Chapter 275: Battle Rewards: Striving for High-Level Fire Release

"The past always seems beautiful and is very nostalgic. I really miss my days at the ninja school." When Shiranui Genma sat under a tree, drenched in sweat from training, he couldn't help but sigh.

Back when he was in school, he always thought about graduating quickly and longed for the life of a ninja after graduation, but now that he had actually graduated, Shiranui Genma found himself missing his school days.

Back then, training wasn't as intense, the teachers at the ninja academy weren't as strict as Teacher Chen, and if he stayed up late at night, he could catch up on sleep during unimportant theory classes.

He thought it over carefully and realized he had always been this contradictory—looking forward to holidays during school, then soon after the holidays started, looking forward to school starting again, and not long after school started, wanting another holiday.

"If I really went back to the ninja school, I'd probably end up missing being a ninja again." Shiranui Genma silently mocked himself in his thoughts.

"I don't miss it at all. What's past is past." Ebisu stated his own opinion.

"Haha, that's because your true nature came out back in fourth grade, right?" Shiranui Genma laughed loudly at his good buddy.

Ebisu's face darkened. It wasn't his true nature being exposed; it was clearly running into the two nemeses of his life.

Seeing his good buddy looking like he was about to cut someone, Shiranui Genma chuckled and prepared to slip away.

"You two, if you're resting, behave yourselves. Recover your stamina faster and get back to training sooner. You're both graduates of the ninja school. If your taijutsu could reach even half of Might Guy's level, I could focus on teaching you ninjutsu." Teacher Chen appeared behind the two, pinching their shoulders as he spoke.

Shiranui Genma sucked in a cold breath and quickly nodded.

Ebisu also sat down obediently, ready to resume training after the break. He acknowledged Teacher Chen's skill; he could genuinely feel his taijutsu improving.

"Teacher Chen, we haven't taken on a single mission yet. Do you have any plans for that?" Shiranui Genma asked curiously.

Although he didn't really want to do those odd-job missions, he was worried that not doing any missions would prevent them from ever taking higher-ranked ones. Besides, now that they were ninjas, they had to earn their own money and couldn't keep asking their families for it.

The reason he hadn't asked until now was that Shiranui Genma thought a powerful ninja like Teacher Chen must have his own ideas and arrangements.

"Oh right, you still need to do some missions. I forgot about that." Teacher Chen stroked his chin and showed a look of sudden realization.

When he was young, he had already done enough missions and saved plenty of money. Now, unless the Hokage assigned them, he didn't take missions. Plus, Might Guy was so outstanding that Teacher Chen was focused entirely on training Guy properly to make him stronger, so he simply forgot about the mission matter.

Ninjas must do missions. If they didn't do a single mission, Teacher Chen couldn't even recommend them for the Chūnin Exams.

Shiranui Genma:...

He had thought of many possibilities, but never that Teacher Chen had simply forgotten.

Seeing Shiranui Genma's look of despair, Teacher Chen coughed lightly and changed his wording:

"That was just a joke. How could I have forgotten? I've had plans all along. I just wanted you two to train more at first to improve your strength. Doing too many D-rank missions is pointless anyway."

Shiranui Genma looked at Teacher Chen with a suspicious expression. No matter how he looked at it, Teacher Chen's expression when he said he'd forgotten seemed more natural.

Teacher Chen calmly pulled out a book with a cool older-sister cover and started reading. Shiranui Genma silently looked away.

When Might Guy started resting because he was tired, he relayed Tsukuyo's answer to Teacher Chen.

"Then let's do it tomorrow. Meet here at this training ground after two in the afternoon." Teacher Chen thought it over and set the time and place.

Might Guy nodded, memorized Teacher Chen's words, and planned to go tell Tsukuyo in the evening. He could also mooch another meal—yesterday's fried rice was really delicious.

On the morning of the exchange meeting, Obito and Shisui met at the agreed-upon location and then went together to attend the exchange meeting.

The exchange meeting was held within the Uchiha clan's compound, in a large courtyard.

Conversations and casual chats could take place inside the house, while sparring and matches could be held in the open space of the courtyard.

By the time Obito and Shisui arrived, many Uchiha ninjas wearing forehead protectors were already seated inside the house.

Shisui glanced around casually; he was the only one present without a forehead protector. The Uchiha here were indeed all quite young—all Uchiha in their teens.

Shisui also spotted Uchiha Tetsuka, the only Uchiha at the gathering who was close to them in age.

Uchiha Tetsuka was chatting with senior Uchiha Inabi, who had already become a member of the Police Force. Noticing Shisui's gaze, Uchiha Tetsuka smiled and turned back to wave a greeting at Shisui.

"Who is he? He looks even younger than you, and he's not wearing a forehead protector." Uchiha Inabi asked curiously.

"You mean Shisui? He's still only a second-year student at the ninja academy, so of course he doesn't have a forehead protector." Uchiha Tetsuka explained.

"But don't underestimate Shisui just because he's young, Brother Inabi. He's actually stronger than me. You've been busy with missions and police work in recent years, so you might not know, but he's the newest genius to appear in our Uchiha clan."

When Uchiha Tetsuka said Shisui was stronger than him, there was no resentment on his face—only admiration.

With Shisui, he could truly feel the difference between a genius and an ordinary person. Their training efficiency was worlds apart; training two extra years meant nothing, and he was overtaken in no time.

Uchiha Tekka was a very typical Uchiha. Under the belief that the strong are respected, Uchiha Tekka had never regarded Shisui as a younger clan brother; he always treated Shisui as his boss.

"Oh, then I'd like to meet him. Just finishing first grade and already having strength surpassing yours." Uchiha Inabi became interested in Shisui.

He knew Uchiha Tekka's strength; Tekka could be considered a small genius. For someone to be so highly praised by Uchiha Tekka, his strength was definitely extraordinary.

"Who's that next to him? Feels unfamiliar too." Uchiha Inabi noticed Obito, who was looking around with curiosity.

"That's Uchiha Obito. He also graduated this year like me." Uchiha Tekka replied with a complicated expression.

"Uchiha Obito... I recall that there was someone called the Uchiha's dead last with that name. Is it him?" Some related memories surfaced in Uchiha Inabi's mind.

"Yes. His grades used to be very poor, but he hasn't been the dead last for a long time. In fourth grade, his strength shot up rapidly. With his current strength, even if he directly took the Chunin Exam, he could probably become a Chunin straight away."

After saying this, Uchiha Tekka couldn't help recalling the strength that Might Guy and Obito had displayed in the third semester's practical exam.

He was certain that if he faced either of them, he would be crushed and defeated.

"Then he is also an excellent Uchiha." Uchiha Inabi nodded and said. No matter how he performed before, as long as he became strong, he was an excellent Uchiha.

So Uchiha Inabi walked toward Shisui and Obito, wanting to get to know them.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Inabi. I heard about your feats from Tekka. You both are geniuses of the Uchiha." Uchiha Inabi said as he walked over to Obito and Shisui.

"Hello, Senior Inabi. I wouldn't dare call myself a genius; I'm just temporarily a bit ahead of my peers." Shisui said modestly.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Obito." Obito stopped looking around and replied upon hearing the voice.

"If defeating Tekka at this age doesn't count as a genius, then the Uchiha probably can't find many geniuses. There's no need to be like those hypocrites. We Uchiha speak through strength. Strong is strong." Uchiha Inabi said with a smile.

Uchiha Tekka, who had followed up, nodded in agreement. If Shisui wasn't a genius, he really couldn't think of anyone else in the Uchiha who could be called a genius.

Uchiha Inabi's words attracted the attention of some other Uchiha. They were a bit surprised to find that it was Uchiha Inabi praising someone. Uchiha Inabi was quite famous among the new generation of Uchiha: he graduated at ten, became a Chunin at twelve, and this year at thirteen, he entered the Police Force on his own strength.

"If you have any training questions, you can ask me. If you want to train practical combat ability, I can also give some guidance during the battle time later. Don't worry about troubling me; just think of it as a warm-up before challenging a senior." Uchiha Inabi said with a smile.

"Very good. An exchange meeting is precisely for instructing juniors and challenging seniors." Uchiha Yashiro, who had walked over upon hearing Uchiha Inabi's words, showed a gratified expression.

"That's right." Uchiha Fugaku, walking alongside Uchiha Yashiro, nodded and affirmed.

"Clan Leader Fugaku."

"Elder Yashiro."

The young Uchiha at the scene greeted one after another upon seeing the two Uchiha higher-ups arrive.

The two of them naturally were not young ninjas; they came as organizers and battle judges. They would comment on the Uchiha's battles, and if an excellent Uchiha who satisfied them appeared, they would give rewards.

"Shisui, do your best." Fugaku patted Shisui's shoulder, encouraged him, then walked to the front of everyone to make an announcement.

Fugaku's "just a few words" really were just two sentences. After speaking for a minute, he declared the exchange meeting officially started.

"This is actually better than some teachers at the Ninja Academy." Obito, recalling a teacher who had rambled for half an hour, complained.

"Do you two have any questions you want to ask me?" Uchiha Inabi asked the two. If Obito and the others had nothing, he would go find an older Uchiha to exchange with.

"I heard the exchange meeting might reward an advanced Fire Release. How can I get it?" Obito asked directly.

Hearing that Obito's goal was to be rewarded with an advanced Fire Release, Uchiha Inabi smiled and said in a joking tone:

"If you can defeat me in battle, then Clan Leader Fugaku will definitely reward you with an advanced Fire Release."

Obito had set his goal.

After resting for a few days, I feel I've recovered some energy. Tomorrow I'll try for a mass release.