Everyone stared at Sasuke Uchiha with astonishment.
The surprise Naruto Uzumaki had caused was completely overshadowed.
Second-place achievements are often forgotten in the shadow of the first.
Sasuke's brilliance had entirely eclipsed Naruto's moment in the spotlight.
Watching everyone praise Sasuke, Naruto clenched his fists.
[Sasuke Uchiha is really something.]
[But I'll surpass you someday!]
Naruto's gaze hardened, his resolve strengthened by the words echoing in his subconscious.
The jealousy he initially felt faded, nudged away by Chu Ran's influence.
Chu Ran didn't want Naruto to dwell on envy—jealousy alone wouldn't push him toward darkening.
Instead, Chu Ran needed to keep encouraging Naruto.
He knew that Naruto didn't need him to tear him down. When Naruto reached the top, others would do that for him.
When Naruto realized that the acceptance he chased was forever out of reach, that would be the true catalyst for his descent into darkness—the outcome Chu Ran most desired.
"Sasuke Uchiha, A!"
Iruka Umino's voice rang out, followed by another wave of exclamations.
Everyone continued to laud Sasuke, while Sasuke himself remained calm and composed.
"The method my brother taught me really worked."
Sasuke's lips curved slightly, recalling his older brother from a few days ago.
Itachi Uchiha, hailed as a genius of the Uchiha clan, had personally trained him.
Itachi's shuriken techniques were among the best in the Hidden Leaf—if not number one, certainly in the top five.
"Mizuki, this is what an A-grade performance looks like."
"Naruto did well, but he's still far from A-level."
Iruka turned to his friend Mizuki with a smile, his tone light.
But his words instinctively sparked a flicker of resentment and aversion in Naruto.
Even a five-year-old could sense that Iruka was deliberately targeting him, refusing to acknowledge his efforts with a fair score.
[Ding! Darkening Progress increased by 0.1!]
The system's chime made Chu Ran's eyes light up.
This was a promising start. As long as Iruka continued to reject Naruto's excellence, it would serve as the perfect spark, yielding results in no time.
"Alright, alright, you're the homeroom teacher."
"But I still think Naruto did pretty well."
Mizuki looked at the earnest Iruka, spreading his hands in a playful shrug.
He deliberately spoke up, glancing at Naruto.
"Thank you, Mizuki-sensei."
Naruto bowed his head in gratitude, then cast a glance at Sasuke, surrounded by admiring classmates.
He turned and walked off the training field.
His solitary figure stood out starkly against the crowd, unaware that one person was watching him.
That person was Hinata Hyuga, the only one in the class who truly paid attention to him.
…
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was reviewing documents.
The door burst open, and Danzo Shimura hobbled in with his cane, his face grim.
The secretary, sensing the tension, quickly excused herself.
At that moment, two other high-ranking officials entered: Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, advisors of the Hokage.
The four were old comrades, each holding significant authority in the Hidden Leaf.
As advisors, Koharu and Homura's influence in the administrative department sometimes surpassed even Danzo and Hiruzen's.
"Hiruzen, why didn't you inform us that someone from the Uchiha clan has been in contact with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"As Hokage, don't you understand the danger of this?"
"If your Anbu are this incompetent, maybe I should take over their management."
Danzo's words dripped with accusation, squarely blaming Hiruzen.
He was referring to the contact between Izumi Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki.
This was no small matter.
The Hidden Leaf had relegated the Uchiha clan to the village's outskirts for security duties, largely to keep them in check.
Five years ago, during the Nine-Tails' rampage, no one could definitively tie the incident to the Uchiha.
But neither could anyone prove they were uninvolved.
The Uchiha's Sharingan could control the Nine-Tails—a fact all four leaders knew well.
That's why Naruto was monitored by Anbu, not just to watch him but also to protect him from potential Uchiha manipulation.
"Hiruzen, you need to take a stand on this."
"Exactly. Either the Uchiha clan or the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki must be dealt with."
"This is for the village's safety."
Koharu and Homura didn't side with Hiruzen either.
In their view, Danzo's concerns were valid.
In the original Naruto story, the Uchiha clan's extermination stemmed partly from internal dissent against the village.
But another key reason was the leadership's fear of the Sharingan's power.
With the village's current weakened state, a conflict with the Uchiha would be catastrophic.
This was why Hiruzen hesitated to act.
The Three Sannin had left the village, and the Fourth Hokage and his wife had sacrificed themselves.
The village's core strength now rested on a handful of aging leaders, ill-equipped to confront the Uchiha.
"Are you making such extreme decisions based on mere speculation?"
"Is this about just one person's life?"
Hiruzen sighed softly, but his expression was resolute, showing no sign of yielding.
He had hidden cards yet to play—enough to give him confidence to continue observing the Uchiha.
"No matter what happens to the Uchiha, it weakens the Hidden Leaf's strength."
"Do you think the world is at peace right now?"
"Without solid evidence of Uchiha rebellion, I won't act."
"Danzo, don't forget the warning I gave you recently."
Hiruzen stood, exuding the authority befitting a Hokage.
His firm, uncompromising tone silenced the three instantly.
(End of the Chapter)