"Enough of your chatter. Let’s move on to the main reason we’re here," Hiruzen said, exhaling another puff of smoke before pg his pipe aside ainguishing the fme.

  "Okay, Sensei."

  "Yes, Lord Third."

  "Since you three are going to participate in the in Exam as a team, it’s very important for you to know each other well—how you fight, what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are, and how you cooperate with each other.

  That’s why, from now on, for one week, you guys are going to train together. But first, as an icebreaker, let’s do something iing to show each of you why you have these partners and how they are not weaker than you," Hiruzen expined.

  "We naturally don’t doubt your choiyway, Lord Third," Itachi said respectfully.

  "I know, Itachi, but still—don’t you want to knoerful your teammates are?" Hiruzen asked in a tone as if he were talking to a child, even though the person he was addressing was more mature than most adults in Konoha.

  Itaodded at that, not wanting to refuse Hiruzen, though he thought, 'Since we are going to train together for a week anyway, we will naturally learn how powerful each person is,' but he kept that to himself.

  "Since everyone is ready, let’s head to the training area for this," Hiruzen instructed.

  ---

  All six of them were standing in Training Area 6, the rgest and most well-equipped training ground in Konoha, sed only to the one reserved for the Hokage.

  "So, what you guys have to do is simply show your most powerful jutsu, teique, or method—anything. Just demonstrate your stro move," Jiraiya said, getting nods from the three genin.

  "But it would be b to simply use your moves in the air, so let’s do this," Jiraiya tinued, making several hand signs before smming his hand on the ground.

  The nd in front of him began to shift, and many rock spikes emerged from the ground—250 rock spikes to be exact. This was an astonishing number, even for a Kage-level ninja. siderih jutsu wasn’t even Jiraiya’s specialty, this feat was even more impressive.

  But what happened was even more remarkable. Hiruzen, the Hokage himself, began making hand seals before smming his hand on the ground as well. The rock spikes that had emerged started to ge shape.

  In just a minute, 250 human-shaped statues made of rock stood in front of everyohe look ohree genins' faces was worth seeing—this was the first time they had witnessed something like this. Kaida, in particur, had some iing thoughts.

  'Such fine trol. Like Yamato, Hiruzen must also be able to build buildings from scratch,' he thought.

  But before those absurd thoughts could tinue, Jiraiya started speaking again.

  "Thanks, Sensei. Now, you three will perform your stro move on these. Don’t hold back, because the person who destroys the most statues will be the team leader, okay?" Jiraiya said.

  "Yes, Sensei."

  "Okay, Jiraiya-sama."

  "Okay, Jiraiya-sama."

  "So, who’s going first?" Jiraiya asked, but no oepped forward.

  "Fine, pie stick from these," Jiraiya said, presenting three sticks to the genin.

  Everyoook one.

  "Kabuto, you’re first. Kaida, sed. Itachi, third," Jiraiya announced after seeing the numbers oicks.

  'This damn world always wants to make him the main character, ing in at the end to show off his power. You’re lucky I saved you from having a tragic backstory,' Kaida thought, looking toward Itachi.

  "Sorry?" Itachi said, not uanding why Kaida was looking at him like that.

  " you guys step back a bit? I still don’t have full trol over this move," Kabuto said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

  "Okay." Everyone, including the Hokage, moved back, giving Kabuto ample space.

  Fugaku was especially ied in Kabuto, as this boy had been an unknown until retly. And within just a month, he was on the same team with two of the most talented youths of the Uchiha aturally, Fugaku was curious.

  Kabuto took a deep breath and started making hand seals. After pleting several seals, he released a stream of water from his mouth.

  *Water Release: Raging Current Teique*

  But it wasn’t the grand dispy everyone had expected. It was a simple k water release jutsu, useful for creating a water source. Everyone uood that, for a student trained by "the Professor" himself, this couldn’t be Kabuto’s best or stro move.

  And true to everyone’s expectations, Kabuto began making hand seals again—this time far more plex. He pleted more than 35 hand seals in just two seds and then smmed his hand on the ground. The earth cracked open, and from the soil, now turned into mud from his previous jutsu, a massive wolf began to rise.

  It was monstrous, nearly the size of a small house. Its body was made entirely of thick, glistening mud, with ks of earth dripping from its form. Sharp, stone-like fangs jutted from its massive jaws.

  *Earth Release: Mud Wolf Jutsu!*

  The wolf emerged directly beh the dummies, swallowing more than 30 of them as it rose. Then, with a flick of Kabuto’s hand, it luoward the area densely packed with dummies. Some were shredded by its jaws, while others were smashed by its sheer weight.

  After wreaking havoc for 30 seds, the wolf’s form finally colpsed into a pile of mud, leaving a small mountain of debris behind. Kabuto anting, his hands on his knees.

  "Sensei, you taught him his jutsu?" Jiraiya asked, equally surprised.

  Fugaku was stunned as well.

  "He has the same elemental affinities as him. Besides, the White Fang was the most loyal shinobi I’ve ever seen. I would be ecstatic to have another ninja like him. Though paring Kabuto to the White Fang would be unfair, we don’t know what the future holds for him.

  As for this jutsu, the White Fang modified an Iwagakure teique himself and never cimed ownership. Even when he was alive, he was happy for ao learn it, saying the rise of Konoha’s strength was enough for him. So there’s no problem teag Kabuto this jutsu," Hiruzen expined.

  "But if other vilges think he has even the slightest potential to bee the White Fang, they’ll spare no effort in eliminating him," Jiraiya said, knowing how feared the White Fang was by enemy nations.

  "They try. I’m pnning on nurturing this boy as Tsunade’s heir, so he’ll be in the vilge for quite some time after returning. If they have the guts to try something in the vilge, they’re wele to try whehey want," Hiruzen said fidently.

  "Sensei, you’re just making my work more difficult," Jiraiya sighed.

  "Don’t worry, I’ve taught him many other things. This is just a st resort," Hiruzen replied with a small ugh.

  "Sigh, alright. is your tur me quickly fix the ground first," Jiraiya said. And within a minute, 250 statues were standing in front of them again.