"Chunin exams?"
"Yes! If I become a Chunin, my Will of Fire will become even stronger."
"Hmm?" Orochimaru was stunned. Did he hear that correctly?
Wakaho looked at his fists with a serious expression and said, "I've already learned all of Clan Leader Fugaku's Fire Style techniques. If I obtain the Will of Fire from becoming a Chunin, I'll be able to challenge Clan Leader Fugaku!"
"Don't worry, Sensei, I won't let you down. As long as I become a Chunin, I'm confident I can defeat Clan Leader Fugaku!"
"..."
After a long silence, Orochimaru realized that keeping up with this kid's train of thought was not a simple matter.
Just considering the Will of Fire and its strange setting...
So, how exactly is the Will of Fire taught to Chunin?
"Wakaho-kun..." Orochimaru thought it was necessary to correct Wakaho's misconceptions about his thoughts; otherwise, it might get troublesome if this misunderstanding spread.
"The Will of Fire is a spirit, a legacy, not..."
"I know, Orochimaru-sensei!" Wakaho interrupted with an air of assurance. "The Will of Fire is the source of power for Konoha ninjas. The stronger the Will of Fire, the stronger Konoha ninjas become!"
"That's true," Orochimaru said patiently. "The strength of the Will of Fire depends on the inner self and cannot be quantified. It has nothing to do with whether you become a Chunin or not."
Orochimaru continued to guide him patiently: "Look, you just graduated from the ninja academy and received your ninja headband. Did you notice any significant changes?"
"Of course I did!"
Wakaho said loudly, "Sensei, I can clearly feel the change. My Will of Fire has indeed become stronger!"
Orochimaru felt a bit of a headache. "But..."
"Look, Sensei!" Wakaho showed off, directly revealing his two tomoe in his Sharingan.
"After becoming a ninja, I distinctly felt the Will of Fire improve, and even my eyes became stronger!"
"..."
Looking at the double tomoe in Wakaho's eyes, Orochimaru suddenly felt a bit... insecure!
He remembered that Wakaho was just a single tomoe Sharingan, indicating it was in the early stage of awakening!
How did it evolve just by putting on the headband?
Recalling Wakaho's performance during the exam, using Wind Style to perform Fire Style techniques—something he hadn't yet explored...
'Could this kid be right?' Orochimaru suddenly wondered.
Could it be that Wakaho's belief in a "quantifiable Will of Fire" was actually real?
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly.
So what exactly is this knowledge and power?
Is it a Bloodline Limit other than the Uchiha Sharingan?
Or a special ability of the Sharingan?
If only he could study it properly...
A strange impulse quietly grew in Orochimaru's heart...
"Sensei..."
Wakaho's voice, which was still perceptible, had softened a bit, "If you think I can't defeat Clan Leader Fugaku, I could delay the challenge."
"Becoming a Chunin is the fastest way for me to obtain the Will of Fire, so Sensei..."
"Sensei will help you, Wakaho-kun."
Orochimaru suddenly smiled and interrupted, "As Sensei said, I will support your dreams."
"Eh?" Now it was Wakaho's turn to be a bit confused. Was Sensei being so agreeable?
No...
Sensei, if you're going to speak, could you not extend your tongue so much?