Land of Fire, Konoha.
After the Second Tsuchikage and the Second Mizukage perished together, the ninja world finally entered a rare period of peace.
For more than a decade, under the wise leadership of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Konoha reached yet another peak of prosperity.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was even hailed as the strongest Hokage.
At this moment, inside a small room somewhere in the Forest of Death, several people were secretly discussing the matter of seizing power.
"The odd change stays the same."
"Check the quadrant with the symbol."
"Imperial Elixir Wine."
"One hundred eighty a cup."
"How's the wine?"
"Let me brag about it."
"Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron."
"Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon."
"Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus."
"Sulfur, Chlorine, Argon, Potassium, Calcium."
"Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese."
???
???
???
???
Do we really have to memorize the periodic table past the twentieth element now?
Nobody told me about that.
The hooded, sunglasses-wearing boy, Shiken Aburame, who had raised that question, secretly smirked to himself.
Heh heh.
A bunch of chemistry noobs.
This should wipe you all out instantly.
Calm down. Stay calm.
Can't let my cool factor drop.
"Ahem."
Shiken Aburame spoke coldly.
"To prevent certain special mind-reading techniques—just in case someone can actually read minds—we'd be in serious danger. Logically speaking, among a hundred thousand transmigrators, there might not even be one who can recite the periodic table by heart. And in the same world, there absolutely can't be two people who can recite beyond the twentieth element. So whoever answers it must have a problem. From the looks of it, none of you have any issues."
The four people in front of him immediately broke out in cold sweat.
This fellow countryman looks a bit troublesome to deal with…
"Then if you can recite it, doesn't that mean you're the one with the biggest problem?" the pineapple-haired boy Kamito Uchiha shot back.
Damn it, how did I not think of that?
I just guaranteed that everyone else had no issues—but who's guaranteeing I don't?
Although Shiken Aburame was panicking inside, his face remained calm.
The atmosphere gradually turned awkwardly silent.
"Shiken Aburame. 'Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese.' What comes next?"
Ryoha Inuzuka—his face painted with oil patterns, holding a gray-white wolf dog in his arms—asked.
Damn it. Who the hell takes the examiner's question and asks it back to the examiner?
Ryoha Inuzuka, are you sick in the head?
Shiken Aburame kept his composure—but didn't answer.
Two minutes later, the remaining four exchanged glances.
The atmosphere instantly relaxed.
But each of them shot Shiken Aburame a look of disdain.
What's the big deal? You only memorized five extra elements. Why are you acting so smug, you trash?
Shiken Aburame: ???
You four idiots—do you even know those five elements? Do you know them? No, right? Only I know them! So who exactly are you looking down on?
Of course, exchanging looks while wearing sunglasses was completely pointless.
The remaining four people and one dog—
Yes, literally four people and one dog—were all quite pleased.
Nothing feels better than watching someone fail at showing off.
Well, unless it's successfully showing off yourself.
The only one who hadn't spoken yet, the dumpling-nosed, bowl-cut boy Hideki Senju, finally said:
"Shiken Aburame, how did you know we're all… ahem… people from the same place?"
Oh, and there was also someone who constantly rolled his eyes at everything—Hiyasu Hyūga.
Kamito Uchiha, Ryoha Inuzuka, and Hiyasu Hyūga all turned to look at Shiken Aburame.
Everyone had been minding their own business at home when suddenly a bug flew in.
Then the bug brought a letter.
The letter read: Imperial Elixir Wine. Want to know the price? If you do, come here.
That scared the hell out of them.
How could they not come check it out?
At this point, Shiken Aburame was practically furious.
I've been living in Konoha every day trembling with fear, walking on thin ice, quietly grinding and developing myself… but just look at what you idiots have been doing!
He pointed his finger at Kamito Uchiha.
"You brought two little Uchiha lackeys with you after school and ambushed Fugaku Uchiha. While beating him up, you kept shouting, 'So you're the one trying to hit on my sister?! You want my sister to give birth to two kids for you?! Absolutely not! Stay away from my sister from now on, got it?!'"
"…Meanwhile, Fugaku Uchiha hasn't had any ambiguous relationships with girls at all. In fact, he barely even talks to them."
As soon as those words came out, everyone turned to stare at Kamito Uchiha.
Damn, that's arrogant.
As expected—someone reincarnated as an Uchiha has no brain.
Then Shiken Aburame pointed at Hideki Senju.
"In the Senju clan, there's someone who keeps dragging their young clan heir, Nawaki, around to practice how to avoid being blown up by explosive tags. Even though Nawaki refuses again and again, that person stubbornly keeps going. It's practically become a strange legend in the Senju clan."
Everyone immediately turned to look at Hideki Senju.
Holy crap—that's way too obvious.
There's clearly something wrong there.
Looks like we've actually been pretty conservative…
But seriously—we're only five years old. Did you really need to do all that?
Another finger pointed out.
"When I passed by the Hyūga clan, this guy was practicing Tai Chi under a tree."
Plagiarists are shameful.
We refuse to associate with such people.
"And this guy went on a date with Rinko Inuzuka."
???
"What does that have to do with where I'm from? People here mature early. We're from the same clan and grew up together. Going for a walk together is perfectly normal, isn't it?"
Ryoha Inuzuka protested.
He didn't think going out for a stroll would expose him.
You idiot, is that really the point?
You're only five years old!
No—she's the one who's only five!
Are you even human?!
Groomer. Pedophile. Pervert…
Everyone erupted in righteous indignation.
Such behavior was simply unworthy of being called human.
Tch!
Let's clarify something.
It's definitely not because we're jealous.
Definitely not.
Definitely not.
Shiken Aburame explained.
"You beast! How could you give something like that to Rinko to drink?!"
"Scumbag!"
"Degenerate!"
"Shameless!"
"Hey! What do you idiots know? In the Inuzuka clan, drinking dog milk is a tradition! It strengthens the body, and the scent makes ninja dogs like you more. It also makes practicing ninjutsu easier. Don't you get it?"
Ryoha Inuzuka jumped up and started explaining frantically.
He had to explain.
Ryoha Inuzuka was absolutely not a scumbag.
This was a very serious matter concerning his personal dignity.
Everyone suddenly understood.
A special custom.
Understandable, understandable.
But their mouths still wouldn't go easy on him.
"Tch. Drinking dog milk is just drinking dog milk. It's not like we're looking down on you," Hideki Senju said.
"Idiot! It's dog milk, okay? The way you said it makes it sound terrible. Right, Eimaru?"
"Woof woof."
"You bastard, I'm going to beat you to death."
The two of them—and the dog—instantly started brawling.
The remaining three quickly moved aside to watch the show.
But at that moment, everyone probably shared the same thought.
It's not just me.
That's a relief.