At noon, the blazing sun hung high in the sky, pouring relentless heat upon the training ground. The earth seemed to shimmer under the scorching rays, and the air itself felt heavy and sluggish. Even the leaves of the tall trees swayed lazily in the faint breeze, offering only small patches of shade across the wide field.
Under one of those trees sat a Shadow Clone of Hiruzen Sarutobi. He leaned comfortably against the trunk, using the shade to shield himself from the merciless sunlight. His expression remained calm and relaxed, though his sharp eyes carefully scanned the surrounding forest.
"Not a single move all morning?" he murmured softly to himself.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly as he extended his senses across the training ground. Although everything appeared quiet on the surface, he was fully aware that his three students were hiding somewhere nearby. According to his perception, the three of them had already spread out and taken different positions around him.
They had formed a loose encirclement.
Recalling the battle plan he had secretly overheard earlier, Hiruzen could not help but chuckle quietly. In his opinion, their strategy was exactly the kind of plan inexperienced students would devise. It was straightforward and simple, lacking the complexity of an experienced shinobi's tactics.
Still, considering their young age and limited experience, it was already impressive.
Their plan was simple.
Uchiha Su would act as the vanguard and initiate the attack. His job was to draw Hiruzen's attention and create an opening.
After that, Tsunade would follow with a direct assault, using her impressive strength to try to overwhelm the opponent.
Finally, Orochimaru would wait patiently for the perfect opportunity and deliver the decisive strike that would secure the bells.
It was a basic strategy, but it showed that the three had at least attempted to coordinate with one another.
"Here they come," Hiruzen said quietly.
A gentle breeze passed through the leaves overhead, rustling the branches.
Suddenly, a figure dropped down from one of the large trees nearby.
It was Uchiha Su.
The young boy landed lightly on the ground and immediately dashed toward Hiruzen at full speed. At the same moment, he flicked his wrist and threw a shuriken straight at the seated Jonin.
The weapon spun rapidly through the air, glinting in the sunlight.
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
With effortless ease, he tilted his head slightly to the side and avoided the incoming shuriken without even standing up.
However, Uchiha Su had not expected the attack to succeed.
His chest expanded as he inhaled deeply, gathering chakra within his body. In the next instant, he opened his mouth and expelled a blazing fireball.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The massive sphere of flames rushed forward, its heat distorting the air around it as it surged toward Hiruzen.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly impressed.
Then he calmly performed the same hand signs.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
A much larger and more powerful fireball burst from his mouth.
The difference in scale was obvious.
Hiruzen's technique was far more intense, the flames roaring like a raging inferno.
In the next moment, the two fireballs collided.
The smaller fireball produced by Uchiha Su was instantly swallowed and completely overwhelmed by Hiruzen's technique. The larger flame surged forward before gradually dissipating in the open air.
Hiruzen crossed his arms and spoke calmly, as though delivering a lesson during class.
"Under normal circumstances, when faced with a Fire Release attack like that, the best counter would be Water Release. Elemental advantage often allows a ninja to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
Even in the middle of combat, he did not forget his role as a teacher.
Uchiha Su wiped a drop of sweat from his forehead and smiled slightly.
"So, Teacher, does that mean that when someone is powerful enough, they can simply counter an attack with the same technique? And whoever has the greater chakra will win?"
Hiruzen shook his head slowly.
"You have misunderstood my meaning, Su."
At that moment, a thought briefly crossed his mind.
Perhaps it was because he was a member of the Uchiha Clan. Like many Uchiha, he seemed to crave power and direct confrontation.
"Teacher," Uchiha Su suddenly said with a grin, "you shouldn't get distracted during a fight."
Before Hiruzen could respond, Uchiha Su lunged forward.
Hiruzen reacted instantly. His leg shot out in a swift kick aimed directly at the boy.
However—
"Poof!"
The body of Uchiha Su instantly exploded into a puff of smoke.
"A Shadow Clone?" Hiruzen muttered.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
If that was a clone, then where was the real one?
At that exact moment, Tsunade appeared behind him, launching a powerful attack.
Unfortunately, Hiruzen had already anticipated the ambush.
With a swift movement, he avoided the attack and immediately performed hand signs.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu."
The ground beneath Tsunade suddenly softened like mud.
Before she could react, her entire body was dragged underground, leaving only her head sticking out above the surface.
Tsunade struggled, but she could not move.
"Now that makes two," Hiruzen said calmly.
"One more left… Orochimaru."
Hiruzen scanned the area again.
In his perception, Orochimaru was rapidly approaching from the front.
"If this is all you can do," Hiruzen continued with a faint smile, "then I'm afraid it won't be enough to defeat me."
From his perspective, Uchiha Su had already exhausted most of his chakra. After all, using a Shadow Clone and performing a Fire Release technique was already a significant burden for a newly graduated ninja.
At that moment, Orochimaru appeared.
"Manipulated Shuriken Technique!"
Orochimaru shouted as he threw a dozen shuriken at once.
The weapons flew forward in a deadly pattern.
Thin, nearly invisible wires were attached to them, extending from Orochimaru's fingers and allowing him to control their trajectory.
"Uchiha-style ninjutsu?" Hiruzen said.
He was very familiar with this technique.
After all, his teacher had been the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. Tobirama had studied the Uchiha extensively, and Hiruzen had inherited much of that knowledge.
Hiruzen quickly formed hand signs.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
He threw a single shuriken.
In mid-air, the weapon suddenly multiplied into dozens of identical shuriken.
The sky seemed to fill with spinning blades.
Within seconds, Orochimaru's shuriken were knocked out of the air, and the wires connecting them were cut apart.
The attack had completely failed.
Hiruzen smiled.
"It seems you've lost."
However, Orochimaru simply stared at him calmly.
"Teacher," he said quietly, "it's still too early to decide that."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Do you still have another trick?"
Suddenly, one of the fallen shuriken near Hiruzen's feet transformed.
The metal weapon flickered and instantly turned into the figure of Uchiha Su.
Before Hiruzen could react, the boy reached forward and grabbed the two bells hanging from the Jonin's waist.
The bells jingled softly as they were pulled free.
Hiruzen blinked in surprise.
"This… when did that happen?"
He looked at Uchiha Su carefully.
"Was it one of the shuriken Orochimaru threw earlier? Did you transform into one of them?"
Uchiha Su smiled.
"Not exactly, Teacher. That shuriken was thrown by my Shadow Clone earlier."
Without hesitation, Uchiha Su tossed the bells.
One bell landed in Tsunade's hand.
The other landed in Orochimaru's.
Hiruzen stared at him silently.
"You do realize," he said slowly, "that you now have no bells. According to the rules, you are the one who will be eliminated."
However, instead of looking worried, Uchiha Su simply shrugged.
"I don't mind."
Tsunade looked stunned.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she stepped forward and held out her bell.
"Take it back, Su," she said. "If I fail the test, I can always go home and ask my great-uncle for help."
Hearing that, Hiruzen's eyelids twitched slightly.
Perhaps he had pushed the test a bit too far.
But Uchiha Su only waved his hand casually.
"Forget it," he said with a bright smile. "I don't care if I have to repeat a year."
His expression was completely carefree.
Tsunade stared at him, momentarily speechless.
Orochimaru lowered his head and looked at the bell in his hand.
For some reason, the small object suddenly felt incredibly heavy.
"This is Su-kun giving up his chance… for us," Orochimaru thought quietly.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Su remained perfectly calm.
After all, he understood the true purpose of the bell test.
Konoha would never truly send newly graduated ninjas back to the academy. They were valuable resources for missions and village defense.
The test was never about the bells.
It was about teamwork.
And in that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized something important.
Uchiha Su was very different from the Uchiha he had known before.