still had a bit of baby fat.
"Laughing to death, you really have quite an imagination. I just couldn't be bothered to deal with you."
Saying "laughing to death" but showing no sign of actually laughing, her tone was as cold as ever. Miki walked out of the crowd and stood opposite Tsunade.
The smell of gunpowder immediately filled the air.
"I've wanted to teach you a lesson for a long time. That look of yours, like you look down on everyone, makes me furious."
She just couldn't find an opportunity, she didn't say that part.
Grinning, Tsunade made an overly cute, ferocious smile, clenching her small fists until her knuckles cracked.
Of course, Miki didn't want to be hit even once by those seemingly small fists. The boys in class, especially Jiraiya, had repeatedly proven their terrifying power.
"Laughing to death, I wasn't even looking at you."
Miki replied casually.
Hearing this, Tsunade took a deep breath, veins throbbing on her forehead.
What a Big Forehead.
"Big Forehead."
Then Miki said it very easily.
When it came to annoying girls, Miki used to be a professional.
"You… you!" Tsunade was beyond furious, her teeth grinding loudly.
"I'm absolutely going to beat you up, you disgusting Insect Woman!"
"You two, form the Seal of Confrontation! Remember, you are classmates, not enemies."
"The competition comes first, but don't lose sight of friendship."
Teacher Ogawa was trying to mediate from the side.
Generally, when Tsunade beat people up, he just happened not to be present. This woman was not stupid.
Tsunade glared coldly at Miki, suppressing her anger.
Miki also looked at Tsunade, her expression hidden by the mask, but Tsunade hoped it was anger, otherwise, she wouldn't have said such mutually hurtful words.
Such words had no destructive power for Miki.
But Miki also had no intention of continuing this meaningless chatter with Tsunade.
"Teacher, aren't you going to say 'start'?"
"Start!"
At the command, neither of them moved, continuing to face each other.
Tsunade couldn't figure out Miki's true strength and was waiting to see her fighting style.
Miki, on the other hand, didn't want to move. She was already very tired, so, let's end this quickly.
She raised one hand, and her wide sleeve revealed her arm, pointing towards Tsunade.
It didn't look like an attack motion, and there were no hand seals. Generally speaking, even the Aburame Clan needed to form hand seals to control Insects.
Tsunade was certain she hadn't misunderstood this point during her studies.
"Do you truly understand the terror of a Insects swarm?"
The moment she spoke, the Insects swarm went wild.
Like smoke and like rain, like rainwater recoiling, from Miki's sleeves, hood, pant legs, and all over her body, they flew out frantically, covering the sky and sun in a dense black mass, like dark clouds pressing down heavily over Miki's head, condensing without dispersing, ominously surging and writhing.
As a result, the light within several hundred meters nearby dimmed due to the Insects swarm, making the atmosphere oppressive.
At this moment, Miki slowly raised her hand, casually forming a hand seal with one hand in front of her chest.
"Sa, come and feel my terror."
The terrified screams of boys and girls echoed from outside the arena.
Further away, the Sandaime sat up from his chair in shock. This was absolutely not the performance expected of a first-year Ninja Academy student; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she could graduate on the spot.
In the arena, Tsunade, facing the enormous Insects swarm, couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, her entire body covered in goosebumps.
On a physiological level, her body was screaming with discomfort, her heart pounding, and she was completely numb.
Before Tsunade could react, the Insects swarm surged out, instantly engulfing Tsunade, who had turned to run.
Without any visible action, Tsunade fell to the ground with no room to resist, agonizingly wailing and struggling within the Insects swarm, her screams echoing throughout the entire arena.
The onlookers collectively swallowed a mouthful of saliva, watching as Tsunade stopped moving, her screams ceasing.
"Stop, Miki!"
"Teacher, I have it under control."
As she spoke, Miki recalled the Insects swarm, which swarmed back into her body, as if the previous scene had been nothing but a Genjutsu.
In the arena, Tsunade's lifeless eyes stared at the sky, her chest still rising and falling slightly, drool trickling from the corner of her mouth, looking completely broken.
She was just too weak from having too much Chakra drained.
There were no other major problems; Miki hadn't bitten her.
"Winner! Aburame Miki."
"Truly weak."
Whispering these words, Miki returned to the formation. As Miki approached, the crowd involuntarily stirred, and as Miki advanced, they instinctively made way for her.
It seemed they had truly felt terror.