Whoosh!
A streak of crimson flame flickered to life at Shien's raised fingertips.
"This is…"
Both Namikaze Minato and Kakashi widened their eyes in surprise. They had seen plenty in their time, and they immediately recognized what that meant—
Chakra nature transformation.
That was a technique normally only jonin could master. But with this glove-like ninja tool, that gap had just been bridged.
"Huh?"
Shien seemed to sense something and instinctively looked toward the tool's creator.
"Heh-heh." Under his gaze, Uzumaki Kushina puffed up proudly.
"That's right! This tool does everything you said you wanted, Little Tang-Tang!"
Fire-nature chakra transformation, flame energy concentration, and enhanced control— those were the three features Shien had originally asked for.
He'd expected Kushina to specialize in just one of them and craft the tool accordingly. But to his utter shock—she had achieved all three.
Completely outrageous. That's the might of the queen of sealing arts—able to do the impossible with a grin.
A divine weapon! For Shien at his current level, there was no better word for it.
"Kushina, you're amazing," Shien said sincerely, before sighing helplessly.
"But how many times have I told you—don't call me that?"
He still couldn't figure out what went through her head when she decided to give him a nickname like "Little Tang-Tang." A man destined to descend like a storm and shake the world—burdened with that nickname? It was pure humiliation.
He could already picture it— the future, when he's punching the Sage of Six Paths and kicking Kaguya into another dimension… someone in the crowd suddenly yells, "Go, Little Tang-Tang!"
At that point, the ninja world might as well just blow up.
"Hmph. When you wanted me to make you a custom tool, you were all, 'Kushina-onee-san, please help me~' Now that it's done, it's just 'Kushina'?"
Her wounded tone sent a chill down Shien's spine, and he surrendered instantly.
"Alright, alright—Kushina-onee-san, call me whatever you want! But we should hurry, or we'll be late to the arena!"
He strode forward quickly. After all, she had poured her heart into this project. Shien wasn't some ungrateful brat like Obito—he was genuinely thankful. So if she wanted to call him something ridiculous, he'd endure it.
"Oh, right! Shien, have you decided on a name for your ninja tool? How about 'Super Blazing Lightning—Type II'?"
Minato's eyes shone as he made the suggestion.
"…" ×3
Silence. Utter silence.
Because while Namikaze Minato was outstanding in almost every respect, he had one crippling flaw— a deep love for naming things. And the more over-the-top and cringe the name sounded, the happier he was.
"No, thanks. It already has a name—'The Fists of Blazing Fire.'"
Shien decisively rejected Minato's "brilliant" idea. He didn't need another addition to his personal collection of black history.
The Fists of Blazing Fire.
That sounded way better than those bizarre ninja tool names floating around—like "Seven-Star Sword" or "Crimson Gourd." If those names were acceptable, his definitely wouldn't raise suspicion.
Besides, it was perfectly fitting: 'Blazing Fire' for its elemental nature, 'Fists' for its form and purpose. Simple. Clear. Perfect.
As they walked, Shien kept manipulating the flame at his fingertips, familiarizing himself with every function of the Fists of Blazing Fire.
First—defense. Constructed from Fusang wood branches, volcanic weave, and chakra-conducting metal threads, it was light and flexible but incredibly sturdy—enough to serve as a shield in an emergency.
Next—control enhancement. If his fine chakra control before had been rated a 1, it was now at least a 3.
Such a drastic improvement wasn't just because his original control wasn't perfect—it was also due to the sealing techniques woven into the glove.
The air around him was already heating up, yet his chakra expenditure was shrinking. The seals drew in ambient warmth, feeding the flames and conserving energy.
If there'd been more time, Shien would've gone straight to the training grounds to test it fully. After all, who doesn't want to play with a brand-new toy the moment they get it?
On the way to the arena, Shien also witnessed the sheer popularity of Kakashi.
"Go, Kakashi!"
"Don't lose!"
"You're the strongest!"
A super genius— his reputation wasn't just empty talk. Every villager in Konoha seemed to be cheering for him.
Truly worthy of the future "Lord Kakashi," the man known as "Fifty-Fifty." His popularity was undeniable—even as a kid, he was adored.
Compared to that, Shien was utterly overshadowed.
Even walking side by side, he was treated like the servant trailing behind the main star. No one cared that he was strong; his surname "Uchiha" alone was enough to earn him cold treatment. The village leadership not actively suppressing him was already mercy—building him up was out of the question.
"Don't worry," Minato said softly, noticing the stark contrast.
"One day, you'll be just as beloved as Kakashi."
If only he knew—Shien didn't care in the slightest.
A few random villagers cheering? Please. In his previous world, pop idols had millions of fans. These handful of casual admirers didn't even qualify as proper fans—more like mildly interested bystanders.
Before long, they reached the Coliseum at the edge of the village— a massive circular structure only opened for grand events and ceremonies.
It could hold tens of thousands of spectators.
Only in a world of ninja could such a vast and sturdy building even exist.
The arena formed a great ring, with a tall crimson palace-like structure attached to one side— a private observation area for the high and mighty. After all, you couldn't have the "Celestial Dragons" sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with commoners, could you?
The stands were already packed, and long lines of villagers streamed through the entrances.
Shien's group, of course, didn't need to queue; they entered through the competitors' passage.
At the corridor's entrance stood numerous guards from the Three Great Villages, performing strict inspections. The incident in the Forest of Death had taught them harsh lessons, and security was now tripled.
Tap, tap!
Once inside, Shien and Kakashi split off and headed to the contestants' platform— a vantage point overlooking the vast battle arena below.
The field itself was enormous, as a ninja duel required plenty of space. It was, after all, the Chunin Exams— if this were a battle between Kage, even several times this area wouldn't be enough.
The stands were already filled with examinees awaiting their turn.
"Kakashi," a voice called.
Maki approached with his two teammates. "Last time, we didn't get to finish our fight. This time, I'll defeat you here and prove Sunagakure's strength!"
"Boring." Kakashi turned his eyes away, showing zero interest in banter.
Thud, thud!
Heavy footsteps approached—bodies radiating pressure, solid and broad. Iwagakure forehead protectors gleamed.
Gangtu.
He stopped a few meters away without a word, but the killing intent rolling off him was palpable.
So he wasn't even pretending anymore, huh?
Shien sighed inwardly. The guy wasn't bothering to act like a genin at all now.
He quietly stepped aside—Gangtu's target clearly wasn't him anyway.
Kakashi. Maki. Gangtu. The three geniuses nurtured by Konoha, Suna, and Iwa respectively. It was only natural that they saw no one else but each other.
If Shien could forfeit, he would have— but he couldn't. He had to stay in, and preferably, win some money while he was at it.
After all, someone had to pay for Yamanaka Koji's medical bills— and this was the perfect opportunity.
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