[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha":3,"chapter-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-132":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting Off with Horse and Sword in Konoha",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2349183,4591,"Chapter 132","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-132",132,"\u003Cp>Once the seed of distrust is planted, it will rapidly take root and grow into a towering tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the 40 candidates had automatically split into two factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since Itachi don’t trust us, let’s split up—we already have all the intelligence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Satoshi spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This suggestion immediately gained support from the vast majority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Hizashi felt their hearts sink—they now vaguely understood the key to this examination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Satoshi, splitting up isn’t wise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Shisui said gravely: “It’s precisely because we trust Itachi that we suspect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because we act for the whole team, not for any one person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if we split up, do Itachi think your own group has no suspicion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Itachi only separate, Itachi’ll eventually collapse from distrust and fail the exam completely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Satoshi and the others frowned, but no one spoke to refute him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distrust won’t vanish just because Uchiha Shisui and the others are gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, we must confront the real problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have Itachi all forgotten what Colonel Fujinaka and the Third Hokage taught us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Though we’re undergoing an internal examination, this is still a real battlefield.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyuga Hizashi shouted: “We don’t suspect Itachi—we don’t suspect our comrades—we suspect the enemy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one wants to lose trust in their comrades. No one wants to strike at their own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To eliminate distrust, we must trust each other.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re not targeting Itachi—we’re targeting the enemy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re not looking for a spy—we’re showing the enemy that we’re united, that we trust each other, and that we can work together to win!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Satoshi and the others were deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Shisui pressed on: “We must show the enemy that those who uphold the Will of Fire will never be brought down by a petty scheme of division!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our bodies may fall, but our spirit and will must never be broken.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If our spirit and will are shattered, we have no right to call ourselves true ninja—no right to be heroes who guard our loved ones and our village in the darkness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To become a hero, Itachi must possess what ordinary people cannot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not just strength—it’s spirit and will!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Itachi can’t achieve this, what right do Itachi have to be elite, to be someone others look up to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Uchiha Satoshi and the others were thoroughly shaken—the lessons in ideological education from Colonel Fujinaka and Hiruzen Sarutobi over the past months rose slowly to the surface of their minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyuga Hizashi added fuel to the fire: “Surely everyone remembers when the Second Hokage held the rear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyuga Hizashi continued immediately: “For Konoha at that time, was the Second Hokage more important than any one of the Third Hokage’s group?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course the Second Hokage!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone replied solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why did the Second Hokage choose to hold the rear himself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hyuga Hizashi demanded, then answered himself: “Because he was Hokage!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because he was superior!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because he saw further!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy stillness followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then someone suddenly spoke: “I agree to another round of screening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I agree too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, voices rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Satoshi also spoke: “I agree—use hypnosis to clear our suspicions!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a figure leapt out, transforming into a black-clad masked man who raised his hands to form seals and cast a ninjutsu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Uchiha Shisui and the others had already prepared—they struck together and obliterated the black-clad masked man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So there really is a spy—the village is too…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now we can finally rest easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the spy exposed, many sighed in relief, but Uchiha Shisui shouted: “Everyone, don’t relax yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This might be the enemy deliberately revealing himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So screening must continue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Satoshi immediately supported him: “There might be a second—or even more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can’t let anyone look down on us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team fell silent again, and screening resumed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Shisui cast genjutsu for screening, while Hyuga Hizashi and others of the Hyuga clan used the Byakugan to assist, observing chakra fluctuations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, even the Sharingan isn’t infallible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it went smoothly—all 14 of Uchiha Satoshi’s group passed without issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, receiving feedback from his Shadow Clones, Colonel Fujinaka burst into laughter: “Excellent!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Hizashi lived up to his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like I can take it easy from now on,” Colonel Fujinaka chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since taking over as head of the Root, he’d been so busy he’d neglected training—only maintaining Hyuga drills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was even after delegating most duties to subordinates like Shino Aburame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once the Root returns to normal operations and he gains capable assistants, things will be much easier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Estimating the time, Colonel Fujinaka formed seals and created ten more Shadow Clones to set up the battlefield, while his original body left the Forest of Death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer needed to remain there—he could wait outside with Minato Namikaze and the others for the final results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer needed to remain here to oversee things; all he had to do was go outside and wait with Minato Namikaze and the others for the final outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Colonel Fujinaka appeared, Minato Namikaze immediately asked: “Fujinaka, is the exam over?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not quite—no more than half an hour left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Colonel Fujinaka smiled: “But it’s going very well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exam’s design came from Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi—he merely executed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The specific design of this examination’s procedures came from Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi; he was merely responsible for implementing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minato Namikaze smiled: “If it works, we can implement it widely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third Hokage, what do Itachi think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded: “We can start with the Root—train a core group first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had always placed great importance on ideological education.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Root’s current “Will of Fire” text withstands this test, it must be promoted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, we must wait for the final outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Forest of Death, Uchiha Shisui’s group had reached their final destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final intelligence was here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, they faced ten powerful enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This would test their coordination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Hizashi’s outstanding performance, they had been trusted and elected as temporary leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This battle would be led by the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with the enemy heavily guarding the intelligence, no brilliant strategy could easily be devised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either some would hold off the enemy while others slipped in to retrieve the intelligence,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or the enemy would be lured away before the intelligence was seized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter was harder—it was easily exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Uchiha Shisui and Hyuga Hizashi chose the first option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forceful breakthrough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Shisui led the group to kill the ten enemies, while Hyuga Hizashi slipped in alone to retrieve the intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was destined to be a brutal battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>39 vs. 10.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They eliminated Colonel Fujinaka’s ten Shadow Clones, but thirty-five men fell, wounded and unable to stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the intelligence was finally secured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the information was finally obtained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evaluation is complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as they prepared to withdraw, Uchiha Shisui said: “We still have one team member—Hizashi, Kakashi—Itachi go ahead, I’ll find him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shisui!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the evaluation rules, after obtaining the intelligence, they must return to the starting point within the allotted time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, I’m fast!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Shisui smiled gently: “Besides, I’m the team leader!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Uchiha Shisui vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the Death Forest, Uchiha Fugaku, waiting for the Root ninja to return from the evaluation, felt a sudden chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not see Uchiha Shisui!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he been eliminated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could that be?\u003C\u002Fp>",1258,"2026-06-21T02:29:34.312Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","72542d101fab8219bab6d12b8c75ce73a34b1a5dd6dc025916bb10b45cb16894","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-133","starting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-chapter-131",157,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-off-with-horse-and-sword-in-konoha-cover.jpg"]