9

The blue sky stretched like a vast canvas, adorned with a scattering of clouds that added to its beauty. This picturesque scene unfolded in the Country of Fire, specifically within a courtyard of the Uchiha clan.

"Alas!"

Asuka sighed deeply, anticipating that Uchiha Fugaku's visit wasn't without reason. True to his expectations, he was summoned for the method in which he decided to test his students.

However, the timing wasn't coincidental, and he found himself face-to-face with the Great Elder. Old Deng stared at him with the fervor one might reserve for witnessing a peerless beauty, his eyes aglow with an eerie green hue. To make matters more interesting, Old Deng managed to steal the spotlight from the clan leader, opening his mouth wide to deliver a lecture.

"Although your medical expertise is commendable, that doesn't justify employing such extreme methods to test students. The bell-grabbing game not only hones a class's cooperative abilities but also fosters camaraderie among peers. Most importantly, what does your testing method really train? What does it cultivate? Resistance to toxins? Or perhaps it's meant to nurture the special bond formed while huddled together in the restroom?"

"We, the Uchiha clan, have failed to produce an instructor for several years. Do you know why? It's because you, a teacher who defies common sense, dug a massive pit beneath the family's lowest point and threw it straight into the abyss."

As the elder showed no signs of stopping, Asuka wiped the spittle constellation from his face, then raised his gaze to the elderly man before him and began explaining patiently.

"Great Elder, my intention behind that action is quite clear—I merely wanted to assess those three students."

Before Asuka could complete his sentence, the Great Elder slammed the table, cutting him off and continuing his spirited lecture.

"Is it a test of their flight time?"

"Hehehehe."

Asuka sneered and simply closed his eyes, choosing to ignore the nonsensical ramblings of the old man.

This elderly man has a wicked heart and no children. If he falls ill, daring to lie here now, he'll be in the hospital tomorrow and confined to his own home the day after tomorrow.

As the sun gradually set in the west, five pots of tea had been refilled.

Caught in the aroma of rice wafting through the air, the elder lifted his head and savored the last cup of tea. A look of relief crossed his face as he gazed at the forlorn bird.

It's been years, truly years since I've felt this good.

The last time Old Deng felt so happy was when he had just become a ninja and received praise from Master Madara.

"I made a promise to the parents of those three students on your behalf. I hope you will teach carefully in the future, just teach step by step, and don't have any evil intentions," the great elder admonished him, stood up, and prepared to leave here to return home for dinner.

However, as he attempted to stand, an instant wave of heat surged through his thighs and rushed into his mind.

Buzz!

As if his head had exploded, the elder felt that his legs were no longer under control.

It's over.

Having been cross-legged for too long, his legs had gone numb.

Seeing the great elder release his crutch and fall straight toward him, Asuka's pupils shrank suddenly.

Damn it, I've been enduring your chatter all afternoon, and now you're trying to play the sympathy card before leaving, aren't you?

But there's no one around now. If this old man falls in front of him, he won't be able to defend himself.

With this thought in mind, Asuka raised his foot and kicked the great elder directly in the face.

As the foot loomed larger in his vision, the great elder was about to shout, but then he felt a heavy blow to his forehead, and his entire body was propelled backward by a tremendous force.

Peng!

The elder soared backward, crashing through the guest room door of Fugaku's house and hurtling into the interior.

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

Fugaku, emerging from the kitchen, heard the commotion in the front yard and quickly appeared on the scene.

Observing the human-shaped hole in the door of his guest room, Fugaku redirected his attention to Asuka and inquired.

"What happened?"

"Huh!"

Asuka took a deep breath. He turned to the human-shaped hole, traced a reconciliation seal in the air, and spoke in a low voice.

"Great Elder, I accept the concession."

After uttering those words, he turned to address the head of his family.

"Lord Patriarch, the First Elder was attempting to test my skills just now, but we lost control of the strength for a moment. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll bid farewell!"

"Don't you want to stay for a meal?"

"No, thank you, Patriarch, for your kindness."

Whoa!

In the moment Asuka vanished from sight, Uchiha Mikoto, clad in an apron, emerged beside Fugaku. With a wok in one hand and a spatula in the other, she surveyed the sizable hole in her door and expressed concern.

"Great Elder, are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Very good! I'm very happy today!"

After declaring that, the Great Elder stepped out of the room with a smile on his face, relying on his cane.

Observing the elder, who was now covered in dust with a visible footprint on his face, Uchiha Mikoto hesitated and inquired once more.

"Are you really okay?"

"It's okay!"

The elder brushed off the dust from his body with his hands. After casting a glance at Mikoto's pregnant belly, he turned his gaze in the direction where Asuka had vanished, wearing a contemplative expression.

*Snapped!*

After pondering for a moment, he gently prodded the stone slab with the cane in his hand and spoke slowly.

"Ever since Tsunade fell into a pit of depression, that young man has emerged as the one with the highest combat effectiveness among medical ninjas, excelling in medical ninjutsu even among combat ninjas—the perfect candidate for a bodyguard. Lately, the Fourth Generation Hokage, Namikaze Minato, has been seeking the right person to recruit as the Hokage's bodyguard. I sense that he is the ideal choice. The Uchiha clan has endured suppression for too long; it's time to offer them a sweet opportunity."

Asuka remained blissfully unaware of the discussions taking place within the Uchiha Fugaku household. Now outside the clan, he found himself at the iconic Valley of the End, situated just beyond Konoha Village.

Yes, this was the very location where Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju engaged in their legendary battle.

*boom! boom! boom!*

The resonant echoes of the waterfall reached Asuka's ears as he stood there, stroking his chin with contemplation. His gaze fixated on the rushing water, and he pondered.

What an excellent place for water-walking practice.

Even if someone were to lose their footing and tumble down the waterfall, the concerns were minimal. As a teacher, and a doctor at that, the choice between the rapid yet risky method and the steady but safer alternative led Asuka to opt for the waterfall—a venue for students to enhance their strength.

The surplus time allowed for additional training activities was a luxury that could be well utilized. As the Naruto era was yet to dawn, Asuka found ample time to visit the stream and engage in water-walking practice.

"Hey, whose kids are you? Where's your guardian?"

This question had been lingering in Asuka's mind for quite some time. Upon arriving at the waterfall, he discovered three young cubs already present. However, he patiently stood there for an extended period, and yet, there was no sign of any adults accompanying them.

Could it be that someone entrusted these kids to handle the waterfall training on their own?

Cough~

One of the children put his fist to his mouth, coughed slightly, and mimicked the arrogant demeanor of their elders, announcing with a sigh, "We are the Uchiha clan, here to watch Madara."

Bang!

In response, Asuka swiftly kicked the speaking child off the cliff, sending them plummeting into the pool below.

Upon witnessing their friend's rapid expulsion for merely revealing their identity, the expressions of the remaining two children turned from surprise to fear. Tears streamed down their faces, and they cried out loudly.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Mom, there is a bad person."

"I want to go home."

Bang!

A kunai suddenly pierced the very spot where the kicked child had stood moments ago. The two remaining children, still sobbing, peeked through the gaps between their fingers, catching sight of the kunai emitting an ominous black light. They suppressed their tears, wide-eyed with trepidation.

Is this guy going to eat children? Before the children could devise an escape plan, they suddenly felt a sharp smack on their buttocks, and their feet were lifted off the ground.

Observing the child now airborne towards the base of the cliff, Asuka shifted his attention to the woods behind him, a furrow forming on his brow.

"Come out!"

Immediately after his command, two masked ninjas materialized before him.

One adorned a fox mask, while the other wore a tiger mask. Both were dressed in black tights and white overalls. Recognizing their attire, Asuka quickly deduced their origin.

It could only be Anbu or Root.

However, given their abrupt intervention, the likelihood pointed towards the latter—Root.

"Hey! Hello!"

Asuka rubbed his forehead with one hand, mentally calculating the time. He expressed his skepticism, "Shouldn't you come up and say, Danzo-sama, wants to see you?? Why did you do it directly??"

After exchanging glances, the two "Root" ninjas unsheathed their short swords and simultaneously charged at Asuka from opposite sides.

Clang!

A black kunai deftly intercepted the short swords.

Asuka gradually dispelled the smile on his face and spoke deliberately, "Twenty seconds!"

With those words, the kunai swiftly lifted, deflecting the opponents' short swords, and executed a quick swing to the left.

Clang!

Successfully blocking another dagger, Asuka swiftly raised his right foot and delivered a powerful kick to the man's chest. With a quick flash, he distanced himself from the two attackers.

"Fire Release."

Asuka inhaled sharply, straightened his chest, puffed out his mouth, and his eyes transformed into a scarlet hue. The breath he exhaled created an atmosphere where the air seemed to burn faintly.

"Eviscerating fire!"

Flames erupted from his mouth, engulfing the surrounding air. A vast sea of flames materialized in front of the two "Root" ninjas.

The pupils of the two Root ninjas shrank suddenly as they observed the vast sea of fire in front of them, resembling an ocean. Swallowing nervously, they swiftly formed seals with their hands at varying speeds.

"Water Escape·Water Formation Pillar!

Upon the arrival of the flames, water molecules in the air surged wildly, rapidly creating two enormous water columns that enveloped the two Root ninjas within.

Stab!

The flames collided with the water columns, giving rise to a large expanse of water vapor that ascended, shrouding the elevated platform entirely.

Feeling the burning sensation from the surrounding water vapor, the two Root ninjas removed their melting masks cautiously, their eyes scanning the blurred environment. The abundance of water vapor made it impossible to discern where the next attack from Uchiha would originate.

Pooh!

Asuka spat at the ground, his eyes fixed on the lingering water vapor. He swiftly picked up stones from the ground and threw them into the mist.

In less than a second, two crisp sounds echoed from the water vapor.

Boom! Boom!

"Good start!"

Observing the cracked stones in his hands and the two Root ninjas still standing, albeit staggering, Asuka couldn't help but admire their resilience. He then concentrated chakra into his hands, illuminating their arms and scratching their leg muscles.

Chakra scalpel!

As a skilled doctor, he knew precisely where to make incisions to incapacitate the enemy swiftly without causing lethal harm. This technique worked rapidly.

Examining the two incapacitated figures on the ground, Asuka pressed the scalpel to their jaws and turned around, leaping into the pool below to rescue the three children.

It only took more than 10 seconds. Those three children should not have drowned yet.

As Asuka approached the three children, he noticed their rolled-up eyes and the occasional spray of water arrows from their mouths, evidence of their recent struggle with drowning.

After attending to the children, he turned his attention to the two Root ninjas. Squatting down, he examined them closely.

To be honest, Asuka had encountered more than ten attempts by Root ninjas since his graduation from the ninja school. Some would strike after a few words, some after only three, leading him to uninhabited forests or exploiting excuses to lower his guard. In any case, they all eventually made their move.

However, it was the first time they had attacked him right away.

Looking at the female ninja on the ground, Asuka reached into her mouth, pulled out her tongue, examined it, and shook his head.

"It's true that the tongue is the root of all evil. Your professional skills are really bad now, so just do it as soon as you come up."

"Forget it!"

Asuka placed the person's tongue back into her mouth, wiping his fingers on her clothes. He continued, "Don't look at me with such death-defying eyes. I don't ask for information."

The astonishment on the faces of the two Root ninjas quickly turned to realization, understanding the implication.

"If you don't ask for information, you will be killed directly."

"Don't worry!"

Asuka casually picked his nose, as if he could read their thoughts. "My hands are not stained with the blood of ninjas from the same village. Although you attacked me, in my opinion, we are all from the same village. We cannot waste the strength of our own village in vain, right? The weapons in our hands should be aimed at outsiders."

This time, the two Root ninjas were even more confused. Have you met the Great Sage? Are there such good people in Uchiha?

After lifting up the two people who were lying on the ground, Asuka used medical skills to connect one of their arms, and then made them sit face to face with an arm's length between them.

"Alas!"

Asuka sighed and sat beside them, revealing his Sharingan. He called the three Uchiha children who were pretending to sleep and said to them, "I am Uchiha Asuka. Today I will teach you a lesson that you cannot learn anywhere else."

"Then you..."

One of the children sniffed and said a little aggrievedly.

"Why did you kick me?"

Hearing this, Asuka looked at the child with a look of a fool on his face and said confidently.

"I just don't want to be distracted while I'm fighting."

Bang!

Seeing what the kid wanted to say, he knocked the kid on the head with his finger, then looked at the two Root ninjas and said.

"I see a full desire for survival in your eyes. It just so happens that I am a person who will not raise a butcher's knife against villagers from the same village."

Hearing this, the female ninja looked at Asuka with a wary face and frowned.

"What do you want to do? We won't tell you any information."

"Don't worry about that!"

Asuka said, poking the three children next to him to signal them not to be distracted. He then took out a pen and paper from his arms and continued.

"After all, I was attacked by you, and I still feel a little uncomfortable. Now you are drinking wine and playing rock, paper, scissors, and whoever wins slaps the other. There are a hundred games in total. I will be happy when you are finished. Then we go back to our respective homes. However, if one of you wins, but the winner's slap is not loud enough, then I will slap the loser."

"Is it that simple?"

The two looked at Asuka in disbelief. They didn't believe that the other party would let them go so easily. The key is that if you don't ask anything and slap a hundred times, everything will be fine?

"Yes!"

Asuka nodded, and then took out a few bottles of wine from the seal scroll. He raised his right hand into the air and said seriously.

"I swear on the honor of the Uchiha family, what I said is true. Okay, let's begin!"

After hearing this, the two root ninjas instantly ignited hope for life. They did not expect that the other party would let go so easily. Two of them.

They are really a group of people with brain problems.

Isn't it just a slap in the face?

After the two looked at each other, the female ninja said.

"I'll count to three, let's go out together."

"Okay!" As soon as

1

2

3

Finished speaking, the female ninja came out with scissors, while the male ninja came out with paper.

Snapped!

A crisp slap sounded, and Asuka looked at the big handprints on the male ninja's face, shook his head and sighed.

"It's a pity!"

As he said this, he handed over the drink in his hand and consoled him.

"Drink some wine. If you drink too much, your face won't be numb."

"Huh?"

Smelling the aroma of the wine, the male ninja glanced at Asuka in surprise and said subconsciously.

"You're quite a nice person!"

Yeah! Um!Asuka nodded for a while, and then he summoned three family buckets of mustard and honey fried chicken and distributed them to the three children. Then they ate the fried chicken and watched the two slapping each other.

No matter who loses, Asuka hands over a bottle of wine and comforts the other person with words.

A child grabbed the chicken leg. He looked at the two root ninjas who slapped him with a look of confusion in his eyes.

Are these two people sick?

Slapped! Slapped! Slapped!

Listening to the clear slap, the child reached out to poke his companion and asked in a low voice.

"What are they doing?"

"I don't know."

The companion shook his head, with a look of confusion on his face as well.

However, I have to say that the chicken legs are really delicious.

Slapped!

A louder slap sounded, and the male ninja covered his cheek and looked at his companion in disbelief, his eyes full of confusion.

Why the hell are you suddenly increasing your intensity? ?

"Slippery hands!"

The female companion smiled awkwardly. She really didn't control her strength just then. In other words, after drinking, her sense of control over her body has declined a lot.

"Huh!"

The man took a deep breath and didn't take it to heart. Then he turned to look at Asuka and asked.

"How many rounds are left?"

"78, we still need to do a lot more!"

"Okay!"

After saying that, he swung his arms and joined the guessing game again.

As time goes by.

Slapped!

The female ninja tilted her head to the left. She stroked her numb face and looked at her companion in disbelief, her eyes also full of questioning.

Your efforts just now were obviously recognized by that Uchiha, why are you suddenly increasing your efforts?

"Ahem. My body is a little out of control."

"Ha~"

After the corner of the kunoichi's mouth twitched, she suppressed the anger in her heart, reached out and grabbed the bottle from Asuka's hand, took a swig, and gritted her teeth.

"Come again!"

Pah. Pah.

As the hands of both sides slipped more and more often, the two people who still had the power to control their hearts became more and more casual. Often, one slap would make the other party roll on the ground several times.

Looking at them from the sidelines, Asuka looked down at the two people spitting their teeth on the ground, waved to call the three little ones behind him, pointed at the two guys who were still slapping them in the distance, and asked.

"Do you understand?"

"No!"

The three shook their heads. They really didn't understand.

But they did notice one thing, that is, the two of them were fighting harder and harder.

Looking at the blank eyes of the three little ones, Asuka stood up and patted the dirt on his buttocks. He pulled the three little ones away and explained in a low voice.

"They are good ninjas who are loyal to Konoha and loyal to Danzo. It is almost impossible to collect information from them. But 'almost' does not mean it is impossible. Sometimes, the cracks in the heart are often fatal. These people will not reveal their boss's information, but they can disclose information about their enemies. Moreover, I still spend money to buy information about their enemies. If people from outside the village purchase information about our villagers and they sell it, it will be a crime of treason. Rebelling from the village can lead to extreme stress. But who are we? We are Uchiha, a prominent family of Konoha, and part of the Konoha Guard. If they sell us information, the psychological pressure is much less. Let's consider it as information gathering rather than reconnaissance—it's more like inspection for the benefit of the village."

Seeing the three children's blank eyes gradually showing admiration, Asuka put his hands on his hips and looked as if he was pregnant.

He couldn't tell this secret to those in the clan, otherwise they would be scared to death.

Collecting information on the "roots".

What the hell is the difference between this and collecting intelligence on the ANBU.

Next, he would combine the intelligence in his hands and take the initiative to break into the hearts of Danzo's subordinates.

For Danzo to be so stubborn, 50% of his confidence was given by his ninjas, 30% by the Third Hokage, and 20% by his own strength.

In the future, after I have mastered all the information on the other party's personnel and penetrated the hearts of all the personnel, I will know exactly what kind of underpants someone is wearing at every point of the day.