"Uzumaki Raiden, let's start!"
Urged by the teacher, Raiden stepped to the designated position. However, as he prepared to begin the assessment, he realized something important.
He didn't have a shuriken.
"Sorry, Sensei, I don't have a shuriken," Raiden admitted, a bit embarrassed. He genuinely hadn't known that shuriken would be required for the assessment. While he had a few kunai, shuriken were something he simply didn't carry.
"Uh…"
"Student, it seems you're not ready to become a ninja yet!" the teacher said with a sigh, reaching behind his back. Despite his words, he handed Raiden his ninja tool pouch.
"Let's begin."
Receiving the pouch, Raiden carefully took out five shuriken, counted them, and handed the pouch back to the teacher. He then turned his focus to the target.
Because of the Yin Seal, I need to use as little chakra as possible, he thought. Overusing chakra might destabilize the seal structure. Without Grandma Mito here to reinforce it, I have to be extra cautious.
A faint, light-blue, diamond-shaped mark shimmered faintly on Raiden's forehead under the sunlight. Though subtle, the mark was unmistakable.
With Mito Uzumaki's guidance, Raiden had completed the construction of his Yin Seal a year ago and had been steadily storing chakra within it since then. Despite channeling an enormous amount of chakra over the year, the mark still remained faint. Mito had explained that Raiden's Yin Seal was unusually large and stable, requiring a significantly greater amount of chakra than normal.
Unlike Sakura, who had to meticulously regulate chakra while learning the Yin Seal, Raiden's structure allowed him to store chakra while still using some of it for other purposes. However, the amount he used had to be strictly controlled; exceeding that limit could ruin all his efforts.
I'm not sure how much chakra I have in total, but using the equivalent of one "card" should be fine, he calculated. (Note: "card" refers to a chakra unit. One card equals the chakra of an elite jonin like Kakashi.)
As a member of the Uzumaki clan, Raiden's chakra reserves were immense. However, this made precise control all the more challenging.
"Raiden, hurry up!" the teacher called, seeing him standing still.
The moment the teacher spoke, Raiden picked up a shuriken and, with a swift motion, flung it toward the target.
A sharp crackle of electricity filled the air, followed by a deafening explosion.
Boom!
Sarutobi Hiruzen squinted as a powerful shockwave swept across the field. The sheer force caused students to shield their faces, some even stumbling and rolling on the ground.
"What just happened?" The teacher stared in shock at the massive crater where the target once stood. The area within a four-to-five-meter radius had been obliterated, leaving a hole over a meter deep.
"Failed. I missed the target," Raiden muttered, acknowledging his mistake. His plan had been to infuse the shuriken with chakra and control its flight arc mid-air, but his first attempt had clearly gone awry.
"What kind of power was that?!"
"That's stronger than most Fire Release techniques!"
The other children, now recovering from the shock, began whispering, their eyes wide with fear. To them, Raiden had become a dangerous anomaly.
The teacher, still stunned, hesitated before addressing him. "Raiden, this assessment is about shuriken skills. Chakra enhancement is not allowed—you've violated the rules."
Though his tone was stern, the teacher's expression betrayed a mix of amazement and disbelief.
Hiruzen, meanwhile, observed Raiden with growing interest. No matter what technique he used, the power he displayed proves one thing—this child is a genius.
"Sorry, I didn't know," Raiden said innocently, though he had already anticipated this reaction. His intention had been to attract the Third Hokage's attention, and judging by Hiruzen's expression, his plan had worked.
"Hehe, it's fine," Hiruzen interjected with a smile, raising his hand to stop the teacher from pressing further. "It's normal for children to make mistakes. Let's consider Raiden's performance as a pass. After all, he did hit the target… in a way."
The teacher, though surprised, quickly responded, "Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Turning to Raiden, he said, "You don't need to throw the remaining shuriken. Uzumaki Raiden, excellent. Preparatory Class, First-Year Class A."
Hearing this, Raiden grinned. With the shuriken test behind him, he wasn't worried about the remaining assessments. In terms of overall ability, he felt confident that no child present could surpass him.
As Raiden returned to the queue, a masked ninja quietly slipped away into the shadows. Though Raiden didn't notice, the Third Hokage's sharp gaze followed the figure as they disappeared.
It seems there's already considerable interest in the Uzumaki boy, Hiruzen mused. A knowing smile crossed his face. No matter. Now that Raiden is enrolled in the ninja school, he'll soon be seen as part of my legacy.
(End of Chapter)
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