The Uchiha Clan was one of the founding clans of Konoha Village. Logically speaking, even if the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had wanted to destroy the Uchiha clan, he would have had no excuse or justification. Yet, through their own actions, they gradually stepped into the abyss that would lead to their clan's destruction.
Before entering the Uchiha clan's territory, there was a commercial street decorated with various modern-style buildings. But once one stepped into the Uchiha district, the streets were lined with more retro-style residential architecture.
Every wall bore the Uchiha clan's distinctive red-and-white fan emblem. Most of the people on the streets were Uchiha clan members dressed in their clan attire, and quite a few wore the uniforms of the Konoha Military Police Force—green flak jackets over their clothes.
"Entering the Uchiha district… do you have some business here, Genin Bai Xing?"
The one who spoke was a black-haired young man with long hair and a somewhat fierce gaze. A ninja sword hung at his waist, and he wore a green flak jacket as he looked at the three who had entered the clan's territory.
Yakushi Nono and Might Dai both swallowed nervously.
They normally didn't dare come near this place. After all, if they went a little further ahead, the tall building in front was the village's Public Security Police Headquarters—a place responsible for punishing and capturing criminals within the village. Ordinary residents had no desire to come here.
"I'm looking for my student. Her name is Uchiha Mikoto. Do you know her?"
Bai Xing wasn't surprised that a Uchiha ninja recognized him. As a notorious D-rank mission maniac, most Uchiha ninjas—who served as members of the village's police force—had at least heard of him even if they hadn't met him before.
Especially the man in front of him. He clearly didn't look like an ordinary ninja.
"I see."
The somewhat mature-looking young man replied, "My name is Uchiha Fugaku, a jōnin of the Uchiha clan."
"I've heard about Mikoto's situation from my father. He will personally visit the Hokage to discuss this matter. There's no need for you to make a special trip here."
After saying this, Fugaku seemed to recall something and added bluntly:
"Also, Genin Bai Xing. This year's Chūnin Exams will be held in mid-July. Mikoto will pass in one attempt, so there's no need for less than two months of guidance from you. Our Uchiha clan can handle this ourselves. Please go back."
"I haven't received any orders from the Hokage."
Bai Xing remained unafraid, meeting Fugaku's fierce gaze head-on.
"If Fugaku-jōnin has already obtained the Hokage's approval, then please submit the relevant paperwork. That way I can confirm it properly."
"And what exactly do you think you can teach Mikoto?" Fugaku glanced at Bai Xing's waist, where a ninja sword was also hanging.
"Ninjutsu? Genjutsu? Shurikenjutsu?"
"Or… swordsmanship?"
Bai Xing's expression remained calm.
Before coming here, he had already expected a harsh beating from reality. Suppression from power was everywhere. With the aura of the young clan leader and the surrounding Uchiha members watching with amusement—
If he actually made a move and easily defeated a jōnin, he would instantly become famous.
And when that happened… the battlefield of the Second Shinobi World War might gain the corpse of one more transmigrator.
Hold it in, my deadly hands!!
This is not the time to become famous!!!
Uchiha Fugaku watched Bai Xing's trembling fingertips and sighed slightly.
So he really is just a genin.
"How about this," Fugaku said. "I'll give you a chance to challenge me."
"Shuriken throwing is the fairest kind of contest. As long as you can… match me in a draw, I'll personally take you to see Mikoto."
"Deal."
Bai Xing took a deep breath inwardly. His trembling fingers finally stopped moving, drifting further away from the sword hilt.
Behind him, Yakushi Nono and Might Dai whispered to each other.
"Do you think Bai Xing can win?" Nono asked quietly.
Dai's eyes drifted uncertainly. His usual loud declaration of youthful passion seemed weakened by reality.
"No problem! Bai Xing's strength definitely isn't that simple!"
Nono: "…"
If she remembered correctly, hadn't you said yesterday that Bai Xing's strength was about the same as yours?
…
"Ten shuriken and ten kunai. Victory will be determined by the average score. Don't say I'm bullying you."
At the training ground, many Uchiha clan members gathered around like spectators watching a show. Some shouted things like, "Why is the young clan leader bullying a genin?" and "This genin really doesn't know his place."
Hearing Fugaku announce the rules, Bai Xing had no objections.
He squeezed the kunai in his hand and immediately noticed its quality.
Even the kunai used by the Uchiha for training and competitions were excellent—at least mid-tier weapons worth around one thousand ryō each.
"You first, or me first?"
Bai Xing glanced down at the boundary line on the ground, then looked up at the target a hundred meters away.
This was a distance that could only be hit by strengthening the body with chakra.
Without good chakra control, hitting the target would be impossible.
The body was like a constantly firing mechanical gun, while the kunai and shuriken were the bullets.
If chakra was used to enhance the body, applying too much force or too little force would both cause the trajectory of the thrown weapon to deviate.
"At this distance, I train often. My accuracy can be guaranteed at seven rings."
As soon as Fugaku finished speaking, his right hand grabbed five shuriken at once.
Whoosh!
Five black streaks shot forward like straight lines.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
All five shuriken struck the target.
The Uchiha clan members showed surprised expressions and began shouting praises for their young clan leader.
Immediately afterward, five more black arcs cut through the air and landed squarely on the red-and-white target.
"Average score: seven rings."
"Do you want me to demonstrate with kunai as well?" Fugaku chuckled.
In this situation, even a genuine chūnin would struggle to throw five shuriken at once while maintaining an average accuracy of seven rings at a distance of 150 meters.
Bai Xing pinched a single shuriken between his fingers and asked tentatively,
"So that means I also have to throw five at once and reach an average score of seven rings to win?"
Fugaku froze slightly. After a moment, he shook his head with a smile.
"No, no. You can use any method you want—as long as you don't cross the line—"
Thud!
An Uchiha clan member who had activated his Sharingan and was recording the results suddenly saw something reddish streak past his eyes.
A shuriken, half glowing red-hot like heated iron, had pierced straight into Bai Xing's target.
"Te—Ten rings?!"
The recorder's shocked voice stunned all the surrounding Uchiha spectators.
Even Yakushi Nono and Might Dai, who were watching the match, had already mentally prepared themselves for their teacher to concede and their team to disband.
After all, even they couldn't guarantee an average accuracy of seven rings within 150 meters.
One of the reasons shuriken were cheap was their poor materials and limited attack range.
Another reason was that once the distance increased, the hit rate dropped drastically—requiring multiple shuriken to be thrown together to increase accuracy.
Yet now—
In the field their clan excelled at, a mere unknown genin had suppressed them.
Uchiha Fugaku's mouth opened in disbelief.
After a moment, he activated his own Sharingan.
As an outstanding graduate who was eighteen years old and one year senior to Bai Xing, his talent was naturally far from ordinary.
"You—throw it again!"
If he hadn't seen it wrong, that shuriken technique just now seemed to involve a skill used in a B-rank ninjutsu.
But under normal circumstances…
that technique wasn't supposed to be used like that.