Chapter 31: The Shortest Life Simulation

This was the shortest life simulation Uchiha Akira had ever experienced since obtaining the Life Simulator!

According to the simulator, on the way back, he would be ambushed by Orochimaru and killed!?

The sense of danger was overwhelming, sending chills down Uchiha Akira's spine!

This wasn't the first time he had simulated the Chunin Exam in the Hidden Cloud Village.

So why was it that this time, after actually participating, he would be attacked by Orochimaru?

However, now was not the time to dwell on that!

Orochimaru could ambush him at any moment on the way back to the Hidden Leaf.

This meant that in the coming days, the attack could happen at any time!

It wouldn't even be surprising if Orochimaru appeared in the next second!

"Damn, this is really bad!" Uchiha Akira thought, feeling increasingly anxious.

Although Might Guy was incredibly strong, even if he didn't open the Eighth Gate, just the Seventh Gate might be enough to hold off Orochimaru!

But Might Guy's strength lay only in raw power. He didn't understand the intricacies of ninjutsu or forbidden techniques.

If Orochimaru were to engage him with strategic combat, Might Guy could easily be manipulated!

A simple diversion could be enough to lure Might Guy away!

"What should I do? Orochimaru could attack at any moment—how can I protect myself?"

"Orochimaru is a Kage-level ninja. Unless Shisui-sensei were here, there's no way to fend him off, but he's not here!"

"According to the Life Simulator, I could die at any moment!"

...

Uchiha Akira's face turned pale as a deep sense of helplessness washed over him.

The Life Simulator not only allowed him to rapidly increase his strength, but it also provided insight into the consequences of his future choices.

It allowed him to avoid danger and pursue the best outcomes, hence its name—the Life Simulator, not just a training simulator!

But now, having simulated this, a crisis loomed near, and he had no idea how to respond.

Could it be that knowing about this impending crisis in advance through the Life Simulator was entirely in vain? That it wouldn't help at all?

"Calm down. I must stay calm. The more critical the situation, the more I need to think clearly!"

"Think, how can I outsmart and survive this?"

"Should I outsmart him? Or fight with sheer force? Or perhaps a combination of both?"

...

Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Akira forced himself to calm down.

"Akira, are you alright?" Might Guy asked from beside him.

Kokai and Kabuto also looked at Uchiha Akira in surprise.

For some reason, after he had killed the three rogue ninjas and looted some money from them, Uchiha Akira seemed off—his body was even trembling slightly.

It was as if he was afraid of something.

"Could it be that he's under a genjutsu?" Kabuto speculated, noticing Uchiha Akira's strange behavior.

Indeed, this seemed like the effects of a genjutsu!

Upon hearing this, Kokai placed his hand on Uchiha Akira and channeled chakra into his body.

The best way to break a genjutsu is to disrupt the target's chakra flow with your own!

As Kokai worked, Uchiha Akira looked up at him, puzzled.

"Great, are you back to normal?" Might Guy assumed a defensive stance, then sighed in relief and asked, "Akira, were you under a genjutsu just now? Was someone secretly attacking us?"

"Guy-sensei, it wasn't a genjutsu!" Uchiha Akira shook his head in response.

"If it wasn't a genjutsu, then what was it?" Might Guy and the others looked at him in confusion.

"Guy-sensei, we're in danger—our lives are at risk!" Regardless of the situation, Uchiha Akira decided that he needed to inform Might Guy and the others about Orochimaru's impending attack.

"Life-threatening danger? What do you mean?" Might Guy and the others grew tense.

"On our way back, we'll be ambushed by a powerful enemy—one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru!" Uchiha Akira explained frankly.

Orochimaru!?

At this, the faces of all three companions turned grim.

Who was Orochimaru? No one in the Hidden Leaf Village didn't know!

But to think that Orochimaru would ambush them?

"Akira, how do you know this?" Kabuto asked, adjusting his glasses.

"It's a unique ability, something like a premonition or danger-sensing power!" Uchiha Akira explained, glancing at Kabuto.

Then, he turned to Might Guy and asked, "Guy-sensei, how many gates of the Eight Gates can you open?"

"I can open up to the Sixth Gate right now!" Might Guy answered honestly.

"The Sixth Gate, huh? From now on, we must stay together on the way back. Whatever happens, we must not get separated!" Uchiha Akira advised.