THE UCHIHA ASCENSION

Konoha is 32 years old, and Uchiha Kiyo is ten years old. It can be said that he has developed sufficiently, and now is the time for him to start undertaking missions.

Although he has yet to encounter a bottleneck, Uchiha Kiyo feels that real missions and actual combat are more beneficial for his progress. His strength improves much faster this way. Of course, even if he didn't want to take on missions, it wouldn't be up to him. He is on the verge of graduating, and soon, he will follow his assigned jonin instructor on missions—it's only a matter of time.

Speaking of the instructor, Uchiha Kiyo immediately thinks of Orochimaru. If his guess is correct, he will be in a team with Nawaki Senju, but he has no idea who the third teammate will be. He thinks about it for a long time but ultimately cannot figure it out. What will the Hokage decide?

"Forget it, it doesn't matter who it is. With Nawaki and me, who would we need to worry about?"

Confident in his own strength, Uchiha Kiyo no longer dwells on the third teammate and instead prepares for the graduation exam.

The Ninja Academy lasts four years, and Uchiha Kiyo has made simple mistakes in every theory test on purpose, giving himself a reputation for being careless—something that could prove useful in the future.

Because of this, Uchiha Kiyo is usually ranked second or third in the academic rankings. First place has always been occupied by Uchiha Kiyo, while he and Hyuga Hui compete for the second spot.

However, in taijutsu classes, which started in the second year, Uchiha Kiyo has remained undefeated, and no one can outlast him in endurance.

He isn't worried about the final graduation exam at all. Even if he were to fail, Orochimaru could likely get him through, but that would be unnecessary and troublesome. It might even lower Orochimaru's impression of him.

For Uchiha Kiyo, Orochimaru as a teacher is something to look forward to.

Orochimaru will eventually become a scientist, perfect the Edo Tensei, and develop numerous powerful ninjutsu—not just for battle but also for escape.

Although later versions of Orochimaru may seem twisted, always fixated on acquiring new bodies, at this stage, he is still within the realm of normal scientific curiosity. It is only after various battles, Nawaki Senju's death, betrayal by Danzo, and disillusionment with the Third Hokage that he will gradually turn into the villain seen in the later parts of the story. Though his personality plays a role, these external factors are significant in shaping him.

Right now, the current Orochimaru is an excellent candidate for a teacher. He may be a bit ruthless, but his training will be highly effective.

Orochimaru is the most outstanding disciple of the Third Hokage. And what is the Third Hokage best known for? Five Elements Ninjutsu. He didn't earn the title "Professor of Ninjutsu" for nothing.

If the Third Hokage is most satisfied with Orochimaru, that means Orochimaru's ninjutsu prowess surpasses the other Sannin.

For Uchiha Kiyo, who aims to build a strong ninjutsu foundation, Orochimaru is the best choice.

Each of the Sannin has their strengths—Orochimaru relies on science and research, Tsunade on her bloodline, talent, and Yin Seal, while Jiraiya depends on sheer perseverance.

Orochimaru's genius is well-known, and Tsunade's chakra reserves, while not as exaggerated as Hashirama's, are still remarkable due to her Senju lineage. Her ability to develop the Strength of a Hundred Technique and Creation Rebirth based on the Yin Seal further proves her exceptional talent.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, is a civilian ninja with no particular advantages in talent beyond his strong physique and large chakra reserves.

It's true—Jiraiya's talent is not exceptional. Orochimaru often called him an idiot, and there was some truth to that. However, Jiraiya had an unshakable will and was willing to take risks. He was the type to gamble everything on a single bet—like when he first summoned a toad and was lucky enough to land in Mount Myoboku.

Some say he didn't know the dangers involved, but that's hard to believe. The Third Hokage, "Professor of Ninjutsu," wouldn't overlook such an important detail when teaching the Sannin. Even if he didn't specifically emphasize the risks, he surely mentioned them.

Jiraiya likely understood his own limitations and knew that luck was his best shot at gaining power. His gamble paid off—he formed a bond with Mount Myoboku and eventually mastered Sage Mode, which allowed him to keep up with the other two Sannin.

Although Jiraiya didn't learn many ninjutsu, he mastered the ones he did. By focusing on his strengths—taijutsu, Sage Mode, and Rasengan—he achieved remarkable results.

His struggles in learning the Rasengan also reveal his true level of talent. The fact that he had to develop alternative training methods for Naruto suggests that he himself had difficulty mastering it in the traditional way. Why create shortcuts if learning it normally was easy? That struggle hints at a lack of innate talent, but Jiraiya persevered.

Many characters in the Naruto world have said it: Jiraiya was a truly great ninja.

Ahem… back to the topic at hand.

Uchiha Kiyo adjusted his state of mind and prepared for the exam.

The written test was simple for him. He finished answering the questions half an hour early, turned in his paper ahead of time, and left the classroom to head to the Three Basic Techniques assessment area.

Class placements are primarily based on overall performance throughout the years. The theoretical test isn't overly crucial, so most students don't stress too much about it.

Because of this, Uchiha Kiyo wasn't the first to arrive for the jutsu assessment—he had to wait in line.

Before long, Nawaki Senju arrived and ran straight to Uchiha Kiyo's side.

"You're done already?" Uchiha Kiyo asked, surprised.

"Of course! Don't underestimate me! I'm the man who will become Hokage! Hahaha!"

Nawaki laughed proudly, once again declaring his dream for all to hear.

Uchiha Kiyo glanced around at the reactions of the other students—some looked dismissive, some admiring… wait, admiration?

Uchiha Kiyo sighed. Nawaki was hopeless. He shouted about becoming Hokage all the time, which had probably already put him on Danzo's radar.

For now, though, there was no immediate danger. The Senju Clan still had influence, and Danzo wouldn't act too rashly. But the threat Nawaki posed to Danzo was real—he had a strong lineage, a Hokage dream, and the backing of the Senju. Given time, he could very well become Hokage. That made him a threat Danzo couldn't ignore.

"I need to be careful," Uchiha Kiyo thought. "As long as Nawaki stays alive, the Senju Clan still has a chance. Danzo won't be able to manipulate them as easily. But once most of their elites fall in the war, they'll fade from power."

Uchiha Kiyo looked at Nawaki, deep in thought.

Feeling the intense stare, Nawaki suddenly crossed his arms and took a defensive stance.

"Why are you looking at me like that?!"

Ignoring Nawaki's antics, Uchiha Kiyo entered the exam room when his turn came.

Inside, four instructors sat behind a long table, with an Anbu ninja in a dog-mask seated in the center—likely there to oversee the exam on the Hokage's behalf.

Homeroom teachers handled the practical assessment, while taijutsu instructors oversaw the written tests.

One of the teachers, Naoki Uemura, spoke.

"Uchiha Kiyo, no need to be nervous. Just perform the Three Basic Techniques in order."

Unlike thirty years later, the current Konoha exam required a demonstration of all three techniques.

Uchiha Kiyo stepped forward, took a deep breath, and began forming hand seals.

A true expert is recognized the moment they act.

Seeing his speed, the teachers nodded in approval. Even the Anbu ninja was impressed.

"As expected of someone who has mastered medical ninjutsu. His chakra control is excellent, with zero waste."