Chapter 10: Graduating as a Genin, The Advantages of Being Born into a Major Shinobi Clan

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Reiji, whose expression remained calm even after winning, and sighed inwardly.

He had originally planned to have the boy remain at the Ninja Academy for a few more years and deepen his acceptance of the Will of Fire.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi’s view, Reiji’s answers on the previous examinations already showed that he was more like the majority of the Uchiha.

Compared to the village, he placed greater importance on his family.

Uchiha Itachi, on the other hand, was different. He was more like Shisui, with a broader perspective and greater vision.

After all, Uchiha Itachi received Shisui’s guidance on a daily basis.

It was only natural that he would become more like Shisui after being influenced by him over time.

He could allow an Uchiha like Uchiha Itachi to graduate early.

But for an Uchiha like Reiji, it was better to educate him a little more. That way, he could be made useful to him and to the village.

However.

It had been a good plan, but it ultimately failed because he had misjudged Reiji’s strength.

Hand-seal-less ninjutsu combined with the Sharingan—using the physique of a seven-year-old child, he had actually defeated an outstanding veteran Genin with ease.

Forget it. It did not matter.

There were still other ways to guide this child toward the Will of Fire.

When assigning his Jonin instructor later, he could make some arrangements in that regard.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up, adjusted his expression, and walked toward Reiji with a kindly smile. He handed him a shinobi forehead protector and spoke in a tone full of expectations and earnest advice.

Reiji endured the discomfort in his heart and responded appropriately to each word.

Why should a transmigrator like him believe in the Will of Fire?!

What was more, the person saying all this was Hiruzen Sarutobi himself!

Could anything you say even be trusted?!

After enduring it for quite some time, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally stopped rambling and left.

Immediately afterward, Izumi, Aunt Hazuki, and Tamura-sensei all came over to congratulate him on becoming a Genin.

"Sigh, from now on, I’ll be the only one left going to school."

Izumi’s little face showed some reluctance, but there was also a faint expression of relief.

She was reluctant because after Reiji became a Genin, he would no longer be attending school with her.

The relief, however, was because Reiji had finally graduated and would no longer drag her into sparring with him every day.

Although as Reiji’s mastery of the Sharingan improved, he no longer accidentally hit her during their sparring sessions.

Being effortlessly crushed every single time was still completely devoid of fun.

Her strength had improved rapidly, though.

Izumi’s results in the previous practical combat assessment had also improved considerably.

Thunk!

Feeling a finger flick her forehead hard, Izumi covered her forehead with tears welling in her eyes and glared angrily at Reiji, the culprit.

Reiji paid no attention to her anger and tapped her forehead again.

"Don’t think you’re finally free just because I’m no longer here. I’ll still make time to train you regularly. Now that both Uchiha Itachi and I have graduated, you need to work toward becoming the strongest among our classmates."

"...I object!"

"Objection overruled."

Izumi had decent talent and needed to be properly trained.

At the very least, Reiji had to make sure she possessed enough strength to protect herself.

Aunt Hazuki watched the two children bickering with a smile.

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku walked over.

Taking out a large stack of scrolls, he said,

"First of all, congratulations on graduating as a Genin."

"These are the ninjutsu and genjutsu that you can apply to learn after becoming a Genin. I brought them over beforehand."

"I originally planned to give them to you even if you failed the assessment. Heh, I didn’t expect you not only to pass, but to do so with such ease."

Reiji thanked him as he accepted the scrolls and briefly looked through them.

Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, Phoenix Flower Claw Red, Dragon Fire Technique, Great Dragon Fire Technique...

They were all commonly used Fire Release techniques of the Uchiha clan.

Basically, aside from techniques on the level of Great Fire Annihilation, everything was here.

Besides those, there was also a large collection of genjutsu scrolls: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique, Binding Visions Technique...

There was even a Shadow Clone Technique scroll.

The Ninja Academy students and teachers nearby were all filled with envy when they saw this.

They could not help sighing at how impressive the Uchiha clan was.

This was the advantage of being born into a major shinobi clan.

As long as you had sufficient talent, you would never lack ninjutsu to learn.

Back when Reiji was still a student at the Ninja Academy, he could already apply to the clan for the Great Fireball Technique.

Now that he had become a Genin, he could apply for this entire collection of ninjutsu and genjutsu.

These were things intended for him to learn during his Genin period.

Once he mastered them, he would basically possess the strength of an elite Chunin.

After becoming a Chunin, the clan would open access to virtually all of its standard ninjutsu.

If he wanted to learn ninjutsu of other chakra natures, the Uchiha clan had those as well.

With the Sharingan capable of copying ninjutsu, the one thing the Uchiha clan was least lacking in was ninjutsu!

Uchiha Fugaku continued speaking.

"There’s one more thing. The village will arrange a Jonin instructor for you later to guide your daily training."

"The clan will also arrange a Jonin to provide you with guidance. However, most of the clan’s Jonin hold positions in the Police Force, so they won’t be able to provide daily instruction."

As he spoke, Uchiha Fugaku turned toward a young man with long, center-parted hair standing beside him.

"Inabi, I’ll leave him to you."

"No problem."

Uchiha Inabi nodded confidently.

"If you have any questions about training in the future, you can come to me. As long as I have time, I’ll help you."

He held the position of squad captain in the Police Force, so it was impossible for him to provide daily guidance like a regular Jonin instructor.

Reiji nodded and once again sighed inwardly at the advantages of being born into a major shinobi clan.

"Then I’ll be counting on you for guidance in the future, Inabi-senpai."

Hokage Tower.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura sat facing each other.

"I heard that those two seven-year-old Uchiha brats both graduated early and became Genin?"

As Danzo spoke, he opened his eyes, which had been narrowed into slits.

"And one of them has even awakened his Sharingan?"

"That’s right."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke while flipping through the list of available Jonin.

"I wonder how you plan to arrange their Jonin instructors?"

Danzo immediately got to the point.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had a pipe between his lips, and he looked somewhat troubled.

Two seven-year-olds had graduated early, while all their peers were still attending the Ninja Academy. They would therefore have to be placed in classes with older students.

Moreover, there were not enough Jonin instructors available.

More importantly, both of these children were Uchiha.

They needed to be guided toward the Will of Fire.

That made the choice of Jonin instructor particularly important.

They had to be Jonin who cared about the village and believed in the Will of Fire.

"Uchiha Itachi can join the class led by Jonin Mizunotsuki. They happen to be short one member. As for Uchiha Reiji..."

"How about assigning a Jonin instructor from Root?"

Danzo suggested.

Hiruzen glanced at Danzo without much concern.

"As long as the Uchiha clan agrees, go ahead and try."

Did Shimura Danzo really have no idea how the Uchiha clan viewed him?

If Uchiha Reiji’s Jonin instructor were someone from Root, the Uchiha would absolutely refuse.

Danzo knew this as well. His suggestion had merely been made in passing.

However.

Although personally assigning a Jonin instructor was impossible, that did not prevent him from approaching Reiji at an appropriate opportunity.

If he could persuade Reiji to voluntarily join Root and serve him, the Uchiha clan would have nothing to say about it.

He could sense that although Uchiha Reiji and Uchiha Itachi had different personalities, both possessed a strong desire for power.

That desire could give rise to darkness, which meant both of them had the potential to join Root.

"Which Jonin are you planning to assign to Uchiha Reiji?" Danzo asked curiously.

Hiruzen Sarutobi struggled with the decision for quite some time before handing over a shinobi profile.

When Danzo saw the figure in a green skintight outfit where the portrait should have been, the corner of his mouth twitched.

This guy...

...was someone even Root would not be willing to take.