The running circle was impossible to hide; the entire Village knew Ling was a strong girl, so pretending to be weak wouldn't convince anyone.
Therefore, Ling had no choice but to follow her own pace, pushing herself to take first place.
Watching the panting, sweating, and mostly half-dead Ninja Academy Students, Ling wiped away non-existent sweat and prepared to go home.
"After the exam, tomorrow morning we will announce results and class assignments, and in the afternoon we will have the entrance ceremony. You are dismissed for now."
The Chunin teacher dismissed these small children who were gathered in twos and threes, discussing; he still needed to divide them based on their family and other factors, and required the Third Hokage's approval.
"Ling, let's go train at the training ground."
Shisui looked at Ling, who was preparing to go home, and extended an invitation.
"Okay, let's go!"
Ling had a premonition that she would inevitably be sent to the battlefield if the Third Shinobi World War broke out, so she was somewhat eager to improve her strength.
Hokage Office
"This year's Ninja Academy Students surpass the previous few years, but we still need to continue expanding enrollment, and ensure the teaching quality of the Ninja Academy."
The Third Hokage flipped through the roster provided by the grade director.
Taking a puff from his pipe, the Third Hokage looked up at the respectful grade director in front of him. "The Third Kazekage has disappeared, and all the Ninja Villages are stirring. The Great Shinobi War is imminent, so we need to increase teaching intensity, reduce cultural studies, and strengthen Ninja courses."
"Yes."
The tall grade director's face showed obedience, then he thought of something and spoke, "The Uchiha Clan has three participants in this assessment, one of whom is Uchiha Shisui, whom his clansmen call a genius."
"Uchiha Shisui?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured, repeating the name, "Kagami's grandson?"
"Yes."
The grade director said, "The other two are named Uchiha Ling and Uchiha Taohuo."
"Uchiha Ling, huh."
Hiruzen's movement of turning the roster stopped, and his gaze fell upon the cool and pretty girl on the roster.
"Hokage-sama, have you heard this name?"
The grade director thought there was something noteworthy about this girl.
"She is a genius. At five years old, she created an A-rank Ninja Taijutsu, and her strength should have reached Chunin level."
The Third Hokage recalled the girl with the fire will in her heart, and his eyes softened slightly.
"Chunin!"
The grade director was greatly surprised; he was over thirty years old, and his strength was only that of a Special Jonin.
And a five-year-old girl having Chunin strength was even more impressive than Kakashi at that age.
"Let her be. Let her grow freely. Such a genius doesn't need too much interference, but we must pay attention to her ideological education."
The Third Hokage did not sense that cold Chakra from Ling, which was completely different from other Uchiha Clan members.
Even the most gentle Uchiha Shisui and Obito, their Chakra gave off a cold feeling, due to their extremely high talent in spirit or Sharingan.
As for Ling, perhaps due to the Heavenly Restriction and Curse Power, her Chakra was relatively neutral, neither gentle nor cold.
Often, the nature of Chakra can reveal a person's character. Cold Chakra often indicates a person who is aloof and gloomy, like Orochimaru.
Warm Chakra often indicates an outgoing personality and simple thoughts, such as the Akimichi Clan and the Uzumaki Clan.
And when the Third Hokage looked at Ling's family relationship form, his expression was touched, and he felt that it was reasonable for Uchiha Ling to have this Chakra attribute.
In the family column, the mother of Irming Yagyu was clearly written as Senju.
This meant Ling had a quarter of Senju Clan blood. Ling's grandmother was one of the many Senju women who married out of the clan back then.
"That is to say, whether Uchiha Ling leans towards the Village or the Uchiha Clan in the future will depend entirely on the efforts of both sides."
The Third Hokage pondered how to bring Ling into the Hokage lineage, and Uchiha Ling was not highly regarded within the Uchiha Clan, but rather was ostracized by most of her clansmen.
And Ling herself was not close to the Uchiha Clan. Such an attribute made her most suitable as a bridge or spy between the two sides.
When he looked at the column regarding Ling's Chakra nature, the Third Hokage was again surprised, because it clearly stated five attributes.
That's right, Ling did not hide it. She wanted to increase her bargaining chips so she wouldn't be easily abandoned or consumed as cannon fodder in the direct war of the meat grinder.
Five attributes plus vast Chakra, a self-created Ninja Taijutsu style, Liu Sheng Clan's swordsmanship, Uchiha's Genjutsu—she was a completely versatile Ninja.
"A versatile Ninja, huh."
The Third Hokage closed his eyes. He saw his own past self in this girl.
If there was anyone in the current Ninja World who was a versatile Ninja without any shortcomings, that person would only be Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, known as the Professor of Ninjutsu.
From his youth, the Third Hokage was able to use five elemental Ninjutsu for combined attacks.
Later, after becoming a disciple of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, he also learned thousands of Ninjutsu, mastering the nature transformation of the five elements, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu to their peak.
Any elemental Ninjutsu in Konoha Village was mastered by him, and almost no one possessed more Ninjutsu and Secret Technique than him.
Opening his eyes again, the Third Hokage showed a knowing smile.
He made a decision. If this decision succeeded, it would not only solve the Uchiha Clan's problem but also provide Konoha Village with an excellent successor.
He planned to take Uchiha Ling as his disciple, allowing her to inherit his legacy. Because his own talent was too strong, and he mastered too many Ninjutsu and Secret Technique.
Neither Orochimaru, Jiraiya, nor Tsunade inherited his legacy; instead, they forged their own paths.
For decades, no one had been able to meet the Third Hokage's requirements. Now, Uchiha Ling gave the Third Hokage hope, even the possibility of surpassing himself.
If Uchiha Ling became his disciple, she would naturally be stamped with the mark of the Hokage lineage.
When he retired, Minato Namikaze would accumulate military merits through the Third Shinobi World War and become Hokage, and Uchiha Ling would also grow up.
Becoming the Fourth Hokage's right-hand, and since the Fourth Hokage did not harbor animosity towards the Uchiha Clan, coupled with Uchiha Ling being groomed as the Fifth Generation, the complete submission of the Uchiha Clan would be within reach.
The reason the Uchiha Clan was so alienated from Konoha was not only due to the Uchiha Clan's instability and arrogance but also the exclusion by the Hokage lineage.
When Uchiha Ling, who possessed the legacy of the Hokage lineage, Senju bloodline, and Uchiha bloodline, became the Fifth Generation.
Then the Uchiha Clan's desire to have a Hokage from their own clan could be realized, and Uchiha Ling, who was cultivated by the Hokage lineage from a young age.
Her inherent nature, which was not close to the Uchiha Clan, would make it even less likely for her to become a tool for the Uchiha Clan to gain benefits; instead, she would find ways to resolve the hidden dangers of the Uchiha Clan.
The Third Hokage's idea was indeed very good, but Ling was completely unaware of it. She had once made the worst-case plan: joining the Akatsuki Organization and becoming a rogue Ninja.