Uchiha Ryuuka and his older companion, Uchiha Yukito, who was a year older than him, hadn't been waiting long.
Yukito, already a first-year student at the Ninja Academy, was fine. He was six years old this year, and Ryuuka, who was about to start his first year at the Ninja Academy, was visibly impatient.
"They're finally here!" Ryuuka shouted excitedly, nearly jumping up as he spotted Uchiha Mamoru from afar, unable to contain his excitement.
"Calm down, Ryuuka. What we need to do now is find a safe place to hide and not disturb the prey..." Yukito reminded him quietly. Unlike Ryuuka, Yukito, who had several hunting experiences, remained very calm. He secretly shook his head, thinking, "Kids are still kids. Not everyone is as mature as Toshiro."
Yukito patted Ryuuka on the shoulder and indicated the tall tree next to them. With a crouch and a burst of strength, he sprinted up and climbed onto a branch about five meters above the ground in a few swift movements.
Not wanting to be outdone, Ryuuka also climbed onto the tree, hiding behind the thick branches and waiting quietly, showing a skillful mastery.
These were the results of Uchiha Toshiro's subtle influence over the past two years. The game "Werewolf" had a great intellectual effect, resulting in the Uchiha adults discovering that their children were becoming increasingly astute. Hunting, a novel game for six- and seven-year-olds, greatly boosted their training enthusiasm.
At the very least, they had to successfully complete tree climbing training, the most basic requirement. This forced them to train harder than usual. At the same time, basic ninja skills like shuriken and kunai throwing, setting traps, hand signals, and basic coordination were all developed ahead of time.
Toshiro had considered this thoroughly. Surviving the Third Ninja War, if lucky, might still be somewhat possible. However, surviving the Nine-Tails Incident that followed and the clan's downfall would be incredibly difficult without mastering the Mangekyo Sharingan and Sage Mode. For him to survive alone would be nearly impossible.
His companions of similar age would be just past 20 by then, a golden age for a ninja transitioning from youth to maturity.
He was unsure if this was good or bad.
Through the gaps in the leaves, distant figures gradually came into view, becoming clearer from indistinct blurs.
At the forefront, Uchiha Homura was panting heavily, drenched in sweat, his face pale from tension. Ahead of him was a rare narrow path through the forest, with an area concealed by dead branches and leaves at the center - his target.
Looking back at the last shurikens in his ninja pouch, he threw them all at the wild boar, which screamed and charged at him again.
With a burst of strength, he leapt over the barely-hidden trap prepared specifically for him as a newcomer. Though the landing was shaky from his nerves, making his steps awkward, it no longer mattered.
Behind him came a loud "thud," the sound of the prey falling into the trap. Following that were the wild boar's shrill screams, coming from a rectangular pitfall prepared by Homura and Yukito.
Driven by anger, the boar's charge, combined with its weight and the revealed soft belly exposed to kunai from the trap, signaled its fate today.
"It's finally over," he muttered, scrambling up a tree next to Ryuuka, panting heavily, and filled with lingering fear.
His stamina should've made the 800-900 meters a no-brainer, but the adrenaline from being chased by a wild beast and his first time as bait depleted his strength quickly, leaving him exhausted.
"Haha, it's finally my turn!" Ryuuka, unable to contain his excitement, leapt down from the tree.
"Oh no!" they both exclaimed.
"Idiot!"
"This moron!"
The voices from Ryuuka's companions echoed around, expressing the same sentiment despite different words.
The makeshift trap failed to hold the boar. After being grievously wounded, it broke free with greater strength, and in its terror, it charged at Ryuuka, who was too stunned to react.
At the critical moment, a figure appeared next to him, kicking him several meters away.
"Saved!" Ryuuka sighed in relief.
Despite the kick, being rescued left him feeling fortunate, even as a sense of weakness overtook him.
Uchiha Toshiro, who kicked Ryuuka aside, didn't have time to think much.
Facing the charging boar, he turned and ran, channeling chakra to his feet, swiftly climbing the tree Ryuuka had just jumped from. With a quick maneuver, he flipped over the boar's head, landing behind it.
The boar, driven by fear, failed to stop and crashed headfirst into the tree with a "thunk" sound.
Drawing the small sword he'd carried since they started, Toshiro finally stood ready.
"Konohagakure Secret Technique... Taijutsu Ultimate Technique..."