The great fire was extinguished.
But the once smooth and bustling playground had now become a sight too horrific to behold.
Starting from where Naoki stood, a fan-shaped area nearly a hundred meters ahead was charred black.
The ground looked as if it had been plowed over and then repeatedly scorched by intense flames; the soil had turned into black crystals, still emitting wisps of white smoke and a pungent odor.
In the center of the playground, the massive water wall created by the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama with all his might had vanished, leaving only a huge pool of water on the ground.
It formed a stark contrast with the charred earth, appearing like a clear and distinct chasm.
The entire field was dead silent.
One could hear a pin drop.
Thousands of teachers and students, including the heads of various clans and Konoha high-ranking officials who had come to observe the ceremony, were all frozen in place as if a paralysis jutsu had been cast on them.
Their mouths hung open, their eyes bulged, and their minds were completely blank.
What did they just see?
An eight-year-old child had used a Fire Release technique that even the Second Hokage needed to respond to with full power.
Is this reasonable?
This is completely unreasonable!
This is even more preposterous than the First Hokage-sama knowing how to use Yin Release!
Amidst this deathly silence, the system’s notification sounded in Naoki’s mind like heavenly music.
[Ding!]
[Emergency Mission: Majesty at the Entrance Ceremony, Completed.]
[Mission Evaluation: Super S-Rank (Due to the host’s performance far exceeding expectations and successfully drawing out the Second Hokage to personally intervene, the majesty effect was maximized).]
[Mission Reward: ‘Uchiha Fluid Taijutsu Basics’ has been delivered to the system inventory.
Please check it, host.]
[Extra Reward: Due to the host forcibly using an over-spec B-rank Ninjutsu, causing excessive physical strain, a ‘Constitution Recovery Potion’ x1 has been rewarded and automatically used.]
A cool, warm current instantly flowed through his entire body, sweeping away the feeling of weakness from Chakra exhaustion and the stinging pain in his meridians.
Naoki felt like he had come back to life.
He forced himself not to collapse on the spot, maintaining the cold and aloof posture bestowed by the system on the surface, while inwardly complaining wildly: ‘At least you have a bit of a conscience, knowing to give a recovery potion.
Otherwise, I would definitely have to be carried back lying down today.’
But…
Uchiha Fluidity Art?
It sounds pretty powerful.
Is it a Taijutsu like Guy’s?
While Naoki was spacing out, he didn’t notice that the eyes of everyone present were focused on him and Tobirama like searchlights.
Waiting for an explanation.
Especially those from the Uchiha Clan.
Uchiha Kagami, the moderate leader on whom Tobirama placed high hopes, was currently covering his mouth tightly to keep from crying out in surprise.
His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun wildly, as if he wanted to engrave every frame of the scene just now into his brain.
Great Fire Annihilation!
To think it could be used with such immense power!
That was recorded in the clan scrolls; only the legendary Madara-sama could perform it on such a scale!
A Senju!
A white-haired Senju from the Second’s family!
He actually used it?
That power, that range—it was stronger than any clan elder he had ever seen!
What on earth was going on?
Could it be…
could it be that the legends about Madara-sama his grandfather told him were all true?
That Madara-sama’s power had once truly transcended the boundaries of bloodline?
As for the young Uchiha children, their reactions were even more direct.
Looking at that silver-haired figure standing on the scorched earth, their gazes had shifted from initial fear and shock to a kind of near-fanatical worship.
“Too…
too strong…” an Uchiha youth murmured to himself, his body trembling slightly with excitement.
“Is that the over-spec power of the Great Fire Annihilation?
It’s exactly the same as what’s recorded on the stone tablet!
No, it’s even more terrifying than the records!”
“Is…
is he really a Senju?
Why…
why do I feel his Chakra is even purer and more domineering than ours?”
“I don’t care if he’s a Senju or not!
Someone who can use this kind of Fire Release is a powerhouse we Uchiha should follow!”
“That’s right!
This is true Fire Release!
This is the pride of the Uchiha!”
He looked at Naoki as if a hungry wolf had spotted the most delicious lamb—greedy, fanatical, and determined to have him.
“Madara-sama…
it must be Madara-sama’s bloodline!
He’s a descendant of Madara-sama left in the outside world!
Senju Tobirama, you hypocrite, you actually dare to imprison Madara-sama’s bloodline!”
“Just you wait…
just you wait!
We will definitely…
definitely welcome the ‘Holy Son’ back to the Uchiha!
We will restore the glory of the Uchiha!”
A mad plan quickly took shape in his heart.
Unlike the fanaticism of the Uchiha Clan, Tsunade’s reaction was filled with confusion and a hint of estrangement.
She looked at Naoki standing on the scorched earth with a cold expression, as if everything that just happened had nothing to do with him, and felt an unprecedented sense of strangeness.
Was this still the same Naoki who would fight her for the last dango, whose ears she would pull for oversleeping, and who would clumsily bandage her wounds?
What was that just now?
That world-destroying power, that gaze that treated all things like ants…
She was a little afraid.
She clenched her fists, looking at Naoki with a gaze as if she were looking at an alien she didn’t know at all.
And Naoki finally belatedly felt these complex gazes.
His heart skipped a beat.
‘Oh no, I overdid it.’
He slowly turned his head and cast a pleading gaze toward the only person in the entire field who could save him—his grandfather, Senju Tobirama.
‘Grandpa, save me!
I don’t want to be treated like a monster!
I really just want to be a lazy bum!’
Senju Tobirama received his grandson’s pleading look.
He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
No expression could be seen on his face, which was like an ice carving, but his clenched fists and slightly trembling shoulders still betrayed his inner turmoil.
He looked at his most beloved grandson, then at the mess of a playground, and at the surrounding gazes that were shocked, fearful, or fanatical.
He knew that if today’s matter wasn’t handled well, it would bring endless trouble to Konoha, the Senju Clan, and even Naoki himself.
He had to provide an explanation once again.
A perfect explanation that could convince everyone once more!