Chapter 9: Legends Gather
"To create so many shadow clones at once... that... that would require chakra reserves at least at the jōnin level, right?"
Iruka stood utterly stunned, watching as Ren Arakawa summoned a small army of clones in an instant. As a chūnin who had seen his fair share of battles, he knew this was far beyond his own capabilities. The conclusion was inescapable: the young man before him possessed chakra levels befitting a jōnin.
"Dammit! My top ranking! Since when did that bastard Ren become so strong?" Uchiha Sasuke shot to his feet, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. Disbelief burned in his eyes, a flicker of red hinting that the shock had nearly awakened his Sharingan. He always carried himself with an air of detached arrogance, but that was a luxury afforded by his undisputed position as the top student in the entire academy. It was the same logic as the richest man in the country claiming he had no interest in money. Now that his throne was threatened, his calm facade shattered completely.
"Iruka-sensei, is my Clone Technique acceptable?" Hundreds of identical Ren Arakawas spoke in unison, their voices echoing through the now-silent classroom.
"It's... it's more than acceptable!" Iruka snapped out of his daze, swallowing hard before decisively marking a large check on Ren's graduation exam paper. The graduation assessment was more comprehensive than standard ninjutsu tests; it required proficiency in all three of the Academy's Fundamental Ninja Techniques, plus precise shuriken throwing. Failing any one of these meant failing to graduate. The standards were strict.
But Ren's subsequent performance made Iruka and every student present understand what a true genius looked like. He not only surpassed the requirements for the Transformation Technique, Substitution Technique, and shuriken throwing, but he also shattered several records once set by Hatake Kakashi himself. Compared to Ren's dazzling display, a talent like Uchiha Sasuke suddenly seemed ordinary.
Witnessing Ren's prowess, the other students felt a deep shame. These were the same people who had always mocked Ren and Naruto. Now, Ren had delivered a stinging slap to their pride, one that left their cheeks burning.
[Uchiha Fugaku: Streamer! You're despicable! Using the power you swindled from us to show up my son! I refuse to accept this!]
Seeing his son's hard-earned top spot snatched away, Uchiha Fugaku could no longer contain his fury.
[Uchiha Mikoto: Honey, calm down! You'll get muted!]
[Minato Namikaze: Fugaku, take a breath. Everyone finds their own path. I've been watching Sasuke; he's too proud. A little setback will be good for his character.]
[Uchiha Fugaku: That's easy for you to say! Your son is a dead-last!]
[Minato Namikaze: Watch your tongue! I am the Fourth Hokage!]
[Uchiha Fugaku: The hell with that! You're dead! What authority do you have? Even if the First and Second Hokage showed up today, I wouldn't back down!]
[Hashirama Senju: ...]
[Tobirama Senju: Uchiha brat, dare to repeat that?]
[Minato Namikaze: The First and Second Hokage! I didn't expect you to be here too!]
[Uchiha Fugaku: Holy... I was just joking! You two actually came?]
[Hashirama Senju: Indeed. I just entered this livestream. It's quite fascinating!]
[Tobirama Senju: Don't change the subject, Uchiha. Correct your attitude, or I won't be held responsible for my actions!]
[Hashirama Senju: Now, now, Tobirama, is there any need to be so harsh with a junior? I'm sure he just misspoke.]
[Tobirama Senju: Hmph! You're too soft-hearted, brother. The Uchiha clan's rebellious nature is inherent. If they aren't disciplined, they will become a significant threat. Have you forgotten Uchiha Madara?]
[Uchiha Madara: You second-rate fool, Tobirama! What did you just say?!]
[Tobirama Senju: Ha! I didn't expect you to show up as well!]
[Uchiha Madara: What? Do you have a problem with that?]
[Tobirama Senju: I'm merely stating facts. You know better than anyone what you did back then!]
[Uchiha Madara: Hmph! I will settle my brother Izuna's score with you sooner or later!]
[Uchiha Izuna: Big brother? Is that you?]
[Uchiha Madara: Izuna! You're here too?]
[Uchiha Izuna: Yes, I just arrived.]
[Uchiha Fugaku: Grandfather! Great-Uncle! You must stand up for me! This is so unfair!]
[Notification: Uchiha Fugaku has been muted by the host for 60 minutes!]
Ren Arakawa: "Well, well. I didn't expect so many legends to grace my humble stream. This is a true honor."
He then added, his tone light but firm, "But even legends must follow the rules. For the one who just cursed, I'll let it slide as a first offense. A five-minute mute to reflect on your conduct should suffice."