Chapter 9: Other People's Children
Before long, a piece of news swept through Konoha like a whirlwind.
As Takeda Yoshiharu walked along, chatting and laughing with Might Guy, he seemed possessed by some rare animal. Nearby, any uncle or aunt with children in tow began to lecture their kids right there on the spot, smiling at Yoshiharu: "Look, even little Yoshiharu is just an ordinary boy from a civilian ninja family, yet he managed to defeat the heirs of one of Konoha's noble clans in battle! I heard he's preparing for the Genin exam too!"
Turning to their own unruly child, parents wore expressions of anger: "Look at you; we've bought you everything good, and all you do is play around. Have you ever considered our hopes for you as your parents?"
The child could only cry as he tearfully complained, "But Takeda Yoshiharu awakened his bloodline limit!" This one statement completely enraged the adults.
With a flick of their hand, they swatted the child on the behind, "Are you saying you're dissatisfied with us as parents for not giving you better genes?!"
Well, no matter how stubborn the child was, he was still afraid of a swat from his parents. With a resentful glare at Takeda Yoshiharu, he turned and ran off crying.
Feeling somewhat awkward, Takeda Yoshiharu rubbed his nose and turned to see that Might Guy was equally baffled. "I think we should get out of here before we end up becoming the center of attention!"
Might Guy nodded in agreement, and the two little figures quickly darted off, leaving the frustrated adults without an object of comparison.
Meanwhile, at home, after informing his parents about the upcoming exam, Kudo Shinichi maintained a demeanor of indifference as he continued reading the Konoha's little newspaper, albeit upside down, which exposed the excitement he was hiding within.
His mother, on the other hand, had a joyful expression that was clearly written on her face as she hurried out to cook a special dinner for Takeda Yoshiharu, preparing to celebrate his upcoming exam success in advance.
In her eyes, her child would always be the best. At this moment, Takeda Yoshiharu, who was daydreaming in his bedroom, couldn't help but recall the recent scenes on the streets.
It didn't take long for him to understand the Third Hokage's intentions. He was being brought out of the shadows and into the spotlight. This way, Danzo wouldn't dare to touch him. Right then, Danzo could only employ underhanded tactics in the dark, but once things were out in the open, there's no way he could do anything too extreme.
Realizing this, Takeda Yoshiharu smiled happily. He then immersed himself in the system. Half an hour later, he heard his mother call him, prompting him to get up and head to the dining room for a "feast."
The meal was filled with laughter and joy among the three of them. Even Kudo Shinichi, who usually abstained from alcohol, happily brought out a bottle of aged sake he had preserved for many years.
After dinner, under his mother's strong insistence, Takeda Yoshiharu could only obediently return to his bedroom to prepare for sleep. As per his mother's words: tomorrow was an important day, and he needed to get to bed early to rest up.
The next morning, Takeda Yoshiharu woke up early. It wasn't due to excessive excitement. As a martial artist, even a novice would need to practice stances each morning.
Unlike the ninja system, if it weren't for this comprehensive martial arts system, even if Takeda Yoshiharu were given a martial arts manual, he might not bother to study it as it seemed too time-consuming.
An ordinary person could unleash powerful jutsu once they gathered chakra. However, for a martial artist, externalizing their qi typically required reaching an innate level and possessing earth-grade martial arts.
Of course, this doesn't mean martial artists are inferior to the ninja system; they simply focus on different aspects. So, even in this ninja world, Takeda Yoshiharu maintained some essential discipline expected of a martial artist.
An hour later, his parents woke up. Having already showered, Takeda Yoshiharu respectfully sat at the dining table. Seeing him dressed lightly, his mother smirked, "You little rascal, did you wake up early again to do those strange poses in the yard?"
Well, what was a basic stance practice to a martial artist seemed like a bizarre act to everyone else.
Seeing her son's helpless expression, his mother dropped the topic and said, "Today, many important figures you don't usually meet will come to watch. Make sure to perform well!"
"Don't worry, Mother! I'll definitely succeed in my challenge. Just wait for my good news at home!" If he didn't change the subject soon, it seemed they wouldn't get breakfast anytime soon.
At 10 AM, in a training ground somewhere in Konoha.
On the second-floor balcony, all the available Jōnin had gathered at this unknown training ground, casually greeting each other as they spotted familiar faces.
This wasn't per the Hokage's request; it was sparked by hearing about Takeda Yoshiharu's genius reputation. They wanted to see for themselves what astonishing talent this little brat, honored even by the Hokage, possessed.
Serving as the judges were three renowned figures, including Orochimaru. Takeda Yoshiharu could tell from the choice of judges how much the Third Hokage expected from him. Although the Third had played a little trick on him yesterday, it was all for the village's sake, and upon realizing the whole situation, Takeda Yoshiharu felt relieved.
"Hey, kid. Don't think just because you awakened some bloodline limit you can ignore the Uchiha clan's reputation. Today, I'll show you what true Uchiha glory looks like," a brash voice called out from ahead.
Interrupted, Takeda Yoshiharu lifted his head to see what was going on. It seemed this was a deliberate provocation. Indeed, a Uchiha stood before him, sporting a single red Sharingan. Thankfully, it was just a one-tomoe Sharingan, which only allowed him to see through some taijutsu moves—a level below any truly overwhelming power.
However, not every Uchiha could activate their Sharingan, so those who could often felt superior to others, which contributed to their haughty demeanor.